Hard Corps: Uprising

It's not going to be for everyone, the punishing difficulty you'll encounter by just hopping into Arcade mode can certainly be off-putting, but if you end up spending time with the Rising mode, you'll definitely find a lot to love.

Hard, "old school" and rewarding. Hard Corps honors the genre, while it adds new ideas where they are needed.

The hardcore fans that don't want any handouts can stick to the arcade mode. You start off with set abilities and limited health and lives. At least players can learn the stages and patterns in Rising Mode beforehand. Even then, it's tough to imagine anyone but the absolute best making it all the way through arcade. I guess that's why Konami put the word "hard" in the title.

Hard Corps: Uprising is just a freakishly awesome game and it offers a great way to enjoy one of the most celebrated retro genres in a more relevant and modern context.

If you are someone who wants a game that will challenge their old-school gaming skills, as cliched as that sounds, then Hard Corps: Uprising is definitely for you. It's a game that is initially punishing, but ultimately satisfying.

Whether you want a blast from the past or an introduction to the genre, Hard Corps Uprising is worth a shot.

If you've ever been into Contra or Metal Slug or action movies, Hard Corps: Uprising is for you.

What stands out about Hard Corps: Uprising is its art style. Rather than stick with the routine Contra design that's worked so well in previous games, Konami turned to Arc System Works, the folks behind BlazBlue and Guilty Gear. The effect is astounding, and not the least bit distracting.

Hard Corps: Uprising is bar none one of the best side scrolling shooters of this generation. It's slick, intense, and a lot of fun.

Griping aside, Hard Corps: Uprising is a game that delivers exactly what it promises. It isn't going to be for everyone, but for those who appreciate the challenge of old-school gaming, it's a must-buy. For the rest who are going to whine that "it's too hard," go play Black Ops. This game is exclusively for the hardcore.

An essential purchase to any retro Contra fans, and well worth checking out for anyone else.

Looking for a crazy difficult game? Hard Cops: Uprising is your best choice! This Contra remake is an awesome example of the old school madness, where players have few lives to beat the hell. A great design and an high production value are great extras to create a fantastic experience.

Old-school sidescrolling shooter that will certainly appeal to nostalgics, but is definately not for everyone. It's insanely difficult, but if you loved this type of game on the old 16 bit consoles, it's well worth a look.

It still feels like Contra, but with something more. Every action lover will enjoy it, even if sometimes it's hard as hell.

Granite-hard. [Issue#106, p.119]

Before you play Uprising, understand that this is a challenging game. To many players, I am sure that it could become more frustrating as opposed to pleasurable just because of its shear pwnage. However, if you take the time to learn the ins-and-out of the game, power-up your character, and start to memorize each stage, the game's challenge will be appreciated.

Uprising's hand-drawn sprites are stunning, and they blend with the 3D environments to good effect. The same can't be said of the audio, with effects that feel dull and flat only barely redeemed by a genre-appropriate metal soundtrack.

There is a very specific kind of player for whom Hard Corps: Uprising is going to be better than crack. These are the people that keep Cave employed, who lined up for Gradius V, and who have characters from Metal Slug tattooed on their unmentionables. It's an arcade game for serious shooter fans, and only for serious shooter fans.

If the old school mechanics just doesn't get it done for you, then it'll be tough to drop the 1200 MP ($15) on it. However, fans of the franchise or the genre in general should give Hard Corp: Uprising a shot.

A love letter to Contra fans, a distillation of everything they love about the series augmented by some control and visual updates. If you have a history with the franchise, a hankering for explosive 2D action, and a whole lot of patience, it's a great buy for your $15.

Hard Corps: Uprising has that old Contra feel, including a bit of obligatory missile riding, but Arc System Works manages to carve its own niche with a sharp art-style and the customization of Rising mode. Although it can be painfully rough in some spots, it powers through with barrels blazing and, hopefully, marks the beginning of an amazing series.

A great 2D action game for hardcore shooter veterans. Hard Corps Uprising provides a nice shooting experience with a furiously paced gameplay.

On a basic level Hard Corps: Uprising is excellent, retaining the Contra spirit yet giving it a new lease of life. As such, series fans and old-school throwbacks will probably love every minute of it, regardless of cost. However, it does get bogged down a little by the strangely bad voice acting, downloadable content concerns and its meek attempt at catering for a broader, less experienced audience.

A classic arcade action title that is almost too difficult at times to enjoy. I love the art style, slick controls and level design, but dying over and over and the unforgiving checkpoints are enough to frustrate me too much at times.

Hard Corps Uprising does not understand "hard" as a mere difficulty setting. Actually, it's even harder than you might expect. With patience and enough skill, this game can be the dream game for any hardcore player who wants to prove himself at any cost.

Aside from being a really challenging title, Hard Corps: Uprising is also beautiful and a pleasure to look at with its highly detailed graphics.

It's not for everyone, but with patience, Uprising can become an incredible experience, with plenty of giant bosses and insane, over-the-top action set-pieces. [Jan 2011, p.74]

Harder than Geoff Capes and Superman combined, making this an excellent value grind for people of a certain mind. [Issue#70, p.102]

A pretty solid product, but it would have made a better impression had it been a little less punishing.

Though the game is incredibly difficult and will test the patience of even the most Zen players, it is still a blast to play and a definite challenge to hardcore players.

Pleasure and pain in a single package. [Mar 2011, p.105]

Fortunately, the game does at least make it possible for the non-hardcore to eventually grind some extra powers (in the Rising mode) to make things slightly easier - but, you guessed it, you have to work pretty damned hard to get them.

Hard Corps: Uprising is built for a very specific type of gamer. If you fit that description, you won't be disappointed with your purchase. But while many aspects of Uprising are appealing, without endearing characters to root for or an effective save system, it feels more like a missed opportunity than a tribute to the classics.

Contra gets a gorgeous new coat of paint, and even an innovative new game mode, but it's still the same old 2D shooter underneath.

Quotation forthcoming.

Uprising may not break any new ground in a genre that is arguably an endangered species, but it does a good job of breathing life into the dying breed. It's a reminder that an artist's eye, when met by a designer's understanding of modern tastes, can revitalise a struggling brand and make the old feel new again.

When the game works – that is, when you pull off incredible close calls and survive the onslaught – it's quite exciting. When it doesn't work, which will depend on your frustration threshold and/or skill level, it becomes utterly exasperating. All of this means it is stubbornly old-school, for better or for worse.

Despite its many cheap shots and frustrating moments, Uprising is a highly creative animal that changes constantly and keeps you on your toes.

Hard Corps: Uprising really justifies its name "hard". It has a lot of variety in its situations and very direct action, but everything is conditioned by its almost exasperating difficulty level, which makes this game only recommended for the most seasoned players.

Uprising is a surprisingly solid run-and-gun title for Arc System Works' debut entry to the genre.

Can be very frustrating. [May 2011, p.89]

Game mechanics offer not enough variation to pin me to my pad. For 1200 MS Points a game simply has to offer more.

The worst part about Uprising is the lack of balancing. The weapons you'll get and the difficulty don't add up, making it extremely difficult to finish the game. For those that like a challenge, Hard Corps: Uprising just might be the thing they're looking for.

A beautiful and brilliant game that needed a bit less punishment and lots more...funishment. [Apr 2011, p.120]

I got to the third form of the final boss and decided I've had enough - in this instance, at least, I'm not nearly interested enough to take that exhausting last step to the end credits.