| Developer | Publisher | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| 2ndBoss | 2ndBoss | Microsoft Windows-Xbox Series X/S-Xbox One-Nintendo Switch-PlayStation 5-PlayStation 4 |
Wild Dogs is a fast-paced 2D shoot ’em up that is reminiscent of good old Contra games with its retro style. In addition to the similar gameplay, even the story of Wild Dogs is the same cliché of attacking aliens and fighting space robots. The game succeeds in being nostalgic, and of course, it has a few flaws, which we will mention below.
The game starts like any other Contra title, especially the Hard Corps version. The character you control drives into the scene with his car, and the bullets begin to fly. Like the Contra formula, you always move forward, and you are not allowed to go back, regular enemies will appear endlessly and you can pick up health and guns by shooting flying objects. Your weapons are the standard weapons of the Contra series. As a result, Spread and Homing bullets will be very useful.
Each level consists of a series of sub-levels. At the end of each one, a boss fight is usually waiting for you. Until you finish all the sub-levels, the game will not be saved. This adds to the difficulty and makes older gamers perhaps enjoy the game more. So generally, the game is hard and even though the game hero is stronger than the characters of the Contra world and will not die by only one hit, finishing each level is not an easy task. Especially since sometimes the game gets very crowded, and it’s not simple to find enemy bullets to dodge them.
The game has an important additional feature compared to Hard Corps, it also lacks one. That means you can double jump, which increases your maneuverability. But you can’t tackle on the ground to safely pass bullets and enemies. Therefore, it is easy to get hit, which the developer has compensated for by increasing the amount of health. Also, the balance of the game is maintained due to having the ability to save so it is not impossible to finish the story.
An important flaw that can be found in the gameplay is the inconsistent pacing. Sometimes Wild Dogs introduce side activities such as controlling the hero’s dog or driving a car, which does not have the excitement and speed of the shooting levels at all. These things make you want to get rid of them as soon as possible and go back to the action. The most important strength of the gameplay is the numerous and exciting boss fights. Sadly these bosses do not have many different shapes and phases like the Contra series but instead, there are many of them.
Since this is a nostalgic game, visuals, and sound design is similar to the Game Boy era. Of course, other than green, there are many color palettes to choose from. Also, in the game settings, various filters are seated to make the game more like an old experience. All these things make the game much more attractive for a more aged audience. We don’t consider Wild Dogs perfect, but it is essential to those who love 2D Contra games. If you are a modern gamer, you need to be patient with its challenging gameplay. Especially since here you have to repeat levels and boss fights so that you can find a way to win over them. We only wish the game gets a two-player cooperative mode update soon.
The review code was provided by the publisher
| GAMEPLAY | ART | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| 80% | 80% | 90% |