I didn't know much about Contra before the #VampireSurvivors collab. Just
It's not same Contras that Reagan dealt with
Nintendo Hard and the Konami code came from it
The spread shooter is an upgrade that lets you shoot 3 bullets at once
After playing the collab DLC... I don't know much more about it and, I'm sorry to say, it hasn't really gotten me more interested in the franchise. I don't mind paying $3 for more vampire survivors stuff though so it's not the end of the world.
There's a hidden mechanic for Santa Ladonna in the new #VampireSurvivors update. If you get the santa water, bible, and cross to level 8 while you do not have the attract orb, spellbook, and clover (their normal ascension items), next time you level up they will transform into hidden versions of the la borra, vespers, and swords. This frees up their weapons slots but prevents them from getting limit breaks. Also, unlike most hidden weapons, they do block you from getting their normal forms.
The reasons why it works are a story spoiler but it's a fun thing to play around with for those of us who love unreasonably powerful builds.
Unjust Ejection is a lot of fun on the new Carlo Cart level of #VampireSurvivors. Facing left means you can collect XP during this lap but you'll get twice the enemy count facing right.
I get why it doesn't exist from a balance perspective but I still wish #VampireSurvivors had an equivalent of the candy box but for passive items. When I'm only getting a few minutes of play in between orders at work I don't always remember what I was planning to do only to realize too late that I filled my passives with my favorite utility items instead of an evolution item that I'd never otherwise pick.
But seriously, Queen Sigma is so OP in #VampireSurvivors. Yeah, yeah, eggs from the Trouser Man are the way to break the game but Queen Sigma is so strong from the second she's unlocked.
The #AmongUs DLC for #VampireSurvivors does a much better job than I was expecting of capturing the feel of both. Yes, it's silly but still very fun.
A bunch of the enemies on the Polus Sector map are stationary until you get close enough or they're attacked. They are obviously bad guys so why go near them? But as things progress in the stage, they look enough like things you want to pick up (floor chicken, for example) that in the fray you might mistake them. It doesn't have to be a good disguise, just good enough to fool the corner of your eye for a half second.
Another well done choice was how they use walls and level design to force you to run from room to room. Walls in Vampire Survivors are selectively permeable with weird rules to begin with. The big thing they did in Polus Sector was allow your weapons fire to pass through walls but not your ability to pick up items. A consequence of this is you'll often wind up with enormous piles of rewards the next room over, giving you a strong incentive to go from room to room. You're constantly running around in Among Us but lots of strategies in Vampire Survivors reward sitting still once powered up enough. The choices of wall properties encourage you to play differently. That's good design.
I didn't check it out sooner because the art style turned me off
Even if you've played a bunch of #BulletHeaven#RogueLite games created in its wake, it's worth trying out
Seriously, I just noticed it was free with Play Pass and figured I'd give it a shot. Even though I've seen a bunch of people play it before, I didn't realize just how well the game is able to manage the player's stress and engagement. On my third run, I noticed just how much they tuned enemy and health spawns in response to stuff like your current health and how much you're moving. But, unlike what 99% of tech companies do with that power, the devs want to use those levers to maximize fun. I feel like I'm always on the edge of my seat moments from death even when I'm comparatively safe until the game wants a lull of letting me feel powerful before a sudden wall of a boss.
I used to run a lot of #DnD. I was good enough at it that people told me they made decisions about which cons to go to based on wanting to play at my tables (few compliments have ever made me feel that good). So when I say that it's hard even for experts to manage player engagement this well, I mean it.