Software:Neo Contra

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Neo Contra
North American and European box art
illustrated by comic book artist Jim Lee[1]
Developer(s)Team Neo Kijirushi[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)Konami
Director(s)Takayuki Ando
Producer(s)Nobuya Nakazato
Artist(s)Jim Lee (US & PAL cover art)
Composer(s)Sota Fujimori
SeriesContra
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, PlayStation Network
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • NA: October 19, 2004
  • JP: November 4, 2004
  • EU: February 25, 2005
PlayStation Network
  • EU: February 15, 2012
  • JP: September 19, 2012
  • NA: February 18, 2014
Genre(s)Run and gun
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Neo Contra (ネオコントラ, Neo Kontora) is the tenth video game in the Contra series published by Konami. It was developed by Team Neo Kijirushi, a group of staff members within Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, and released for the PlayStation 2 in 2004. The game is a direct follow-up to Contra, but returns to the multidirectional shooting format and departs from the traditional scrolling shooter formula used in previous games. It was the first game in the series to receive an M (Mature) rating from the ESRB and was the only installment to receive this rating until the release of Rogue Corps in 2019.

Gameplay

Neo Contra returns the series once again to three-dimensional gameplay. However, unlike the titles developed under Appaloosa Interactive, players only need to aim in the third dimension on rare occasions. Additionally, this title moves away from the boss-oriented gameplay of Hard Corps and previous 32-bit titles in favor of longer free-form shooting sequences that are interspliced with boss encounters; in this regard, it is more reminiscent of the 8-bit and SNES Contra games.

Additionally, gameplay varies depending on the level and camera angle presented (the camera cannot be user-controlled). Most of the game is played from an isometric perspective, although some portions are side-scrolling or overhead-behind. The player cannot jump; instead, two new defensive moves, dash and spin, allow for the player to effectively evade enemies in the new dimensions. Dash gives the player a quick burst of speed to evade hostiles, while spin provides the player with brief invulnerability. The hit-ratio system introduced in Shattered Soldier has been kept in this title.

The game uses a modified version of the three-weapon configuration from Shattered Soldier. The player has two types of firearms to use against ground-level targets; one with regular ammo, and another with flammable rounds, plus a third weapon used to lock on to airborne targets. The player can choose from one of the three initially available weapon sets (one of which includes the famous Spread Shot from the earlier Contra games, which was missing in Shattered Soldier), with four additional sets that are time-release. The Type F configuration features the GV Laser and Ripple Laser, both weapons from Gradius V.

The weapon sets can be variated from the weaponry depending on the character used since Katana Jaguar uses his katana sword in all his sets.

Sets available are:

Type A: Machine Gun, Grenade Launcher, and Lock-On Missile.

Type B: Charge Shot, Fire Whip. and Lock-On Laser.

Type C: Spread Shot, Fireball. and Lock-On Thunder.

Type D: Lightning, G.Bazooka, and Heaven Laser.

Type E: Drill Shot, Reflect Laser, and Fairy Laser.

Type F: Ripple Laser, GV Laser, and Variable Weapon.

There are a total of seven stages in the game. Like Shattered Soldier, the four initial stages can be played in any order and can be replayed anytime for higher grading. The fifth stage can only be selected after clearing the first four stages, while the sixth and seventh stages are only available if players maintain an above-average grade overall. There is a difficulty setting in the options menu, and playing on Easy difficulty grants players 30 lives to beat the first four missions, but on this difficulty, it is impossible to view the game's ending. Normal mode offers players 5 lives and 7 continues to complete the game's seven missions.

Neo Contra also bring back the time limit, a feature originating from some versions of the original Contra games. In Neo Contra, the time limit is imposed during the last third of the sixth stage. Unlike the timed missions in the original Contra where the player loses one life once the time limit drops to zero, in Neo Contra, the entire game is over if the player is unable to complete the last part of the sixth stage within the time limit.

Plot

Neo Contra takes place in the year A.D. 4444, when the Earth has been transformed into a prison planet, home to criminals and political rebels. From this underworld society rises a new order called "Neo Contra". This new government quickly shows its true colors, as it has plans other than restoring normal civilization. Executing these nefarious plans are four renegade Contras (elite warriors), who are called the Four Elite, united under the command of the mysterious Master Contra. Thus, Bill Rizer is partnered with Genbei "Jaguar" Yagyu, a samurai, and the two are sent to Earth to deal with the Neo Contra threat. After defeating the Four Elite, the heroes discover the truth behind "Neo Contra", which is a facade for "Project C", a plan to create a half-human AI from Bill Rizer's DNA, as an ultimate weapon, which is now embodied in Master Contra. Bill Rizer himself is revealed to be only a clone of the original Bill Rizer, a side-objective of "Project C". With the help of Mystery G, an elder Contra operative, the heroes manage to defeat Master Contra and put an end to "Project C".

Characters

  • Bill Rizer – Bill, the supreme Contra warrior, is once again awoken from his cryogenic sleep of nearly two thousand years. He is now ordered to destroy the "Neo Contra" threat, a new organization that poses a much deeper threat to the world. He is, in fact, a clone of the original Bill Rizer, a result of the government's "Project C".
  • Genbei "Jaguar" Yagyu – A samurai Contra, who is Bill's new partner. A mysterious dark-skinned humanoid alien (or African American) in the forty-fifth century who follows the code of the Samurai. He is the only character able to wield the Katana, the most powerful weapon in the game. The character is based on the real-life black samurai Yasuke from the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan history.
  • The Four Hell Warriors of Neo Contra – The four elite members of the "Neo Contra" organization:
    • Guerilla Contra: the pipe-smoking military commander.
    • Plant Contra: the plant/cyborg hybrid.
    • Pheromone Contra: Lucia (aka Bionoid LCR), who once assisted Bill during the events of Contra: Shattered Soldier.
    • Animal Contra: the talking bull terrier.
  • Mystery G – A mysterious elderly Contra operative. While not openly confirmed in the game, it is acknowledged that Mystery G is the actual Bill Rizer, having survived for centuries.
  • Master Contra – The leader of "Neo Contra" and a threat to humanity. He is, in fact, the main result of "Project C": the ultimate war machine, a bionic AI, which consists of the original Bill Rizer's DNA and consciousness combined with cybernetics and weapons of mass destruction.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic65/100[2]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM7.33/10[3]
Famitsu29/40[4]
Game Informer7.75/10[5]
GameProStarStarStarStar[6]
GameSpot6.8/10[7]
GameSpyStarStarStarHalf star[8]
GameZone7.2/10[9]
IGN7/10[10]
OPM (US)StarStarStarHalf star[11]
X-PlayStarStar[12]
Detroit Free PressStarStar[13]

The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[2] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 29 out of 40.[4]

Notes

  1. ↑ Team Neo Kijirushi was a group in Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo.

References

  1. ↑ Calvert, Justin (May 11, 2004). "Neo Contra E3 2004 Preshow Impressions". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/neo-contra-e3-2004-preshow-impressions/1100-6096982/. Retrieved April 23, 2023. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Neo Contra for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/neo-contra/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. Retrieved September 21, 2018. 
  3. ↑ EGM staff (Christmas 2004). "Neo Contra". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (186): 117. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "ネオコントラ" (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=2783&redirect=no. Retrieved April 23, 2023. 
  5. ↑ Helgeson, Matt (November 2004). "Neo Contra". Game Informer (GameStop) (139): 152. Archived from the original on December 9, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20041209195041/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200411/R04.1119.1156.12464.htm. Retrieved April 23, 2023. 
  6. ↑ Iron Monkey (December 2004). "Neo Contra Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro (IDG Entertainment): 108. Archived from the original on February 11, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050211212738/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/39410.shtml. Retrieved April 23, 2023. 
  7. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (October 19, 2004). "Neo Contra Review". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/neo-contra-review/1900-6110923/. Retrieved April 23, 2023. 
  8. ↑ Turner, Benjamin (October 20, 2004). "GameSpy: Neo Contra". IGN Entertainment. http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/neo-contra/558590p1.html. Retrieved April 23, 2023. 
  9. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (October 28, 2004). "Neo Contra - PS2 - Review". Archived from the original on December 31, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081231004720/http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r23398.htm. Retrieved April 23, 2023. 
  10. ↑ Sulic, Ivan (October 18, 2004). "Neo Contra". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/19/neo-contra. Retrieved April 23, 2023. 
  11. ↑ "Neo Contra". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) (87): 124. December 2004. 
  12. ↑ D'Aprile, Jason (November 23, 2004). "Neo Contra Review". G4techTV. Archived from the original on November 25, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20041125002424/http://www.g4techtv.com/xplay/features/50405/Neo_Contra_Review.html. Retrieved April 23, 2023. 
  13. ↑ Gardner, Omari (November 14, 2004). "'Neo Contra'". Detroit Free Press (Gannett Company). Archived from the original on November 17, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20041117040658/http://www.freep.com/entertainment/videogames/gmini14e_20041114.htm. Retrieved April 23, 2023. 
  • Japanese website
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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