Neo Contra is the action series' second installment on the PS2, following after Contra: Shattered Soldier (Shin Contra). The commando hero Bill is accompanied by an equally buff new friend, a futuristic samurai nicknamed Jaguar. This sequel swaps out the side-scrolling format for an overhead format reminiscent of the one from Super C. The good guys also get to choose from different sets of weaponry before charging into 7 stages of big action, killer bosses, and self-satirizing storytelling. It's a whole new fun side to the Contra series you've never seen before.
Considering how fun it is to run around and shoot things, it's a mystery as to why there aren't more run'n'gun games like Contra. Perhaps they're hard to do well. Not even Konami gets it right every time, which was proven in 2002 by the playable but decidedly dry Contra: Shattered Soldier. Now, Contra producer Nobuya Nakazato is mixing things up a bit in Neo Contra, which switches to an overhead perspective that we haven't seen since 1992's Contra III. This change-up doesn't quite restore all of the series' former glory, but Neo Contra is a fun and worthwhile action game in its own right. Read More »
The Contra series has a long history of exciting run 'n gun action, featuring big aliens and bigger firepower. Yet it lost its way after the 16-bit days, with two questionable 32-bit releases diminishing the franchise's credibility. 2002's Contra: Shattered Soldier was a return to Contra's sidescrolling's roots, but proved less accessible than the classic 8- and 16-bit games. Today, Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo is putting the final touches on Neo Contra. It looks to retain the alternately gross and cheesy stylings of Shattered Soldier, but based on my play time at the Konami BBQ, I can also report that it's bringing something else back to the table: accessibility. If it pans out, this'll be the first Contra in years you'll be able to enjoy with your dad. Read More »
The Contra series first gained acclaim on the NES and, outside of a few 32-bit missteps, it's been one adrenaline-pumping alien war after another ever since. In 2002, Konami surprised the world with the 3D-looking, 2D-playing Shattered Soldier for the PS2. It received a mixed reception, and Konami went back to the drawing board for the follow-up. The result is Neo Contra, the first official Contra game to take the final leap into full 3D gameplay. It remains to be seen if this mildly bold new direction can satisfy fans of the prior games, but Konami certainly seems to have built a solid foundation on which to try. Read More »
To introduce Neo Contra, the game's producer, Nobuya Nakazato, offered a bit of history. He's been working on the Contra series since the 16-bit days, and also helmed the previous PS2 Contra, Shattered Soldier. He considers that the first evolution of Contra was the first wave: the arcade and NES games. The SNES, Genesis, and first PS2 Contra games were the second evolution. Now, he feels, Neo Contra is the third evolution of the series, and truly brings Contra up to the present. It's also worth noting that by his omission of the two PlayStation European-developed Contra games from this timeline, we can see Konami is pretending they never existed -- just like the series' fans. Read More »
Also known as: Neo-Contra, NeoContra
M for Mature Blood and Gore, ViolenceRelease Region: Japan
Release Date: November 3, 2004
Publisher: Konami
1 DVD
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