In a few slightly animated images and 
extremely pixelated, the intro sequence teaches us that we are in the twenty-second century, that the war is raging between humans and robots and… that's about it. Let it be said, we are here to desolder scrap metal and not to start any metaphysical reflection (small note for the team in charge of the French localization of the game by the way: scrap metal is not written "feraille"... ). The postage stamp scenario really doesn't matter at all, it's just a pretext to shoot anything that moves. As for the protagonists, a purely cosmetic choice is left to the player, who can control a human warrior named Mavra or Doyle, a renegade robot. Once the selection is made, let's go for a run and gun in the purest tradition of the genre. For better or for worse, Blazing Storm never tries to move away from its models, Contra and Metal Slug in mind. The gameplay offers us eight directions of fire, essentially horizontal movements, one of the most classic jumps, the possibility of crouching and rolling, as well as a strike which allows you to eliminate certain enemies in one shot if it is triggered when they are close enough (but not too close either). Getting started is simple, and even managing the weapons doesn't require too much effort, since there are only four in all and for all. To the basic pew pew are added a loading laser, a grenade launcher, and a kind of short-range continuous fire based on energy balls. These are bonus capsules to be collected on the platforms that allow you to choose between these last three weapons. They also give access to an attack bot (additional and automatic shooting), a defense bot (which gives us a shield) or a speed bot (which allows you to move faster).
A LOOK INTO THE RETRO
Finally, just to vary the pleasures a little, the game includes two or three passages aboard an exoskeleton, a few sequences on a motorcycle, and a level represented in false 3D, à la Space Harrier. Without forgetting bosses sometimes very devious. Proven for years, maneuverability poses no problem, while the action gives pride of place to reflexes. Obviously, the game is surfing on the trend of pixel art, which will undoubtedly please some players and certainly irritate others. More particularly, we are dealing here with very large pixels, which only the most nostalgic will be likely to appreciate. But objectively, the graphics sting the eyes a little… To soften this, it is possible to engage two CRT filters simulating a cathode-ray screen, or a 5XBR filter which transforms the pixels into mosaic tints much smoother but totally devoid of charm. There are five different types of environments... for a total of only six missions. Suffice to say that the life is limited to a few hours, this number may vary depending on the level of difficulty chosen at the start. Note that the management of the difficulty is as retro as the rest, since it essentially consists of varying the number of lives and save points available. Some good surprises still await the player once the last boss has been eliminated, starting with an ending credits straight out of the 80s. The final victory also unlocks a mirror mode (to browse the game from right to left) , a boss assault mode, and two additional characters, Raijin and Suhaila. Ninja type, the latter differ from Mavra and Doyla by their basic attack (a chargeable strike rather than a shot) and the possibility of dashing after having jumped. Players who wish to get their money's worth will therefore have an interest in retrying the adventure with one of these new heroes. Provided you are not already tired of gameplay which, as you will have understood, never seeks to innovate.
