I don't know about you guys, but I'm a huge fan of old school side-scrollers along the Contra vein. Stating my obvious bias,let me just say I think this game is a gem. 
 
I manage to finish most levels without any horrible difficulty curve outside of the obvious memorization of levels and boss patterns; but above and beyond that, many of the complaints pertained to shoddy checkpoints (probably the only valid complaint I can see), artistic style, and the lack-of or increasing number of things going on on-screen at once.  
 
The projectile hell nature of the game, coupled with the incredible variety in moves that you can execute and incredible control scheme allowed you to play out some pretty incredible looking scenarios. The environments are pretty, enemy variety is great, and the weapon system and variety are extremely solid. On top of that, I think that the Rising mode is a fantastic way to make your way through the game at an easier pace regardless of if you're playing single or multiplayer.   I thought it was a lot of bang for the 15 dollar price tag. 
 
Anyone else disagree with the opinions expressed in the Quick Look/Bombcast, or is it just me?

I raged during that Quick Look, the checkpointing seemed so goddamn awful. I would never play it.

I hate how they did the voices.

I haven't played it, but the game looks like it accomplishes exactly what it intends to. I'm personally not into what its trying to do, so I guess that I would agree with them. But if you like anime and Contra, its probably a great game.

I love Contra, and I played maybe 15 minutes of it at a friend's place and did not like it.

I think the game's pretty good, but all of their concerns are completely valid.

I agree with the quicklook.

I agreed with them at first, but after watching a little more of the game afterwards  I'm not  sure.

Personally I get no fun whatsoever from the bullet hell genre. Seeing them makes my eyes bleed and my brain fry because of too much stuff going off all at once plus fun= what?
 
As for Hard Corps the voices were awful, anime also isn't my style either. I can tolerate the style and it can work when it's pulled off well but in this case it's horribly generic and not worth my interest. It seems like it really wants to be Metal Slug/Contra but not really achieving either. Bad checkpointing as well. Also, it would be hard in real life to get someone else to play this with you without raging at it I bet.
 
I think I'll probably mention that making games exclusively for a hardmode hardcore niche is usually bad, that's why you have hard-mode options to toggle on, right?

I absolutely loved the demo and if I didn't need to eat and pay rent, I would buy it.

" I haven't played it, but the game looks like it accomplishes exactly what it intends to. I'm personally not into what its trying to do, so I guess that I would agree with them. But if you like anime and Contra, its probably a great game. "

They liked the gameplay, they just didn't like the level design and game mechanics surrounding it.   
 

voices, checkpointing. No thanks.

Nope. Looked terrible.

I haven't played Hard Corps, so no, not really.

hard corps feels fine gameplay wise but i dont like the things that surround it 
i would rather play super c or contra 4

Agreed with them on the bombcast, the a basic gameplay is spot on, and the sprites are awesome, but everything else just kinda sucks. 
Enemy placement, the 3d backgrounds, the speed, the voice acting, the load times...

I'm not really into that style of game and that Quick Look made it seem aggravating as shit. 

Looked like a game from 15 years ago, which I suppose is good if you're into that kind of thing... not that there's anything wrong with that.

It just isn't their type of game. Remember Jeff's reaction to Mega Man 9?

I do. I've only played the demo, but it's amazing once you get the controls down. If you play it as they did in the Quick Look -- that is to say, if you play it like it's an old Contra game -- it's not terrific fun. It's okay, but it's nothing special. If you make good use of all the acrobatic moves, though? If you air-dash, dodge through enemies and reflect bullets? Then it becomes ultra-fast, ultra-intense and fucking amazing, and you realize that the level and enemy design is absolutely spot-on.
 
@HandsomeDead said: 

" Looked like a game from 15 years ago, which I suppose is good if you're into that kind of thing... not that there's anything wrong with that. "

Not checkpointing after a boss battle is a cardinal sin.

I really like the look of the game and the Contra style action seemed solid, but the check pointing issues and really poor QTEs look like they ruin the experience. Also hearing that the second player gets no achievements and that terrible initial load time, I have to wonder if this even went through any type of QA.

I like it. I really like the Rising Mode. I would never have finished this game otherwise (still haven't, I just need to get around to it).
 
They were right about the checkpoints though. Terrible.
 
Also the first level looks like it was put together with a 'gamemaker' program-type-thing. Other levels look better, like the second level, the problem with the second level though is that there is too much in it though and I find myself confused often, which leads to deaths.

Nope. The combat didn't look awful but the checkpoint system was messed up. 

I laughed every time they said "lets not dilute the Contra brand" 
The last four or five Contra games were horrible. 
Trust me those PS2 Contra games diluted the Contra brand pretty much all the way.

I like it. I think the Checkpoints are pretty Contra-ish and I think it is great that the continues stack because it gives you a chance to figure out the patterns in later levels. I do miss the possibililty to chuck your weapon (like in Contra 4).

No, they pretty much summed up my feelings after playing the trial. 
I can see why this may appeal to people who love this type of game, but even then 1,200 points is pushing it and having to pay extra for characters who appear in the intro is ridiculous.

This is the problem with the Bombcrew talking about games with an anime style: They'll find a reason to dismiss it before even touching it.

Well, I haven't really played it so I can't pass any proper judgement.

" Nope. Looked terrible. "

I've played the demo level through like five times and I'm still not bored. 
 
I should probably buy this. 
 
I'm not exactly sure what's with all the complaints. It's fast and fluid and fun as hell.

I beat Rising Mode together with a friend yesterday and yes, I have to disagree with Ryan and Jeff: this game is great and I'm having tons of fun with it.
 
Actually, I didn't buy the game at first because of the quicklook. But since I love games like these, I finally had to give in to the temptation and thank god that I did.

" I raged during that Quick Look, the checkpointing seemed so goddamn awful. I would never play it. "

" I've played the demo level through like five times and I'm still not bored.  I should probably buy this.  I'm not exactly sure what's with all the complaints. It's fast and fluid and fun as hell. "

" @Jolt92 said:

" I raged during that Quick Look, the checkpointing seemed so goddamn awful. I would never play it. "

"

I really like it, but it's an extremely niche game. It's not a huge surprise that people don't like it.

It's just their opinion, it's not like a mandate, I mean look at Demon's Souls, it's both critically and user acclaimed but the GB guys just effin hate it, same thing for Flower.
 
Just because they don't like something doesn't mean it's bad. 
 
Though it's true that the most  suggestionable of users will base their decision on buying or not buying something solely on the crew's verdict.

I think it controls fine but it's designed to kick your ass, so it's a love it or hate it thing.  I had fun with it though.

It doesn't look fun. At all.

I think it's just ok. I loved Contra on the NES as a kid and got quite good at it. It's just not the kind of game that I go for these days. And that's not because it's difficult, it's because the difficulty is designed to be overcome with a lot of trial and error. Playing the same bits over and over doesn't feel rewarding to me, it just feels like a grind. I'm only doing it to level my stuff up, not because I like it. I only have one level left to go, but it's been a few days since I played and I'm not feeling a strong urge to finish it. 
 
What I have been playing is Bulletstorm. Just like Hard Corps you get points to spend on upgrades. However, it isn't a grind to unlock them. By playing well I've been buying the upgrades I want as I proceed through the game. I don't have to play level 1 over and over to upgrade my stuff to make level 3 not suck so much. The gameplay is a lot more complex and fun, so I'm actually enjoying going back into the Echoes and playing them over and over just because I want to.

" I think it's just ok. I loved Contra on the NES as a kid and got quite good at it. It's just not the kind of game that I go for these days. And that's not because it's difficult, it's because the difficulty is designed to be overcome with a lot of trial and error. Playing the same bits over and over doesn't feel rewarding to me, it just feels like a grind. I'm only doing it to level my stuff up, not because I like it. I only have one level left to go, but it's been a few days since I played and I'm not feeling a strong urge to finish it.   What I have been playing is Bulletstorm. Just like Hard Corps you get points to spend on upgrades. However, it isn't a grind to unlock them. By playing well I've been buying the upgrades I want as I proceed through the game. I don't have to play level 1 over and over to upgrade my stuff to make level 3 not suck so much. The gameplay is a lot more complex and fun, so I'm actually enjoying going back into the Echoes and playing them over and over just because I want to. "

I'm a fan of Bullet Hell games. I'm terrible at them mostly, but that doesn't keep them from being great.  This, though, seems like it could be alright with some of those load time issues fixed up.  It's basically a contra style game with an added RPG mode and some weird abilities thrown in, which seems fun enough.

" It's just their opinion, it's not like a mandate, I mean look at Demon's Souls, it's both critically and user acclaimed but the GB guys just effin hate it, same thing for Flower. "

Based on the demo, it's alright.

I think the QL was a disgrace lack of professionalism from the Bomb crew , the game plays awesome like the Contra of yore. I noticed that the whiskey folks dont really inform themselves when playing games ( never read tutorials and the like ) so they make lousy QL , perhaps is it a very meager attempt to make comedy like teenagers. I expect that on the happy hour but not on the QL , as they are to inform the people. Also their anime hate gets too much in the way.
 
Also the load time in single player is only 25 seconds , is not bad at all , also subsequent continues require no loads. So they were only being hostile to it just for the sake of it.

" @onarum said:

" It's just their opinion, it's not like a mandate, I mean look at Demon's Souls, it's both critically and user acclaimed but the GB guys just effin hate it, same thing for Flower. "

 

Sorry, what? "

Why would I bother with this game that looks slow, poorly designed, has awful load times, bad check pointing, etc when I can just put in Shattered Soldier and have a much better experience?  Not to mention, I'm sure you can find Shattered Soldier in the bargain bin instead of wasting $10 on this.