Contra: Operation Galuga Review – A Frenetic, If Fleeting, Retro Thrill

In the late 80s and early 90s, few games captured the thrill and intensity of Contra’s frenetic run-and-gun action. The iconic series about super-soldiers Bill Rizer and Lance Bean battling an alien threat stood as a shining example of the gloriously difficult “quarter-muncher” arcade era. Gamers formed a bond with Contra through sheer perseverance, mastering each pattern of bullet hell to eke out hard-fought victories.

Contra: Operation Galuga is a spiritual reimagining that seeks to rekindle that classic magic. Developed by WayForward, the studio behind the acclaimed Contra 4, Operation Galuga returns players to the perilous Galuga Islands from the 1987 original.

This time, however, the familiar alien invasion setup is fleshed out with modern storytelling and upgrades to the time-tested run-and-gun gameplay formula. Can Operation Galuga bring Contra’s retro thrills to a new generation while honoring its celebrated legacy?

Contra’s Convoluted Narrative

Operation Galuga expands the bare-bones premise of the original Contra into a full narrative experience. In theYear 2642, the nefarious Red Falcon terrorist organization seizes control of the remote Galuga Archipelago. Their insidious plan? Develop the “Lemris,” a doomsday weapon capable of wiping out humanity. Only the badass combat duo of Bill Rizer and Lance Bean can infiltrate the islands and put a stop to Red Falcon’s apocalyptic scheme.

While providing much-needed context missing from earlier games, Operation Galuga’s story winds up as a mixed bag. The varied environments and enemy types make more sense when contextualized, but the plot drags with overwrought cutscenes and cheesy dialogue. Characters spout reams of empty exposition, overexplaining story beats that the simple gameplay can’t quite support. It often feels like these story elements exist just to justify the mindless shooting.

The signature silent protagonists Bill and Lance fare best, their musclebound stoicism still intact. But most other characters, like the gruff Contra leader or standard-issue femme fatale Lucia, fail to rise above one-note anime cliches. Voice acting alternates between laughably hammy and simply dull line readings. While lore-hungry fans may appreciate the newfound narrative ambition, Operation Galuga’s bland storytelling is easily the weakest part of the experience.

The Thrill of the Run-and-Gun

At its core, Contra: Operation Galuga adheres to the classic run-and-gun formula that made the series a household name. The side-scrolling action sees Bill, Lance, and friends sprinting and leaping through hazardous alien environments, painting the screen with a kaleidoscope of colorful projectiles. Enemies pour in from all angles in intricate attack patterns, forcing players to master the art of positioning, evasion, and crowd control amidst the bullet hell chaos.

While the fundamental gameplay remains largely unchanged, Operation Galuga iterates on Contra’s mechanics in some smart ways. In addition to the iconic spread shot, flamethrower, and homing missiles, characters can now equip two weapons simultaneously and swap between them on the fly. Better yet, picking up a duplicate enhances that weapon to a stronger “Level 2” version until you take a hit. You can also sacrifice a weapon for a potent but temporary “Overload” effect like temporary invincibility.

Characters’ unique abilities further remix the run-and-gun gameplay. Gruff Lance maintains the classic moveset of running, jumping, and dashing. But the rookie Ariana can slide under attacks, spy Lucia utilizes a handy grappling hook, and hulking soldier Stanley can hover for short bursts. Mastering their distinct strengths adds welcome variety to each run.

Beyond the story campaign, Operation Galuga serves up an Arcade mode stripped of cutscenes for a pure classic experience supporting up to four players locally. An assortment of bite-sized “Challenge” levels test your skills with unique gameplay modifiers. It’s an enticing suite of modes, though the lack of online multiplayer feels like a missed opportunity.

Thankfully, a robust suite of accessibility options ensures everyone can experience the on-screen madness. You can tweak basics like difficulty, started lives, and aiming style to your preferences or even enable a forgiving three-hit health meter. But if you want the classic brutal Contra experience, the “One-Hit Kill” option is just a toggle away.

Perhaps most importantly, the game’s “Perk” system allows you to further customize the experience by spending credits earned in-game. From quality-of-life buffs like extra lives to gameplay-altering effects like infinite ammo or keeping powered-up weapons after death, these stackable perks empower each player to curate their ideal level of challenge. It’s an excellent system that promotes replay value while democratizing the notoriously punishing Contra formula.

Contra’s Classic Crucibles

While the core run-and-gun action remains instantly gripping, Operation Galuga’s level design is what truly makes it a standout modern Contra. The game’s eight stages strike a masterful balance between remixing iconic moments from the 1987 original and introducing fresh gameplay gimmicks.

Fans will squeal with delight at faithfully recreated gauntlets like the moody underground base, the panic-inducing descent inside a living organism’s body, and the climactic siege against a hulking alien overlord. But WayForward ensure these retro throwbacks avoid feeling stale by smartly tweaking the layouts and enemy types. Interspersed between the familiar are all-new thrill rides like a high-octane hovercraft chase and exhilarating shootouts aboard a runaway train.

Each stage ramps up the challenge gradually, training you to master new enemy formations and environmental hazards before culminating in an epic boss encounter. These screen-filling behemoths are equal parts awesome spectacle and devilish test of endurance. Gargantuan alien insects, mechanized juggernauts, and grotesque bio-weapons pummel you with complex waves of projectile patterns requiring pinpoint accuracy to overcome.

At times, these bosses can even feel a touch unfair, pummeling players with indecipherable attacks or background hazards that are too visually busy to properly track. But that’s also part of the classic Contra charm – merciless challenges waiting to be mastered through sheer repetition and muscle memory. Just don’t be surprised if your skill is pushed to its limits.

Sights and Sounds of Slaughter

While Contra: Operation Galuga nails the core run-and-gun gameplay, it also impresses with its slick audiovisual presentation. The vibrant 3D environments brim with eye-catching detail and flair, like lush alien foliage, crumbling industrial complexes, and grotesque bio-mechanical horrors. Characters and enemies are rendered as chunky but expressive sprites that animate smoothly amidst the kaleidoscopic ballet of bullets and explosions.

Performance remains consistently solid even as screens become awash in pyrotechnic chaos. Only the most intensely effects-laden moments like screen-filling boss attacks induce the occasional hiccup. It’s a rock-solid showing that allows you to stay focused on the perpetual goal of perfecting your movement.

The soundtrack is equally praiseworthy, deftly remixing iconic tunes from the 8- and 16-bit Contra games into face-melting heavy metal anthems. The raging guitars and pounding drums get your adrenaline pumping to match the frenetic on-screen action. Complementing the rockin’ tunes are crisp, weighty sound effects that make every explosion and hail of gunfire feel immensely satisfying.

Voice acting is a bit more hit-or-miss, with over-the-top ham sometimes drifting into unintentional comedy territory during cutscenes. But during the heat of gameplay, the shouted one-liners and grunts of effort from the gruff, macho heroes ably sell their unwavering badassery. Overall, Operation Galuga proves a potent feast for the senses.

Contra’s Curtailed Conquests

As thrilling as the core Contra: Operation Galuga experience is, it’s also extremely difficult to ignore just how fleeting that thrill proves to be. Even for moderately skilled players, the entire story campaign can be blazed through in well under two hours. The separate Arcade and Challenge modes extend the fun slightly, but you’ll inevitably be retreading the same handful of levels ad nauseam.

To its credit, the game does try incentivizing replays through unlockable characters, bonus stages, and score chasing. The versatile “Perk” system letting you tweak everything from difficulty to loadouts also provides a welcome degree of customization. But at the end of the day, no amount of creativity can quite disguise the dearth of meaningful content underlying Operation Galuga.

With a $40 price point, this remake does feel rather light, especially for a game so inherently rooted in the arcades of yesteryear. Devoted Contra diehards may find enough pure gameplay thrills to persevere, but more casual fans will likely burn out quickly. For many, it simply won’t provide enough meat on those iconic alien bones.

The New Contra Classic?

Contra: Operation Galuga represents a valiant attempt to resurrect the magic of Konami’s beloved run-and-gun series for a new generation. Its core gameplay faithfully recaptures the thrills of the 8- and 16-bit classics, delivering an ever-escalating onslaught of alien threats to dodge, blast, and overcome through sheer determination. The inspired level design pays loving homage to iconic Contra moments while keeping things fresh with novel gimmicks and gorgeous contemporary visuals.

However, Operation Galuga’s ambitions are hamstrung by its fleeting length and lack of meaningful content beyond the initial handful of stages. The experience burns bright but fizzles out far too quickly, struggling to justify its premium price point. An underwhelming story mode and limited longevity tarnish what could have been an unqualified triumph for WayForward.

Even with those reservations, Contra fans who have been yearning for a return to the series’ retro roots simply shouldn’t pass this one up. Operation Galuga bottles the pure adrenaline rush of gaming’s vintage “quarter-muncher” era into a slick, challenging package. Just don’t expect more than a concentrated dose of that nostalgic thrill when all is said and done. For newcomers, it’s a stellar modern entry point to experience gaming’s cherished run-and-gun legacy – you just may not stick around after the credits roll.

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