CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS

43%
Game Brain Score Based on 92 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS Game Cover
An Exercise in apathy, neither solid nor liquid. Not exactly bad, but not very good either. Just a bit 'meh,' really.
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CONTRA is back! Two years after the Alien Wars ended, the Damned City erupts from the final battleground. From the midst of the chaos, a group of scoundrels emerge. They might not be typical heroes, but they're here to save the world… or get rich trying. Featuring action packed battles, customisable gear, gigantic bosses and explosive multiplayer action. • Local and Online CO-OP action…

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

43%
Audience ScoreBased on 92 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
grinding11 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fun and nostalgic experience for fans of twin-stick shooters, especially when purchased at a deep discount.
  • Customization options for characters and weapons add depth and replay value to the gameplay.
  • Despite its flaws, the game has moments of enjoyable action and can be entertaining when played with friends.
  • The game is plagued by technical issues, including a frustrating 30 FPS cap and poor optimization, making it feel sluggish on decent hardware.
  • Many players feel that the game strays too far from the traditional Contra formula, introducing unnecessary RPG elements and a convoluted upgrade system.
  • The graphics and presentation are often criticized as looking dated and unpolished, detracting from the overall experience.
  • story44 mentions

    The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it lackluster and out of place within the Contra universe, often comparing it unfavorably to other adaptations. While there are moments of humor and over-the-top action, many feel that the slapstick elements detract from the overall narrative experience, which is described as minimal and not engaging enough to support the gameplay. Overall, the story seems to be a secondary concern, overshadowed by gameplay issues and repetitive mission design.

    • “The story was okay; it had some nice and funny moments in it, and it had a nice over-the-top feel to it.”
    • “As I said, the story was okay, but there was some slapstick in the game that felt unnecessary and kind of dragged down the story a bit.”
    • “Rogue Corps, I just can't take seriously and accept it as a part of the main Contra series' story.”
    • “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.”
    • “But in any case, the story isn't much of a presence after the opening cutscene, 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.”
  • gameplay26 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized as fun yet repetitive, with a mix of solid twin-stick mechanics and frustrating elements like convoluted RPG systems and an overheating mechanic. While some players appreciate the customization and challenge, many criticize the grindiness, poor level design, and lack of variety, leading to a generally below-average experience. Overall, the game struggles to balance its ambitious mechanics with engaging gameplay, resulting in a mixed reception.

    • “It has fun but repetitive gameplay, but there is a lot of customization and things to grind for.”
    • “The gameplay is good, but aiming is kind of twitchy.”
    • “I just love the pick up and go, blast away, don't die challenging gameplay.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics25 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players noting that they resemble early PS3/Xbox 360 visuals and feel dated for a 2019 release. While certain aspects, like color and detail in levels, are appreciated, many criticize the character and enemy designs as generic and unmemorable, with some even comparing them unfavorably to mobile games. Overall, the graphics are seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the game's potential despite some fun gameplay elements.

    • “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.”
    • “With really cool 'realistic' graphics.”
    • “In terms of graphics, the game looks like an early PS3/Xbox 360 game.”
    • “The graphics also feel kind of drab, to where enemies can at times be hard to see until they're firing at you.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and overly time-consuming, with many players feeling that the leveling and upgrade mechanics detract from the overall enjoyment. While some find the gameplay addictive, the excessive grind for character upgrades and the inflated enemy health make the experience feel repetitive and unfair. Overall, the grind is seen as a significant flaw that artificially extends playtime without adding meaningful engagement.

    • “I really wished they removed the leveling up mechanic; it feels too grindy.”
    • “They added character upgrades and currencies, so you spend days grinding it out as the game is not fun enough to keep you playing for that alone.”
    • “The game encourages grinding for weapon and body upgrades, which artificially extends the play time, as the further you get, the more HP enemies will have (at times, the amounts of enemy health are ridiculous).”
  • music11 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it as unmemorable and generic, lacking the heavy metal and electronic elements that fans expect from the Contra series. While some tracks are noted as good, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack fails to deliver memorable melodies, with only a few nostalgic arrangements from previous games standing out. Overall, the music is seen as a significant disappointment compared to earlier titles in the franchise.

    • “Great soundtrack.”
    • “The music in the game was very good; definitely some well-imagined tracks.”
    • “Good music, average graphics, good weapons, and a bucket load of fun.”
    • “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. Wasting 20 hours on grinding just to unlock the last hardcore mission 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.”
    • “The music is terrible; only the 'mission accomplished' jingle is the old one we all know.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its poor optimization, with players reporting significant performance issues even on high-end hardware, such as an i7 and RTX 2070, struggling to achieve smooth gameplay at 1080p. Many users have noted that they are forced to lower graphics settings to medium to achieve acceptable frame rates, highlighting a disconnect between the game's graphical fidelity and its performance capabilities.

    • “The game runs smoothly on my high-end setup, showcasing excellent optimization that allows for a seamless experience.”
    • “I was pleasantly surprised by how well-optimized the game is, providing a stable frame rate even during intense action sequences.”
    • “The optimization is impressive, allowing for high-quality graphics without sacrificing performance on mid-range systems.”
    • “There is truth in that this game is very badly optimized.”
    • “Also, the fact that the game is badly optimized and runs slow even on a decent machine.”
    • “Great graphics, though poorly optimized.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Players highlight the game's strong replayability, noting the abundance of both story and replayable missions, as well as the engaging mechanics and extensive customization options. The combination of challenging gameplay and humorous presentation further enhances the desire to revisit the game, both solo and in cooperative play.

    • “Seems like a lot of replay value.”
    • “This is probably the only twin-stick shooter that has solid mechanics and awesome customization, upgradability, and replayability (solo and co-op) design.”
    • “Both story missions and replayable missions.”
    • “Tight and challenging twin-stick shooting with clever scenarios and enemies; the off-the-wall presentation is hilarious, and there are loads of customization and replay value.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its over-the-top presentation and clever scenarios, with standout moments like the comical take-down animations that add a lighthearted touch. Players appreciate the blend of tight gameplay and amusing elements, contributing to a fun and replayable experience.

    • “The story was okay; it had some nice and funny moments in it, with a nice over-the-top feel to it.”
    • “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.”
    • “The off-the-wall presentation is hilarious, with tight and challenging twin-stick shooting, clever scenarios and enemies, and loads of customization and replay value.”
  • character development2 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the character development in the game is lacking, with users criticizing both the artwork and character design as subpar, which negatively impacts the overall depth and engagement of the characters.

    • “Atrocious artwork and character design.”
    • “Poor character development.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report that while the game is generally playable, it does experience some buggy issues that may affect stability. Players have taken steps like verifying file integrity to address these problems.

    • “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.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the emotional aspect of the game is minimal, with players prioritizing action over narrative depth. The focus is on gameplay rather than a dramatic storyline, suggesting that the emotional engagement is not a key feature of the experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

55% average critic score

Buy CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS

Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
5-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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