Contra: Rogue Corps

I enjoy twin-stick shooters, especially ones that include different weapons and persistent progression, and can usually endure even ones that could use more polish. Despite my established predisposition to view the genre favorably, Contra: Rogue Corps often left me frustrated more than feeling like a badass. There’s a glimmer of greatness hidden far down below the layers of gore and craziness, so perhaps if you have a higher tolerance than I to the negative aspects, there can be something to enjoy about Contra: Rogue Corps.

The game looks like a PS3 game. The character aesthetic is fun, but everything else is pretty bland. The story is serviceable but ultimately forgettable. It was cool to see that they made Contra: Rogue Corps a direct sequel to Contra III: The Alien Wars for Super Nintendo, but the tone is just too bro-ish and the plot too generic. The comic book-style motion art for the story sequences is ok but ultimately appears like a budgetary compromise.

By injecting actual, creative humor instead of edgy cynicism or boring references, Contra: Rogue Corps really has a personality of its own despite most of the storytelling living in the background. And while some of the progression can feel like a grind, the loot systems get cute and tie into the theme, which is more than I can say for most other boilerplate loot systems. Add smooth and productive multiplayer modes to the mix, and you have a game that can easily soak up a game night or two. I know all the Konami drama was rough for a while there folks, but this is good stuff.