Contra Hard Corps |
Genesis |
||
Review by Matt Paprocki |
Konami |
Action |
|
Graphics: 10 |
Sound: 4 |
Gameplay: 9 |
Overall: 9 |
The first true Contra title to not come from the group of future
Treasure employees, Hard Corps manages to be a perfect addition to the franchise,
as it expands the concept without losing the core that made them so fun in the first
place. It's arguably one of the hardest games to ever bear the name, but it's worth the
struggle to see it all. It's probably the best game from Konami on the console too.![]() The game gets off to an amazing, brutal start, as the player barrels onto the screen, wiping out anything in their path. Once crashed, the person behind the controller takes charge, ripping apart what has to be a record number of sprites on screen. This initial stage is one of the best in the series, setting the pace and destruction level you can expect. Though there are plenty of running/shooting sections, boss battles are far more dominant here than they were in other entries. Their designs, at times, seem to be more concerned with showing off programming skill, but that doesn't mean they don't put up a fight. They'll be the ones causing you to use the most continues, and you just don't care. As long as you can see what the developers have pulled off, it hardly seems frustrating. ![]() Beyond the special effects (which include rotation and transparencies that would be impressive even in a Playstation game), Hard Corps has the basics covered. Color may not be the consoles strongest asset, it's just that Konami makes them blend so well, overloading on detail and explosions. You'll be hard pressed to find another Genesis game that throws this much action one screen without slowing down. The variety in the stages keeps the game fresh regardless of the path you take. Music isn't as strong as it is in the previous entry, Contra III. Some of the music is terrible, especially if you raid the research lab early on. The rapid, pounding pace of the boss theme does add tension (and it's probably the best in the game), while the explosions just don't have the punch they should. A few grainy voice samples don't help either. ![]() |