CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS

About

"Contra: Rogue Corps" is a third-person action game with over-the-top violence and large enemies, set in the Damned City where a former military group seeks bounties and treasures. Players can upgrade their weapons and augment themselves with cybernetics to survive the city's dangers. The game offers PVE campaigns and both online and local multiplayer options for taking down enemies together.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

49%

Audience ScoreBased on 257 reviews

story8 positive mentions

grinding32 negative mentions

The game offers a fun twin-stick shooter experience, especially when on sale.
Customization options for characters and weapons provide a sense of progression and variety.
The graphics and character designs are passable, and the game has a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic arcade shooters.

The game is locked at 30 FPS, which is unacceptable for a modern PC title and affects gameplay fluidity.
Many players feel it strays too far from the classic Contra formula, leading to disappointment among long-time fans.
The upgrade and weapon mechanics are overly complicated and can feel grindy, detracting from the overall enjoyment.

story
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
92%
2%
The story in the game is generally considered weak and forgettable, often feeling out of place within the Contra universe, with dialogue that some reviewers describe as cringy and overly edgy. While there are moments of humor and over-the-top action, many players feel that the narrative lacks depth and coherence, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a compelling experience. Overall, the story does not significantly enhance the game, and its execution detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- “The story was okay; it had some nice and funny moments in it, and it had a nice over-the-top feel to it.”
- “There's lots of aliens and a weird, slightly ambiguous story.”
- “The story's forgettable, but that's every Contra game, and the camera can be wonky in a couple of places, but the core gameplay loop is fun and addictive, and every run rewards you with loot and money to upgrade your weapons and abilities, so there's always the sense of progress for your playtime, which is something I always find satisfying in any game.”
- “The story feels out of place in the Contra universe, and the dialogue often feels cringy, as if I'm watching a bad Netflix adaptation (as if Netflix's Castlevania wasn't terrible enough).”
- “But in any case, the story isn't much of a presence after the opening cut scene, a classic example of non-plot typically found in MMOs and online services.”
- “Not a bad idea in theory, but with so little to offer in quality, having no story only exacerbates all the other problems.”
graphics
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
68%
15%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players describing them as passable or reminiscent of early PS3/Xbox 360 titles, lacking the polish expected from a modern release. While some appreciate the colorful and well-detailed environments, others criticize the artwork, character designs, and overall visual quality as generic and drab, often comparing them unfavorably to previous entries in the Contra series. Additionally, technical issues such as frame rate locks and poor optimization have further detracted from the visual experience.
- “The graphics are nice to look at, definitely very colorful and well-detailed. The levels in the game are good, but most of the game’s levels are just a repeat of the same place, with environmental changes, but they were still good and nice to look at.”
- “Pro- visuals, the design and concept work that went into the game was wonderful, especially the big bosses. The night scenes with dynamic lighting were cool and kept it interesting to look at.”
- “With really cool 'realistic' graphics.”
- “The graphics look awful for 2019, and character/enemy/midboss designs look generic and not memorable (it also doesn't help that the midbosses are constantly recycled over, and over, and over again).”
- “Atrocious artwork and character design.”
- “In terms of graphics, the game looks like an early PS3/Xbox 360 game.”
gameplay
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The gameplay of this title is characterized by a mix of fun yet repetitive mechanics, with a heavy emphasis on grinding for upgrades and customization. While the twin-stick shooting mechanics are solid, many players find the experience marred by convoluted RPG elements, twitchy aiming, and a lack of variety in level design, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, the game offers a decent core loop but suffers from pacing issues and frustrating mechanics that detract from its potential enjoyment.
- “The core gameplay loop is fun and addictive, and every run rewards you with loot and money to upgrade your weapons and abilities, so there's always a sense of progress for your playtime, which I always find satisfying in any game.”
- “I just love the pick up and go, blast away, don't die challenging gameplay.”
- “Pro - the game requires you to get into its flow, into its set of rules. The gun heating up aspect of the game contributes to this gameplay in the sense that you need to shoot, shoot, shoot, dash, and depending on the weapon, each weapon has its own rhythm and flow, and once you learn it, it can be destructive and wreak havoc.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's a very below average twin stick shooter with too many damn buttons, complete with modern gamer staples such as cooldowns and an extremely convoluted RPG equipment system that is just a gigantic pile of shit.”
- “The gameplay gets old real fast, and boring level design and awful camera angles don't help, especially when some stages are being reused as new missions.”
- “They took Contra and somehow tried to turn it into a loot shooter with way too complicated and cryptic stats, combined with grinding for better gear just after 30 minutes of playtime without any polish or care by the devs about the actual gameplay.”
music
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being largely unmemorable and generic, lacking the heavy metal and electronic elements that fans expect from the Contra series. While some tracks are appreciated, they are often overshadowed by ambient sounds and interrupted gameplay, leading to a disappointing overall experience compared to previous Contra soundtracks. Overall, the consensus leans towards the music being a weak point in the game.
- “The music in the game was very good; definitely some good imagined tracks.”
- “Good music, average graphics, good weapons, and a bucket load of fun.”
- “To this day, I still listen to 2002's Shin Contra (Shattered Soldier) soundtrack imported from Japan.”
- “The music also sucks - for the most part, it consists of unmemorable and generic ambient and orchestral tracks, with some rock tracks and orchestral arrangements of old Contra tracks playing occasionally. There's also some Super Contra arrangements in the last hardcore mission, but wasting 20 hours on grinding just to unlock it is definitely not worth it.”
- “There's no head-banging heavy metal and electronic music the series is known for, and there's no memorable and melodic tracks at all. Even the Contra Spirits soundtrack, which had a Hollywood orchestra feel to it, was much more melodic and memorable than what Rogue Corps has to offer, and that game was on 16-bit SNES.”
- “The music is terrible; only the mission accomplished jingle is the old one we all know.”
grinding
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is criticized for its excessive grinding mechanics, which many players find tedious and unbalanced, particularly in the leveling and weapon upgrade systems. While some players who enjoy grind-heavy experiences may find fun in the gameplay, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration with the repetitive nature and lack of polish, making it feel artificially extended. The lengthy tutorial and convoluted upgrade paths further detract from the enjoyment, leading to a mixed reception regarding its grindy aspects.
- “I really wished they removed the leveling up mechanic; it feels too grindy.”
- “The game encourages grinding for weapon and body upgrades, which artificially extends the playtime, as the further you get, the more HP enemies will have (at times, the amounts of enemy health are ridiculous).”
- “The game is also extremely grindy, like less than ten hours of gameplay padded out to around 25+ because you need to upgrade your main weapon and it gets insanely expensive, so you have to do levels over and over again.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The game offers significant replayability due to its responsive controls, engaging gameplay, and a wealth of unlockable upgrades and customization options. Players can enjoy both story and replayable missions, with the design supporting both solo and cooperative play. Overall, the combination of challenging mechanics and varied scenarios enhances the game's longevity and replay value.
- “The controls are responsive and feel fine, and the game is fun to play. There's plenty of unlockable, upgradeable stuff to add replay value.”
- “Whatever you do, do not let the 'frame cap' thing stop you from getting the game. This is probably the only twin-stick shooter that has solid mechanics and awesome customization, upgradability, and replayability (solo and co-op) design.”
- “[Tight and challenging twin-stick shooting with clever scenarios and enemies, off-the-wall presentation is hilarious, loads of customization and replay value.]”
- “The controls are responsive and feel fine, and the game is fun to play. There's plenty of unlockable and upgradeable content to add replay value.”
- “Both story missions and replayable missions are present, but the overall experience lacks depth for multiple playthroughs.”
- “The removal of certain elements would make these missions more replayable.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
82%
18%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of over-the-top moments and absurd animations, such as a comically cross-eyed character during a take-down. While some players find the humor hit-or-miss, the overall presentation and ridiculous scenarios contribute to a lighthearted experience, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate a quirky style. The game balances its comedic elements with engaging gameplay mechanics, offering a unique blend of fun and challenge.
- “The take-down animation is especially hilarious; he drills into the enemy, it flies up, he punches it, and the camera zooms in on his face, but he is cross-eyed, so you can't take it seriously.”
- “Pro-character upgrades using parts that you gain playing through the game (loot box style) without using real money. You just play the game to earn parts, develop new weapons, which some are fun, some are boring, and overall a wide arsenal of weapons that will keep the rhythm fresh. My favorite was the rocket punch as it had high damage and it was hilarious sending hordes of enemies flying in the air like rag dolls.”
- “[Tight and challenging twin-stick shooting with clever scenarios and enemies; the off-the-wall presentation is hilarious, loads of customization, and replay value.]”
- “If you've ever wanted to play a game that's not funny at all but desperately wants to be and looks like an environment artist vomited and used that vomit for textures, this is the game for you.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game is widely criticized for its poor optimization, with players reporting extremely low frame rates (as low as 10 fps) even on high-end hardware like an i7 and RTX 2070. Many users have to lower graphics settings significantly to achieve playable performance, indicating a significant disconnect between the game's graphical demands and its optimization.
- “There is truth in that this game is very badly optimized.”
- “The fact that the game is badly optimized and runs slow even on a decent machine is frustrating.”
- “Great graphics, but the game is poorly optimized.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the character development in the game is lacking, with many users criticizing both the artwork and character design as subpar, which negatively impacts the overall depth and growth of the characters.
- “Atrocious artwork and character design.”
- “Poor character development.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that while the game has some buggy issues, it remains playable. Many have taken steps to verify file integrity, indicating ongoing concerns about stability.
- “There are some buggy issues, but it's still playable.”
- “I verified the integrity of the files and will be checking again, but just wanted to let you know it's acting buggy.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the emotional aspect of the game is minimal, with players emphasizing a focus on action over narrative depth. Many feel that the game's premise of battling aliens does not require a dramatic storyline, prioritizing gameplay over emotional engagement.