Contra is generally considered the father of the run-and-gun genre. Konami's Contra ReBirth, released through Nintendo's WiiWare service, is an attempt to carry on the series' pedigree. Unfortunately, it ends up being more of a lateral move than an improvement on a beloved classic.
ReBirth's ridiculously self-aware plot, involving time travel, Galactic Presidents and cross-dressing guerrillas, is just an excuse to shoot some aliens. Players take control of Bill Rizer and partner Yagyu Genbei (controlled by a second player) to run, jump and shoot through the game's levels, which range from a space station to a highway and some ruins. In a nod to the casual nature of WiiWare titles, ReBirth can be played with a sideways Wiimote with simplified controls. This is serviceable, but thankfully, Classic Controller support provides an optimized alternative for series vets.
The game takes place over 5 short levels of varying quality and difficulty. The inconsistency with ReBirth seems to stem from a need to serve casual and hardcore gamers at the same time. Some sections, like the entire first level, can be completed by simply holding right and continuously firing the almighty and easily-obtainable Spread Shot power up. However, while a few later sequences are equally simple, they're book-ended by pattern-heavy bosses that seem to channel Contra: Hard Corps' ball-shattering difficulty more than anything else. In the end, ReBirth feels a little schizophrenic, almost as if it doesn't know who it wants to shower affection on. This is unfortunate, because there are some genuinely fun stretches of action hidden beneath these layers of alternating hot and cold gameplay.
Players old enough to remember Contra will still appreciate the nostalgia. Remixes of classic Contra tunes feel reminiscent of the 16-bit games, as do the sprite-based graphics, which have just enough smoothness to them to separate them from Virtual Console titles. Many classic enemies and bosses make appearances here, though in slightly altered form. The infamous base from the first game is now a miniboss that becomes a bridge when destroyed, and the classic giant heart boss now has to be fought diagonally over pits. Overall, it doesn't quite match Contra 4's level of retro love, but it's a nice try.
Contra: ReBirth almost lives up to its name, feeling more like an undeveloped seed than a successor. If you're willing to overlook the short length, cheesy story and inconsistent difficulty, you'll find a competent-yet-unremarkable 2-player shooter with a few amusing unlockables. For $10, you could do a lot worse on the Wii this Fall.
Pros: Classic run and gun gameplay, smooth graphics, 2-player support, retro nostalgia
Cons: Inconsistent difficulty, short length, lack of polish
Note: This game was purchased by the reviewer.
Darke
said:
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Eh, this doesn't really look that great to me. Besides the Indie titles which are my special love. I don't really like Wiiware titles. This looks like shovelware to me. |
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