Oddballs Unite
Contra: Rogue Corps is an action shooter game created by Konami. The action game features new Contra task force soldiers and enemies. It has different modes and a unique twin-stick control scheme. Players get to raid an infested city and destroy all enemies.
From Red Falcon To Fiends
Contra: Rogue Corps takes place during the events of Contra III: The Alien Wars or Contra: Spirits in Japan. Two years after the Alien Wars, where the original Contra task force defeated the Red Falcon army, the mysterious Damned City rises from the last battlefield. Anyone who enters the Damned City goes berserk. The Red Falcon may have been wiped out, but Fiends dominates the city and could threaten the world. A group of five scoundrels forms a temporary militia called Rogue Corps. Unlike the original Contra task force soldiers, Bill Rizer and Lance Beam, who acted like real heroes, these oddballs are humanity’s last hope against the Fiends despite their ulterior motives. The Rogue Corps consists of mercenaries and treasure hunters, including cyborg Max “Kaiser” Doyle, parasite-infused Sweets “Ms. Harakiri” Manson, cybernetic panda with human brain Kurt “Hungry Beast” Steiner, and well-cultured alien The Gentleman. Assisting them are child prodigy Lily “Aero Captain” Panzer who navigates the Damned City to either eradicate the Fiends or find hidden treasures.
Departing From Nostalgia
The game features 3D top-down and side-scrolling sections similar to Neo Contra. Players can shoot, strafe, and jump using a twin-stick control, which is unusual for Contra. The new addition in this game is the third-person perspective mode called the Shooting Gallery. This mode opens during specific boss fights and provides players with a health bar like in Hard Corps: Uprising instead of four health points. This is very forgiving for beginners since older Contra games tend to have limited life points.
Contra: Rogue Corps also hands players with their main weapon and sub-weapon. Each gun has unlimited ammunition but can overheat. Players can upgrade and customize their weapons in between stages. In addition to the guns, there is also the iconic screen-clearing bomb that can wipe out waves of enemies. Each character has their own special abilities. For example, Kaiser will leap to a large missile and sprays bullet on the stage. Hungry Beast, on the other hand, can release a barrage of missiles from its cybernetic body.
There are cutscenes that depict cinematic moments and character’s special abilities in Contra: Rogue Corps. However, fans would notice the lack of H.R. Giger’s art style. This could alienate long-time Contra fans since the original game’s iconic and haunting alien environments are its defining characteristics. This game is more on the outlandish action scenes, and less about alien horror. It offers different modes to give players various gaming experience. The single-player story campaign involves raiding the city and defeating the Fiends, while the multiplayer mode is available for both local and online cooperatives. The multiplayer mode accommodates up to four players for pure chaos and extra firepower.
The Contra Corps Continues
Contra: Rogue Soldiers stands out from the Contra franchise. Konami has a track record of reinventing their games that depart from their original themes. Older fans may show disdain on how Konami handle their games, but it can still attract casual gamers. The outlandish settings, twin-stick controls, and unique features could outweigh some of the negative aspects.
