Contra: Hard Corps

"We Got Guns, We Got Aliens, Let's Blow Stuff Up Contra Style"

After Konami's successful rendition of Contra on the SNES with Contra III: The Alien Wars, I'd waited patiently to see how they'd follow it up. Imagine my surprise when I heard that Contra was landing on the Genesis. I was a bit skeptical at first, but my skepticism was soon blown out of the water along with many scum sucking aliens looking for an alien cell.

Contra Hard Corps picks up five years after the Alien Wars, and continues on with most of what everyone would expect from a Contra game. Aliens, explosions, a well-stocked arsenal, and some of the craziest boss enemies ever encountered. However, this time we were also treated to a storyline that tied each of the levels together and this storyline branched depending on the choices you made.

Gameplay: 10
True to the series, Contra Hard Corps doesn't stray too far away from its roots at all. It's so mindlessly simple you'll never have to read the instruction manual. This game is pure run and gun tactics all the way. in very few instances will you actually take your thumb off of the fire button. However along with our simplicity, Konami added some subtle complexity to keep us lulled in fron of our TVs. Four characters are now at your disposal and they each have their own (read: still subtle) attributes. Contra vets may remember this from the little-known Contra Force. Each character has his/her own unique set of weapons, which doesn't make a drastic change in gameplay, but manages to keep things fresh. Characters' height also played a role in the game, providing another ever-so-subtle complexity.

Graphics: 10
For a while I almost forgot I was playing on a Sega Genesis. These honestly have to be the best graphics I've ever seen on this console. The main characters are represented very well, the environments are rich with detail, and the colors really blend well in each stage. Konami also managed some pretty nifty morphing effects I'd never seen on the Genesis before either. The ''running toward the screen'' fight with Deadeye Joe is also one of those ''must-see'' things, especially if you're skeptical of what the Genesis was capable of. This game has to have the most beautiful graphics I've ever seen in a Genesis cart.

Sound: 9
Not really a shortcoming of the game, but they could have been done better. I'm not saying they're bad, they're far from it in fact. They just needed to be cleaned up a bit more. Music-wise, they not only did an amazing job of pulling out some pretty kickin tunes on that tinny Genesis processor, but the music is just perfect for the game. There is not one single musical piece that seems out of place. All the tracks meld the action together well. The music isn't in the way either, it manages to remain subtle, but still present and keeps the adrenaline going. Sound effects are a bit above average. All the weapons sound pretty cool, as in not annoying. My only problem is with the voice samples. They're way to clippy.

Control: 8
With a game such as this it's a must for responsive controls and Contra Hard Corps delivers just that with only a couple gripes. They added an ability to stand still and fire at an angle (referred to as Shot I & II). This wasn't too bad of an idea, but you hardly used it and if you were using a standard 3 button Genesis controller you had to press the A and B buttons simultaneously. Also I would liked to have seen better 6-button pad support. One of my biggest gripes is that the Smart Bomb didn't have it's own button. Instead you had you select to it like a normal weapon and use it. This really sucked the Smart Bomb's effectiveness. All in all, still very responsive. You'll always go where you're trying to go.

Storyline: 6
It's not a great one, but they tried. The alien cell retrieved five years ago from the Alien Wars is in danger of falling into the wrong hands. You have to stop that from happening. Along the way you'll meet, cybernetic mercenaries, deranged hacker freaks, and insane extremists all of which who need a good wasting. No character development (it's not Contra RPG right? :P) but the story does manage to branch at a few junctions opening up different levels. The game also sports multiple endings depending on your choices which is a definate plus for replay value.

Challenge: 10
It's safe to say you'll be uttering quite a few four letter words as you pound your way to the end. However this game isn't difficult in the ''I'm never playing again'' way. It's more of the ''I know I can do this, and I'm gonna keep trying till I do'' way. Enemies NEVER stop coming and those boss monsters just have to be seen. This may just be the best collection of bosses ever assembled. They're so original, their attacks will most likely surprise you on more than one occasion, and they're plentyful. You'll never let off the trigger. You'll shoot. You'll die. You'll come back for another spanking five minutes later.

Replay: 7
This game has kept me entertained even seven years after its release. It's just an action game, but there's a charm to it. The multiple stages and endings will definately drag you back to be unlocked and having an albeit small character roster, certainly helps the freshness of this one too.

Overall: 10
This game really does make the Genesis shine. Konami proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Genesis wasn't just child's play. If you've still got a Genesis laying around and maybe wanna take a break from that big, bad 128 bit world we're in, give this game a whirl.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/21/01, Updated 12/21/01