- For the organization, see Rogue Corps (organization).
Contra: Rogue Corps (魂斗羅 ローグ コープス Kontora Rōgu Kōpusu?) is a loot run-and-gun video game developed and published by Konami and the newest entry in the Contra series. The game was released on September 24, 2019 on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Plot[]
In 2638 A.D., two years after the Alien Wars had ended, a mysterious area called the Damned City arose from the grounds where the final battles took place.
Ruthless fiends roamed the area, bringing a world full of madness.
In the midst of chaos, five scoundrels emerge... they are the Rogue Corps.
They do not look anything like heroes of justice, but have they come to save humanity, or maybe they are looking to hit the jackpot by searching the Damned City for treasures... either way, the fate of the world is in their hands.
Gameplay[]
The game is presented mainly in a top-down isometric perspective in a 3D graphics environment (similar to Neo Contra), with camera angles changing in certain sections to give either a side-scrolling or an over-the-shoulder third-person view during gameplay.
The game provides a single player story campaign, multiplayer online cooperative, or four-player local cooperative (with separate Switch consoles) modes. It is based on player versus environment (PvE) gameplay and is controlled via dual analog controller sticks.
Players configure a main weapon and a sub-weapon in real time. These have unlimited ammunition, but feature a heat meter to be managed. Weapons are upgraded and uniquely customized between stages. The player also has the limited ability to clear the area with a huge bomb or use the character's special ability.
Key features[]
- Choose from four diverse characters with their own unique skills and specialty attacks. Determine weapons load out, customize and craft unique weapons.
- Operation Room: Upgrade characters and abilities, augmenting each with improved organs and cybernetics.
- PvE: Deep single player "Story" campaign mode. Go solo or group with up to 4 friends or random players online in multiplayer.
- PvP: Create custom matches (private mode) for 2v2, 3v3, 4v4 or 1vs4 players.
- Local "Couch" co-op modes with up to 4 players.
- Online and local multiplayer modes when the game releases for PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC.
Characters[]
Contra: Rogue Corps is a canonical entry to the Contra franchise that picks up following the events of Contra III: The Alien Wars. The game was directed by the producer of Contra III and director of Contra: Hard Corps, Nobuya Nakazato.
Four new playable characters and a fifth support character are introduced in this game:
A war veteran commando who was reconstructed after receiving massive injuries during the Alien Wars and now bears a cybernetic drill for an arm.
A famed assassin specializing in stealth and infiltration who survived the Alien Wars by merging with an alien known as "Gut Bucket".
A once noted human scientist whose brain is now inserted in the body of an anthropomorphic cyborg panda.
A brain bug alien raised by humans.
The team's pilot who acts as a support character during missions.
Single Player Missions[]
| Name | Miniboss(es) | Boss | Music |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial | Fortress ×2 | - | Underground Battle in the Dense Forest |
| Rank 1 Missions | |||
| Name | Miniboss(es) | Boss | Music |
| Old City Pursuit | - | Obese Type | Underground Battle against the City Chimera Boss Theme |
| Enemy Horde Clash | Fortress ×2 | Spike Roller | Underground Battle against the City Genocidal Drone Boss Theme |
| Disaster Recon | Obese Type ×3 Fortress ×2 Balloon Type ×4 |
- | Underground Battle against the City |
| Wipeout Part 2 | Obese Type ×3 Balloon Type ×2 |
- | Underground Battle against the City |
| Giant Signal Probe | Balloon Type Obese Type Fortress |
Big Fuzz | Underground Battle against the City Invasion |
| Rank 2 Missions | |||
| Name | Miniboss(es) | Boss | Music |
| Securing the Park | Fortress ×2 Obese Type |
Armored Obese Type | Sneaking Sunset Battle Genocidal Drone Boss Theme |
| Old City Revisit | Fortress ×2 Balloon Type ×4 Obese Type ×4 |
- | Underground Battle against the City |
| Ruined Area Rampage | Obese Type Fortress ×2 Spike Roller Balloon Type |
- | Sneaking Sunset Battle |
| Mobile Defense Aid | Obese Type ×2 Balloon Type Fortress ×2 Spike Roller ×2 |
- | Underground Battle against the City |
| Attack Plan Aid | Balloon Type ×5 Obese Type ×8 Fortress ×2 |
- | Underground Battle against the City |
| Aircraft Recon | Balloon Type Obese Type |
Genocidal Drone | Underground Battle against the City Genocidal Drone Boss Theme |
| Rank 3 Missions | |||
| Name | Miniboss(es) | Boss | Music |
| Scrapyard Showdown | Obese Type ×4 Balloon Type ×2 Fortress ×2 Spike Roller |
- | Sneaking Sunset Battle |
| Horde Extermination | Obese Type ×3 Fortress ×2 Balloon Type ×2 |
- | Sneaking Sunset Battle |
| Frozen Area Hunt | Fortress ×2 Obese Type ×2 Balloon Type ×3 Genocidal Drone |
- | <unknown frozen area theme> Frozen Battle |
| Securing the Supply | Obese Type Fortress ×2 Spike Roller Balloon Type |
- | Sneaking Sunset Battle |
| Provoking the Horde | Armored Obese Type ×2 | - | Underground Battle against the City |
| Fiends in a Frenzy | Balloon Type ×3 | Yokozuna | Underground Giant Boss Theme 1 Giant Boss Theme 2 |
| Rank 4 Missions | |||
| Name | Miniboss(es) | Boss | Music |
| Mid-Tier Threat | Capsule Obese Type Spike Roller ×2 Fortress ×2 |
Chimera | <unknown frozen area theme> Frozen Battle Chimera Boss Theme |
| Ruined Area Wipeout | Balloon Type ×3 Obese Type ×6 Fortress ×2 Spike Roller |
- | Sneaking Sunset Battle |
| Park Night Patrol | Capsule Obese Type ×5 | - | Sneaking Sunset Battle |
| Enemy Clean Up | Obese Type ×2 Balloon Type ×3 Fortress ×2 Spike Roller |
- | <unknown frozen area theme> Frozen Battle |
| Bridge Base Brawl | Obese Type ×4 Balloon Type ×2 |
- | Underground Battle against the City |
| Giant Fiend Rematch | Capsule Obese Type | Big Fuzz (torso) | Underground Battle against the City Desperate Fight |
| Rank 5 Missions | |||
| Name | Miniboss(es) | Boss | Music |
| Mutant Obliteration | Chimera Fortress ×2 Capsule Obese Type ×2 |
- | <unknown frozen area theme> Frozen Battle |
| Frozen Area Alarm | Balloon Type ×4 Obese Type ×4 Spike Roller ×2 Fortress ×2 Chimera |
- | <unknown frozen area theme> Frozen Battle |
| Jungle Area Survey | Spike Roller Armored Obese Type Balloon Type ×2 |
Armored Chimera | Sneaking Battle in the Dense Forest Chimera Boss Theme |
| Frozen Area Defense | Chimera Spike Roller Armored Obese Type Genocidal Drone |
- | <unknown frozen area theme> Frozen Battle |
| Baiting Enemies | Spike Roller ×3 Obese Type ×2 Chimera ×3 |
- | Underground Battle against the City |
| Aircraft Take Over | Armored Obese Type ×2 | Taka | Underground Giant Boss Theme 1 Giant Boss Theme 2 |
| Rank 6 Missions | |||
| Name | Miniboss(es) | Boss | Music |
| Damnation Engine | Balloon Type ×2 Fortress ×2 Obese Type |
- | Sneaking Battle in the Dense Forest We're Rogue Corps |
| Frozen Area Capture | Obese Type ×3 Armored Chimera Fortress ×2 |
- | <unknown frozen area theme> Frozen Battle |
| Heart of Damned City | Fortress ×2 Chimera Genocidal Drone Spike Roller |
- | Sneaking Battle in the Dense Forest We're Rogue Corps |
| Deep Attack | Fortress ×2 Obese Type Chimera ×2 |
- | Sneaking Battle in the Dense Forest We're Rogue Corps |
| Final Investigation | Obese Type ×5 Fortress ×3 Balloon Type ×2 |
- | Sneaking Battle in the Dense Forest We're Rogue Corps |
| Final Battle | Capsule Obese Type Fortress |
Mega-Fiend General Phoenix (first form) | Underground Battle against the City Invasion |
| Rank 7 Missions | |||
| Name | Miniboss(es) | Boss | Music |
| Infected Inspection | Fortress ×2 Obese Type ×2 Balloon Type |
- | We're Rogue Corps Underground |
| Fiends Mash | Balloon Type ×2 Fortress ×2 Obese Type ×4 |
- | Sneaking Battle in the Dense Forest We're Rogue Corps |
| Infection Prevention | Fortress ×2 Chimera ×3 |
- | Underground We're Rogue Corps |
| Jungle Area Seizure | Obese Type Fortress ×2 Chimera Genocidal Drone |
- | Sneaking Battle in the Dense Forest We're Rogue Corps |
| Top Threat Takedown | Obese Type ×6 Fortress ×2 Spike Roller Armored Chimera Genocidal Drone |
- | Underground We're Rogue Corps |
| The Phoenix Killer | - | Mega-Fiend General Phoenix (second form) | Invasion |
| Hardcore Missions | |||
| Name | Miniboss(es) | Boss | Music |
| Caving Adventure | Obese Type ×4 Balloon Type ×2 Chimera Spike Roller |
- | Underground Battle against the City |
| Megaton Skyscraper | Capsule Obese Type Chimera ×2 Spike Roller ×2 |
Dark Obese Type | <unknown frozen area theme> Frozen Battle Chimera Boss Theme |
| CON T.U.B.E. | Chimera ×2 Balloon Type ×2 Obese Type ×2 |
- | <unknown competition battle theme> |
| What is this place? | Genocidal Drone Obese Type ×9 Fortress Chimera ×2 Balloon Type ×3 Spike Roller |
- | What is this place? Thunder Landing Desperate Fight Battle in the Dense Forest |
| Exploration Missions | |||
| Name | Miniboss(es) | Boss | Music |
| Chaos Investigation | Spike Roller ×2 Fortress ×7 Obese Type ×8 Balloon Type ×9 |
- | Underground Battle against the City |
| Chaos Confusion | Chimera ×2 Fortress ×7 Obese Type ×7 Genocidal Drone ×2 |
- | Underground Battle against the City Chimera Boss Theme Genocidal Drone Boss Theme |
| Chaos Invasion | Genocidal Drone ×2 Fortress ×7 Balloon Type Obese Type ×6 Chimera |
- | Underground Genocidal Drone Boss Theme Frozen Battle Chimera Boss Theme Sunset Battle |
| Chaos Assault | Obese Type ×5 Fortress ×7 Chimera Spike Roller Genocidal Drone ×2 |
- | Underground Genocidal Drone Boss Theme <unknown frozen area theme> Frozen Battle |
| Chaos Finale | Balloon Type ×2 Spike Roller ×2 Fortress ×7 Obese Type ×4 |
Searle | Underground Genocidal Drone Boss Theme Chimera Boss Theme |
Development[]
The game was announced during an E3 Nintendo Direct on June 11, 2019, showing some gameplay, introducing four playable characters, game features and the game's release date scheduled for September 24 of the same year.
The game's development was overseen by veteran Contra series director and senior producer Nobuya Nakazato, who also had been director, game designer and artist of Contra III: The Alien Wars (1992) and Contra: Hard Corps (1994), and was producer and director of Contra: Shattered Soldier (2002), among other games in the series. He stated that he wanted to capture the traditional spirit of the series, while also modernizing it for a new audience.
Reception[]
Contra: Rogue Corps received "mixed or average reviews" for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions, while the Switch version received "generally unfavorable reviews", according to review aggregator Metacritic. The game was criticized by Destructoid for featuring a season pass despite having a mixed reception. Nintendo Life criticized Rogue Corps for its controls, graphics and mission structure, the latter of which was called "bland", although the game received moderate praise for its complex upgrade and customization system.
Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of Zero Punctuation ranked it as the Worst Game of 2019.[2]
Gallery[]
Packaging artwork[]
_-_01.png "Contra Rogue Corps - (PS4) - 01.png (481 KB)")
_-_01.png "Contra Rogue Corps - (XBONE) - 01.png (504 KB)")
_-_01.png "Contra Rogue Corps - (Switch) - 01.png (606 KB)")
Miscellaneous[]
![Full artworks by Tony Washington used during the "Chop Shop" cutscene.[3]](/wiki/File:Cutscene_-_Rogue_Corps_-_01.jpg "Cutscene - Rogue Corps - 01.jpg (816 KB)")
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- The events in Rogue Corps take place two years after the Alien Wars, in 2638 A.D.; however, this is also the year when Contra 4 was formerly stated to take place. In order to make Rogue Corps fit into the timeline, Contra 4 had to be moved to take place only six months after the Alien Wars. This was probably due to Contra 4 technically being a western developed game, which in addition had made several changes to the original Japanese storyline.
- Legendary Konami video games cover art illustrator, Tom duBois, will provide secret "Inside of Box" artwork as part of day one "Locked and Loaded Edition" bonus content.
References[]
- ↑ Video: Nintendo Switch - E3 2019 Software Lineup; 11.06.2019
- ↑ Contra: Rogue Corps (Reception) at Wikipedia
- ↑ Contra: Rogue Corps by Tony Washington at ArtStation.