“War is hell,” said General William Tecumseh Sherman. But war is also colorful, loud and just plain manic in “Metal Slug Anthology,” a compilation of seven installments of the “Metal Slug” arcade combat series.

The games occur in 2028 and the following years, when terrorism has split the United States into conflict between the Rebellion and the Regular Army. As the franchise progresses, the player must not only fend off wave after wave of Rebel warriors, but also Martians, mummies and walking Venus flytraps that invade Earth and eventually ally themselves with the Rebels.

This two-dimensional run-and-gun style, which achieved the most success in the 1986 Nintendo game “Contra,” has somewhat waned in popularity on next-generation systems.

The “Metal Slug” games were originally playable on Neo-Geo arcade and console platforms, beginning with “Metal Slug 1” in 1996. The current release is the first to compile all seven games in the series, which also consists of “Metal Slug 2” “X” (a “remix” of 𔄚” featuring faster gameplay), 𔄛,” 𔄜,” 𔄝” and 𔄞.”

The frenetic play of the “Metal Slug” series translates well onto the PlayStation 2. Players blast their way through missions with machine guns, rocket launchers and an assortment of other forms of firepower.

Unlike “Contra,” players are not susceptible to contact with enemies, who can be knifed up close. Still, soldiers and vehicles bombard the player with enough projectiles to keep you at bay as you evade their attacks. Along the way, blonde-haired and bearded hostages can be freed for health and weapon power-ups.

The title of the series takes on significance at various points in each game, when the player can hop in a tank-like vehicle that indeed resembles an armored insect. The option is only fair considering the number of mechanical menaces that protagonists of the “Metal Slug” series must destroy during each mission.

The graphics of the “Metal Slug” games provide bountiful eye candy for players. The hand-drawn animation retains its fluidity even as several foot soldiers and bomb-dropping helicopters swarm the screen.

In fact, “Metal Slug Anthology's” graphics may be the series' most endearing quality. Its rather flat gameplay cannot compare to the layers of strategy required of most current next-generation titles, but watching the now-antiquated animation with appreciation will make the warfare a little less redundant.

Staff writer David Wilcox reviews video games for The Citizen. He can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net

“Metal Slug Anthology”

Score: B

Parental rating: Teen for blood and violence

Manufacturer: SNK Playmore

Platform: PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii

Retail price: $39.99

Features: 1-2 players

Life span: 6-8 hours

The final boss: “Metal Slug Anthology” gives fans of the series - and run-'n-guns - all the firepower they can handle combined with a fix of nostalgia for the days of the Nintendo Entertainment System.