Mild disappointment is tempered by the fact that these boss encounters remain wholly inventive, and yes, very difficult. The levels themselves feature far fewer 'running segments' as it were, and in truth those portions that do exist serve only to bookend the series of mini-boss and boss battles that permeate the worlds. Indeed, the title pays homage to its predecessors, and in some cases, draws inspiration directly from them a fact sure to please the long-time fans, for whom this title was ultimately created. Helmed by Nobuya Nakazato, the man responsible for Contra: Hard Corps on the Genesis, Contra: Shattered Soldier looks to redeem its heritage somewhat and remind players that visceral run 'n' gun action is still a viable alternative to the hundred-hour RPGs and adventure titles so prevalent these days.

The dismal failure, at least critically, of the two then next-generation titles in the franchise must certainly have been a hard pill to swallow, especially given that it was third-party developer Appaloosa Interactive, and not the original team members, responsible for the PlayStation abominations, Contra: Legacy of War and C: The Contra Adventure. If nothing else, Contra: Shattered Soldier was born out of necessity. With freshness lavished upon a familiar game concept, is Shattered Soldier worth a look? One of Konami's hottest franchises is back, and hard as nails.

Contra shattered soldier ps2