Xbox 360
It appears that the developer's of Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond are trying to use Contra as a medium for showing a bunch of levels based on popular games and films, such as Bioshock, Mirror's Edge or Back to the Future. It's supposed to be likeable and funny.
The story tasks Matt to stop an old enemy killing a younger version of himself, hence Matt has to go after him through time and computer servers. All filled with video game classics and guided by an IT guy. You get the impression that the shakiness of the plot is supposed to be a joke on the general weaknesses of video game plots, but it's generally not funny enough to work.
The gameplay feels Contra enough to work, but it's harsher than Contra on any difficulty aside from easy, and it's not as responsive. For those too young, Contra was a side-scrolling shooter with power-ups and conveniently slow-moving bullets. Blood Bath and Beyond uses the same mechanic, down to the blue-orange oscillation of enemy projectiles.
Aside from the standard levels, you'll play a Pachinko style end level mechanic which uses rag-doll physics and a Lunar Lander type mechanic. Pachinko is essentially what the Peggle games are based on. In Blood Bath and Beyond, the rag-doll based Pachinko comes up every time you finish a level, and you get an extra turn for every token found in the level. It's as fun as playing real Pachinko, aka slightly hypnotic but you're acutely aware at how pointless it is. Not literally though as it does provide bonus points for your overall score at the end of the level.
The Lunar Lander mechanic is a bit better, since it's grounded in stronger video game roots and is actually applicable to the story. That's on account of you going to the moon later on, but you can also choose to play that bit again on its own after completing it in the main story.
Graphically, it's all very passable, generally looking impressive enough to show what's being alluded to but never really good enough to elicit any awe. The bigger issue at hand is it never looks as good as the 2.5D games we've seen in recent years: Bionic Commando Rearmed, Ultimate Ghosts 'n' Goblins or Shadow Complex immediately springing to mind. It feels like a problem that arose from the lack of a good design document, rather than from lack of technical prowess or funds.
The physicality of things comes down to whether or not you like the way blood and body parts splatter everywhere. It's entirely down to whether or you like the humour or not, seeing as it seems to be deliberately over the top.
Oddly, the audio supports very high quality output methods, though its sound effects and music never really seem to necessitate them.
Featuring eight levels, lasting probably no more than 30 minutes apiece, the game clocks in at under four hours on the first play through. Unfortunately this makes it seem like a poor deal for £9.99, given the other content on the PSN.
That said, if you've a soft spot for Contra and like the idea of it referencing pop culture, go for it. In fact, the Mirror's Edge level of Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond is done quite well. Trouble is, most of the other references are better served by having a look at the community levels in LittleBigPlanet.