[SSFF] Contra Shattered Soldier (PS2) Review by Derek Alexander 

It's great to see someone give this game a fair examination on RU-vid. I've always considered Contra: SS a classic.

"At least back when they made smart decisions." OOOOOOOHHHHHH

"You never go full Battletoads." I am stealing this and everyone will love me who hears it. Sorry, Derek, it's mine now.

That sailor moon poster in the background is awesome.

This is seriously one of the best Contra games ever made. Phenomenal soundtrack, awesome action and great replayability.

When I first saw this game at a flea market I thought it would be as bad as the PS1 games, but picked it up because it was just a dollar. Boy am I glad I did! It might not have much running for the gunning, but that just reminds me of Contra Hard Corps, which is completely fine. Nice mention of The Red Star. That is one heck of a hidden gem.

Actually, Shattered Soldier's soundtrack was a dual effort between Akira Yamaoka (who, funnily enough, had worked on the Mega Drive version of Sparkster) and another Konami mainstay, Sots Fujimori. Sota generally did the more synth heavy electronica, as is his forte- the man is something of an analogue/digital synthesizer aficionado with a very impressive collection- and Akita did the heavier tracks. As another little trivia note, Sota Fujimori was responsible for arranging the soundtrack of the Sharp 68000 Castlevania game, when it came to the PS1 as Castlevania Chronicles (and in this commenter's humble opinion, did the single greatest rendition of Vampire Night the series has ever had).

Well, Contra Hard Corps is also boss based Contra.

Sorry Derek, but I was too busy fixating on that Burger-Serena.

This honestly sounds like one of the best action games for the system. Damn disappointed that I've never found it, or even looked for it, before now.

One thing to add to the soundtrack discussion is that Sota Fujimori also composed some pieces. I'll have to check my music to see which, but even if it in the vein of remixes or suchlike, his work on Castlevania Chronicles shows that even remixes of familiar tunes can kick ass! He has the best version of Bloody Tears to me.

I love the 100% speedruns of this game. Having so many bosses makes it entertaining.

Akira Yamaoka wasn't the only music composer for this game. Those techno and classic Contra themes were done by Sota Fujimori who also did the remixes for Castlevania Chronicle. I tried and tried to beat Shattered Soldier back in the day, but trying it again on PSN I feel like I must've been playing the game wrong... it's hard to explain. I was able to beat Neo Contra, (and enjoy it's ridiculously over the top cutscenes) but I always got the bad ending. I wouldn't exactly call that game a push-over, but it does have more running to it's credit. Actually I'm surprised that you didn't mention the control scheme, I wouldn't call it a deal breaker but having to hold buttons to aim can get frustrating when making it twin stick would have made things much more enjoyable to me. Especially when they changed the controls for the GBA demake of Contra 3.

"The Big C was back" Oohhh, Derek. Poor choice of words there big man!

It's great to see you reviewing so often again, Derek.

I always wanted to play this game. Also, I can't stop looking at that Sailor Moon poster in the background. It's so funny. XDDD

I hadn't realized this was on PSN. Yoink!

Hard Corps will always be the best.

Top notch review as always! I'm really glad you made this. I found this game not too long ago at a garage sale, and only heard it was a bad Contra game, but I'm gonna have to give it an honest go after watching this.

Great stuff Derek! Also kudos for mentioning The Red Star. If we're talking PS2 hidden gems, that one is definitely my favorite.

That Sailor Moon picture on your wall really weirds me out for some reason. I couldn't focus on the video properly.

Love the evolution of the show you did. Had to watch all new episodes in one go, yup they are that awesome. :D Keep up the awesome work that you do!

Just decided ti play this on PCsX2 and it looks tons better thanks to higher res capabilities. The play reminds me a it of Hard Corps Uprising, which is one of my fav live/psn arcade titles. Sadly that game for some reason only hit on 360/PS3 with holding the love frm PC, despite the fact that it even at few years old is better than any other game of this genre on PC. So in lieu of Hard Corps glory on PC went with Shattered Soldier. Its awesome, but like reviewer mentions a bit rigid in its structure especially pacing. Overall though happy I picked it up. BTW: 4:49 that faced critter looks suspiciously like Seaman from Dreamcast had a baby with an HR GIGER lol.

Good stuff again Derek! Glad I picked this one up a few years ago. Hard as balls but still a lot of fun. Also, LOVE the Usagi picture in the background!

"People who are wrong claim Hard Corps is better" Damn Derek, lightin' them up!

0:29 concise summarisation of the thoughts I had during your intro. Such a strange time for some games.

Amazing review for an amazing game. Contra is my favorite classic series and this one isn´t bad at all, maybe it tooke a little odd direction but it´s still really fun and much harder than the Nes and Snes games. I hope you do Hard Corps Uprising, it´s just fantastic

Absolutely love the 60fps. Great vid derek, always nice to see you in my sub box!

Hey Derek, really long time fan here. Finally posting to say thanks for all your videos throughout the years - lot of good times watching them. Also wanted to say, not to disparage your HVGN era stuff AT ALL because it's great, but just wanted to echo the chorus and say it's amazing to see your new stuff, see you strike out from the old name, and see such elevated and smart critique on old games (hope you get what I mean). Both this and the Faxanadu review particularly made me look differently at two games I had written off back in the day, and I LOVE when that happens. Your pros for Contra SS and Faxanadu are dead on and I never got that in the moment. Anyways, again thanks, and keep it up - really looking forward to it!

You may also want to add a note about the OST, Sota Fujimori also worked on the soundtrack, not just Yamaoka.

Anytime I see footage of Battle Toad...I start involuntarily twitching.

The amazing soundtrack of the video is from the game, Derek? Great review as always!

I really did like Contra's SS game design. It reminded me of 1CCing a shmup where it's actually REQUIRED to memorize levels.

Glorious Royal PS2 Era. From current dark age I long for thy.

Love the intro. I can't say enough how I enjoy your reviews. My favorite is still Sweet Home though

Y'know, the big complaint you seem to have about Shattered Soldier is, to be brutually honest, just as applicable to Alien Wars and Hard Corps. There was a lot of "Run-boss-run-boss-run-boss" going on with those games as well. It's easily at its worst in Shattered Soldier, but the problem isn't new at all.

I love this game and the fact which of the three endings you got was determined by how well you played was a great incentive to replay the game mostly cause you wanted to access the true final level and see Bill and Lucia give the Trivumate what they deserve.

OH MY GOD I love that Sailor Moon poster of her holding a burger! Literally combining 2 of my favorite things :) Love the review as always. Keep it up Derek

Informative. Thanks for giving me all of the info I need to to make an informed decision to purchase this. I'm gonna pick it up now, since it's pennies on psn this week.

A string of super tough boss battles broken up by intermittent run and gun levels? So in other words, it's the 2002 version of Cuphead.

10 outta 10 Derek. 60fps back in full force, wonderful

Great review! I've never heard of Red Star, but it looks really cool! I'll have to check that out for sure!

Thanks for reminding me that my copy of Shattered Soldier isn't complete Derek! Now I need to track down a case and manual :(

I NEED THAT SAILOR MOON POSTER HOLY SHIT

I did some research about Nobuya Nakazato, and found out something really interesting. This isn't the first time he and Akira Yamaoka worked together. You see, Nakazato was the writer of the strategy RPG Vandal Hearts for the PS1, where Yamaoka was the sound designer. I thought that was real interesting, and pretty cool.

Awesome. Thanks a lot Derek

lol, loved thus game back then. I was so impressed by the graphics at that time haha

first video ive seen by you, well done video

i always liked this entry in the contra series, great review dude.

Great video. Been wanting to hear your opinion on Shattered Soldier for a while now, although it slipped my mind when exactly I first heard you talk about it. Perhaps on a podcast somewhere or in an older video. Also, no cold ending this go-around? :(

Another awesome review, Derek!

I hear Contra 4 on the DS is one of, if not, the best Contra game ever made. I need to try it.

Good job as always Derek

The fine fellows that made Cuphead must've played a lot of this game.

Getting all the perfect ranks in really hardcore challenges? You mean Devil May Cry? BOOYAH!

I'm surprised that there's no mention of that joke ending where Bill fights with Sparkster

Great review thanks! Awesome game..hard as Hell but so kick ass. Nice to see 'The Red Star' getting some love too - thoroughly enjoyed that game and a true hidden gem

I feel like I should mention Hard Corps Uprising. It's an anime mash up of classic contra and shattered soldier's frenetic gameplay. A true gem.

hell yeah, great episode. You should review the criminally underrated Metal Gear Solid Ghost Babel.

when you did the chump bit I fucking lost it.

I like your Robie The Banker robot.

I love this game but you hit the nail on the head vis a vis the design and philosophy. Great Review!

I absolutely love that you display everything at 60fps. it looks beautiful :)

Your reviews are really entertaining. Review more PS2 games please, not many people on RU-vid seem to be covering PS2 games.

My first console was a knockoff system called the Super Joy 64. My first game was Contra. I had no idea that Contra wasn't supposed to/ didn't have a level select until I researched this.

Contra Shattered Soldier destroyed me back when I purchased it on PS2, and loved it. I admit I barely got alot of playtime on it and didnt embrace the concept of practicing a game section by section to really learn it back then. Coming back to it much later I appreciated it much more, and practiced it piece by piece to put it together. The game is actually not as hard as it seems, since its really just some simple memorization patterns for each boss. It still took me around 9 hours to beat, so definately not easy. I would say its more approachable for players who are better at memorization then twitch gameplay. So it might be worth considering for those players. Completed most of the other Contra games and I find them all to be more twitch skill reaction based, though memorization is a big part of all of the games. I find memorization is the main thing with this game , and most of the gameplay is boss fights, unlike the others.

I love your reviews so much. 👍

What are you talking about? Neo Contra is amazing!

that poster of sailor moon obsessing over a hamburger in the background looks hilarious

"Not available digitally" ..... ..... ..... HUEHUEHUEHUEHUEHEUHEUHEEHUEEEE!!!!!!

I haven't played Shattered Soldier, but having beaten Contra 3 on hard mode, the rote memorization description totally describes that game too. I refer to Contra 3 as a "dance routine."

I wholeheartedly agree with your statement about tools of destruction sticking out regardless: old school shoot them up were sunnavbitch with that aspect. To strip one of power-ups that are absolutely needed is a dire punishment!It basically forces one to rely increasingly more on sheer reflex and luck, making the whole experience even more difficult if a single, unfortunate mistake is made by tiredness or lack of concentration! Still, it is not granted to go unscathed on most of them given all the patterns of death there can be. Yah, this game genre was made of sadism and hardcore gaming dedication... As a retro gamer, I don't know a whole lot about newgen shooters, but I do think some leniency isn't dirty casualness, far from it!

Derek, you pick some of the coolest games that get forgotten.

I''ll add it to the list. Thank you Derek.

My absolute favorite Contra! God damn I love this game!

Where'd you get that Sailor Moon poster?! I love it!

Hey Derick, if your ever in a Contra Mood again, why not compare Contra 4 and Contra ReBirth to see which is the best traditional Contra style game??

I always die in this game because of headbanging.

I like the fact Shattered Soldier is more like the arcade games. I'd love more Contra in this vein by a credible developer.

My favourite run n gun shooter. But it's not available on european PSN :(

Memorizing patterns in levels to beat them is basically what I remember in the NES/SNES/Genesis days. I never did play this game though. It looks kinda cool. I may have to pick this one up and try it.

This is a great Contra game indeed

Thanks for recommending Red Star. I finally got around to playing it and it's pretty good. The combat is a lot slower than Contra (at least in the first level) but it is fun and the melee is really fun to use. Plus it's got an RPG system. Fun game.

I wonder what you think of Alien Soldier, considering it is basically one big boss rush. And I hope to see my favourite Contra - Hard Corps - on this channel one day.

That Sailor Moon poster is adorable! Who drew it?

goddamn Derek ,you rule for doing this game's justice

This video seems to overlook the fact that classic Contra came in two distinct styles. There are stage-focused Contras, characterized by intricate platforming, capped off with a rather shallow boss at the end of each level. Games that fall into this camp are the original , Super C, their arcade versions, Contra Force, Operation C, Rebirth, and Contra 4. In an effort to change up the formula in the 16-bit era, the focus was moved away from stages, and towards more interesting boss fights. Games like this are Contra 3, Hard Corps, and Shattered Soldier. Personally, I would have phrased it as “While SS isn’t the first game to be defined by its boss encounters, it is arguably the most disparate of the three, in its divide between basically non-existent stages, and spectacularly detailed boss battles.

Where can I cop that Sailor Moon poster?

This game reminded me more of Contra Hardcorps in spots, just a bunch of boss rushes.

Does contra shattered soilder take place before or after alien wars

I remember having a ps2 demo disc with this on it

Personally, i've always felt that Contra 4 shined a lot brighter than Contra 3, if only because it didn't have those overhead sections in it.

I remember this game being hard as balls.

Never played this one, but just seeing the footage is enough, have to go find this now! Annoyingly not up on the UK PSN, and going by the fact that the US and JP releases were two and three years ago, probably not ever happening. Least we got a PS2 release back in the day, I suppose. Also, where'd you get that Sailor Moon poster? Looks nice!

What's that sailor moon print you got there?

so was the Contra game to come out after Neo Hard Corps Uprising? and thats it? cuz i havent heard of Contra since then.

This felt like a classic HVGN episode. I've never heard anyone talk about this game and then here comes Derek with a rad ass video on it. P.S. - No after credits scene this time?!

Wow. This game brings back memories. This was one of my first game I ever rented from blockbuster.

I'm glad to see some love for the ps2. I can recommend some under-appreciated gems on the system. 1) Dual Hearts (it's basically Psychonauts ver 1.0 with entering people's dreams to fight their nightmares.) 2) God Hand (nearly every reason you listed to like Contra Shattered Soldier fits for this brilliant game.) 3) Gundam Zeonic Front (SEIG ZEON!! Plus, it's a really well put together strategy game.) 4) Kya Dark Lineage (A fun platformer with gorgeous art and a horrible tagline) 5) Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (A solid strategy game/dating simulator that makes me smile.)

I remember when I played this years ago, and everything this dude said was on the damn money. Seeing those awesome bosses makes me want to lay it again...