Launching at the end of the month on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC, I was a little bit dubious about Contra: Rogue Corps.
Developed by Konami and Toylogic, Contra: Rogue Corps once again takes the series away from its 2D side-scrolling roots and is essentially a twin-stick shooter. When Konami has experimented with the series like so in the past, the results have been mixed, so while I was hoping that Contra: Rogue Corps would be good, I was prepared for the worst.
The good news is that ahead of its release, Konami has released a single-player demo for Contra: Rogue Corps, allowing players like you and I to try it out before launch. And you know what? I think I’m going to like it. A lot.
Contra: Rogue Corps’ single-player demo lets you play as just one character, the surly Kaiser, and throws you straight into the action. It quickly teaches you the basics, pitting you against a variety of enemies and ultimately a sizeable boss. But the most important thing is that it’s explosive fun from beginning to end.
As Kaiser, you have access to a fast firing assault rifle and homing rockets. Switching between them is easy – all you have to do is press a button – but you have to be careful to not let your guns overheat. If you do, you’ll be a sitting duck for a short while. Playing through the short demo, I also happened upon a pick up that changed my single line of assault rifle fire to spread fire for a short while, allowing it to hit enemies in a wider radius. I imagine there’ll be many more pick ups available in the final game.
To avoid enemy attacks and traverse the environment you’re able to dash and jump. Dashing into enemies also damages them, too. Leave an enemy with just a skerrick of health, and you can even perform a finishing move when up close. Rounding out your combat options are access to a temporary powered up state, and a super attack that’s pretty much capable of clearing the screen. All in all, you’ve got more to think about than just moving and shooting.
I played the Contra: Rogue Corps demo on Switch, and while enemy designs and environments look interesting, everything is rather blurry. Performance is solid though, which is what’s most important. I’ll certainly be trying the demo out on Xbox One X as well to see what the game looks like at a higher resolution.
What’s really sold me on Contra: Rogue Corps is that it’s just big, dumb fun. As soon as Kaiser picked up a tank, threw it at a screen full of enemies, then proclaimed “I’ll shoot through the fucker!” when coming face to face with a locked door, I just knew it was the game for me.
Contra: Rogue Corps is set for release on 24th September, and it will be available both digitally and physically. Unlike the demo, the full game will support online and local co-op play, and you’ll be able to customise your guns and gear. It even lets you play as a panda! Download the single player demo now on either Switch or Xbox One if you want to give it a try. The demo becomes available tomorrow on PS4, while PC doesn’t appear to be getting the demo at all.
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