Contra: Rogue Corps

Contra: Rogue Corps is one of the worst games in the revered franchise and does a poor job of reviving the series for a modern audience by switching genres and failing to deliver.

Rogue Corps is elevated at times by the fact that it's hard to truly screw up a twin-stick shooter.

It's a shame because sometimes, even when I'm fighting the game, I'm enjoying myself. Contra: Rogue Corps needed more time in the oven, and I'm not sure the whole "segmented ways to play" concept is going to go over well with everyone. But when it's firing on all cylinders, there's some silly shoot 'em up fun going on.

The only real accolade you can award this run-of-the-mill release is that it’s inoffensive, but even then it’s almost offensively inoffensive – if you get what we mean.

Contra: Rogue Corps has some good ideas.

Contra: Rogue Corps may not get high marks for reinvigorating the Contra series, nor does it innovate or do anything exceptionally well. But a game that you enjoy playing doesn't have to, and I found myself enjoying this raucous shooter more than I thought I would. It may have its own fair share of problems, but its low price and low barrier entry make it a serviceable and potentially hilarious time to be had solo or with your friends.

The more I played Contra: Rogue Corps, the more I could recognize its flaws yet at the same time, I was strangely transfixed by those fleeting moments of being an action badass with the right weapons, only for my dreams to be swiftly dashed as those weapons overheated and I was mobbed to death by giant alien bugs.

Contra: Rogue Corps tries to maintain the essence of Contra while changing the gameplay mechanics into something that doesn’t remotely resemble classic Contra.

Kudos to Konami for not abandoning Rogue Corps or its players, but it’s still not quite the game Contra’s return deserved.

If Contra: Rogue Corps were known by any other name, it wouldn't be so bad. The idea of a twin-stick looter shooter is intriguing, and the shooting can be decent even if the level flow isn't exciting. However, that reliance on the franchise name comes with certain expectations. The overheating guns, restricted co-op, and missing weapon sets run counter to what fans have come to expect from the series that's been around for over 30 years. If you aren't too discerning, this may be worth a look if it's in the bargain bin. If fans of the series pick up Rogue Corps, they will be disappointed.