gamingeek said:I can't remember, mostly it was nodding in agreement and then mildly disagreeing with one part. A part I can't remember.
Read it again and see if you remember it. It took me quite some time to write it, it deserves a proper response.
Moving on, guys who have not played it, any questions?
The final hour was nothing but a constant challenge and when I reached Shinjiro at the top of the mountain I truly felt that I had worked my ass off for our great showdown. The final swipe of my fully upgraded katana felt amazingly satisfying. I deserved this victory!
Time for an extended review.
I already made an conclusion that the challenge mode was nothing but a glorified DVD playback feature. In short you can choose a chapter and replay your favourite parts of the game. The problem was that the challenge mode fails as a high score attack game, because the chapter are way too long.
After playing the challenge modes some more and getting gold on 4 challenges, I will have to say that my previous statement was absolutely and horrible correct. Let's look at the length of one challenge.
One challenge the chase, is a good example. You start with the rooftop section under full moon. Then you do the whole train section, then there is the ghost town section and finally there is a bit where you have to escape with a train. So, that's like 4 levels for one challenge. Way, way too long for the "just one more try to improve my high score" feeling. That one time could last you 2 hours, yeah not very good.
The second problem is how it is scored. You are scored under 3 categories, difficulty, live and money. Well difficulty is simple, higher the difficulty, the higher the score. Live is also straightforward, the more you die, the lesser you score. The last one is the money you collected. This is what breaks any further high score attack. These 3 are added up and points are calculated from it. You get either a gold, silver or bronze medal and you high score is saved.
Well back to the money and why it breaks any skill. First if you finish your enemies stylishly you get 3 times the money you'd normally get, so far so good. But money can be found everywhere, by smashing everything. Bottles, trash cans, barrels, crates, chests, etc. You are not just going trough large levels improving your battle skills, but you are also smashing crates and stuff. This alone makes the completion time already at least twice as large, but the worst parts has yet to come. Are you ready?
After you leave the room all the destructible scenery regenerates, so you can smash the same stuff over and over again to earn infinite money. So the high score is not who's the best, but who is willing to smash crates for weeks. So one big failure it is as a high score attack mode.
But as a DVD playback feature it is awesome, if you want to replay your favourite boss or section you can do it, it goes a whole a lot faster if you are not smashing crates and doing all the side missions. I can't get enough the battle system, I even discovered a way to further increase the money you get from combo's.
If you deplete an enemies health until just a little remain, you will see a stab icon above their head. This one will be there permanently, until the enemy dies. You have to deplete the health of the other enemies too, and then finish them all in row with a special attack, like the rush or the shot. The first enemy you kill will give you 3x the money, the next one 4x money and so on. Quite hard to do, but it will wield the most money.
I also discovered a new way to deal with the spear ninjas. First I do the bear (earthquake) attack, which causes the ninja to stand on his stick to avoid the attack. Which makes him vulnerable to the guillotine. Jump and smack him of his stick, boy! My favourite combo against armoured enemies, if launching them in the air, jump after them, slash them multiple times until the fall back on earth armourless, and finish it by rushing toward them, grabbing their heads and smashing it on the floor. Heh, heh. So good.
Again the score remains unchanged, just wanted to explain the challenge mode for all those that were wondering how it was exactly (probably no one).
Ravenprose said:I still haven't finished the main portion yet. My wrist hurts from all the waggling.
Stop masturbating and play Red Steel 2 damn it.
Dvader said:Stop masturbating and play Red Steel 2 damn it.
Wanking doesn't hurt my wrist; I always take it slow and easy. 
You can't do that with Red Steel 2!
Mega64 has it right:
Dvader said:Stop masturbating and play Red Steel 2 damn it.
I was hurting so I couldn't be bothered to fight the ninjas. I started a new game up on ninja difficulty. Pain that you have to do the training again. I also think that the auto lock on works better now that I've tried it, makes it easier to switch enemy lock on.
Game didn't seem that much harder though. Like someone said earlier the bad guys dont get a bigger life bar and become bullet sponges. Which is a good thing.
What's the best way to use the rifle guys? It seems very slow and cumbersome. No scope either.
Should I be pumping up the rate of fire?
gamingeek said:What's the best way to use the rifle guys? It seems very slow and cumbersome. No scope either.
Should I be pumping up the rate of fire?
Head shots are key. Upgrade the sidewinder fully, to see deadly results. It is more of a sniping weapon, the rate of fire will remain low even if fully upgraded. It will kill most enemies in one or two shots when fully upgraded.
Iga_Bobovic said:gamingeek said:What's the best way to use the rifle guys? It seems very slow and cumbersome. No scope either.
Should I be pumping up the rate of fire?
Head shots are key. Upgrade the sidewinder fully, to see deadly results. It is more of a sniping weapon, the rate of fire will remain low even if fully upgraded. It will kill most enemies in one or two shots when fully upgraded.
It has a really cool looking finishing move as well.
Ravenprose said:Iga_Bobovic said:gamingeek said:What's the best way to use the rifle guys? It seems very slow and cumbersome. No scope either.
Should I be pumping up the rate of fire?
Head shots are key. Upgrade the sidewinder fully, to see deadly results. It is more of a sniping weapon, the rate of fire will remain low even if fully upgraded. It will kill most enemies in one or two shots when fully upgraded.
It has a really cool looking finishing move as well.
You mean when you stick it to their stomach and let them fly? Yeah it is cool, not as cool as the handgun finishing move, though!
Iga_Bobovic said:You mean when you stick it to their stomach and let them fly? Yeah it is cool, not as cool as the handgun finishing move, though!
True. That was my most used finisher. 
Iga_Bobovic said:So what were you comments!
Speak dammit!
I read through your impressions again, still cant remember what I said. I think it was about how a WRPG would greatly benefit from this set up.
gamingeek said:You mean the gun to temple move? I dont seem to have access to that one. Should probably upgrade my moves more. I have about $750'000 in the bank.
To get the head ventilation move, you need to learn the shot special move.
Once the enemy has a stab icon above his head, which can be caused by almost killing an enemy, head shotting, using the matador, using the dragon, using the storm or using the ram.
Once the enemy has a stab icon, use the shot to finish him in a brutal manner.
Tried it last night. Good stuff.
Just got knocked out by that dude in the cutscene. How far from the end am I?
So what were you comments!
Speak dammit!