SAMTORO Operation Garga" goes on sale today! The legendary run-and-gun action game is back in the modern age! This is a painful game that pays respect to the series and is full of universal fun!

Shoot out big guns and defeat enemies one after another. The legendary run-and-gun action game "KONTRO" is back with a new look. This is "KONTRO Operation Garga," which will be released on March 12, 2024.

SAMURA" first appeared as an arcade game in 1987. Since then, the popular series has been developed for a variety of consoles, including the NES, Game Boy, Super NES, Mega Drive, and PlayStation 2. The game is still loved by core fans today as a masterpiece of the run-and-gun style, in which players shoot countless enemies with guns while breaking through courses by moving horizontally and jumping.

The title of the game, "Soul Dora," refers to "the strongest fighter who inherently possesses both the spirit of a hot dog and the qualities of a guerrilla fighter. The game features a series of climactic action movie-like scenes in which the Soul Dora fight their enemies.

The latest title in the "Somedora" series is "Somedora Operation Garga. The official website states that it is a "complete remake of the original "SONTOURA,"" but we feel that it would be more accurate to say that it is a reboot of "SONTOURA" using the setting of the first game. In other words, it is a new game that incorporates the essence of the previous titles while inheriting the basic rules and feel of the "Soul of War" series.

As such, there is no need to have played the previous titles in the series or to understand the storyline. It is also suitable as an introductory game. Produced by overseas developer WayForward, the company's "Soul of Dual Spirits" (2008) for the Nintendo DS is a work filled with affection for the early series, and this title continues in the same direction.

Bill and Lance, two Sokendoras with a hundred years of battle experience, infiltrate the Galga Islands, which have been invaded by the armed terrorist organization Red Falcon. They are joined by Ariana, a survivor of the tribe that protects the island, Lucia, the second-in-command of the Marine Corps who supports Soul Doula, and Provocateur, a military android, in their fight against the Red Falcon.

The series' traditional run-and-gun style is maintained in this title. It is exhilarating to shoot enemies as you run and run. Weapon items that appear in each stage include a machine gun with excellent rapid-fire capabilities, a spread gun that spreads bullets over a wide area, a fire gun that emits flames, a homing missile that automatically tracks enemies, a laser beam that emits a penetrating beam of light, and a crash gun that creates explosions. The shortcut to clearing the game is to use them according to the situation.

If two of the same weapon are taken, they will be ranked up and further strengthened, but if they take damage, they will return to their initial state. The key is how to maintain the weapon's enhanced state without taking damage, which requires memorizing the stage structure. This is the old 2D action game style.

Basically, the "Soul of War" series is a challenging action game that requires repeated trial and error, but in this title, the difficulty can be adjusted and the player can choose between the traditional "one hit to death" and the more durable "HP The HP gauge itself was a major feature of "KONTOURA THE HARDCORE," and at the time of its release there was some debate as to whether the life system detracted from the "KONTOURA" feel of the game, The game is not only a continuation of the tradition, but also a "new" version of the game.

In addition to the traditions, various new elements have been introduced, such as "Overlords," character personalities, and a "Bonus Shop.

Overlord" is a weapon that can be overloaded to produce special effects. Machine guns can create a barrier that makes them invincible for a certain amount of time, spread guns can cause bullets to bounce around the screen, and laser beams can slow down the flow of time ....... The effects are diverse. Some machine guns are particularly effective in certain situations, such as when you "overload" a machine gun and use it to create a barrier to get into a boss fight, or when you "overload" a laser beam to slow down the flow of time in a place where spiked traps are violently moving up and down. How well you use them determines how well you clear the game.

However, when "overloaded," the weapon disappears and the enhanced version of the weapon also levels down. It is effective to use them when the time is right, rather than randomly firing them. This new system enhances the playability of "KODORA," which allows players to learn the stage structure and improve their skills.

In the past series, players who were unfamiliar with the spread gun and other versatile weapons tended to use the same weapon for a long time and proceed with caution. The "overload" was designed to change this situation, and it shows a deep understanding of the series.

In addition, this time, it is possible to call up weapon items by consuming the gauges accumulated from defeating enemies. Once you understand these systems, building a pattern to systematically use "overload" is not only a dream, but also a challenging task.

The individuality of each character is also a point not to be overlooked. At the beginning of the game, only Bill and Lance can be used in the story mode, but as you advance through the stages, new friends such as Ariana and Lucia join. They have abilities such as two-step jumping and sliding, which broaden the scope of play.

Bill and Lance have high HP and double jumps. It is not uncommon to find yourself in a difficult situation where you were stuck with other characters, but with their help, you are able to break through, even though you are battered and bruised. The system also expresses how strong a fighter Soul Tora is.

Although Ariana has low HP, she can slide at high speed. Her sliding also has attack detection, which allows her to not only break through traps, but also to dispose of weaker enemies and advance faster and faster.

Lucia cannot jump two steps, but she can shoot out a wire and move to the ceiling at high speed, and her versatile spread gun can be used as a tame shot, which makes her play a little different from other characters.

As mentioned earlier, the "Soul of War" is a challenging series, but this time the difficulty can be lowered with the "Bonus Shop". The game can be played more easily by purchasing various special effects, such as "increase the number of remaining weapons," "weapons do not rank down when damaged," and "special weapons can be carried from the start.

To do so, you need "KODORA Coins," which can be obtained during the game. In addition to the coins obtained by clearing a stage, a certain amount of "Soul of War Coins" can be obtained even if the game is over, which motivates players to repeat the game.

Some of the special effects, such as the invincibility time on Bill's dash and the higher two-step jump of Lance, make the characters' personalities stand out even more, so it is hard to decide which one to buy.

The android Provocateur, an android equipped with a self-sustaining AI, is a fun addition to the game. The android can use hovering and wires by freely combining special items from the "Bonus Shop," but since there are only two equipment slots available, advance setup is crucial. The customization elements of the modern "Soul of War" have been successfully incorporated into the "Soul of War.

The stage development is based on the first "Soul of War" and is filled with the essence of the previous titles. The aqualung soldiers lurking in the waterfall are from "SoulTorah," the monster that grabs the player and carries him off into the air is from "SoulTorah Spirits," and the mooks running with missiles are from "SoulTorah the Hardcore" (......). Players who know the story of those days will be filled with a sense of nostalgia. Players who know the history of the game will be filled with nostalgia.

The boss waiting for you at the end of the stage also carries on the "Soul of War" series' flair. A wall full of weapons blocks the way, a giant monstrous creature crushes the enemy base and goes on a rampage, a giant mecha runs on two legs after SoulToura, and a robot shatters the wall and appears ....... Even those who are not familiar with the series will be astonished. The fact that these bosses attack with such ferocity is also typical of the "Soul of War" series. The player will be pleased as he or she progresses, and will feel a sense of elation when the game is won.

This game is a reboot of the "Soul of War" series and is filled with respect for its predecessors. The game's universal appeal as a run-and-gun 2D action game is expressed in the fact that players can easily progress through stages without much hesitation as they improve their skills. New elements such as "Overlord" and "Bonus Shop" also work well with this appeal. In the former, progress is more noticeable, and in the latter, in addition to adjusting the difficulty level, it is interesting that the game leaves the option of not equipping special effects for those who have become accustomed to the game.

In terms of the storyline, there is a setting that connects to "Soul of War: The Hardcore," such as "Lance has adopted a boy named Rei," and the series' traditional catchphrase "Soul of War is the name for the strongest fighter who has both a hot fighting spirit and an innate talent for guerrilla tactics," is interpreted in this work in a narrative way. The respect can also be seen at ....... Another point is that there is a clear difference in athletic ability between Bill and Lance, who are Soul Doula, and Lucia, who is not. In previous titles in the series, the player character has always been a Soul Dora, but in this title, the presence of Lucia, who is not a Soul Dora, emphasizes the strength and meaning of being a Soul Dora, and the love for the Soul Dora is heavy.

The appeal of this work lies not only in the fun of practicing and getting better, but also in the flamboyance of the battles. The game has been designed to divide users into two modes: the "Story Mode" for those who want to increase the number of characters they can use and enjoy the storyline, and the "Arcade Mode" for those who want to enjoy a quick run-and-gun game without the flashy action.

The story and system have been rebooted, so it is possible to start playing the "Soul of War" series with this title. A demo version is also available for each platform, so it would be a good idea to try it out first.

(Text by Shinichi Yanamoto)

Title Information

Soul of War: Operation Garga

Maker ：KONAMI

Genre ：Action shooting

Release Date ：March 12, 2024

Player : 1 to 4 players

Suggested Retail Price ： 3,850 yen (including tax)

Compatibility ：Nintendo Switch, PlayStation5, PlayStation4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Steam)

CERO rating ：B

ⓒKonami Digital Entertainment