Already eight hits for the Metal Slug saga - including Metal Slug X - since its first appearance on arcade then Neo-Geo. Rooms game smoky 90s to public transport, this shoot them up emblematic of the firm SNK - then SNK Playmore - has through the ages without betraying. Yet his closest iterations have managed to update the magic of beginnings and the series has been waiting at a fresh start. Metal Slug 7 will there a new date in franchise history?

Ikari Warriors or Metal Slug?

Once again Marco, Tarma, Eri and Fio take up arms against the rebel army of General Donald Morden. Ralf and Clark are also back for the happiness of all the fanboys KOF saga. What a pleasure to break a tank using the Vulcan Punch Ralf! In short, a cast of six characters to various characteristics.Seven missions are opening up with what is verticality and devious traps to ensure a good challenge. Thus, the challenge is to go in Normal mode and becomes downright critical Hard. The bursts of bullets fuse, the militants of missiles screen and soldiers Morden succeed, so much so that it loses a little head in the final moments of adventure.


Technically, Metal Slug 7 demonstrates once again the ease with which the DS breaststroke of sprites. The screen filled regularly with a wide variety of them, the console will allow even display at the same time very complex bosses and a big fifteen soldiers without tiring. Admittedly, we occasionally found small slowdowns but overall the game runs smoothly. Unfortunately, the backgrounds did not get the same attention. It does most of the time as bitmaps whose austere minimal slice with the sharpness cruelly sprites leg first. A little cheap anyway. However, the overall achievement is one of the most beautiful success of the console in terms of 2D. Success also as the level-design, while verticality and variety. Finally, the soundtrack entraînante also part of the atmosphere of the title.

Metal Slug 7 can count on a realization of thunder, in spite of background fades

A much success so far, but things are not as favorable than they seem. It is a pity indeed a life miserable, blamed a solo completed in an hour and a half. Among the accused are also the mode of Combat School whose interest suffers from lack of variety. The many challenges proposed does indeed differ only in their degree of difficulty and not by the diversity of objectives ultimately very limited. Finally, since the absent are always wrong red card issued for Yukes to the inexplicable omission of a multiplayer mode. That could have credited the life of the title a few hours!


Conclusion

Without bringing the saga in a new era, Metal Slug 7 marks a qualitative leap undeniable. An episode encouraging, offering a challenge to the height, a level-inventive design and implementation excellent. We blame still under SNK Playmore its pingrerie: solo turbo-ships, without much flavor challenges and multiplayer altogether non-existent, there is encouraging. Metal Slug 7 is nevertheless a good arcade title with good flavors of yesteryear.