Neo Contra
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| Neo Contra | |
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 The North American and European packaging artwork for Neo Contra was drawn by comic book artist Jim Lee.[1] |
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| Developer(s) | Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Designer(s) | Takayuki Ando (director) Nobuya Nakazato (producer) |
| Release date(s) | NA October 26, 2004 JPN November 3, 2004 EU February 25, 2005 |
| Genre(s) | Run and gun |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Cooperative |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature CERO: 15+ PEGI: 12+ |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Media | 1 DVD |
Neo Contra (ネオコントラ Neo Kontora?) is a video game that is part of the Contra series by Konami. It was released for the Sony PlayStation 2 in 2004. The game is the seventh and latest title in the main storyline and is another departure from the traditional scrolling shooter formula from previous games.
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[edit] Plot and setting
Neo Contra takes place during A.D. 4444 when the Earth has been transformed into a prison planet, home to criminals and political rebels (contras). From this underworld society rises a new order called "Neo Contra". This government quickly showed its true colors, as it has other plans than bringing back normal civilization. Thus, Bill Rizer is awoken from his cryogenic sleep of ten thousand years. He is partnered with Genbei Jaguer Yagyu, a samurai, and the two are sent to Earth to deal with the Neo Contra threat.
[edit] Gameplay
Neo Contra once again brings the games arena back into three dimensions. However, unlike the titles developed under Appaloosa Interactive, players only need to aim in third dimension upon rare occasions; thus, the gameplay has made the change from a side-scrolling game to an overhead scroller. This gameplay change makes the game feel more like Smash TV or Robotron: 2084 rather than a Contra title. Additionally, this title eradicates the boss-oriented gameplay of the previous 32-bit titles, and seeks a balance more reminiscent of the 8-bit and 16-bit days; long free-form shooting sections, interspliced with boss encounters.
Additionally, gameplay varies depending upon the level and camera angle presented (the camera cannot be user-controlled). Most of the game is played in an isometric perspective, but portions are viewed from the side or overhead-behind. In order for the player to effectively evade in the new dimensions, two new defensive moves are created: dash and spin. Dash gives the player a quick burst of speed to evade hostiles, while spin gives the player an instant of invulnerability. The hit-ratio system that was introduced in Shattered Soldier has been kept in this title.
There are a total of seven levels in the game.
[edit] Weapons
The weapon system has been again redesigned for this title. Initially, only three weapon sets are available, and others are unlocked depending on the hit-ratio. Due to fan complaints about Shattered Soldier, the infamous spread gun has been re-introduced into Neo Contra.
[edit] Elements of parody and satire
Many people view the excesses in story and game environments as the developers' intention to make light of the series. For example, all of the bosses have "Contra" suffixed to their name. The main theme song has very campy lyrics, even when viewed in comparison to other video-game based songs. One of the characters, Animal Contra, is a talking dog who commands his own battleship, wears a WWI helmet, and has a tiny sword despite the fact that he lacks the opposable thumbs to wield it. The gameplay environments are extremely radical; one level has the protagonists being shot out through a volcano, while another has them fighting atop the blades of a helicopter.
[edit] Reception
The game is viewed as extremely short and relatively easy; an experienced gamer can finish the game in only about forty-five minutes. There is a difficulty setting in the options menu, and playing on Easy difficulty grants players 30 lives to beat the first four missions, but on this difficulty it is impossible to view the game's ending. Normal mode offers players 6 lives and 7 continues to complete the seven missions of the game. In contrast, the previous title, Shattered Soldier, is incredibly difficult. The controls are another point of dispute for many gamers who are critical of Neo Contra, as Konami chose to not take advantage of the PlayStation 2's dual analog controllers for directional firing and aiming.
[edit] References
- ^ Neo Contra Preview. Yahoo! Uk & Ireland Ltd.. Retrieved on 2006-11-07.
[edit] External links
- Official websites
- General resources
