Arcade veterans have a love hate relationship with the Metal Slug series. They love the addictive gameplay, insane weapons, and over-the-top action. On the other hand, they hate the cheap quarter-eating tactics which are holdovers from the arcade era. The $9.00 PSN Metal Slug 2 re-release exemplifies this, and adds a ton of slowdown on top of that which dampers what would be a near-perfect arcade shooter.

The mechanics are simple: You have a button for grenades, shooting your weapon, and jumping that you use to kill enemies while dodging shots. The artillery reigns in from very direction, which makes for one of the most chaotic and twitch-based games of all time. You will be challenged.

Taking baddies out stays varied and interesting throughout the game due to the large number of weapons and vehicles. The shotgun blasts away multiple enemies, the laser zaps an entire enemy line with one shot (or you fire a continuous beam that destroys vehicles quickly), and you can pilot a jet on which other players can ride. Players can also eject from the plane and sending it crashing into enemy targets Kamikaze-style. The destruction that your solider causes is quite remarkable.

That said, the game does show its age in some places. The cutesy (yet hardcore) hand-drawn graphics become really pixelated during intense combat, and constant slowdown is extremely annoying. The game isn’t by any means unplayable, but it is frustrating, and makes what would be an extremely polished and great game an average title. Why SNK Playmore didn’t fix this problem for the PSN re-release baffles me. There aren’t any HD alterations made to the game which is a bummer, especially since other old school re-releases tend to improve the graphics a bit.

Playing with a friend is optimal. The game is a bit easier with two people and adds a level of coordination to the madness. Players have to smartly manage and share power-ups, and plan strategically to take out enemies quickly. All the action on the screen is matched by an energetic soundtrack filled with heavy guitar riffs, and classic arcade sounds. Network support is also included making it even easier to team up with someone.

Overall, Metal Slug 2 is a decent shooting game that can be an enjoyable history lesson. However nostalgia alone isn’t enough to make me erase its flaws. The brutal difficulty is only magnified by the horrible slow down, and makes this a tough purchase to recommend. At $9.00 it’s truly a hard pill to swallow, but if you’re a  purist I doubt any of this matters.

Even though it’s not in the title, the Contra series lives on in Hard Corps: Uprising. Huge bosses, spot-on control and controller-chucking difficulty air-dash into the HD age with considerable style. Courtesy of developer Arc System Works, this is Contra evolved.

Building on the usual 2D run-and-gun gameplay that typifies Contra, Hard Corps introduces a dedicated run button for actual running. This addition, the ability to dash, and dash mid-air, opens up a variety of potential maneuvers, unlockable in the game’s Rising mode. In that mode, players earn Corps Points to buy abilities like vaulting over obstacles, tackling into them to cause explosive chain reactions and dodging enemies altogether. Add those new moves to the established two-weapon arsenal, strafing, and aiming formula established since Contra III, and you have a well-rounded menu of mayhem.

True to its title, however, Hard Corps is no walk in the park. Arcade mode, which offers a limited set of the abilities described above, is only an option for the most masochistic solo players. Even with a second soldier to help, it’s a daunting, frustrating task. Rising Mode, which allows the possibility of health upgrades, extra lives and new moves, is the way to go for lone gamers. It’s a lengthy way too, as I’ve clocked over six hours in my file. A lot of that was dying over and over again, sure, but there are eight stages here and they’re packed with mini-bosses, classic vehicle segments, and great level design. With two characters to upgrade, and the possibility of two extra DLC characters in the future, there’s a good bit of content in this downloadable title.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If there’s anything wrong with Hard Corps, it’s that later stages introduce cheapo one-hit kills. Which isn’t really anything wrong with the game, just my threshold for frustration. It’s infuriating, until you get better; trial and error and adaptation is the key.  Even though it seems impossible to make it through a stage unscathed, there’s a “Complete the Game Without Dying” achievement.

Another frustrating though not entirely damning thing, is that Corps Points aren’t tallied in any obvious way. The only way to see how many there are is to pause the game or go to the Customize/Shop option. There’s no onscreen indicator during actual gameplay, or any hint as to what actually constitutes a successful Corps Point reception. Taking out enemies, I’m sure, but what about successful vaults and dodges? RPG-style numbers popping out of fallen enemies like Symphony of the Night would have been a nifty way to gauge points.

Arc Systems Work’s talent for hi-res 2D visuals, as seen in Guilty Gear and BlazBlue, continues in Hard Corps. Lush backgrounds and fun character designs round out the visual upgrade to high-def, though some of the bosses 3D models look no better than what you’d find on Dreamcast titles. Which isn’t bad for the nostalgic among us!

The rock soundtrack, while cheesy and fun in that classic Contra way, doesn’t do anything especially memorable. Though I can’t hum any of the tunes, they do their part while in the game, driving the action and excitement to the game’s ridiculously awesome (or awesomely ridiculous) final moments.

Hopefully, the relationship between Konami and Arc System Works will continue after Hard Corps: Uprising. It’s one of the finest examples of a classic Japanese game series successfully entering the HD generation. The fact that it’s this good, and this inexpensive as a downloadable title, makes it a can’t-miss. Contra and action game fanatics will not be disappointed.

Konami may not tout the Arc System Works’ developed Hard Corps: Uprising as being an official entry in the Contra series, but it’s hard to overlook the game’s Contra spirit.

Associate producer Kenji Yamamoto shared some Hard Corps: Uprising information with me while on the E3 2010 floor. Hard Corps: Uprising, from its inception, was envisioned as a 2D video game, as Konami wanted a produce a title that was both accessible to the average gamer, and packed a unique visual style. According to Yamamoto, that was why Arc System Works was tapped to developed the game: they are chock full of  ”excellence in 2D programming.” And it shows.

Kenji Yamamoto, Hard Corps: Uprising

Hard Corps: Uprising feels very much like a modern take on Contra. Arc System Works has layered the run-and-gun action, spread guns, weapon pods, and big explosions with beautiful HD anime-style sprites that can perform more actions than Bill and Lance ever could. They can dash (both on the ground and in the air), melee strike, and reflect incoming gunfire. They also have lifebars! Old school Contra aficionados may scoff at that, but it brings a needed sense of fairness to what could be an otherwise hair-pulling game. It’s because of all of these factors that Konami decided not to make Hard Corps: Uprising part of the Contra universe.

Still, I learned a couple of interesting factoids. One: Hard Corps: Uprising is only a working title. Two: A certain code may be implemented into the game. We’ll see what becomes of the game by the time it hits PSN and XBLA in late 2010.

]]> http://www.2d-x.com/e3-2010-hard-corps-uprising-channels-contra/feed/ 1 http://www.2d-x.com/hard-corps-uprising-gets-an-action-packed-trailer/ http://www.2d-x.com/hard-corps-uprising-gets-an-action-packed-trailer/#comments Sat, 12 Jun 2010 05:25:17 +0000 Jeffrey L. Wilson http://www.2d-x.com/?p=8780

As the clock ticks down to the start of E3 2010, companies are building the hype machine by releasing video footage of their games in action. This week alone we saw Dante vs. Deadpool in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, more Shank details, and Spider-Man 2099 mix it up in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. Now Arc System Works’ and Konami’s Hard Corps: Uprising gets the video treatment.

The exclusive video comes courtesy of 1UP and showscases the decidedly Contra-like run-and-gun action. In fact, the last level boss looks remarkably like an updated version of Contra’s stage one base-boss.

I’m digging the air dashes (a carry-over from Arc System Works’ 2D fighting games) and the shield, two features that appear to level the playing field when you have enemy gunfire headed your way.

1Up states that Hard Corps: Uprising is not the game’s final name, so there may be the possibility that this will officially be pulled into the Contra universe.

Arc System Works has carved out a niche for itself as a company that caters to the hardcore, 2D video game crowd thanks to success in Hokuto no Ken, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, Battle Fantasia, and the Guilty Gear series. So if you were Konami and wanted to breathe new life into the Contra franchise they’d be the prime company to tap, right? Right.

Only Konami doesn’t want Arc System Works to work on Contra, but a Contra-like game called Hard Corps: Uprising. Harp Corps, not coincidentally, was the name of the Genesis Contra outting. And the protagonist is one Colonel Bahamut, who was the Johnny Turncoat in Contra: Hard Corps.

IGN has additional deets on this anime-styled spiritual successor to this PSN/XBLA game  including DLC, release date, and more.

[Hat tip: IGN via Kotaku]

The mid-’80s to early-’90s were a particularly interesting period in videogame history. We saw the introduction of the NES, SNES, Genesis, Neo Geo, and Gameboy –some of the most popular and influential consoles in history – - and masterpiece titles such as Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter II, and Outun. These consoles and games have stood up to time’s harsh glare and have come to be considered classics in their genres.

But time and society hasn’t been particularly kind to some of the more jingoistic titles. An entire genre of games that I affectionally call “America sticks it’s rifle-wang deep into forgein nations” were wiped out with the fall of the Cold War: Games such as 1942, Cabal, Commando, Operation Wolf, and the none-too-subtle Rush’N Attack were birthed during a time were if you didn’t speak English and wear a Member’s Only jacket, your ass was a prime candidate for extermination. For freedom, of course! After the fall of the Soviet block and the dawn of glasnost, Cold War fears subsided, and game developers really had to look beyond the latest headlines to churn out titles. Super Joe and his compatriots got the pink slip.

That’s why it’s particularly shocking to learn that Rush’N Attack is making a grand return in a totally new game entited Rush’N Attck: Ex-Patriot. The ’80s-tastic plot goes like this:

At the height of the Cold War, the CIA discovered that the Russians have found a never-before-seen material used to create devastating nuclear missiles so the CIA formed a secret branch called “Harvest” to infiltrate and investigate the Soviet weapons program. The Cold War soon ends without a bang and the operation is discontinued. Decades later, new operative Sergeant Sid Morrow, call sign “Wolf Spider”, is tasked with retrieving an abandoned member of Harvest, re-evaluating the missile threat, and sabotaging it if necessary.

In Rush‘N Attack Ex-Patriot, a clandestine struggle exists between Russia and the United States for military intelligence during the shadows of the Cold War. Through three massive environments of a Siberian prison complex, a bio-weapons laboratory, and a nuclear weapons base players will need to complete a variety of missions and survive encounters with elite Russian soldiers.

Players choose their own gameplay style by moving through each level loud and fast or silent and deadly. As they find themselves almost always outnumbered, players must avoid constant detection from the vigilant guards and the unblinking eyes of security cameras. Armed with a little more than a knife, the players will have to scrounge for weapons and supplies to survive as they are truly behind enemy lines.

The downloadable title (which is coming to XBLA this fall), features three “massive” levels with hidden areas, and both stealth and Rambo-style action. The 2.5D graphics (built on the Unreal Engine) are satisfyingly grimy, and includes a Metal Gear Solid-style radar system in the upper-left corner, which I suspect aids in the game’s stealth elements.

Developed by Vatra and published by Konami, Rush’N Attack: Ex-Patriot looks like it could be the Shadow Complex of 2010, provided that the gameplay is up to snuff.

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If you’re a fan of the Metal Slug series, then you know what it’s like to have all the odds stacked up against you. Whether it’s dodging zombie vomit or getting stuck in absurd crossfires, running with guns blazing into the impossible has never lost its appeal… until now.

Metal Slug XX for the PSP includes all the elements that we know and love from the series, plus added visual pop (in the form of greater graphic detail and brighter colors) and co-op play. The problem, outside of that, is we’ve already played the same game more than a year ago on the Nintendo DS.

With identical maps, enemies and story as Metal Slug 7, Metal Slug XX makes it very hard for gamers to avoid a feeling of deja vu as they run and gun through each mission. To make matters worse, the few changes that were made end up cheapening the experience as a whole. Continues are now infinite – leaving no real consequence for death except a low score that no one really cares about anyway, and the Slug Jet (one of my favorites) has been noticeably left out entirely. The ability to respawn countless times may seem pretty sweet, but with a story mode that barely lasts an hour as it is, you’ll end up wondering where your twenty bucks went.

Making a return appearance are the six characters that joined us for the last title: Marco, Eri, Clark, Tarma, Fio and Ralf. If you’re interested in learning more about them, a miniature bio for each is available at the character select screen – listing everything from age to blood type. Leona from the King of Fighters series is also available via download at the Playstation Network for $0.99 but to be honest, you’re better off saving your dollar for a breakfast burrito.

A “network” mode allows players to connect with a friend wirelessly for some much needed backup and extra firepower. While this definitely brings back the arcade feel lacking from the DS version, finding a friend with a PSP and game copy will prove much more difficult than just playing the game on your own. If you are forced into solo play and the story mode gets stale, there’s still a “Combat School” menu that allows you to play through over 70 mission-based trials. With a different goal for each mission, replay value will be there for the more devoted fans.

To be fair, Metal Slug XX, will definitely entertain those who are unfamiliar with the DS title. With noticeable tweaks to graphic detail, brighter color schemes and the insane weapons that have made the series such a success, it’s a polished remake worth picking up if it’s your first go around. However, if you’re like me and your copy of Metal Slug 7 is sitting in the dust, there’s no reason to waste your money just to give it company.

Remember that forthcoming Twin Blades DLC that we mention in the game’s review? Well, Press Start Stuido has released a trailer detailing the new additions, which includes a more robust fighting system, a map, a storyline, new environments, and maybe the most welcome plus of all, bosses.

The free (yes, free) downloadable content for the iPhone/iPod touch/XBLIG is slated to arrive by the end of the month, and from what’s showcased in this clip, it’s just what’s need to break the monotony of this lovingly animated 2D video game, but repetitive, run-and-gunner.

Atlus doesn’t know when to quit. Not satisfied spoiling us with hardcore ridiculousness like Demon’s Souls and tons upon tons of Shin Megami Tensei games, they deem Feb. 23 the time to bestow Metal Slug XX for PSP upon us. A port of Metal Slug 7 for DS, Metal Slug XX (pronounced “double-ex”) heralds the return of multi-player through the PSP’s ad-hoc connection. Because who wants to run-and-gun solo? That’s just silly.

But the Metal Slug series has always been silly, and this one looks to up the ante with a nice, big cast (Marco, Tarma, Fio, Eri, Ralf, Clark and a purchasable Leona), seven levels in the main campaign and — in a series first — more than 70 missions worth of bonus content. For only $20 that sounds like quite the steel. Er, steal. Ha, like metal? Get it, Metal Slug?

Ugh.

What better way to celebrate the yuletide cheer than by severing undead heads? Press Start Studio, an independent game developer out of France, is bringing its Twin Blades : The Reaping Vanguard to the Xbox Live Arcade Indie Games platform on Christmas Day for just 240 MSP.

Twin Blades: The Reaping Vanguard is a frantic 2D run-and-gun action shooter set in a medieval-fantasy zombie-filled universe featuring stylized manga-like graphics. Players take control of the a scythe-waving nun with a mission to clear the city of all its undead inhabitants. But the big blade isn’t the only weapon in her arsenal: she carries a number of ranged weapons, too. The game features:

• Ranged weapons ranging from machine gun to explosive nukes

• Upgradable skills which can be bought and trained

• 7 different kind of zombies, mind the grabbers!

• 5 cool musics and exclusive sound effects which will immerse you into the epic slaughter

• A local Challenges & High-Scores system which keeps track of players’ progress

Press Start Studio plans to offer additional content through the magic if DLC, which will include new animations, bosses, environments, and more. The developer’s stated that those that buy the game early will be rewarded–they’ll get said bonus content for free.

If you can’t wait til Christmas day to hack’n slash, check out the iPhone/iPod touch version of the game which you can cop from the App Store for just a buck. It’s a Festivus miracle!