Resident Evil is hyped not only for the wicked gameplay, but also for the innovative over-the shoulder perspective. Now that the revolutionary view has become the new light bloom, I think it may be time to look back to the game that pioneered this perspective: Contra.

I'm not talking about the side-scrolling run-and-gun shooting, I am talking about the 3rd-person, behind-the-back perspective that put you right into the forced, 3-D perspective to shoot your way through enemy-infested halls.

Sure, that is different from how Resident Evil 4 implemented it, but you wouldn't have RE4 without Contra. Contra took the top-down or side-scrolling competition and turned it on its head by seamlessly integrating a strong side-scrolling experience with afresh look. With the advent of true 3-D graphics and the popularization of first-person shooters and 3rd-person platformers, the natural evolution of the game experience was to marry the two. Thus, you have Resident Evil 4.

We can only hope the arrival of RE4 marks the farewell of fussy cameras. But, in retrospect Contra had that freedom of perspective, and that clarity of vision to see your avatar and to see your enemy. Even though the true 3-D graphics were years away, you could see down the hall to where your shots would go.

Today I confirmed my pre-order for Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence the Collector's Edition. Guess whta camera functionality is now included in one of the greatest games? Yup. So Konami has come full circle. They invented the behind-the-back shooter and they have returned Capcom's success to their own product. Let's just hope Konami can take some of Capcom's karma and release another decent Contra game.