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[Wario64]

6.8

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/neocontra/review.html

"Fans of the Contra series will probably find a number of things to smile about in Neo Contra, and they'll also discover that, despite the game's very short length, it offers some decent unlockable extras--some additional weapons, characters, and features like a gallery with concept art. Nevertheless, since the game itself is a simple, straightforward shooter without much meat on its bones and without any terribly impressive graphics or sound to wow you, it probably won't last you long. It can be pretty fun for a while, though, so it's a fine choice for a rental."

 

[snapty00]

I know there are short games, but isn't this game unreasonably short? Like only an hour and a half or so? Or was that just a joke?

 

[dark10x]

I know there are short games, but isn't this game unreasonably short? Like only an hour and a half or so? Or was that just a joke?

What? For a shooter, 2 hours is LONG...

It's not like you play through it one time and throw it on the shelf or something. That's not the point!

Really, that's almost akin to bitching about VF4 only being a 15 minute game or something.

 

[snapty00]

What? For a shooter, 2 hours is LONG...

Well, regardless of what type of game it is, I just can't pay that much for a game that short. I mean, I thought that Luigi's Mansion game was kinda short but tolerable, but this...I don't know. It's just too short for my budget.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Contra was like what? an hour long? its how you play it mofos!...besides is all in the co-op.

 

[Mejilan]

I played the demo. It was all kinds of suck.

 

[Socreges]

What? For a shooter, 2 hours is LONG...

It's not like you play through it one time and throw it on the shelf or something. That's not the point!

IGN said it's 30 minutes. That is short, even for a shooter.

Gradius V, IIRC, takes just over an hour, if not an hour and a half. Definitely satisfying. But half that content would be annoyingly low.

Really, that's almost akin to bitching about VF4 only being a 15 minute game or something.

If VF4 opponents had set patterns, sure.

 

[BenT]

It's 45 minutes, which is par for the series.

Gradius V was freakishly long for a shooter, at 80 minutes or thereabouts.

 

[drohne]

it's as if game critics are out to antagonize me lately. what have i ever done to game critics?

anyway, i'm picking my copy up tomorrow. this sentiment probably sounds insane in the current gaming climate, but i think half an hour is the ideal length for a shooter. gradius v and silvergun are great, but too bloody long. ponderous size discourages one-credit replay...so much time is spent on stages that you can beat in your sleep.

 

[Bebpo]

gradius v and silvergun are great, but too bloody long. ponderous size discourages one-credit replay...so much time is spent on stages that you can beat in your sleep.

Actually I agree with you pretty strongly here. I hate having to spend 20 mins playing through I've-mastered-this-level-its-boring lvl.1-4 in Gradius V just to play the harder levels.

They need to take the idea of warp pipes and somehow implement it into shooters ^-^

 

[Socreges]

So you guys would rather have less content? Instead, how about less of a learning curve? For a game that relentlessly beats on the player, the first couple areas truly are a breeze.

 

[drohne]

well, i love gradius v for the sprawling epic it is, and i certainly wouldn't want entire stages excised. but i'm always sort of reluctant to pop it in...at least the first 30 minutes of the game have died for me. the lack of any real scoring system hurts too. but the choice of option types helps keep it fresh, and once i do start playing, i usually spend a couple hours on it.

 

[Rummy Bunnz]

Gradius V is one of the best hori shooters ever, but like drohne I'm usually reluctant to play it cuz of its length. Long shooters suck, even when they're awesome. Half an hour is more than enough for me.

I hated Shattered Soldier, but I was still interested in Neo Contra. All the talk about how easy it is has totally killed the boner, though.

 

[jecclr2003]

I played the demo too.. a 6.8 is GENEROUS.

This game is poo.

 

[Oh! My Car!]

Nooooooooooo ;_;

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

With all this talk about shooters being too short, I'd just like to throw out that Metal Slug 3's final stage is around forty minutes long, longer than the preceding four stages in fact, and hard as all hell.

You'd be begging for that stage to end if you were worried about credits, yer bugger.

 

[XS+]

Wow, I didn't even know NC is available already. That's yet another Japan game that's coming to the US first. At least Konami has their priorities in order.

 

[john2kx]

you'd think they'd learned by now that Contra just doesn't like 3D.

 

[drohne]

1. for the most part it's not 3d, even though konami are billing it as such. it's mainly top-down 2d, in the style of mercs or particularly shock troopers.

2. don't dismiss it based on the opm demo. the controls come off a bit badly in that section. i played a couple full levels at e3, and the strafe lock works beautifully. everyone seems to be calling for smash tv controls, but i really prefer neo contra's derivative of shock troopers. give it a chance. it rox.