I’m so glad Konami are in the business of publishing good video games again. Entrusting the Contra franchise to WayForward for Operation Galuga was an incredibly smart decision, resulting in a thoroughly replayable and enriching return to the grandfather of the run-‘n’-gun franchise. There is so much fun to be had learning levels, dying and grinding it out as you become familiar with level design patterns and weapon skills. Challenge levels are also fantastic gauntlets that’ll make any seasoned Contra player sweat. Though the story is neither here nor there and the HUD driving it is a bit barebones, none of that gets in the way of the romping and stomping good time you’ll have fighting for liberty and taking it to the alien threat once more. Contra is back.
Contra: Operation Galuga brings the essential Contra experience into the modern era. It retains the classic’s white knuckle challenge, awesome level designs, boss creativity and firepower while adding some modern touches to make the game palatable and enjoyable by more people. It’s not particularly long, but playing through once has never been the draw of a Contra game. It’s a game that begs to be re-played and perfected. If you’ve ever been curious to try Contra, this is a great way to get into the franchise.
The two most comparable games are Contra 4 and Hard Corps: Uprising (HCU). Besides those two games, there hasn't been a good Contra game since (besides this one)
I would say it's not quite as good as HCU, since there were more mechanics in there, like sprinting, vaulting and deflecting, but there are some improvements, like when you pick up a new weapon, it automatically upgrades the correct weapon type instead of throwing your old one out.
Galuga very generous with the difficulty range, with the addition of a health bar option and perks, so even if you don't intend on playing until you're good enough to beat it on hard with no health bar, you'll still be able to enjoy the game and see all the levels pretty easily.
However, as far as real difficulty (hard mode, no health bar, arcade mode), so far I would say it's more difficult than Contra 4 and maybe on par with HCU, which is great.
The story is just there for some excuse the play the game, which is fine. The cut scenes are skippable and they don't seem to pop up in arcade mode to distract from the gameplay. Arcade mode has 4 player local co-op which is great, though very hectic and hard to hold on to your weapon of choice when other players are dropping their weapons, though maybe that was intentional to make it more crazy.
Overall, I'm just glad Konami had this made, especially after that abomination that was Rogue Corps. I'll be putting a lot of hours on this game.
Contra: Operation Galuga is a refreshing return to Contra's roots. The story might be lacking, but the high-octane run and gun action that made the classic games great is back. Contra: Operation Galuga relies heavily on nostalgia to appeal to Contra fans by incorporating several classic level designs and boss fights. It can get away with this by adding enough variety to the gameplay and some fights where the end result feels like a proper re-imagining and not simply a hodgepodge of random past Contra highlights. It does have its shortcomings with dated-looking graphics and an inconsequential story, but when it comes to delivering the classic run and gun Contra action, Operation Galuga is the title fans have been waiting for.
My gaming chum and I had a ton of fun with Contra: Operation Galuga and although it doesn't live up to classics such as the peak of run 'n' gun action, Hard Corps, there's certainly a lot to love here, especially with its varied assortment of playable characters.
While it never transcends its own limitations and fumbles, Operation Galuga is a solid entry into the Contra franchise that is fun enough to play on its own merits.
A metroidvania adventure with immersive atmosphere and slow-paced gameplay, The Mobius Machine offers solid action in labyrinthine maps with a variety of enemies and platforming challenges. Despite minor flaws like delayed map acquisition and floaty jump controls, its striking graphics and sound design enhance the otherworldly experience, making it a noteworthy title in the genre.
Contra: Operation Galuga very quickly fell low. Not for its difficulty even arduous in Easy, because it is the DNA of the game. But for its lack of content and interest over time. The absence of online co'op and crossplay, which would have taken this game a certain step, is unacceptable, even more so when the positioning of the title for purchase is around 40 euros. Hardcore fans of the license and over scoring (not even enough to compare these stats with other players or have a world ranking, pfff) will sign at the bottom of the page. The others… not sure they read this whole contract.
(MY SCORE : 7 /10) Action-Platform Sidescroller Run-'n'-gun game that is quite exciting and challenging! Although quite short!We are the Counter Team assigned to fight Varanis, the leader of the Zagard Empire who wants to destroy Earth! At the start of each stage we will be able to choose a character, namely Bill Rider or Lance Bean! And then we can also choose Ariana, Lucia, and Stanley Ironside who are available in Stage 8. The Contra team finally succeeded in defeating Varanis. But before he died, Varanis activated Lemris Energy which was capable of destroying the earth in one attack! The Contra team tries to prevent this energy and must face Zagardian as the ENDING BOSS. At the end of the scene, Lucia sacrifices herself by activating the Wormhole Generator to open a portal so that the Varanis Device carrying Lemris Energy can be absorbed into another world. Lucia is also absorbed by the Varanis Device.There are a total of 8 stages to complete this story game!
The art direction is one of the worst ever seen in a contra game (more or less like rogue corps) with terrible 3d environments and awful character design. It's playable and level design is sometimes smart but it's a real pain for the eyes (and ears).
SummaryWhen the Red Falcon terrorist group takes over the Galuga Islands off the coast of New Zealand, elite Contra commandos Bill Rizer and Lance Bean springs into action, initiating an all-out war in which the fate of mankind hangs in the balance!
Run, jump, and shoot your way through eight levels using a devastating arsenal - including th...