The second 32-bit Contra game. Note as good as the earlier games, but isn't the worst either.

User Rating: 7.8 | C: The Contra Adventure PS
Contra seemed to reach its golden age during the 16-bit era. The move to the newer platforms was at least an ambitious attempt to move away from the traditional side-scroller and more into the 3-d realm. Unfortunately, the first game for the 32-bit systems, Legacy of War, didn’t fare well. The next game, C: The Contra Adventure came out with little fanfare and disappeared into obscurity. Though, not the greatest in the series by far, I still found enjoyment and it was a better game than Legacy of War.

The graphics are what you would consider typical 32-bit, colorful, sometimes pixilated, and crude by today’s standards. C switched between side scrolling levels to third person perspective. The side scrolling levels are done well, which is not surprising since that is what the Contra series is built on. The third person levels aren’t bad, but because of technical limitations, most of the backgrounds were just black until you got close to a wall or something else. This kind of made the levels feel hollow and empty. The sounds are adequate, but not exceptional. There aren’t any tunes you will be humming days later and the other sounds serve their purposes. Game play is simple and easy to pick up. You won’t find yourself fighting the controls. Since most players are used to third person games (they were rarer when C came out), they won’t have too much trouble playing around.

Compared to the other games in the Contra series, C: The Contra Adventure isn’t a memorable addition. Unless you are a die hard fan of the series, or appreciate games in general, you won’t do yourself a disservice by playing this game. If you are looking for a game to carry on the Contra lineage, you might find yourself feeling a little empty inside.