The Japanese title for this game is SHIN Contra. As in, TRUE Contra. Which is perfect, because this game is the ABSOLUTE PEAK of the Contra series. This was a very interesting period for classic franchises, as many wanted to approach the 6th generation with a darker, more sinister-looking approach. Contra: Shattered Soldier really wanted to separate itself from the more colorful "Alien Wars" and "Hard Corps" it had already established back in the 16-bit era (while erasing the shitty PS1 games from its continuity).

With the help of Ashley Wood--best known for his work on Spawn--the original creators of Contra III and Hard Corps made an AMAZING game glazed in a run-down industrial atmosphere full of disgusting alien beasts, and big brutish bots ready to take you out in a single hit! The music throughout ranges between high-velocity techno and head-banging heavy metal, mainly composed by Akira Yamaoka--not just the sound director for the original 4 Silent Hill games, his first job at Konami was composing Contra Hard Corps!

The gameplay itself is phenomenal too, it feels PERFECT. They simplified the gameplay a bit by removing weapon drops. You only have 3 different guns, but are free to swap between them anytime and don't lose them if you get killed, making death a little less detrimental. Of course, this doesn't mean the game is easier. It's probably the hardest Contra game of all to clear perfectly! They also added a mechanic where you can keep the angle of your gun, but continue to move. This made angling your shot much easier with this new option! Something I wish new run-n-gun games have but NEVER acknowledge.

It's tough-as-nails, it's fun, it's disgusting, it's brutal, it's . . . Contra. You're an idiot if you don't like this game.