What can you say about bold, beefy soldiers bursting with guns ablaze against a backdrop of outrageous bad guys? This dear reader is the heart and soul known solidly as Metal Slug: Awakening, an action-packed offering by none other than VNGGames International. Do we say it even outshines its arcade ancestor? You bet your pixelated pistol we do!

This game takes to task those fiendishly fun features we adored from the original glory days of gaming. Think- Side-scrolling action in ultra-vibrant HD, painstakingly preserved iconic maps (hello there, cozy little pyramid ), and can't-forget classics like fuming Fat Marco! Yet with all this rosy retrospection, Metal Slug's current incarnation is anything but old hat. Here is our two cents worth of what makes it a force to reckon with:

Pro Mode - Player Wins!

• Breathtaking Graphics: Picture-perfect pixelsage that charms your eyes as much as it tickles your nostalgia bone. Remember that waterfall near the deserted lab grown over with sinister vines? It’s got a new moisturizer on!
• Twists Galore: Explore fascinating new features. World exploration now exists side-by-side with Roguelike gameplay along with the company of two trusty friends in a three-player mode; sharing was caring, after all.
• Versatile Vehicles: Take to the ground or ride sky-high while navigating through deadly terrains; feel free to flex those tactical muscles here.
• Arsenal Assembly: We've got everything from retro H, L, I gun series for the old-spirits among us to futuristic flaming fire-shooters for thrill-seekers.

Let's face it, though- even sun shines have shadows. There are some cons worth factoring:

Con Mode - Player Advised!

• Patience Testing Upgrades: Weapon upgrades can make a Tortoise run feel like a Cheetah spring. Two days to upgrade just three weapons? Now that can sting your excitement, bee!
• Lagging WiFi Woes: Connection issues sneak in snarky server deaths quicker than you wink, leaving single players doubly miffed.
• Controller Curse: Is the smartphone screen too small for fingertips? Trust the joystick addicted to moan here. But dear player, wouldn't you agree there’s no better feeling than beating a big bad boss flicking through the digital battlefield with fingertips alone?

In all, though, nostalgia aside, this nifty newcomer bags brownie points over its glorious granddaddy! Drench yourself delightfully in the fan-favorite frenzy of gunfights and ghoulish bosses of Metal Slug: Awakening. It’s time we strap our boots on and get shooting those surprise Easter Eggs because, dear players, Mission Start now!