Mercenary Force

Mercenary Force is a shoot'em up that blends historical Japanese themes with squad management. Set during the Edo period, the game begins with an invasion that prompts the shogun to assemble a team of warriors. The player is given an initial budget to hire from five distinct character classes, each with unique costs, health, weapon patterns, and a special ability.

Gameplay involves navigating six automatically scrolling levels from an angled perspective. The player controls a group of up to four mercenaries, who can be arranged into several formations and have their lead position swapped. Individual health pools mean the squad can continue even after losses. Defeated enemies leave temporary currency pickups, which fund recruitment between stages and purchases at in level shops.

These shops include cafes for health restoration or class changes, temples for free healing or accessing a hidden character, and statues for reviving fallen team members. Each character possesses a powerful suicide attack, activated simultaneously, with one class offering a unique level skipping function. The combination of financial management, tactical formation changes, and varied character abilities defines the experience.