4/5 ★ – RawMetal's review of Demon Front.

System: Arcade Started: April 28, 2025 Ended: April 28, 2025 There was one retro gaming store I hadn’t checked out until now, and they actually have an arcade section. One game in particular caught my attention while browsing—the game looked like Metal Slug, played like Metal Slug, and turns out: it’s not Metal Slug. At first glance, I briefly saw an image of a gunman with wings fighting against a horde of demons, and I thought that looked pretty cool. Then the title appeared: Demon Front. I’d never heard of this game before. I had to try it since nobody I knew played it, so it was uncharted territory for me. I played it for an hour, tried out the characters, and I actually enjoyed it. I think it’s worth playing for Run and Gun fans. I’m surprised this game flew under almost everyone’s radar for a long time. Demon Front is a Metal Slug-inspired run-and-gun made by IGS, a Taiwanese game company that has developed other titles and is considered a competitor to SNK’s Neo Geo system. In Demon Front, you play as, I think, a group of intergalactic winged gunslingers who infiltrate a demon-infested planet while using friendly critters as guardians. The playable characters include Jake, who looks like the main character and has a pet named Rage that can spit fire; Sara, a pink-haired Fio clone with an animal named Bunny that conjures bubbles; Dr. J, a cool heavy smoker with a look similar to JC Denton, and his robotic-looking critter, Chip, which can create an electric barrier harmful to enemies; and Maya, a beast-looking character with a winged creature named Flip that fires projectiles similar to a spread shot from Contra. I love the monster and boss sprites in this game, especially the fat grunt soldiers, which have funny animations during gameplay. Each boss design is heavily detailed, incorporating machinery and monsters like the Demon Heart Tree. The background visuals are also impressive and rival those of Metal Slug. The gameplay is quite unique: you use small floating animals that can conjure special attacks while holding the shoot button, and you can use them as shields. This creates a risk-versus-reward mechanic using the critters as shields that can protect you from enemies and projectiles but drains their life energy. It’s best to use them only when necessary. An added bonus is that the more you use these animals, the more they level up, evolve, and grow bigger. You also can use your wings to glide while airborne, and there are levels in the game that involve platforming. Each character has a specific playstyle and unique abilities with their special attack. For example, Dr. J is useful for playing defensively thanks to his pet, which can also serve as a shield. Unlike Metal Slug, where characters play similarly (except in Metal Slug 6, which came out after Demon Front), each character in Demon Front offers a distinct experience. As I mentioned earlier, Demon Front is a shameless Metal Slug clone, but it tries to distinguish itself through its unique gameplay mechanics. It still retains classic weapons like heavy machine guns, shotguns, and even an ice shotgun. The game was released the same year as Metal Slug 4, which I consider my least favorite entry in the franchise. I would even say I prefer Demon Front over Metal Slug 4—easily. And, of course, since it’s Metal Slug-inspired, it features co-op play. My only complaint is the story, which feels lackluster. The game provides an introduction explaining that there’s a planet full of demons, and a band of heroes with angel wings and some critters arrive, infiltrate the planet, collect pieces of the final boss, and destroy it. Even after finishing the game, I’m still unsure of what the story was really about. I can only assume that the heroes are intergalactic, with a vibe similar to Guardians of the Galaxy. I wouldn’t mind if they made a sequel that expanded on this lore. Demon Front is criminally underrated, and it sparked my interest in Taiwan’s IGS Game Company and the IGS PolyGame Master System, which rivals the Neo Geo MVS. This game is definitely for hardcore gaming enthusiasts. If you see it or even come across emulation, I recommend giving it a try. If you’re looking for more Metal Slug-style gameplay and want to explore more on the genre after playing other popular run-and-gun titles like Contra, Gunstar Heroes, Dolphin Blue, and Cuphead, Demon Front is a great choice. Recently, there has been a Switch release of the IGS Arcade Collection, making it easier to order. I’d love to see IGS continue with this series or create a sequel; then it might finally get the attention it deserves.