When I first heard about the original No More Heros, I just kinda said “Meh”. Then I saw a review for it on G4TV and despite their shining review, I thought…”Meh” and quickly forgot about. I did the same thing when I heard about the sequel No More Heros 2: Desperate Struggle I couldn’t help but marvel at the fact that the game actually sold enough to warrant a sequel. When I was asked if I wanted to review I figured that it couldn’t hurt to have something new, I was after-all, feeling rather bored with my current selection of games.
From the moment I fired it up for the first time I suddenly became intrigued with the presentation. It struck me as grindhouse style kitsch which I’m actually a fan of. It has copious amounts of unrealistic gore, massive jugs on the game’s narrator (who I might add is also dressed as a nurse and the camera is fixed to her chest) and some rather blatant penis and poo jokes. No really…He sits down in the crapper to with a magazine to save, he also shakes his beam katana to recharge it and it looks like he’s flogging the bishop.
The game take place 3 years after the original as Travis Touchdown in the city of Santa Destroy California. Travis is told that he’s no longer ranked #1 in the UAA (United Assassins Associations – I count the word “Ass” in there 3 times…coincidence? I think not) and must now rise through the ranks to get revenge for his best friends murder.
If you’re familiar with the original game, then you already have a pretty good idea of how the controls work but, if you’re not a veteran of the series then, Travis wields a “Beam Katana” as his weapon of choice and he strings together combos using wrestling moves and Katana attacks to dispatch his enemies. During the game Travis is tasked with various remedial jobs that play out like old school 8 bit Nintendo games of yore complete with frustratingly inaccurate controls (I’ll assume that was done on purpose) which earns him money for weapon upgrades, and allows him to improve his strength, health and combos.
The graphics are as sharp on the Wii as anything else on the system. The voice acting and dialogue is suitably cheesy as it fits in well with the title.
All in all I would say that despite my original thoughts on the game and the low expectations I had, I’m pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had playing this game. I even just may go and hunt down the original so I can see what transpired the 1st time around.
Pros:
- Grind House style presentation
- Unapologetic sense of humor
- Graphics
Cons:
- Frustrating controls in 8 bit mini games
- Little reason to replay
Feed Your Console gives No More Heros 2: Desperate Struggle an 8 out of 10.
Recent Comments