| Platform | OVERALL |
|---|---|
| Wii | 8.60 |
| Overall | 8.60 |
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The Wii has been around for years now and sadly there aren't many games where one could say "this game can only be played on the wii". The potential of motion gaming is there but developers for the most part don't take much advantage of it, often times relying on tired and true kinds of control. Thankfully a team at Ubisoft took the challenge to make a full action game with the main focus being on motion control, not just any motion control, the new motion control +. The result is a special game which is a shining example as to why motion control gaming is the next evolution of our hobby. Red Steel 2 is a western themed ninja game and has the same gun and sword gameplay of the first with a lot more emphasis on the sword play this time out. Combat is fully executed using motion on the wiimote, it is your sword. Wiimotion+ allows for 1:1 tracking but that doesn't come into play much in actual combat. When you slash you basically slash in one of the major eight directions. You may also hold down A to enter blocking mode where you must orient your sword the right way to deflect, either vertical or horizontal. We are not sword masters, replicating true sword play will not work, instead they came up a system that works well for the game while making sure that the player doesn't waggle is way through. The majority of attacks still come in the form of combos and special moves you earn as you play. Stuff like dodge slashing or an uppercut slash which sends an enemy flying in the air at which time you can shoot him a la DMC or jump up to air juggle the poor bastard. Each move can also be used as a finisher which allows for some nice cinematic kills when enemies enter a stunned state, these finishers also lead to more money. Removing the motion aspect from the combat still leaves one very interesting and unique combat system that mixes sword play and gunplay. The motion controls add that extra immersive quality that really pushes the experience into something special. When 10 enemies come at you at once and you are deflecting shots, slashing down armored brutes and executing all sorts of stylish finishers one by one as if you are a master ninja, it's unlike anything I have played. You are the one doing the attacks, you are the one having to block the incoming attack with you movements, you get involved in a way buttons can't replicate. While I found the action to be constantly engaging sadly I can't say the same about the level design. Most areas are small empty towns with different paths that all interconnect. There is no map so often times you have to piece together the lay of the land. The best way to describe every area is empty. When you are no fighting goons the world of Red Steel 2 is very lonely. Breakable objects litter the streets, all they ever give out is a few coins. Many times side objectives have you look around for certain objects to collect or destroy, these leads to wandering around boring locations looking for said object. There are only NPCs at the base locations and they are very under developed, in fact the story is very basic. As you enter every new location the routine is the same, find the base and get new missions. Main objectives change throughout the game and some lead to some interesting areas and situations. Side missions are the collectathons, after a few areas you will see most repeat throughout the game. The only reward in the whole game is money which you use to upgrade all your weapons at the bases. Thankfully there is plenty to upgrade, your money wont go to waste. There are also special combat moves learned at certain points of the game, this keeps combat fresh throughout the lengthy campaign. Everything involving the combat is handled extremely well, I just wish it was paired with an interesting world that has an interesting story and great side quests. Red Steel 2 is a looker, I am convinced that cell shading is the way to go for Wii games. I think this is the best looking game on the console and it always runs silky smooth even with a ton of enemies on screen. The music is mostly forgettable using western motifs as its basis. Expect a 10-12 hour long quest which will leave you satisfied. There is a score mode that unlocks but the mode is ruined by a bad scoring system and poor mission spacing. This is one of the best third party games on the Wii. This is one of the best action games on the Wii. This is one of the very best examples of a game that can only be done on the Wii. If you have a Wii and like action games there is no reason not to have this game. It is a showcase for the motion controls and I wish more companies would take the time to make real well made games with motion control as the focus. |
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Posted by Dvader Sun, 28 Nov 2010 19:58:31
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robio (8m)
You can stab in the game too, so it's not just replicating the 8 directional slashes.
There is a map and you can hit the 1 or 2 button to get different views, but if you are talking about one big map that shows how and where every area connects, yeah it doesn't have that.
Agree with you on NPCs and story, seriously would it have been hard to make some form of half decent story and NPCs? Caldera was a ghost town outside of enemies.
Now I think you should get Goldeneye as it has great presentation and awesome, tight level design plus multiple ways to approach the combat.
You say that the motion controls were engaging, but does it hold up for longer gaming sessions (like over an hour)?