Clever But Simple
Contact has a few things wrong with it but it still keeps a sense of charm around it. It's a very folksy and simplistic game but the story is nonetheless entertaining and funny. The use of breaking the fourth wall is well done and the mechanics give you a breath of fresh air from all of the other RPGs. Rarely will you play a game where you as a person holding a machine are an actual character in the game. These kinds of interactions can be found now where else.
The issues the game has come mostly from gameplay. First, it's short. Really short. You can put this game away in about 10 hours. The second issue is that despite this short amount of time, the game manages to be repetitive. The combat is stale and boring. Are you a high enough level? If yes you win, if no, you lose.
If you can get this game for cheap, it is certainly worth a play. If not, your collection will be fine without it.