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...

Contra: Rogue Corps is a two-stick run and gun game that's set in the Contra series universe. Featuring action packed battles, customisable gear, gigantic bosses and explosive multiplayer action, it slots neatly into the franchise.

You start the game with a mini tutorial which sees you play as Kaiser (a rebuilt cyborg from The Alien Wars) as you fight your way through the first campaign level. Once that's completed you're introduced to the other characters (Ms. Harakiri, an assassin with a parasitic alien lodged in her stomach; The Gentleman, a well-cultured alien bug; and Hungry Beast, a cyborg giant panda). At your camp you can choose any of the characters, upgrade and buy new weapons, undertake risky surgery to augment different body parts; enter the firing range to test out your weapons; and chose solo or co-op campaign, or go online for a number of different pvp or co-op modes.

The default weapons are different for each character, but what is the same it that all weapons have a cool down. So, if you fire for too long the gun will jam and you'll have to wait until it's ready for use again. It's best to keep an eye on the gauge and try not to let your weapon overheat.

A word of warning about the online play. At launch there appeared to be very few online lobbies when we tried to play and if you commit to playing online there seemed to be no way to quit out if no one else is on. You have to wait for a few minutes before you get the option to quit. But the online play is easily where the most fun is.

Another issue that might frustrate some, is that in campaign mode you can't pause your game (or even change the control set up). You have to wait until you lose all your lives (in which case you lose any items you've collected) before you can change any of the settings.

Part of the fun of the game is levelling up all of the characters. While their default weapons are really not that different as far as enemy damage is concerned, there's much satisfaction in modding the weapons and designing something that rips through the hoards of monsters. Likewise, finding body parts, choosing your surgeon and undergoing surgery (sometimes the surgeon isn't successful) to make your character better equipped for the ongoing battles is a nice little touch.

While I did enjoy this game I couldn't help thinking that it was a little over priced. There are similar games out there which are way cheaper. But if you're a fan of the franchise this adds a neat, new twist.

7

Nick Smithson