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Many people hold a deep appreciation for classics, be it in the realm of cars, art, movies, or any other hobby. These lasting treasures stand as a testament to the enduring quality of expert craftsmanship, illustrating that well-made creations possess a timeless allure that resonates across generations.
Given the relative youth of the gaming industry, classic games have only recently begun to receive the attention they deserve. In recent times, there has been a noticeable trend among developers to renew old classics, injecting fresh life into these timeless titles.
Such is the case with Konami's classic Contra, which reminds slightly older players of some now distant gaming times, when the fun factor in video games was everything and when the standards that prevail today were not of great significance. Contra: Operation Galuga, a recent addition to the Contra series by Konami, seems to disregard the past three decades, picking up seamlessly as if no time had passed since the creation of the original fantastic game.
Story
When immersing yourself in a timeless classic that adheres to the gaming standards of three decades ago, it's natural to find the entire storyline characterised by that somewhat cringe-worthy tone, reminiscent of the era's norms. But nonetheless, Contra: Operation Galuga's story is truly fantastic.
Anticipate exaggeration in every aspect, from superheroic feats that surpass all norms to two soldiers battling an alien invasion and single-handedly saving the world. It encompasses everything you'd expect from such a game and goes above and beyond.
The central protagonists remain Bill and Lance, accompanied this time by additional characters that players can choose later on. The storyline doesn't delve into anything overly serious or particularly captivating. It adheres to the classic concept of a villain aiming to conquer the world, with the heroes standing in opposition.
The story mode represents just one aspect of the game, comprising eight different stages that guide players through the main story. Regrettably, the entire storyline is relatively brief and can be completed in less than an hour, a duration considered quite short by today's gaming standards.
Apart from the brevity of the storyline, another notable flaw is that the narrative seems tailored for Contra connoisseurs. If you're not well-versed in the lore of the game, many elements may remain perplexing, as the assumption is that players are already acquainted with the intricate terminology and names the characters use. Even though I played the earlier Contra titles, I found myself somewhat lost in the narrative. It wouldn't hurt if the developers included a journal or some form of explanation for the terms used, providing clarity to players unfamiliar with the Contra universe.
To avoid excessive criticism of the storyline, it's worth commending the storytelling method employed, which features fantastic voice acting in the form of dialogues. This comes as no surprise for Konami, known for consistently delivering high-quality voice acting in their games. It's noteworthy that the developers opted for this approach, as they could have easily settled for text bubbles, and no one would have raised any complaints.
In the grand scheme of things, it's not the story that will leave a lasting impression on a game like Contra; rather, it's the gameplay, the fundamental cornerstone of this genre.
Gameplay
Contra: Operation Galuga remains a true shoot-and-run experience, as the developers chose to retain everything from previous Contra titles—literally, no more and no less.
Each mission begins with the selection of a character, and you navigate through two-dimensional levels where your only goal is to incessantly press the fire button, armed with unlimited ammunition. The objective is to eliminate everything in your path while simultaneously evading enemy gunfire—such is the essence of this game.
At the beginning of each level, you are equipped with an automatic rifle with unlimited ammo. Throughout the stage, you may come across stronger weapons that remain effective as long as your character sustains life. Losing a life resets the weapon to its default state.
You begin with a total of seven lives, and depleting all seven sends you back to the last recorded checkpoint. Before embarking on the campaign, you can decide how you want to play. You have the choice between a health bar for your character or the more demanding one-hit-kill system, which adds an extra layer of difficulty. Opting for the health bar allows your character to sustain multiple hits before losing a life, contingent on their remaining health. Furthermore, there is a traditional difficulty selection offering options between easy, medium, and hard challenges.
Within the levels, you'll engage with a multitude of standard enemies, culminating in a boss fight at each level's conclusion. However, these boss encounters, while aesthetically well-designed, can be somewhat disappointing. The battles with them feel unbalanced, as most bosses unleash multiple attacks, making it nearly impossible to strategize effectively. The chaotic nature of the fights adds to the challenge, making it difficult to anticipate and counter all the attacks.
Rather than devising a strategy, the likelihood is high that you'll opt for spamming attacks, calculating the damage you can withstand. Unfortunately, the victory often hinges on taking less damage from the boss, with little consideration for planned attacks or strategic choices. The absence of a health bar for the bosses adds to the challenge, leaving you uncertain about the time it will take to defeat them. The only exception is the penultimate boss, where you target the three eyes that need to be destroyed in order to defeat the boss.
It's worth mentioning that there's no distinction between the in-game characters, be it the main ones or the unlockables; none possess any unique features, and this can be somewhat disappointing. The only discernible difference lies in their appearance.
You can obtain various skins through in-game currency earned by completing missions. In addition to skins, it's noteworthy that the in-game store offers various perks available for purchase. These perks can be added before each mission to enhance gameplay, featuring benefits such as increased health or starting with a different class of weapon.
Adding to the lack of logic in the boss fights, it's worth mentioning a similar issue in the last two levels when confronting regular enemies. An extra challenge is added by overwhelming the screen with as many as twenty mobs at the same time, leaving little chance of navigating through unscathed.
While the campaign forms the core of the game, there are two additional modes—Arcade Mode and Challenge Mode—that introduce a new layer of enjoyment. In Arcade Mode, you have the opportunity to replay all the missions by selecting various character combinations. Meanwhile, Challenge Mode presents a variety of tasks, including completing an entire stage without shooting, attempting a speed run, or locating all the weapons within a level, among many others.
Saving the best for last, the most exciting aspect of the gameplay is the local co-op feature. Yes, Contra: Operation Galuga allows for a two-player internal co-op, reminiscent of the classic games, by sharing the same screen using two controllers. While it may not alter the fundamental gameplay significantly, playing in this manner introduces an extra layer of enjoyment. There's an added thrill in experiencing these games together with someone, particularly when sharing the same physical space.
Graphics and Sounds
Beyond the nostalgia it evokes, the standout feature of this game is undeniably its exceptional graphical presentation. The developers have skillfully captured the essence of the old game, seamlessly blending it with a completely redesigned interface that exudes the sophistication of a modern 2D game.
The character models are flawless, featuring comic-like dialogues that strike a harmonious balance between classic and modern aesthetics. Moreover, the phenomenal level of detail on the characters throughout the game is noteworthy. Despite the characters appearing small on the screen, characteristic of the game genre, the intricate animations during gameplay are vividly clear and well executed.
The level design stands out as well, with each stage distinctly different from the others. The vibrant colours and the effects of explosions and gunfire contribute to a certain classic touch, skillfully executed with modern graphic capabilities.
While not featuring next-gen fancy effects, it's noteworthy that some scenes in Contra: Operation Galuga still manage to leave players breathless. Take, for instance, a snowy level where the depiction of a blizzard is so beautifully crafted that it rivals titles with much grander aspirations. Another captivating element is the rendering of transparent crystals in an underground level, showcasing the game's ability to evoke fascination with its graphical details.
In summary, the graphics of Contra: Operation Galuga are exceptionally well-presented, showcasing a skilful blend by the developers of classic and modern elements.
The sound presentation is on par with the graphics, delivering everything you would anticipate from a classic. The tunes are predominantly computerised, reminiscent of those found in games from thirty years ago, and they fit perfectly. The sounds of weapons, jumps, destruction, and explosions are also authentically classic, and there's no better way we would want it.
The developers had the choice to either modernise the sound or stick with the classic formula. While a combination of both wouldn't be amiss, in my view, adhering to the classic sound approach is superior, more authentic, and better suited for a game like Contra: Operation Galuga.
Conclusion
Everything you'd anticipate from a revived classic is present in Contra: Operation Galuga. It successfully takes you back to the era of old video games. Put simply, if you're an older gamer with fond memories of classics like this, you'll likely overlook some minor flaws and revel in the nostalgia that transports you back to your youth.
On the other hand, if you're a younger gamer, Contra: Operation Galuga might not stand out as an especially captivating title, as it targets a very specific audience of gamers with its visual style, music and gameplay. Despite this, Contra is a great video game and we're sure fans of the series will hold a special place in their heart for this one.
The Good
Nostalgic gameplay and graphics- Internal co-op feature
- Varied level design
- Classic soundtrack
The Bad
Unbalanced boss fights- Lack of boss health bar
- Short campaign duration
