Contra: Shattered Soldier’s combination of old-school shooter gameplay and high-end graphics makes it a blast to play and a worthy successor to the legendary franchise. After two failed attempts on the PlayStation that tried to incorporate free 3D movement, Contra: Shattered Soldier for the PS2 returns the series to its roots as a side scrolling shooter. The intense action moves both vertically and horizontally, but the focus firmly remains on the 2D plane even though all the characters and objects are comprised of brightly detailed polygons. Don’t get too distracted by the pretty pictures since the game’s seven levels are insanely difficult. Playing with two players simultaneously is slightly easier and great fun, plus unlocking all the endings and hidden levels adds replay value. A hard-driving rock soundtrack is the stand-out on the auditory front. General sound effects like explosions could use a bit more punch, however. Much like in the early 8- and 16-bit versions, survival depends on memorizing the placement and patterns of enemies. Your arsenal consists of three different guns, which you must switch between depending on the task at hand. It takes lightning-quick reflexes to react correctly, and the responsive controls won’t let you down. You can use either the analog stick or digital pad for movement, but you’ll want to stick with the latter to get the precision needed to stay alive. Contra: Shattered Soldier is a must-have for fans of the originals and highly recommended for anyone looking for a tough-as-nails shooter.
