Neo Contra

Neo Contra is the second Contra game released on the PS2, after Contra: Shattered Soldier. It is the first 3D Contra, it plays like a 2D game with a bird's eye camera. The game stars Bill Rizer, the main character from the original Contra game and a new partner, Jaguar, a cybernetically enhanced warrior. While not a direct sequel to Contra: SS, elements from the game do tie into Neo Contra.

Plot
Story from the Neo Contra manual (US version):


 * 4444 A.D. - Earth has been transformed into an enormous prison. The relentless implementation of space colonization policies has put humankind at the zenith of prosperity. However, humanity's glorious history is clouded by the dark shadow of harshly oppressive colonial rule. Criminals, and even those deemed opposed to authority, are hunted down without mercy.


 * Those who are spared are incarcerated on the prison planet of Earth, ruined and ravaged by environmental destruction. There, chaos and violence rule supreme - no one sane or logical can expect to survive for even three days. Hell has come to Mother Earth.


 * But a new order rose from the maelstrom of darkness, its name - Neo Contra. Despite claiming the name of "Contra" - an elite force that saved humankind in the past - Neo Contra is nothing more than a bloodthirsty military posse bent on sowing unimaginable destruction and death wherever they appear.


 * Alarmed by the emergence of Neo Contra, the Federation Congress resurrected the greatest warrior in history from cryogenic storage to counter the threat. It is the return of the original Contra - Bill Rizer.

Controls

 * /: Move/Turn the character; scroll through menu choices
 * and : Rotate through weapons
 * : Directional lock (character faces the same way when you move)
 * : Movement lock (character stays in the same spot but can turn)
 * : Dims/Undims HUD
 * : Pauses/Unpauses; select options; skips cut-scenes
 * : Activates lock-on weapon
 * : Cancel
 * : Fire active weapon (non-lock-on)
 * : Spin-dodge; roll-dodge; confirm

Basics
Obviously your main goal is to get through each level and kill the final boss, however there are a ton of enemies and mini-bosses between the start of the level and the end boss. In addition to killing the bosses, if you want to get to all of the levels (not to mention see the real end of the game) you will have to get a 98% complete or higher on each level. Your percent complete works just like in Contra Shattered Soldier: every kill gets you a certain percent complete added to your hit percentage and every time you die you lose 1%. How much percent gets added when you kill something depends on what type of enemy it was. Stronger enemies give a higher percentage, while weaker ones only give a single percent. Minibosses, end of level bosses, and individual segments of bosses give percentage points as well, so you must destroy absolutely everything to get a perfect score. After each stage you are given a 'D', 'C', 'B', 'A', or 'S' rank depending on your final hit rate (after you get deducted for deaths and continues). Time and shots fired are not factors in determining your score.
 * S-Rank: > 97%
 * A-Rank: 95% - 97%
 * B-Rank: 90% - 94%
 * C-Rank: 75% - 89%
 * D-Rank: < 75%

In order to advance to stage 5 your average rank must C or better. To advance to stage 6 you'll need a B or better and to get to stage 7 you'll need a ranking of A or S. If your score an S rank after stage 7 you'll get a different ending as well. The goal of Neo Contra is not to simply beat all seven stages (not that hard), but to finish the game with an S rank.

There are also six different weapon sets which greatly affect the difficulty of the game, and three different playable characters.