Hard Corps: Uprising

When people think of hardcore games of yesteryear, they tend to think about a set of games, mostly from the bit eras of NES and SNES. Battletoads, Ninja Gaiden and certainly Contra are some names that instantly pop up into any conversation of challenges. Hard Corps: Uprising is a form of spiritual successor to the latter and this shows.

Pro tip: RUN!

Adapting towards the new times, this side-scrolling run and gun classic fuses 3D and 2D anime, with backdrops brimming with activity. Across 8 missions, the revolutionaries pass deserts, highways, laboratories and even huge airships, which all come off vibrant through the use of animated effects.  The large variety set throughout the missions also makes this visual marvel more unique, as each stage has an individual setting and feel. Dodging boulders, grappling vines and rods, flying on skateboards, hopping over conveyor belts and so much more bring the feeling of hardcore nostalgia and mixes this with an entirely new appeal in the likes of Ghost in the Shell and other futuristic anime.

But the main show stopper will undoubtedly be how Hard Corps reflects on the Contra legacy. And to be direct, it does so fairly well. Players run through side scrolling levels, destroying an unlimited amount of army waves as they go by. In both Arcade and Rising Mode, this will come with a challenge rating of hard to incredible in pretty much each mission. Not only are the hordes plentiful, but the amount of ammunition flying around makes precision acrobatics while shooting a must.

No need to know what's going on. Hard Corps is about blasting, not thinking.

Even though the aiming control is as tough as it’s always been, this doesn’t necessarily make Hard Corps frustrating for that reason. This game doesn’t try to make things easy, so no point in getting bent out of shape by this indiscretion. Players can even get a little more help here and there now, as Rising mode offers a way to level up and upgrade characters as they slay thousands in their wake. But more so, a helpful stationary aim and strafe button also allows for a slight increase in fire control. By alternating 2 slots, players can also add additional firepower to their arsenal, with yielded power-ups such as flame throwers and the all-too-popular spread shot. In particular, just blasting a Laser shot around can help quite a bit, as it homes in on targets. Also, it will always be easier, but also more fun, to play with a buddy, as 2 guns are better than one.

Konami's homage to Metal Gear Solid gameplay in Hard Corps: Uprising.

But these leniencies are long forgotten once periodic boss fights enter the stage. From one huge and crazy contraption to the next; these barons of bad guys will detonate a no-holds-barred struggle for survival, requiring players to go all out on each one. There’s a lot of variety to be found in most bosses, which is fun, but the best part is the unique implementation of level design during showdowns. From using walls, to jumping across vertical trains and even an impressive use of 3D bullet hell, the tactic needed for victory will require a solid use of terrain. It’s clear a lot of thought was put into each individual boss and this reflects into a solid challenge each time. The most amazing aspect is the well-adapted transition between 2D and 3D space usage, making a unique new dimension in the run and gun genre.

Behold: The 3D Bullet Hell boss in Hard Corps: Uprising. One of the most pleasant ones.

But of course, it’s not all gold that glitters, as such a demanding difficulty will bring some very frustrating moments with its glory. Strangely enough though, it’s not the debilitating difficulty that irks as much as the hand-crippling accuracy might suggest. If anything, the addition of powering up is a step up towards newer generations of players. But Hard Corps does have some issues with events feeling cheap, such as a barrage with no clear escape, unclear patterns requiring some trial and error; but most of all, some minor level design flaws. These aren’t very troublesome to overcome with some practice, such as some sections making players stick to walls in inappropriate times; which require a lot of extra effort to safely maneuver in between bullets.

The most annoying part is that some sections mean instant death, as the game makes a player respawn in a void. That means 1 death will result in many lives lost, as the character pops back on screen and right down the same ravine over and over. Far more annoying than boss fight cheap shots or even the first and only instance of a life-or-death cutscene ever created, it’s this unnecessary spawn problem that will cost much needed lives no one can spare.

One of the more annoying one-hit-kill bosses in Hard Corps: Uprising. Yup, vertical trains.

Lastly, the sound effects in this game are downright annoying and distracting. As any unit only has a handful of expressions and succession of these are constant, the game will get flooded by the same 2 or 3 messages over and over, like a badly looped techno song. But luckily, the pounding rock music drives gameplay on and merges well into the futuristic feel of the game.

Hard Corps: Uprising is by all means a good attempt at reviving the genre and adds a unique touch to welcome it into the present. Even with some issues and possible hand injuries from gripping controllers fiercely, this run and gun experience nods towards hardcore veterans, while still opening a door for the less skilled. But what is certain is that Hard Corps: Uprising is not for the faint of heart. It’s a fight to the death and one most will lose long before winning it; leaving palms sweaty and egos broken. As a tip; better invest in some lives and continues, because they’ll be needed; badly!

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Daav Valentaten, NoobFeed. (@Daavpuke)