"A tough battle, but well worth the fight"

Being an old-school gamer who has fond memories of the old NES Contra days, I was very enthusiastic about playing this game. Before picking it up, I hadn't heard that much about this brand new Contra game from Konami, but somehow I knew this was going to be a great game, if only because Konami has had some good PS2 releases this year and also the confidence that I have in the Contra franchise (come on, the PS Contra games weren't that bad!)

Anyway, my first impression was - this game IS TOUGH. It is VERY TOUGH. Even for action game veterans, they will need quite a bit of time to adjust to this level of intensity. But seriously, difficult level aside, this game is all good!

Graphics: 9/10
Images are sharp, animation is mostly smooth and both the characters and enemies look good. Definitely one of the better looking games on the PS2. The weapon affects are not excessive, and what is there, looks incredible (check out the flame thrower weapon). The best thing about the graphics is still the boss battles. What can I say - the bosses are huge! And they look brilliant, with lots of detail and refinements that few games can rival. There are stages based in futuristic settings (and mecha bosses to fight!) as well as the alien settings which are the full of slimy alien creatures that reminds me a lot of the old Contra games. Again I emphasize, the graphics in this game are excellent - and few will argue with that (just check out the first and second stage bosses).

Sound & Music: 7/10
Fast techno-like tunes are appropriate for the gameplay and often gives you an adrenaline rush. Nothing mind-blowing but a good array of songs to accompany the game. Sound again is the usual fare - what should be there, are there (enemy, weapon sounds) but aren't worth anything more than a 7.

Gameplay: 8/10
I would give gameplay a higher score, but unfortunately this game will scare away many gamers because of the extreme difficulty. As I mentioned several times before, this game is very challenging. The learning curve is almost non-existent and early in the first stage you will realize that this game is a lot harder than most action games on the market today. That is not to say Contra is impossible to finish - it just means you need a lot of skill, a lot of patience, and good observation. Why good observation? Because, like Contra games before, enemies (especially bosses), follow specific patterns for attacking. The key to defeating bosses is by recognizing these patterns as early as possible (since you may die quite a few times before doing so). Some bosses have more irregular patterns, but ultimately, with enough perseverance, you will learn how to defeat each one while minimizing the number of lives you incur in beating the stage. This is where the patience also comes in - you just have to hang in there until you see the way. Don't throw your PS2 out the window out of frustration! :) Apart from the difficulty level, Contra successfully includes elements which fans of the Contra series will welcome, such as the way the characters jump, and also certain sections and characters will be familiar. Not much to say otherwise - this is an action game - go out there and shoot everything in sight!

Replay value: 7/10
This really depends on whether you still have the energy to play the game again after you spent ages finishing it the first time. I have heard of some good bonuses if you replay (using different difficulty levels, for example), but many of you will just be exhausted after the first time through. If you are a die-hard Contra fan, definitely add Shattered Soldier to your collection. Otherwise, a rental might be good to test the waters.

Ultimately, this is a great action game to play (especially with a friend). It might be daunting for non-action gamers, but for those of you who want to relive a classic (or experience it for the first-time round), give Contra: Shattered Solider a try, and you won't leave empty-handed.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/10/02, Updated 11/10/02