The game is good, I liked it, the feeling of going back through old levels and mastering them to get another shot at making it deeper in and eventually beating the game is a gameplay loop I enjoyed. However, it frankly feels like this game just didn't earn a lot of those restarts. Attacks that came out without warning or were too fast to reasonably react to as a first time were where the majority of my deaths came from here, rarely did I actually die to a boss after learning what their attacks did and what their telegraphs were. It felt like it was forcing me to go back instead of me going back as a result of me not being good enough. But admittedly that isn't a terrible issue, the game (on a single run) is short, only taking about 6 levels to get to the end (at least on the path I took, I assume the others are around the same length).

The game has very high replayability, with 4 distinct characters to choose from and different level paths being available, which definitely helps the longevity of what would otherwise be a pretty short game.

The game aesthetically is wonderful, high quality visuals with a great soundtrack that perfectly fits the gameplay as well. I really love the sounds the Genesis produces in general, it makes for good music.

I think Contra Hard Corps was a good game, but it's overhyped, especially in the difficulty area. If this is the best the series has to offer, I'm unsure if I'll continue spending my time with Contra. I do hope to complete the other paths of this game in the near future though, maybe I'll change my mind on it after I truly finish this one.