Whimpy Gamers Need Not Apply
Some franchises that have existed since the NES days (Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden, Mega Man), share but one common theme. They can kick your ass and make you want to hide in a corner, sucking on your thumb. Is this the kind of experience that you feel you thrive on? Are you ready for more? Well, you'll have to be if you want to play Contra 4. For fans, if you think that some well-timed jumps, memorization or impeccable teamwork can save you from death…well, all I'll say is keep living in that dream. WayForward has made absolute sure to make Contra 4 the toughest yet.
One thing is for sure though, the Contra games have never been about the story, similar to the Mario franchise. Red Falcon and Black Viper, a couple tyrannical aliens, have been trying to conquer Earth for a couple decades, but to no avail. Two years after The Alien Wars, Black Viper has launched what many believe to be the final extraterrestrial offensive on our beloved planet, and it's up to the Contra staples Bill Rizer, Lance Bean, Mad Dog and Scorpion to yet again make sure that they're repelled. What's especially awesome is that Contra 4 returns the franchise back to where it belongs, its chaotic 2D sidescrolling action roots. Are you drooling yet? I sure was.
WayForward's first Contra project has turned out to be very special because it was developed as absolute fan service. Despite the series' fanbase being rather niche, what Konami and Co. have done to celebrate the IP's 20th anniversary is noticeably a labor of love. The core gameplay of the 2D titles remains perfectly intact, yet Contra 4 introduces a few welcome tweaks that makes the borderline insane gunplay 150% more interesting and entertaining. The first addition is a new gadget, the grapple hook. It's really nothing your jaw will drop over, but the implementation is seamless and works extremely well. Since the game's activity occurs in both of the DS' screens, the hook allows you to safely pop up to the upper half if deemed necessary. Perhaps you want to quickly escape impending danger, or just experience a different part of the stage you're traversing, the hook can help you do both. Another change is the ability to stack power-ups in twos. In other words, every single one of you who adores the Spread weapon can collect two and witness an increase in the upgrade's power and range. Finally, the option of choosing among Easy, Normal and Hard in terms of difficulty makes Contra 4 the most dynamic series entry thus far. Just know that you can't really beat the whole game unless you take on Normal or Hard. It's funny too, apparently the developers wanted to be blunt, sarcastic punks with not only how they wrote the instruction manual, but describing those difficulties in the game. They think you can't be a hardcore gamer and need a stint in boot camp if Easy mode has to be your first. Basically they taunt us Contra aficionados, and while I think it's clever and humorous, they can really kiss my behind, because Easy mode is by far even harder than the original three Contra games.
What I don't particularly like gameplay-wise is the jumping limitation. Don't take this the wrong way, I understand that the Contra soldiers are totally human, and by no logic should they have super abilities. But man, having those extra few feet of space is what made avoiding all the dozen stray bullets so much fun. In Contra 4, you can't jump out of the water, and when you're on land, it feels as if you're weighed down by something, which is tough to adjust to when you're so familiar with the original Contras. Nevertheless, for everything that makes this game so awesome, it's a minor complaint.
The eight stages bring anyone who chooses to partake of the experience some of the greatest feelings yet. The chapters feature a mix of new and nostalgic, as a good deal of Contra 4 delivers extremely noticeable callbacks to previous games, including the impressive bosses, some of which take up both screens. The stage elements should also be memorable, and a nice chunk of the music has been remixed. Composer Jack Kaufman definitely did a noteworthy job on the tunes in Contra 4, and while the new stuff didn't exactly blow me away, what struck a nostalgic chord certainly pleased me. There's also a very fine amount of voice work, which basically extends to your character saying a cheesy one-liner when he comes back to life. It sounds a bit out of place, especially because only one voice was recorded for the four commandos, so it just didn't seem necessary to me. As for the rest of the audio, Contra 4 is the most action-driven one yet, and all the battle effects reflect that perfectly, as they always have.
I also love the presentation as a whole, graphically speaking anyway. While I doubt that WayForward really pushed the DS hardware, Contra 4 still achieves a very slick, clean and appropriate atmosphere. The sprites are surprisingly well-detailed (you can even see the soldiers' six-packs), animate very smoothly and just look alive. The enemy variety is also impressive, as you'll see a nice handful of different baddies in every stage, which makes battle feel fresh across each chapter. Even the level layouts prove convincing as potential warzones. If you have a second or two to take in the battered backgrounds and landscapes, you'd see dilapidated buildings, decommissioned cars and just so much more that drives home the proven theme of Contra. Every boss is very distinguished as well, whether they span both screens or not. They may not be as difficult to fight as fans are accustomed to, but considering how the rest of the game is, it's nothing that I'm going to challenge WayForward for. A little leeway never hurts.
What really pushes Contra games out into the market every time though, is the return you see for your investment. By no means does it feel unfulfilling to play alone, but everyone knows that the franchise has always won us over with its co-operative campaigns, and the case is no different here. While it's a tad lame that each player needs cartridges, it's so darn worth it. Never has two-player in a Contra game felt ill-contrived or not enjoyable, so there's nothing to look forward to but even more chaotic fun that's so accomplished because of the teamwork aspect. Coordinating one another's attack patterns, feeling each other's pain as you're massacred by Black Viper's forces, finally taking down the last boss with one life to spare, boy, doesn't that sound like what multiplayer gaming is all about? If that wasn't enough, Contra 4 has plenty to hide, as the game is just waiting for you to surface an array of unlockables. The museum is especially cool, showcasing the box art of every game in the franchise to date. There's also Challenge Mode, which offers 40 different scenarios that range from reaching the end without dying while being unable to shoot, or eliminating a set number of enemies with limited time. It's the completion of said challenges that opens most of Contra 4's bonus content, and if the original Contra and Super C don't prove additional incentive for purchasing this game, I don't know what would. It's a shame that The Alien Wars didn't make it in, but it's acceptable given everything else the DS title offers. Seriously fellow fans, have at it.
Let's think about something folks. The first Contra was released almost 20 years ago, hence the anniversary, but isn't it incredible to consider the fact that so many fans still play it to this very day, in addition to the other classics? Where do you think the value for Contra 4 lies then? Heck, the only reason why I think it isn't perfect is because of the lack of single cart Download Play, which I just don't understand. But hey, even if you have just one person to regularly tackle the game with for the next five to ten years, that's saying a lot. Despite the game's difficulty, we all know there are going to be the few crazy gamers out there who dedicate hours upon hours of their lifetime to beating the game without dying. To this date, I've finished the original Contra over 600 times easily, and now I can't wait to approach that number with 4, which I've absolutely fallen in love with. Who cares if the story is run-of-the-mill, WayForward's efforts to re-embrace the series' monumental gameplay roots has a stronghold on my attention, and probably will for years to come. The question is, will you join me?