Camacho

Taking a quick glance on my lunch, I'm unfamiliar with most of those. I'll look further into them later.  On the surface most of those look super low budget. Games like that don't take the kind of resources the new Contra did, even if they're great.
Like I said before, it will be on sale soon enough. 
 
Also, Blaster Master being on that list makes me wonder how many on that list are really run and gun games. 

I realize value and quality are subjective, but I do think it's a bit unrealistic to have expected this game to cost what a box of cat littler does these days. There were a lot of people working on it for probably at least a year or so- those people have to be paid, and labor costs aren't what they were 17 years ago when C4 was released (I think DS games were $30 at the time?). As for "far superior" games in the genre that cost half as much, what games are you talking about? Cuphead is the only one that comes to mind that doesn't feel like a low budget game, and it was released in 2017, with a very small team  who started work several years before  the huge inflation we've had since covid. Blazing Chrome is the only other really good recent one I can think of, and it definitely doesn't have the meat or polish to it that C4 does- you can tell it's a lower budget indie retro game. I'm absolutely not shitting on it, but having a good bit of time in both, I wouldn't put it on C4's level. Super Cyborg is another one that comes up a lot- anyone who puts it on the level of the greats in the genre either hasn't played it, or is plain delusional- it feels like what it is, a super low budget passion project that looks like a glorified flash game. 

I realize value and quality are subjective, but I do think it's a bit unrealistic to have expected this game to cost what a box of cat littler does these days. There were a lot of people working on it for probably at least a year or so- those people have to be paid, and labor costs aren't what they were 17 years ago when C4 was released (I think DS games were $30 at the time?). As for "far superior" games in the genre that cost half as much, what games are you talking about? Cuphead is the only one that comes to mind that doesn't feel like a low budget game, and it was released in 2017, with a very small team  who started work several years before  the huge inflation we've had since covid. Blazing Chrome is the only other really good recent one I can think of, and it definitely doesn't have the meat or polish to it that C4 does- you can tell it's a lower budget indie retro game. I'm absolutely not shitting on it, but having a good bit of time in both, I wouldn't put it on C4's level. Super Cyborg is another one that comes up a lot- anyone who puts it on the level of the greats in the genre either hasn't played it, or is plain delusional- it feels like what it is, a super low budget passion project that looks like a glorified flash game. 

More updates on Contra: OG after 12 hours in the game. I have done multiple arcade mode runs with different settings and all but one of the challenges (have 1 more character to unlock before I can do it).
 
-As expected, the game is fucking hard if you want it to be. 1 hit kill mode alone obviously makes things way more tough. Doing it with no perks activated makes it truly old school Contra tough. I haven't done Hard mode with 1 hit kills yet, hard with the lifebar is already pretty challenging. You still get unlimited continues on hard, but there are fewer checkpoints- just one per stage, generally after the sub-boss. There's a higher difficulty you can buy that I read is 1 hit kill only, 2 lives, no continues. I'll be passing on that one.
 
-My biggest criticism this far in is that the screen sometimes gets too busy with effects and explosions, making it easy to lose projectiles and hazards in the chaos. The level 2 crush weapon in particular is just way too visually obstructing. Of course, it's also the most powerful weapon, so you'll want to use it a lot despite the problem it causes. I'd like to see it patched in a way to reduce this effect, but I doubt that will happen. There are also a few bosses that have too much shit going once acid or fire lingers and creates obstacles as you're already dodging a ton of other stuff. Ironically, the best way around those is the same weapon I complained about, which can eat most projectiles. 
 
-The 3d graphics actually add something to the gameplay with camera zooms and pans. Some of the bosses wouldn't work well with a locked playfield- glad to see this addition.
 
-The challenges don't seem as brutal as they were in C4, although there is an optional "par time" to meet that does make them tougher. I am disappointed to see that not all of the bosses/minibosses are in challenge missions- this would be a welcome add on, as practicing them in C4 with strict limits was fun and helpful. Still very glad to have this mode in the game. 
 
-The additional characters all have something that makes them play different, such as a hover, grappling hook, no double jump, triple jump, no dash, projectile counters (like Hard Corps: Uprising), melee attacks, and alternate versions of weapons and overloads. These are cool additions that actually add some flavor to replays rather than just being skins like they were in C4. 3 characters from Hard Corps can be unlocked, and their playstyles vary the most. 
 
-The one complaint I have about the perk shop is that some of the unlocks are really expensive, a bit too much so, IMO. You do get way more credits for 1 hit kill mode, higher difficulty settings, and most of all, stages completed consecutively without continuing. I'd have liked to see things a little "cheaper" so there wasn't as much grinding involved. 12 hours in and I'm just short of that last character, and there are bunch of other perks to go, a couple of which are even more expensive. I suppose it's still a good thing to have for the sake of encouraging replays and rewarding skilled play, even if it could use a little rebalancing.  
 
-As expected, being able to use alternate soundtracks alleviated my complaint about the new soundtrack. There's a good selection, and hopefully they'll add more (like C3, Rebirth, and SS).
 
-All of the stages but one are well paced. the second hoverbike level drags a bit- other than that, they're good. There's definitely a big difficulty spike at a certain point.
 
-I haven't played co-op, as my wife is uninterested in games, and I vary rarely have the chance to play games with friends anymore. I'm sure 4 player co-op would have been a blast in my teens or early 20's.
 
In conclusion, if you're a Contra fan and know what you're getting with the series, it's a great game. It certainly has a lot of C4 DNA, which is a very good thing. Lots of people are complaining about the price- I don't think those complaints are warranted if you're a fan of the genre. There's a lot to sink your teeth into, and it's very well tuned. Not perfect, but really good, and it shows that way more work went into this than the fan games whiners are pointing out. If $40 is too much, get it on sale. I paid $28, and I'm sure we'll see it for $20 within a few months or so. Who knows when or if we'll get another game like this after the mediocre reviews and kids expecting a 10 hour campaign in a Contra game.
 

Everytime Million writes "BG3" , my brain autocorrected it to Booty Grabber 3.

More updates on Contra: OG after 12 hours in the game. I have done multiple arcade mode runs with different settings and all but one of the challenges (have 1 more character to unlock before I can do it).
 
-As expected, the game is fucking hard if you want it to be. 1 hit kill mode alone obviously makes things way more tough. Doing it with no perks activated makes it truly old school Contra tough. I haven't done Hard mode with 1 hit kills yet, hard with the lifebar is already pretty challenging. You still get unlimited continues on hard, but there are fewer checkpoints- just one per stage, generally after the sub-boss. There's a higher difficulty you can buy that I read is 1 hit kill only, 2 lives, no continues. I'll be passing on that one.
 
-My biggest criticism this far in is that the screen sometimes gets too busy with effects and explosions, making it easy to lose projectiles and hazards in the chaos. The level 2 crush weapon in particular is just way too visually obstructing. Of course, it's also the most powerful weapon, so you'll want to use it a lot despite the problem it causes. I'd like to see it patched in a way to reduce this effect, but I doubt that will happen. There are also a few bosses that have too much shit going once acid or fire lingers and creates obstacles as you're already dodging a ton of other stuff. Ironically, the best way around those is the same weapon I complained about, which can eat most projectiles. 
 
-The 3d graphics actually add something to the gameplay with camera zooms and pans. Some of the bosses wouldn't work well with a locked playfield- glad to see this addition.
 
-The challenges don't seem as brutal as they were in C4, although there is an optional "par time" to meet that does make them tougher. I am disappointed to see that not all of the bosses/minibosses are in challenge missions- this would be a welcome add on, as practicing them in C4 with strict limits was fun and helpful. Still very glad to have this mode in the game. 
 
-The additional characters all have something that makes them play different, such as a hover, grappling hook, no double jump, triple jump, no dash, projectile counters (like Hard Corps: Uprising), melee attacks, and alternate versions of weapons and overloads. These are cool additions that actually add some flavor to replays rather than just being skins like they were in C4. 3 characters from Hard Corps can be unlocked, and their playstyles vary the most. 
 
-The one complaint I have about the perk shop is that some of the unlocks are really expensive, a bit too much so, IMO. You do get way more credits for 1 hit kill mode, higher difficulty settings, and most of all, stages completed consecutively without continuing. I'd have liked to see things a little "cheaper" so there wasn't as much grinding involved. 12 hours in and I'm just short of that last character, and there are bunch of other perks to go, a couple of which are even more expensive. I suppose it's still a good thing to have for the sake of encouraging replays and rewarding skilled play, even if it could use a little rebalancing.  
 
-As expected, being able to use alternate soundtracks alleviated my complaint about the new soundtrack. There's a good selection, and hopefully they'll add more (like C3, Rebirth, and SS).
 
-All of the stages but one are well paced. the second hoverbike level drags a bit- other than that, they're good. There's definitely a big difficulty spike at a certain point.
 
-I haven't played co-op, as my wife is uninterested in games, and I vary rarely have the chance to play games with friends anymore. I'm sure 4 player co-op would have been a blast in my teens or early 20's.
 
In conclusion, if you're a Contra fan and know what you're getting with the series, it's a great game. It certainly has a lot of C4 DNA, which is a very good thing. Lots of people are complaining about the price- I don't think those complaints are warranted if you're a fan of the genre. There's a lot to sink your teeth into, and it's very well tuned. Not perfect, but really good, and it shows that way more work went into this than the fan games whiners are pointing out. If $40 is too much, get it on sale. I paid $28, and I'm sure we'll see it for $20 within a few months or so. Who knows when or if we'll get another game like this after the mediocre reviews and kids expecting a 10 hour campaign in a Contra game.
 

More updates on Contra: OG after 12 hours in the game. I have done multiple arcade mode runs with different settings and all but one of the challenges (have 1 more character to unlock before I can do it).
 
-As expected, the game is fucking hard if you want it to be. 1 hit kill mode alone obviously makes things way more tough. Doing it with no perks activated makes it truly old school Contra tough. I haven't done Hard mode with 1 hit kills yet, hard with the lifebar is already pretty challenging. You still get unlimited continues on hard, but there are fewer checkpoints- just one per stage, generally after the sub-boss. There's a higher difficulty you can buy that I read is 1 hit kill only, 2 lives, no continues. I'll be passing on that one.
 
-My biggest criticism this far in is that the screen sometimes gets too busy with effects and explosions, making it easy to lose projectiles and hazards in the chaos. The level 2 crush weapon in particular is just way too visually obstructing. Of course, it's also the most powerful weapon, so you'll want to use it a lot despite the problem it causes. I'd like to see it patched in a way to reduce this effect, but I doubt that will happen. There are also a few bosses that have too much shit going once acid or fire lingers and creates obstacles as you're already dodging a ton of other stuff. Ironically, the best way around those is the same weapon I complained about, which can eat most projectiles. 
 
-The 3d graphics actually add something to the gameplay with camera zooms and pans. Some of the bosses wouldn't work well with a locked playfield- glad to see this addition.
 
-The challenges don't seem as brutal as they were in C4, although there is an optional "par time" to meet that does make them tougher. I am disappointed to see that not all of the bosses/minibosses are in challenge missions- this would be a welcome add on, as practicing them in C4 with strict limits was fun and helpful. Still very glad to have this mode in the game. 
 
-The additional characters all have something that makes them play different, such as a hover, grappling hook, no double jump, triple jump, no dash, projectile counters (like Hard Corps: Uprising), melee attacks, and alternate versions of weapons and overloads. These are cool additions that actually add some flavor to replays rather than just being skins like they were in C4. 3 characters from Hard Corps can be unlocked, and their playstyles vary the most. 
 
-The one complaint I have about the perk shop is that some of the unlocks are really expensive, a bit too much so, IMO. You do get way more credits for 1 hit kill mode, higher difficulty settings, and most of all, stages completed consecutively without continuing. I'd have liked to see things a little "cheaper" so there wasn't as much grinding involved. 12 hours in and I'm just short of that last character, and there are bunch of other perks to go, a couple of which are even more expensive. I suppose it's still a good thing to have for the sake of encouraging replays and rewarding skilled play, even if it could use a little rebalancing.  
 
-As expected, being able to use alternate soundtracks alleviated my complaint about the new soundtrack. There's a good selection, and hopefully they'll add more (like C3, Rebirth, and SS).
 
-All of the stages but one are well paced. the second hoverbike level drags a bit- other than that, they're good. There's definitely a big difficulty spike at a certain point.
 
-I haven't played co-op, as my wife is uninterested in games, and I vary rarely have the chance to play games with friends anymore. I'm sure 4 player co-op would have been a blast in my teens or early 20's.
 
In conclusion, if you're a Contra fan and know what you're getting with the series, it's a great game. It certainly has a lot of C4 DNA, which is a very good thing. Lots of people are complaining about the price- I don't think those complaints are warranted if you're a fan of the genre. There's a lot to sink your teeth into, and it's very well tuned. Not perfect, but really good, and it shows that way more work went into this than the fan games whiners are pointing out. If $40 is too much, get it on sale. I paid $28, and I'm sure we'll see it for $20 within a few months or so. Who knows when or if we'll get another game like this after the mediocre reviews and kids expecting a 10 hour campaign in a Contra game.
 

More updates on Contra: OG after 12 hours in the game. I have done multiple arcade mode runs with different settings and all but one of the challenges (have 1 more character to unlock before I can do it).
 
-As expected, the game is fucking hard if you want it to be. 1 hit kill mode alone obviously makes things way more tough. Doing it with no perks activated makes it truly old school Contra tough. I haven't done Hard mode with 1 hit kills yet, hard with the lifebar is already pretty challenging. You still get unlimited continues on hard, but there are fewer checkpoints- just one per stage, generally after the sub-boss. There's a higher difficulty you can buy that I read is 1 hit kill only, 2 lives, no continues. I'll be passing on that one.
 
-My biggest criticism this far in is that the screen sometimes gets too busy with effects and explosions, making it easy to lose projectiles and hazards in the chaos. The level 2 crush weapon in particular is just way too visually obstructing. Of course, it's also the most powerful weapon, so you'll want to use it a lot despite the problem it causes. I'd like to see it patched in a way to reduce this effect, but I doubt that will happen. There are also a few bosses that have too much shit going once acid or fire lingers and creates obstacles as you're already dodging a ton of other stuff. Ironically, the best way around those is the same weapon I complained about, which can eat most projectiles. 
 
-The 3d graphics actually add something to the gameplay with camera zooms and pans. Some of the bosses wouldn't work well with a locked playfield- glad to see this addition.
 
-The challenges don't seem as brutal as they were in C4, although there is an optional "par time" to meet that does make them tougher. I am disappointed to see that not all of the bosses/minibosses are in challenge missions- this would be a welcome add on, as practicing them in C4 with strict limits was fun and helpful. Still very glad to have this mode in the game. 
 
-The additional characters all have something that makes them play different, such as a hover, grappling hook, no double jump, triple jump, no dash, projectile counters (like Hard Corps: Uprising), melee attacks, and alternate versions of weapons and overloads. These are cool additions that actually add some flavor to replays rather than just being skins like they were in C4. 3 characters from Hard Corps can be unlocked, and their playstyles vary the most. 
 
-The one complaint I have about the perk shop is that some of the unlocks are really expensive, a bit too much so, IMO. You do get way more credits for 1 hit kill mode, higher difficulty settings, and most of all, stages completed consecutively without continuing. I'd have liked to see things a little "cheaper" so there wasn't as much grinding involved. 12 hours in and I'm just short of that last character, and there are bunch of other perks to go, a couple of which are even more expensive. I suppose it's still a good thing to have for the sake of encouraging replays and rewarding skilled play, even if it could use a little rebalancing.  
 
-As expected, being able to use alternate soundtracks alleviated my complaint about the new soundtrack. There's a good selection, and hopefully they'll add more (like C3, Rebirth, and SS).
 
-All of the stages but one are well paced. the second hoverbike level drags a bit- other than that, they're good. There's definitely a big difficulty spike at a certain point.
 
-I haven't played co-op, as my wife is uninterested in games, and I vary rarely have the chance to play games with friends anymore. I'm sure 4 player co-op would have been a blast in my teens or early 20's.
 
In conclusion, if you're a Contra fan and know what you're getting with the series, it's a great game. It certainly has a lot of C4 DNA, which is a very good thing. Lots of people are complaining about the price- I don't think those complaints are warranted if you're a fan of the genre. There's a lot to sink your teeth into, and it's very well tuned. Not perfect, but really good, and it shows that way more work went into this than the fan games whiners are pointing out. If $40 is too much, get it on sale. I paid $28, and I'm sure we'll see it for $20 within a few months or so. Who knows when or if we'll get another game like this after the mediocre reviews and kids expecting a 10 hour campaign in a Contra game.
 

More updates on Contra: OG after 12 hours in the game. I have done multiple arcade mode runs with different settings and all but one of the challenges (have 1 more character to unlock before I can do it).
 
-As expected, the game is fucking hard if you want it to be. 1 hit kill mode alone obviously makes things way more tough. Doing it with no perks activated makes it truly old school Contra tough. I haven't done Hard mode with 1 hit kills yet, hard with the lifebar is already pretty challenging. You still get unlimited continues on hard, but there are fewer checkpoints- just one per stage, generally after the sub-boss. There's a higher difficulty you can buy that I read is 1 hit kill only, 2 lives, no continues. I'll be passing on that one.
 
-My biggest criticism this far in is that the screen sometimes gets too busy with effects and explosions, making it easy to lose projectiles and hazards in the chaos. The level 2 crush weapon in particular is just way too visually obstructing. Of course, it's also the most powerful weapon, so you'll want to use it a lot despite the problem it causes. I'd like to see it patched in a way to reduce this effect, but I doubt that will happen. There are also a few bosses that have too much shit going once acid or fire lingers and creates obstacles as you're already dodging a ton of other stuff. Ironically, the best way around those is the same weapon I complained about, which can eat most projectiles. 
 
-The 3d graphics actually add something to the gameplay with camera zooms and pans. Some of the bosses wouldn't work well with a locked playfield- glad to see this addition.
 
-The challenges don't seem as brutal as they were in C4, although there is an optional "par time" to meet that does make them tougher. I am disappointed to see that not all of the bosses/minibosses are in challenge missions- this would be a welcome add on, as practicing them in C4 with strict limits was fun and helpful. Still very glad to have this mode in the game. 
 
-The additional characters all have something that makes them play different, such as a hover, grappling hook, no double jump, triple jump, no dash, projectile counters (like Hard Corps: Uprising), melee attacks, and alternate versions of weapons and overloads. These are cool additions that actually add some flavor to replays rather than just being skins like they were in C4. 3 characters from Hard Corps can be unlocked, and their playstyles vary the most. 
 
-The one complaint I have about the perk shop is that some of the unlocks are really expensive, a bit too much so, IMO. You do get way more credits for 1 hit kill mode, higher difficulty settings, and most of all, stages completed consecutively without continuing. I'd have liked to see things a little "cheaper" so there wasn't as much grinding involved. 12 hours in and I'm just short of that last character, and there are bunch of other perks to go, a couple of which are even more expensive. I suppose it's still a good thing to have for the sake of encouraging replays and rewarding skilled play, even if it could use a little rebalancing.  
 
-As expected, being able to use alternate soundtracks alleviated my complaint about the new soundtrack. There's a good selection, and hopefully they'll add more (like C3, Rebirth, and SS).
 
-All of the stages but one are well paced. the second hoverbike level drags a bit- other than that, they're good. There's definitely a big difficulty spike at a certain point.
 
-I haven't played co-op, as my wife is uninterested in games, and I vary rarely have the chance to play games with friends anymore. I'm sure 4 player co-op would have been a blast in my teens or early 20's.
 
In conclusion, if you're a Contra fan and know what you're getting with the series, it's a great game. It certainly has a lot of C4 DNA, which is a very good thing. Lots of people are complaining about the price- I don't think those complaints are warranted if you're a fan of the genre. There's a lot to sink your teeth into, and it's very well tuned. Not perfect, but really good, and it shows that way more work went into this than the fan games whiners are pointing out. If $40 is too much, get it on sale. I paid $28, and I'm sure we'll see it for $20 within a few months or so. Who knows when or if we'll get another game like this after the mediocre reviews and kids expecting a 10 hour campaign in a Contra game.
 

More updates on Contra: OG after 12 hours in the game. I have done multiple arcade mode runs with different settings and all but one of the challenges (have 1 more character to unlock before I can do it).
 
-As expected, the game is fucking hard if you want it to be. 1 hit kill mode alone obviously makes things way more tough. Doing it with no perks activated makes it truly old school Contra tough. I haven't done Hard mode with 1 hit kills yet, hard with the lifebar is already pretty challenging. You still get unlimited continues on hard, but there are fewer checkpoints- just one per stage, generally after the sub-boss. There's a higher difficulty you can buy that I read is 1 hit kill only, 2 lives, no continues. I'll be passing on that one.
 
-My biggest criticism this far in is that the screen sometimes gets too busy with effects and explosions, making it easy to lose projectiles and hazards in the chaos. The level 2 crush weapon in particular is just way too visually obstructing. Of course, it's also the most powerful weapon, so you'll want to use it a lot despite the problem it causes. I'd like to see it patched in a way to reduce this effect, but I doubt that will happen. There are also a few bosses that have too much shit going once acid or fire lingers and creates obstacles as you're already dodging a ton of other stuff. Ironically, the best way around those is the same weapon I complained about, which can eat most projectiles. 
 
-The 3d graphics actually add something to the gameplay with camera zooms and pans. Some of the bosses wouldn't work well with a locked playfield- glad to see this addition.
 
-The challenges don't seem as brutal as they were in C4, although there is an optional "par time" to meet that does make them tougher. I am disappointed to see that not all of the bosses/minibosses are in challenge missions- this would be a welcome add on, as practicing them in C4 with strict limits was fun and helpful. Still very glad to have this mode in the game. 
 
-The additional characters all have something that makes them play different, such as a hover, grappling hook, no double jump, triple jump, no dash, projectile counters (like Hard Corps: Uprising), melee attacks, and alternate versions of weapons and overloads. These are cool additions that actually add some flavor to replays rather than just being skins like they were in C4. 3 characters from Hard Corps can be unlocked, and their playstyles vary the most. 
 
-The one complaint I have about the perk shop is that some of the unlocks are really expensive, a bit too much so, IMO. You do get way more credits for 1 hit kill mode, higher difficulty settings, and most of all, stages completed consecutively without continuing. I'd have liked to see things a little "cheaper" so there wasn't as much grinding involved. 12 hours in and I'm just short of that last character, and there are bunch of other perks to go, a couple of which are even more expensive. I suppose it's still a good thing to have for the sake of encouraging replays and rewarding skilled play, even if it could use a little rebalancing.  
 
-As expected, being able to use alternate soundtracks alleviated my complaint about the new soundtrack. There's a good selection, and hopefully they'll add more (like C3, Rebirth, and SS).
 
-All of the stages but one are well paced. the second hoverbike level drags a bit- other than that, they're good. There's definitely a big difficulty spike at a certain point.
 
-I haven't played co-op, as my wife is uninterested in games, and I vary rarely have the chance to play games with friends anymore. I'm sure 4 player co-op would have been a blast in my teens or early 20's.
 
In conclusion, if you're a Contra fan and know what you're getting with the series, it's a great game. It certainly has a lot of C4 DNA, which is a very good thing. Lots of people are complaining about the price- I don't think those complaints are warranted if you're a fan of the genre. There's a lot to sink your teeth into, and it's very well tuned. Not perfect, but really good, and it shows that way more work went into this than the fan games whiners are pointing out. If $40 is too much, get it on sale. I paid $28, and I'm sure we'll see it for $20 within a few months or so. Who knows when or if we'll get another game like this after the mediocre reviews and kids expecting a 10 hour campaign in a Contra game.
 

More updates on Contra: OG after 12 hours in the game. I have done multiple arcade mode runs with different settings and all but one of the challenges (have 1 more character to unlock before I can do it).
 
-As expected, the game is fucking hard if you want it to be. 1 hit kill mode alone obviously makes things way more tough. Doing it with no perks activated makes it truly old school Contra tough. I haven't done Hard mode with 1 hit kills yet, hard with the lifebar is already pretty challenging. You still get unlimited continues on hard, but there are fewer checkpoints- just one per stage, generally after the sub-boss. There's a higher difficulty you can buy that I read is 1 hit kill only, 2 lives, no continues. I'll be passing on that one.
 
-My biggest criticism this far in is that the screen sometimes gets too busy with effects and explosions, making it easy to lose projectiles and hazards in the chaos. The level 2 crush weapon in particular is just way too visually obstructing. Of course, it's also the most powerful weapon, so you'll want to use it a lot despite the problem it causes. I'd like to see it patched in a way to reduce this effect, but I doubt that will happen. There are also a few bosses that have too much shit going once acid or fire lingers and creates obstacles as you're already dodging a ton of other stuff. Ironically, the best way around those is the same weapon I complained about, which can eat most projectiles. 
 
-The 3d graphics actually add something to the gameplay with camera zooms and pans. Some of the bosses wouldn't work well with a locked playfield- glad to see this addition.
 
-The challenges don't seem as brutal as they were in C4, although there is an optional "par time" to meet that does make them tougher. I am disappointed to see that not all of the bosses/minibosses are in challenge missions- this would be a welcome add on, as practicing them in C4 with strict limits was fun and helpful. Still very glad to have this mode in the game. 
 
-The additional characters all have something that makes them play different, such as a hover, grappling hook, no double jump, triple jump, no dash, projectile counters (like Hard Corps: Uprising), melee attacks, and alternate versions of weapons and overloads. These are cool additions that actually add some flavor to replays rather than just being skins like they were in C4. 3 characters from Hard Corps can be unlocked, and their playstyles vary the most. 
 
-The one complaint I have about the perk shop is that some of the unlocks are really expensive, a bit too much so, IMO. You do get way more credits for 1 hit kill mode, higher difficulty settings, and most of all, stages completed consecutively without continuing. I'd have liked to see things a little "cheaper" so there wasn't as much grinding involved. 12 hours in and I'm just short of that last character, and there are bunch of other perks to go, a couple of which are even more expensive. I suppose it's still a good thing to have for the sake of encouraging replays and rewarding skilled play, even if it could use a little rebalancing.  
 
-As expected, being able to use alternate soundtracks alleviated my complaint about the new soundtrack. There's a good selection, and hopefully they'll add more (like C3, Rebirth, and SS).
 
-All of the stages but one are well paced. the second hoverbike level drags a bit- other than that, they're good. There's definitely a big difficulty spike at a certain point.
 
-I haven't played co-op, as my wife is uninterested in games, and I vary rarely have the chance to play games with friends anymore. I'm sure 4 player co-op would have been a blast in my teens or early 20's.
 
In conclusion, if you're a Contra fan and know what you're getting with the series, it's a great game. It certainly has a lot of C4 DNA, which is a very good thing. Lots of people are complaining about the price- I don't think those complaints are warranted if you're a fan of the genre. There's a lot to sink your teeth into, and it's very well tuned. Not perfect, but really good, and it shows that way more work went into this than the fan games whiners are pointing out. If $40 is too much, get it on sale. I paid $28, and I'm sure we'll see it for $20 within a few months or so. Who knows when or if we'll get another game like this after the mediocre reviews and kids expecting a 10 hour campaign in a Contra game.
 

More updates on Contra: OG after 12 hours in the game. I have done multiple arcade mode runs with different settings and all but one of the challenges (have 1 more character to unlock before I can do it).
 
-As expected, the game is fucking hard if you want it to be. 1 hit kill mode alone obviously makes things way more tough. Doing it with no perks activated makes it truly old school Contra tough. I haven't done Hard mode with 1 hit kills yet, hard with the lifebar is already pretty challenging. You still get unlimited continues on hard, but there are fewer checkpoints- just one per stage, generally after the sub-boss. There's a higher difficulty you can buy that I read is 1 hit kill only, 2 lives, no continues. I'll be passing on that one.
 
-My biggest criticism this far in is that the screen sometimes gets too busy with effects and explosions, making it easy to lose projectiles and hazards in the chaos. The level 2 crush weapon in particular is just way too visually obstructing. Of course, it's also the most powerful weapon, so you'll want to use it a lot despite the problem it causes. I'd like to see it patched in a way to reduce this effect, but I doubt that will happen. There are also a few bosses that have too much shit going once acid or fire lingers and creates obstacles as you're already dodging a ton of other stuff. Ironically, the best way around those is the same weapon I complained about, which can eat most projectiles. 
 
-The 3d graphics actually add something to the gameplay with camera zooms and pans. Some of the bosses wouldn't work well with a locked playfield- glad to see this addition.
 
-The challenges don't seem as brutal as they were in C4, although there is an optional "par time" to meet that does make them tougher. I am disappointed to see that not all of the bosses/minibosses are in challenge missions- this would be a welcome add on, as practicing them in C4 with strict limits was fun and helpful. Still very glad to have this mode in the game. 
 
-The additional characters all have something that makes them play different, such as a hover, grappling hook, no double jump, triple jump, no dash, projectile counters (like Hard Corps: Uprising), melee attacks, and alternate versions of weapons and overloads. These are cool additions that actually add some flavor to replays rather than just being skins like they were in C4. 3 characters from Hard Corps can be unlocked, and their playstyles vary the most. 
 
-The one complaint I have about the perk shop is that some of the unlocks are really expensive, a bit too much so, IMO. You do get way more credits for 1 hit kill mode, higher difficulty settings, and most of all, stages completed consecutively without continuing. I'd have liked to see things a little "cheaper" so there wasn't as much grinding involved. 12 hours in and I'm just short of that last character, and there are bunch of other perks to go, a couple of which are even more expensive. I suppose it's still a good thing to have for the sake of encouraging replays and rewarding skilled play, even if it could use a little rebalancing.  
 
-As expected, being able to use alternate soundtracks alleviated my complaint about the new soundtrack. There's a good selection, and hopefully they'll add more (like C3, Rebirth, and SS).
 
-All of the stages but one are well paced. the second hoverbike level drags a bit- other than that, they're good. There's definitely a big difficulty spike at a certain point.
 
-I haven't played co-op, as my wife is uninterested in games, and I vary rarely have the chance to play games with friends anymore. I'm sure 4 player co-op would have been a blast in my teens or early 20's.
 
In conclusion, if you're a Contra fan and know what you're getting with the series, it's a great game. It certainly has a lot of C4 DNA, which is a very good thing. Lots of people are complaining about the price- I don't think those complaints are warranted if you're a fan of the genre. There's a lot to sink your teeth into, and it's very well tuned. Not perfect, but really good, and it shows that way more work went into this than the fan games whiners are pointing out. If $40 is too much, get it on sale. I paid $28, and I'm sure we'll see it for $20 within a few months or so. Who knows when or if we'll get another game like this after the mediocre reviews and kids expecting a 10 hour campaign in a Contra game.
 

Might be time to reconsider who the worst human beings on the planet are when people who call themselves the good guys "REE REE REE" all the way home over any reasonable dissent from their opinions of the last 5 minutes. These are largely the same people who will say "antifa just means anti-fascist", "voter ID laws are racist" (while then demanding vax passes), and other obvious nonsense without pause. Unfortunately, those people seem to make up the majority of games journalism and the online nerdosphere in general. 

I've been thinking about this game lately, thought about giving it another shot. I actually was in a GameStop yesterday that had some used PS3 games but alas no LoS2, although I think I still have the pirated copy of the PC version I played years ago so maybe I'll just go that route.
 
 
She should be fired; if she was white she would have been gone a long time ago. It's a shame that this is going to be attached to that Black Panther game regardless of how good it is. All the work those people under her are doing on the game will be for naught unless people memory hole this.
 
And denying that you can be racist to white people is either a racist covering for their own racism and/or a way of tacitly saying that non-whites have no agency or power, which ignores reality (as well as the definition of "racism" the people who say that type of thing use.) So in a backhanded way, it's actually racist toward non-whites as well.

The whole Sweet Baby Inc fiasco is what I referenced without naming them in my Dime rant earlier. Their situation blew up because of them. They are the assholes. How can you be for "Diversity and Inclusion" when your company's employee's are openly racist and misandrist? Diversity and Inclusion is supposed to include everyone. They actually altered their website's mission statement after this started because well it wasn't a good look. Given their and their founders attitude, I can't say I'm surprised. Then you have the gaming media running cover for them. All of their articles leave out the targeted harassments and racist statements by Sweet Baby Inc employees, lie about the Sweet Baby Inc Detected breaking TOS, and leave out that Sweet Baby Inc employees broke TOS. It's a complete an frankly unsurprising shit show.  Gaming media hasn't really been about gaming and standing up for it's audience in decades.
 
I'm going to say something that should be common sense. If you hate someone because of their race. You are racist. "You can't be racist against white people they aren't marginalized.' Tell you me you don't know history without saying you don't know history. The Irish immigrated to the USA in the 1800s because they were being marginalized, got the US, and you know what happened? They were marginalized. Similar thing for the Italians. This is just from American perspective. You have generation of numbskulls that think all "white people" are the same. A lot of what we call "white people" in the US, weren't considered such when they immigrated here. Fucked up shit happened to Black people in the US. Native American's got screwed beyond belief. However, the USA isn't the world. It's not indicative of what people have been through as a whole and even the case of the USA, it's not all puppy dogs and roses for everyone. Now before I get further of topic and start bringing up other stuff that bothers me i.e. people thinking Christianity is a White European religion that was forced on Africa when Christianity hit Africa before Europe. Ethiopia is literally the 2nd oldest Christian country in the world. The 1st was Armenia, which is in Asia. 
 
Side Note: Dime may not be here, but I'll pick up the baton for him on occasion 😉 

Might be time to reconsider who the worst human beings on the planet are when people who call themselves the good guys "REE REE REE" all the way home over any reasonable dissent from their opinions of the last 5 minutes. These are largely the same people who will say "antifa just means anti-fascist", "voter ID laws are racist" (while then demanding vax passes), and other obvious nonsense without pause. Unfortunately, those people seem to make up the majority of games journalism and the online nerdosphere in general. 

Might be time to reconsider who the worst human beings on the planet are when people who call themselves the good guys "REE REE REE" all the way home over any reasonable dissent from their opinions of the last 5 minutes. These are largely the same people who will say "antifa just means anti-fascist", "voter ID laws are racist" (while then demanding vax passes), and other obvious nonsense without pause. Unfortunately, those people seem to make up the majority of games journalism and the online nerdosphere in general. 

Might be time to reconsider who the worst human beings on the planet are when people who call themselves the good guys "REE REE REE" all the way home over any reasonable dissent from their opinions of the last 5 minutes. These are largely the same people who will say "antifa just means anti-fascist", "voter ID laws are racist" (while then demanding vax passes), and other obvious nonsense without pause. Unfortunately, those people seem to make up the majority of games journalism and the online nerdosphere in general. 

Might be time to reconsider who the worst human beings on the planet are when people who call themselves the good guys "REE REE REE" all the way home over any reasonable dissent from their opinions of the last 5 minutes. These are largely the same people who will say "antifa just means anti-fascist", "voter ID laws are racist" (while then demanding vax passes), and other obvious nonsense without pause. Unfortunately, those people seem to make up the majority of games journalism and the online nerdosphere in general. 

The Steam sales are crazy right now, as usual...just checking my wishlist at the moment there's a lot going on:
The Dishwasher Vampire Smile = 2.49
Witcher 3 = 9.99
Saint's Row 2 = 2.49 (remember the good ol' days when SR was a good franchise?)
Saint's Row Gat Out of Hell = 3.74
Left 4 Dead 2 = 0.99
Hexen = 1.49
Prototype = 4.99
Shadow Warrior = 2.99
Metal Gear Rising Revengeance = 17.99
Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 = 7.99.... I'm always on the fence here, because it's such an unfortunate mixed bag.  The game starts off as one hell of a cool vampire power fantasy like I've always wanted.... and then some asshole decided to throw in some *forced* stealth crap that makes no logical sense.
 
Azure Striker Gunvolt = 5.99 (I already have this on Switch)
X-Morph Defense = 3.99
Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning = 9.99!
Grime = 14.99
Hades = 12.49
Nobody Saves the World = 9.99

Just gonna place this here
 
 

Managed to get a physical copy of Contra Anniversary Edition off Amazon for under $50. Also, my Rolling Gunner + Overpower Collector's Edition Arrived. It came in a bigger, heavier box than I was expecting.
 
Brotato. Play Brotato.

"This skin suit activates HARD mode"
 

 
Joking aside...hoping this game has some gameplay substance cause anytime this game shows up in my feed its 95% about the TNA and other 5% is maybe something about gameplay.  Hoping people don't drop $70 that they're having a difficult time getting into cause 1 they're playing the game 1 handed and 2 cause the game is actually "Meh..."

Seems like some folks think that some races are inferior and subhuman. Which begs the question: what does that make white zombies?  More human than human? 

Read the article...I was hoping they were just talking about gameplay and what not and they actually were...for a moment.  Pretty much went "Ok...yeah...agree...mmmhmm...you're actually cooking......wait...auuuugh God dammit"  I'm not going to say that a game that game shooting up a bunch of black people shouldn't give someone pause but its always about context.  If an RE took place in the poorer or rural areas of China or Japan are we going to say that shooting a bunch of infected asians that are coming to infect you is racist?  Why is Leon shooting a poor rural Spanish area ok but a game taking place in an African town where the obvious majority or going to be black an issue?  I'm not even going to say that this game isn't going to attract some sicko MFers who fantasize about doing something like this but if we are going to be concerned about that then we can't have any game where a majority of an african community gets shot because of circumstance and not maliciousness period...and honestly that kinda sucks.