Contract Killer sets its aim for Xbox Live on Windows Phone this week

By Paul Acevedo
last updated

Ready for another freemium Xbox Live game this week? Good news then, because Glu Mobile’s Contract Killer launches this Wednesday (if not a few hours early). Today, we exclusively debut the Windows Phone version’s trailer.

Contract Killer is a first-person sniping game in which the titular assassin takes on secret missions for a variety of clients.  He’ll choose from dozens of sniper rifles, machine guns, and other NRA favorites in order to dispatch his foes. Each mission comes to life in a realistic 3D environment populated by multiple people. Find the right target, swipe to aim your gun, steadying it if necessary, and press Fire to ruin the bad guy’s day.

Each mission costs a certain amount of energy to take on. Energy restores over time, but you can also purchase snacks with Microsoft Points and get right back in the action. As with Gun Bros and Bug Village, the PDLC here is completely optional and just lets you get through the game quicker. Just buy something if you like the game, or spend nothing if you don’t.

Contract Killer will hit the Marketplace on Wednesday, July 18. Like Gun Bros, it’s free and includes 200 GamerScore worth of Achievements.

That brings us to the elephant in the room… Last week, Glu Mobile’s twin-stick shooter Gun Bros got off to a rocky start. The game is plagued by excessive load times, network issues, and other bugs. It’s a shame because if you look past these problems, Gun Bros is actually quite addictive and has some great social features.

Glu is definitely aware of these issues with the game. They’re working with Microsoft to resolve them with an update as soon as possible. A small number of players have also reported items disappearing from their inventories. Thankfully Gun Bros items can be restored regardless of the update’s arrival. Just submit a ticket at Glu’s customer support website and they’ll take care of you.

Paul Acevedo
Paul Acevedo

Paul Acevedo is the Games Editor at Windows Central. A lifelong gamer, he has written about videogames for over 15 years and reviewed over 350 games for our site. Follow him on Twitter @PaulRAcevedo. Don’t hate. Appreciate!

50 Comments
  • WOOT! I hope its gona be as good/fun as Gun bros , :)
     
    FYI: if your looking for Bro's: http://forums.wpcentral.com/marketplace-games/194846-3.htm#post1682608
     
  • Glad more "free" XBL games are coming... That's what was promised when the platform came out... The support from these big name brands will be a + for WP7(8). Now Angry Birds needs to get in the boat BC their price is ridiculous compared to their multiple "free" games on other OS's... jejeje (don't get mad, just a j/k)
  • Hmmm, not for me I'm afraid. Don't like that made up word for a glorified demo.
  • 'Freemium' is not a demo... It's the full, unfettered game. You only pay to make it easier or unlock special items
  • Semantics. Pay to win then ? Either way I'm not cool with the concept, the day these companies sell the game the complete game, like in this case - play whenever and for how ling you want, side by side with this crippled "free" version for whomever feels more confortable with the traditional capitalist way of doing business, I'll eat my hat.
  • Isnt the game free and lets you play the entire game instead of locking you out at level 2? Not sure what the problem is here, it is free, you pay for items. Kind of like DLC.
  • do like I do and only use your Microsoft points that you earn using Bing...been buying all sorts of things for gun bros using my Microsoft points from Bing!!!
  • What?
  • Bing rewards. You can earn free Microsoft points among other things. Try it out.
  • Never heard of it. I'll have to Google it :P :P :P
  • I've earned well over 4000 mp so far.
  • Fou the US only...too bad
     
  • @SlayerSpecial - "Semantics. Pay to win then ?"
    No, that's still not accurate and it's not "semantics" at all. There is no pay wall in the game meaning there is no requirement to purchase anything to complete the game which is what your "pay to win" implies. Purchasing items is purely optional an enhances the game but it is not required. And I don't see how it is "crippled". Throwing in "transitional capitalist way of doing business" is also irrelevant and makes ZERO sense. The free market is about trying new models--if the market responds positively, then they are meeting demand. Glu has proven over and over there is a market for freemium games. I can' think of a more "traditional" example of a capitalist enterprise. If you don't like it, that's totally fine but don't try to undermine the model by spreading misinformation about it and using pseudo-economic gobblygook.
  • Hey chill mate, this is supposed to be an opinion forum innit ? I feel kinda bullied tell you the truth with your comment, since like you said it's "free" so I honestly doubt anyone will take my "vote with my wallet" (operative word being *my*), a overly opinionated European and don't try the game, no need to ask not to express myself about "freemium".
    Edit: And let me add, most times "freemium" (God, even the word is ulgy, phonetically and graphically - yes, I'm joking - just in case you didn't notice) games have their design made around getting money from users, which criples (my English sucks I know very few words, hence the crippled again, sorry!) them games. For further information note that there's a disclaimer saying this is my opinion, and mine alone.
  • Free is free. I applaud Glu for trying out a new capitalist venture. All the countries in Europe should try something new. Heck, the countries of the world for that matter. :)
  • I downloaded Crimson Alliance for free on Xbox Live. 
    I could not get past the first stage or something without paying $5 for a character.  So i paid $5 for a character. 
     
    This game, if i download the game for free, i can finish the game regardless if i pay for items or not or whatever they have for sale.  The gameplay will be the same, the graphics will be the same, the levels will be the same, and you probably get a selection of guns. 
     
    Up to you if you want to upgrade your gun or not, but in the end you are playing the same game as everybody else. 
     
    The game is releasing for anybody to play, of course companies and developers want to make $$$ who doesnt?  In this case, it is up to you if you want to give them some $$ by purchasing things in game that is NOT REQUIRED to play the game. 
  • Play the game... If you feel maligned by the freemium model then come back and complain. At the moment you're only stating false information that the game is somehow crippled or forces you to pay...
  • Oh I've played, playing games is my second language. I'm sorry to state an opinion that differs from the majority, this is clearly not a games centric site, it's kinda expected to be bullied when trying to discuss this model which has an impact on game design, either you want to admit or not. I don't like it at all, and use colourful language, need to lean to be boring.
  • And yes, you're right that it has affected the game design. There were a few parts in Gun Bros where I thought "really, you expect me to pay real money for that item??". For example, normal games would give you health-packs on the levels, but you're intentionally starved of them to force you to buy them.
  • You can buy health packs with coins earned from the levels. There's no need to spend Warbucks on them.
  • Yeah, sorry I should've mentioned that. I found early on that I had no coins, and low health, so the only option was to buy warbucks (not that I bothered) or run around until I died. The main point I was trying to make is that the levels are intentionally designed so that you are starved of health, so you either have to buy health-packs or buy better gear so you don't lose as much health. Either way results in you repeating levels to get more coins, or using real money. 
    Although, I guess that does improve it's replayability.... assuming you can even play the game. After a few days of playing, mine is now stuck on the main screen after loading, and I can't actually start playing :(  
  • Sorry mate, I didn't intend to "bully" anyone. I was just trying to set the record straight that "freemium" isn't a demo or forces you pay. Personally, I find the model less intrusive than ads, and we're getting some high-calibre games for free...
  • @SlayerSpecial--didn't mean to bully or imply that and you're free to say whatever you want, but  expect pushback if what you are saying is not accurate.  I have no problem with criticising freemium games either (and agree, the word is ugly) but there are legit reasons and not so legit e.g. being connected to a server all the time to use things is a PITA or feeling pressured to spend money. But I applaud innovation even if I disagree with it (truth be told, I'm fine with paying $5 for a game and that being the end of it).
  • Thanks for the nice comment. Just to end my contribution let just say I don't hold grudges, in fact I usually like and agree with schlub's comments, and Daniel is a great writer and I like his work, Paul is the man, et cetera, but I do state my opinions, and I've been told I have a funky English.
    Later!
  • To be fair I wasn't aware English wasn't your native tongue when I first read your comments as they're actually written about as well as most other commentators on this site.
  • @SlayerSpecial Thanks mate :) I'd hate for you to feel that you couldn't express your opinion in future! Keep them coming! :)
  • It's not crippled AT ALL. You can still play and finish the entire game. Paying is just for perks that don't affect the outcome.
  • I've been waiting for this. Hope it was worth the hype.
  • Its cool on Android but some of the ports such as Bug Village and Gun Bros lack features
  • Can't wait!
  •   oh man ....still no sonic cd & sonic 4 episode 2? back in march they say sonic 4 ep.2 comes to windows phone in july ... one more week to go but i dont think we will get sonic next week *-*   and where is sonic CD? LOL SEGA says December 2011 that the game become available for windows phone EARLY 2012 .....EARLY :D   i'm totally angry ... no release date's and no one knows anything. sega says its ms fault, microsoft says i should ask sega.... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH   i'm glad that i got mirror's edge ... that is what i hate about windows phone ... no one knows anything about anything :P
  • With you on that, still eagerly awaiting Sonic 4 Ep 2.
  • Temple Run had the same level of no one knows anything when it was said to come to Android. I really do want both Sonics though. I for one mastered to the originals controls on the phone.
  • Add me on gun bros @mofade level 68 Beware peeps i update my lumia 710 last night to mango or tango which ever latest and i played gun bros this morning and everything that i didn't have equip to me is gone i doubt this occur because of the software update it could just be a regular game bug
  • open a ticket on the gun bro site and they will give you back the items.
    PS added you :)  i'm only mid 20s but playing more and mroe.
  • "The Contract Killer" - wrestling that pesky retentions team to get you a better deal or a way out... so you don't have to!
  • Love the freemium angle because I can try the whole game out, and if I like it, I can go even more in depth with extra stuff. If it's not for me, or I only like the game so so then I'm not out any extra cash.
  • Gun bros rock!!!
  • Wow complaining over a free game?
  • The graphics look cool. I'm gonna give it a try.
  • The trailer reminds me of the game trailers in the late 80's early 90s where the trailer hype, and the graphical display & game play didn't match up. https://www.youtube.com/supported_browsers?next_url=3Fapp%3Ddesktop for my favorite old time video game trailer by Atari
  • I've definitely got low expectations at this point, but since it's free I'll still check it out.  
  • I think I'll pass on this for the time being.  Let them sort out the bugs.
  • This game totally looks like another Deer Hunter 3D. Also a Glue title. Will this one have broken achievements too?
  • It's a shame about Deer Hunter, but since then, all of their games have had working Achievements (or been patched to get them working).
  • Yeah, but Deer Hunter on WP was never a free game. It's only $1 now, but used to be $3 or $5. Paying customers should receive a liitle bit more respect than that.
  • Gonna b another late one!!
  • Its up!!
  • Contract Killer is awesome just like this review which made me addicted to it.
    If you are a fan and wants friends to play with you, you may join this group on facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/ContractKilleWP
     
    P.S: if this post violates any rules, please accept my apology and delete it instantly
  • hi, how can I take a subcontract mission? when I speak with informer there is weapon icon activated on the map and countdown for subcontract (30 min), when its finished there is no active subcontracts and no changes on my map. please help