Neo Contra - One mans opinion

[Chemixtry]

Picked up neo contra from my local blockbuster today. I often cringe at updates of classic arcade games but I found this game to be entertaining...for about 45 minutes..and then I was done. The game play is little like a cross between smash tv and ikari warriors.  The graphics are cool but this game is really short and there is not a whole lot of replay value. I would recommend it as a rental but not to purchase at full price. It would fit in a Mame cab tho because like most classic arcade games it is pretty short and you only have a limited amount of continues.

[eypyeash]

Less Smash TV, more Total Carnage.  Only difference is Total Carnage was set up on a field rather than rooms.  But yeah, I beat level 6 within an hour of playing it.  I lost two lives on the last go-through I had, which took about 40 minutes total.  Meh... It's entertaining, but after reading a quick GameFaqs thing I found out there are only 6 weapon sets (of which I have five, of course) and no "new" playable characters.  It was incredibly easy for what it was - there wasn't so much of the "I've got to use this weapon at this time" sort of goodness from Shattered Solder.  I think I used my Spread Shot for the entire game.  The Classic Fireball is practically worthless, though I guess it might do more damage to the aliens and things - I don't know whether or not that's what the set-on-fire animation means.  Anyway, too bad, really.  Definitely a good rental, though.  I wonder which shooter formula they'll go with next?    

[Gunstar Hero]

If it's not side scrolling, it's not Contra.

Konami needs to let Treasure do another Contra (they did Contra 3 in the "Pre-Treasure days) so it will be almost as cool as Gradius V.

[eypyeash]

Naaah, I do think Contra needs to tread new ground in the action genre.  What else can they do with side-scrolling?  A Metroid-ee title like the Castlevanias?  Shattered Soldier was a nice little breakaway from what the series was, what with its tough use-this-weapon-here-or-die sort of attitude, but I couldn't stand another like it unless it was something neat like a remake of Hard Corps with the Hit Ratio package tossed in there.  

Of course, nobody knows what Treasure would do with a new Contra.

Anyway, I wish people would quit saying "Treasure made Contra 3", blah blah.  Sure, portions of the team that would be Treasure had a hand in it, but they were still working under Konami - thusly Konami had an equal hand in the greatness of the game.  Hard Corps was made WITHOUT Treasure, and I prefer it to Gunstar Heroes.  One in three Treasure titles is something of a flop, but considering how rarely they put out a game Konami has a higher standing in my book.  Remember these ill-recieved games?:  Silpheed - The Lost Planet, Stretch Panic, Guardian Heroes Advance.  I don't like Radiant Silvergun much.  You'll see Silhouette Mirage in bargain bins (even though it's an awesome game).  People hardly remember Dynamite Headdy.  Point is, I think Konami is doing fine.  It might be nice to see how Treasure would handle another Contra title, but for now I think it's just wishful thinking and we should really just be hoping for another Contra title after Neo, period.  

[Gunstar Hero]

Konami rocks my socks.  

But... so does Treasure.  

And the core Treasure team made Contra 3, the king of Contra games.

And Gunstar Heroes. I kinda like that game too.

And Bangaioh.

And Radiant Silvergun (Which is good, even if you don't like it. I think it's overrated, but still good.)

And that slick new Astro Boy GBA game.

And Ikaruga. Mmmmmm.

And that decent little Yu Yu Hakusho fighter for the Mega Drive.

And a bunch of others I'd list, but it's late, and I'm tired.

I like Contra Hard Corps alot. It's freaking hard, and I dig that.

And finally, an action adventure Contra game in the mold of SOTN might actually be pretty cool.

And c'mon, a bad ISO/3D view is hardly breaking new ground in the action genre.

Side Scroll = Contra-goodness.  

[eypyeash]

Well, I suppose you're right - a 3d/iso game certainly isn't redefining the action genre, especially since it can be considered a high-tech Gauntlet - but at least it's taking the franchise new places, and these new places do not suck so horribly as the PS1 games.

Interestingly, I was of the opinion that the side-scrolling levels in C: The Contra Adventure were pretty well thought-out.  It just so happened that the game was so ugly I couldn't bear to force my way through the two other stupid level types to get to more sidescrollers.  Has anyone else played that one?  It's pretty hilarious because Ray (of the Hard Corps series) spouts out these one-liners that are the most mid-to-late-90s cliche you've ever heard.  He'll throw his power bomb, for example, and say "He shoots, he scores!"  or "Who's your daddy?", etc.  In addition to the generic cyborg eye, there are a billion different ways that game could've been made lots better.  The first game on the PS1 had no redeeming points, though.

Hey, Treasure also made Alien Soldier.  I would gladly ditch my Radiant Silvergun for a copy of Alien Soldier (despite my losing about 80 bucks in the process).  If you've never played it, you don't know what your missing.  It's basically an arcade-style bossfest with large, incredible graphics and awesome sound.  You've got a choice between eight different weapons, and you have four slots to put these in - there are simple things like the rapid-fire, medium-damage Buster, the homing, fire-based Ranger, the powerful Lance laser or its weaker but rapid firing Sword laser... etc.  Certain enemies can't be hurt by lasers, and others just shrug off fire attacks.  On top of THAT you also have a speed dash that launches you across the screen to avoid attacks, and you can double-tap the attack button to wipe enemy bullets away from where your hands are.  When your life is full, your dash attack has a fire aura on it that hurts things really bad but it drains a little of your life (so you can only use it once).  You gain more life as you go through the game, and you can give your weapons an ammunition capacity boost.  Overall, it's the perfect 2d action-shooter.  It seriously blows Contra or Gunstar Heroes out of the water.  

Try it!

Neo Contra still rocks!  ;p

[Gunstar Hero]

I love Alien Soldier! That game is brutally tough!

I still like Gunstar Heroes the best tho.  

And don't get me wrong. I dig Shattered Soldier and Neo Contra, just Neo feels less... Contra-like to me. Good. Hard. Just not like Contra. Even tho Bill Rizer is in it.

Poor Lance.  

BTW... If you REALLY liked C: The Contra Adventure, you are certainly more hardcore into the Contra action than I.