Foolz said:

The N64 controller was the stuff of nightmares.

You know, I never had a problem with it -- I mean, at the time I never even questioned it.  I had different ways of holding it depending on the type of game.

gamingeek said:

Did you change the swing strength to relaxed in the options?

Yes.

^ Colecovision, FTW! Those Super Action controllers look HUGE in pics and videos. I've never actually seen one in person, though.

Is one of them a telephone?

Now that's dedication

Iga_Bobovic said:

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).

That sounds terrible. I was so looking forward to a challenge mode in this game. Still have some way to go, great game but so much untapped potential

gamingeek said:

But also, this is the first time I saw the game running in standard definition.   Sweet Jesus, how did they manage to get the game looking so clear looking? It looks like I'm playing on a PC monitor and there is barely any aliasing.

That's the power of cell-shading!

I love the controls so much. Its so different, you do something so unlike every other game that it makes up for the poor level design. Great game.

aspro said:

Like what? Something to do with M+?

Honestly I don't even know why M+ is needed, the game really only needs to tell if you do a vertical, horizontal or forward strike, I am sure the wiimote could do that. Its probably for accuracy, every move I do is correct, I dont get that weird feeling that the game isn't registering what I am doing.

Its all about being the sword smith, I am swinging, I am blocking I am completely engaged into the combat. I am swing around in my chair like a crazy person, I am glad no one has seen me play the game. But I love that, it feels so right when you massacre a group of enemies.

Also the FPS controls are perfect. I love the wiimote for FPS but I dont really have much games that use it, this game does and reminds me why I want Move, so I can play games like Killzone and all major FPS like that.

This game is exactly why I love motion controls so much.

Also the level design is simple. I wouldn't call it bad. It makes sense when you realise what the games is like - a brawler. You can't even have FPS level design as you need largely square areas to face off with multiple foes at once.

Also, I love the FPS controls so much part of me wishes they had made a traditional sequel to Red Steel 1 with these controls. Or even do a New Play control version of the first game.