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Several years after his debut, part-time assassin/full-time otaku Travis Touchdown makes his formidable comeback to the Nintendo Wii, in what may be his last No More Heroes title to ever grace the platform. Developed by Grasshopper Manufacture, under the direction of Goichi Suda (aka Suda51), No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle brings back everything we've come to know from the original hack-and-slasher, and removes (almost) all the needless tedium that stained its pacing. Desperate Struggle is a fine example of how to properly handle a sequel, without having to enrage fanatics and at the same time, draw some newer ones. Even though it's his second game, Travis himself hasn't changed all that much. The main protagonist continues being the driving factor behind the all-around weirdness that surrounds his hometown - Santa Destroy. It helps having a likable guy like Travis, even if his questionable "procreative" antics and low-tolerance for fatuity may seem a tad off-putting to first-timers. Likewise, he finds himself once again at the forefront of the United Assassins Association. The overall objective still remains: to be the number one ranking assassin of the UAA, and to get in bed with its continuing-sponsor Sylvia Christel. If that wasn't enough, Travis is also determined to take down the people behind the death of his close friend, Bishop Shidux. It's another journey spiraling down wacky euphemisms, sexed-up imagery, and lots, and I mean LOTS, of bloody decapitations. Add in the occasional bouts where Travis questions himself on certain sensibilities, plus giant robots, and you got yourself a noteworthy chapter to the No More Heroes saga. Whether you're soaking in its ultra-stylized production values, or looking for a good way to let off some steam, Desperate Struggle builds on its combat foundation formulated prior to its earlier entry. The difference is in the numbers: more beam weapons to toy around with, more enemy types to watch out for, more memorable (with a few "not-so" memorable) boss fights, and you even get some additional characters to play as. Desperate Struggle's beat-'em-up gameplay feels more akin to a brawler like Final Fight than the balls-to-the-wall complexity that is, say, the recently released Bayonetta from Platinum Games. But it's fleshed out and open enough to get into, and is only made more satisfying thanks to the ever-so delightful executions and boss encounters. On the other hand, playable interludes with Shinobu and Henry can be a hit and miss. Their play-style variations are welcome, but fail to capture the same intensity that focuses so much into Travis. Shinobu's segments also introduce platforming into the fighting mix, but the claustrophobic camera angles and air-time responsiveness make them feel alien and ill-bred. |
Tags: No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle , Wii
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