• ps2

Great graphics, no overhead viewpoint, awesome sound effects that get your adrenaline pumping, and the best game soundtrack ever. Buy it. It's worth it.

I got lucky to play it before the release date, because the video store has them ready to go out on the street date, but when you know who works there you get to take the games on a test run. Way better than Hitman 2 or Headhunter.

Konami took a gamble by going back to the 2D side-scrolling roots of Contra, but it turned out to be one of the top 2 or 3 games I have ever played.

Now, only if they follow up with a great Castlevania.

18 of 19 found the following review helpful:


Ah, My Bleeding Thumbs!  Oct 29, 2002 By flaviolius
Finally, someone listened. What with all the 3D hoopla and the console wars, someone out there hasn't forgotten the pleasures of 2D gaming. Thank you, Konami, for Contra: Shattered Soldier.

After two horrendous outings on the original PlayStation, one of the most beloved franchises in gaming history has returned with a vengeance...and yes, it's in 2D! Old-schoolers rejoice - you've now got a reason to bring those long-forgotten razor-sharp reflexes out of the closet. Contra: SS takes a few liberties with the old formula, but the result is a gorgeous, difficult throwback that will bring back all those memories. Contra is back in a big way. If you played, and enjoyed, any of the previous Contra games, you'll fall for Shattered Soldier big time. Everything's here, and then some.

For those too young to remember: prepare yourself for a gaming experience unlike any other. Contra: Shattered Soldier is a side-scrolling action shooter in which you must survive by destroying everything in sight - in fact, you're actually GRADED by how much you destroy via a readout called Hit Rate %. You control master criminal Bill Rizer (released from a cryosleep prison sentence for killing 80% of the world's population - how's that for over-the-top, eh?) or his female android companion Lucia, sent to save post-apocalyptic Earth from swarms of some of the most disgusting yet glorious aliens to ever grace a console. The set-up is simple: move left to right and fire away at approaching enemies. You can fire your three weapons in any of eight directions, ducking or jumping as the situation demands. You'll hang from ledges, crawl up walls, and be slung airborne underneath a guided missile. You'll ride a hoverbike and ski down a snowy mountain. You'll be attacked by everything from gigantic water-skiing mechs to mechanized turrets to hideous mutant fish to screen-filling monstrosities that almost defy description. The game fits its Shattered Soldier name all too well: touch an enemy - you're dead. Get hit by explosive vomit - you're dead. Get nailed by a bullet, rocket, laser, or explosion - you're dead. Get carried away by giant insects - you're dead. There are lots of ways to die in Contra: SS, and by the time you're done, you'll lose count, it'll happen so often. Play alone or with a friend for some co-op action - you'll need the help. Choose at any time from a machine gun, flame thrower, or grenade launcher (each equipped with a chargeable special attack), and don't worry about running out of ammo - you won't. The name of the game is run n gun. If you're lucky and good enough to make it through all the levels alive, unlockables await. You see, this is how gaming used to be - trial and error, rock-hard challenge, pattern memorization. You'll progress slowly, but each time you'll make it a little farther and be presented with another disgusting alien just begging to be blown to slimy bits. Eventually, with practice, you'll emerge victorious, and wonder why more games these days don't feel like Contra: Shattered Soldier. It's one of the most intense rides you can take on the PS2 - enjoy it, for it may be one of the last.

Enthusiastically recommended - Konami has created one of the best games of the year, and one not to be missed by anyone who craves a masterfully executed, adrenaline-pumping thrill ride. Here's hoping more developers follow their lead!

12 of 12 found the following review helpful:


The Contra we all remember  Feb 02, 2003 By N. Durham "Big Evil"
After two failed attempts to bring Contra to the 3-D world (see Contra: Legacy of War and C: The Contra Adventure), Konami finally decided to take the classic series back to its' side scrolling roots with Contra: Shattered Soldier. Even though the game is a side scroller, the backgrounds, characters, and action is all composed with nicely detailed polygons and some great lighting effects. You go through seven insanely tough levels (all of which will bring back fond memories of Contra 3 and Contra: Hard Corps) and you have three different weapons at your disposal. The controls are pretty responsive (thankfully) and you will need precision movement to survive the never ending onslaught of enemies. The hard rocking soundtrack is also worth noting as well, the headbanging music really suits the game well and fits the tone of the game like a glove. The only complaint, and this will be from younger gamers who were deprived from a Contra experience, is that sometimes the game is way too hard and can get very, very frustrating, but for Contra vets this isn't a problem. All in all, fans of the Contra games of old should definitely pick this up.

10 of 10 found the following review helpful:


Great old school Contra Gameplay - May not appeal to all  Dec 04, 2002 By Tyril132
First off, let me say that I've played every contra since the original NES, and liked most of them. The gameplay was well balanced, and offered superb difficulty compared to other mundane competing platform shooters. That said... I've played enough other games to be impartial about the judgement.

First off; expect the classic Contra gameplay you know and love; there are less weapons then later installments on the SNES, but the controls have been smoothed out and refined to perfection. Use of the analog is more then taboo - it's disabled, and for good reason. You need to have super-human reflexes and an open mind while playing the game to survive more then a few seconds.

In fact, this seems to be Contra's single fatal flaw, and the only reason that prevented me from loving it - the difficulty is so rediculous that I died on Easy in about 30 seconds before I could get used to the controls. Ouch. In fact, a good part of the game is memorizing each enemies attacks and exactly how to avoid them. Too much, in fact. The difficulty is too insane for the casual player, and even a die-hard Contra fan will have a hard time the first play through.

The graphics are a beautiful hybrid 2D/3D set-up; you move on a 2D plain ala Contra classic, but the graphics are all rendered in stunningly gorgeous 3D splender, and pan around to show details. Nice. The panning never gets in the way of the gameplay, I can't stress how important that is. The sound and music are OK, nothing really that new, but sufficient.

However, don't get me wrong. Konami had its heart in the right place with this installment, which was directly marketed to die-hard gamer fanboys, but there's really no room for people who play casually. In fact, 9/10 of the game seems memorization as opposed to required reflexes, and the game's difficulty means a lot of frustration. In fact, after you've finished memorizing the layout of of level, it becomes considerably easier, and the replay value shrinks. Including memorization of the scant few levels (which ARE long, granted,) I give the lifespan about a day. Ouch. If you're not a die-hard Contra fan, I would reccomend this as a great rental, but only the fans who don't mind respawning - a lot- will want to go out and buy the game.

Pros:
-Lush Graphics and nice sound make great atmosphere
-Classic Contra Gameplay. It doesn't get any better!
-Directly marketed for fans and hard-core gamers.

Cons:
-Insane difficulty leaves no room for new gamers.
-Game incredibly short
-Not much replay value

12 of 13 found the following review helpful:


The BEST, HARDEST Contra game I've ever played  Nov 03, 2002 By Mark David Penney
Being a more traditional video game lover, I tuned out when every game since '95 went 3D.

Thank God (or should I say, Konami) for Contra Shattered Soldier- I feel twelve years old again and it's great! With few exceptions, the Contra games have been my favorites to play. The only drawback being after a couple days, I'd beat those Contra games and soon after beat them continuously with my eyes closed.

It took more than a couple days with this one. In twenty years of game play, this is the HARDEST game I've played- Be prepared to die many times and play levels many times before improving.

You have three weapons at your disposal, as well as directional-lock control for running and shooting. All of these must be used at various times if victory is to be achieved. There are four initial levels to play in any order you choose (long levels with middle, as well as end bosses), with three further levels to be unlocked later.

It takes about an hour to go through the game on 'normal' mode, which is the only mode you can get to the end of the game on. Moreover, you are assigned a letter grade at the end of each level depending upon your performace, (with a cumulitive grade for all levels beaten) and can only get to the end of the game with a cumulitive grade of 'A'. You're penalized for losing lives, using 'continues' and not getting a 100% hit rate (in other words: for not killing everything, including every vulnerable part on the bosses).

You're given rewards every time you finish each of the bonus levels and the game with an 'A' grade, rewards like more lives when you play again and the ability to chose those bonus levels in practice mode. Be sure to save your progress on a memory card!!!

And if you think you're an expert after clearing the entire game with an 'A' rating, try going through it and getting an overall 'S' rating (which is given ONLY with PERFECT PERFORMANCE: every level must be cleared perfectly with no lives lost and a 100% hit rate). Only tight-rope walking is more challenging.

My only complaint is that there is no real reward given if you beat the game with an 'S' rating. I guess they figure that's an impossible task.

Excellent graphics and sound, excellent integration of all the PS2 control buttons.....this is a refreshing and still totally hip throwback to 2D gaming. It's about time this genre was revitilized with new life, and Konami couldn't have done it better. If only other classics would follow suit.

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