Hard Corps: Uprising
Encyclopedia
Hard Corps: Uprising is a video game developed by Arc System Works
. It is part of the Contra series
and is a prequel to Contra: Hard Corps
. Kenji Yamamoto, the producer, has said that the intention is to make the Hard Corps series into a brand new franchise. The player will play the role of Colonel Bahamut, along with other main characters. Konami
is looking into adding additional characters via DLC. The game released on Xbox Live Arcade
on February 16, 2011, and on the PlayStation Network on March 15, 2011.
Many new moves have been added. The character can dash, dash in mid-air, double-jump and deflect enemy projectiles by bouncing them back. Additional moves can also be purchased in Rising Mode.
Weapons include the standard rifle, the machine gun, the spread shot, the crush gun (shoots arcing grenades), the heat gun (shoots large blasts of fire) and the chain laser (homes in on enemy targets). As in Contra III: The Alien Wars
, the player can carry two weapons and switch between them at any time. By collecting the same weapon several times the player will improve its firing rate and power. Other weapon upgrades are available in Rising Mode as well.
, who is well known in composing musical scores in Guilty Gear
, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger
and also BlazBlue: Continuum Shift
.
' anime-style visual overhaul, praising the character artwork while criticizing the background details. "It's a shame this level of graphic detail doesn't always extend to the backgrounds as many of the levels range from passable to bland, with a distinct lack of personality that is also, unfortunately, a staple of what they do." Still, he recommended the game, especially to those fans worried too much might be lost in Konami's new interpretation of the series, saying "if your devotion to Contra is strong and faithful, yet willing enough to accept the new direction of the franchise, you’ll probably realize how change could be a good thing for this archetypal, yet aging lineage."
Arc System Works
is a video game developer and publisher based in Yokohama, Japan. It was founded by Minoru Kidooka in 1988. Arc System Works is best known for its arcade 2D fighting game, Guilty Gear and its sequels.-BlazBlue series:...
. It is part of the Contra series
Contra series
is a video game series produced by Konami composed primarily of run and gun-style shoot-'em-ups. The series debuted in as a coin-operated arcade game simply titled Contra, which was followed by the release of Super Contra in and several sequels produced for various home platforms.The in-universe...
and is a prequel to Contra: Hard Corps
Contra: Hard Corps
Contra: Hard Corps, released in Japan as and in Europe and Australia as Probotector, is a side-scrolling run and gun-style shoot-'em-up video game released by Konami for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in...
. Kenji Yamamoto, the producer, has said that the intention is to make the Hard Corps series into a brand new franchise. The player will play the role of Colonel Bahamut, along with other main characters. Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
is looking into adding additional characters via DLC. The game released on Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
on February 16, 2011, and on the PlayStation Network on March 15, 2011.
Plot
In 2613, the world is now ruled by an empire known as the Commonwealth under the reign of Tiberius. Neighboring nations have suffered under the Commonwealth's oppression and Resistance Forces rise across the land. However, so many Resistance Fighters have fallen to the overwhelming might of the empire, that their strength is now severely diminished. A group of elite soldiers rise through the ranks of the Resistance and band together to execute a desperate plan. The leader of this group is the war hero Bahamut.Characters
- Bahamut - An elite soldier of the Union Tribe rebel force and hero of the army. He currently serves as the team's leader even though he was once an elite soldier of the Commonwealth empire. He is the same Colonel Bahamut from Contra: Hard CorpsContra: Hard CorpsContra: Hard Corps, released in Japan as and in Europe and Australia as Probotector, is a side-scrolling run and gun-style shoot-'em-up video game released by Konami for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in...
. - Krystal - An elite soldier of the Union Tribe who has proven to be extremely skilled in battle despite her young age. She has been surrounded by war since childhood - her parents were killed by the Death Squad. She believes in Bahamut with all her heart.
- Harley Daniels - An elite soldier of the Federation Tribe who acts in tandem with Bahamut. He is a veteran soldier who fully stands by Bahamut and his abilities. He often looks for the fun and beauty of battle even though he does not like violence.
- Sayuri - A traveler from the Far East who opposes the Empire but does not belong to any particular Tribe. She possesses great skill in battle that rivals Bahamut. Her reasons for working with him are unknown.
- Leviathan - An elite soldier of the Commonwealth and a member of the Death Squad who reveres Tiberius greatly and swears his allegiance to the Empire. He has a burning hatred for his former comrade Bahamut after his defection from the Empire.
- Tiberius - The ruler of the Commonwealth calls himself the "Emperor" and has built his empire by invading neighboring nations. He organized his Death Squad to eradicate enemy armies.
- Geo Mandrake - An elite scientist for the Commonwealth who works in a secret weapons research facility and joins forces with Bahamut in order to protect his wife and daughter from the tyranny of the Empire.
Gameplay
Uprising features two main game modes, Rising and Arcade. In Rising Mode, players can collect points throughout levels which are then used to purchase various upgrades and customizations for weapons, armor and character abilities. Rising Mode also features a health bar, similar to the Japanese version of Contra: Hard Corps, allowing the player to take more than one hit before losing a life. Arcade Mode is a harder game mode in which the power-up shops are removed.Many new moves have been added. The character can dash, dash in mid-air, double-jump and deflect enemy projectiles by bouncing them back. Additional moves can also be purchased in Rising Mode.
Weapons include the standard rifle, the machine gun, the spread shot, the crush gun (shoots arcing grenades), the heat gun (shoots large blasts of fire) and the chain laser (homes in on enemy targets). As in Contra III: The Alien Wars
Contra III: The Alien Wars
Contra III: The Alien Wars, released in Japan as and in the PAL region as Super Probotector: Alien Rebels, is a run and gun game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System produced by Konami...
, the player can carry two weapons and switch between them at any time. By collecting the same weapon several times the player will improve its firing rate and power. Other weapon upgrades are available in Rising Mode as well.
Music
The game's soundtrack is composed by Daisuke IshiwatariDaisuke Ishiwatari
is a Japanese video game developer, illustrator, musician, composer and voice actor. He is best known for creating the 2D fighting game series, Guilty Gear. He designed the characters and storyline, and wrote the music...
, who is well known in composing musical scores in Guilty Gear
Guilty Gear
is a series of sprite-based competitive fighting games by Arc System Works and designed by artist Daisuke Ishiwatari. It is popular with fans for its detailed anime-style graphics, original characters, hard rock/heavy metal soundtrack, unique gameplay, and its numerous references to rock and heavy...
, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger
BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger
is a fighting game developed by Arc System Works. The game's name is a portmanteau of "blaze" and "blue," with the "z" sound omitted in the Japanese pronunciation, rendering it similar to the word "brave" in pronunciation....
and also BlazBlue: Continuum Shift
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift
is a 2-D fighting game developed by Arc System Works. The game is the official sequel to BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger. As with the previous game, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift first came to arcades before both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions as the game was currently released for the Taito Type...
.
Reception
Herman Exum of Popzara expressed mixed feelings about Arc System WorksArc System Works
is a video game developer and publisher based in Yokohama, Japan. It was founded by Minoru Kidooka in 1988. Arc System Works is best known for its arcade 2D fighting game, Guilty Gear and its sequels.-BlazBlue series:...
' anime-style visual overhaul, praising the character artwork while criticizing the background details. "It's a shame this level of graphic detail doesn't always extend to the backgrounds as many of the levels range from passable to bland, with a distinct lack of personality that is also, unfortunately, a staple of what they do." Still, he recommended the game, especially to those fans worried too much might be lost in Konami's new interpretation of the series, saying "if your devotion to Contra is strong and faithful, yet willing enough to accept the new direction of the franchise, you’ll probably realize how change could be a good thing for this archetypal, yet aging lineage."