A well-crafted rail shooter that does justice to a relatively unknown franchise.
In a universe divided by an outer space and an inner space, the sentient Creators from the latter dimensional expanse have crafted multiple Earths to cultivate human beings for the sole intent of orchestrating a defense parameter against potential threats from Outer space. Taking into account the inherent, aggressive nature of the human species, invading forces from the Outer space are dealt with rather violently, ensuring the safety of Inner space. But what the Creators didn't count on was that human beings suffer from one infallible flaw---emotional instability. If a human overrides their desire to kill another and opt instead to live in relative peace, the affected societal infrastructure is considered highly detrimental to the task at hand-meaning, any one of the multiple Earths found to have been indoctrined by "a peaceful humanity" will find itself on the receiving end of extinction. Players will take control of one of two young heroes---the Earth-born soldier Isa and his mysterious immediate companion Kachi, who are being targeted by the Creators . Seeing Isa as flawed and unstable, the Creators are left with no choice but to deploy a group of incensed Earth killers known as Nebulox, immediately marking him for death along with his newfound alien friend. Thus, it is for this reason that you will guide either of them through seven or so levels of frenetic, rapid-fire shooting action in an desperate effort to deter their pursuers by any means necessary.
You'll have the opportunity to choose between four different control schemes---the Wii Remote, GameCube Controller, Classic Controller, even the Wii Zapper. My personal preference lies within the Wii Remote simply because you can shoot with pinpoint precision with the Remote while the Nunchuck allows free-flowing movement of your character; however, no matter which scheme you decide to use, it'll work fine to your standards. Regardless of how you play Star Successor, the primary objective remains the same---shoot anything that moves or looks like a destructible object. In this manner, you'll rack up multipliers that will thrust your scores in the multiple digits, and the multipliers climb steadily with each enemy or object you destroy with either your rapid-fire blaster or a special lock-on laser. The multiplier also gets a boost from medals that are dropped on occasion from defeated small fry and larger enemies. (The multiplier drops each time you receive damage.) You also have access to a cool, successive melee attack for when enemies and threatening objects get too close. Not only is a melee attack more powerful than a standard shot, it can also deflect most enemies as incendiary projectiles that cause considerably heavy damage to anyone or anything foolish enough to be caught in the sight of your targeting cursor. This emphasizes a strategic combat element in cases when straight shooting isn't enough. As far as difficulty goes, Star Successor is one of those games that will throw everything it can at you while holding back a little so as not to seem overly unfair. Yes, there will be situations where you'll come face to face with unending enemy fire and waves upon waves of bullets that seem nearly impossible to avoid. And many of the end-level bosses can be quite unnerving. But, as is the case with nearly every other video game in existence today and yesterday (even those that aren't arcade shooters) , observance of enemy patterns and learning from your mistakes is absolutely crucial to success. Star Successor will not go out of its way to make you throw your Wii Remote in frustration, but it also won't make it ridiculously easy-cheesy for you either. It is a delicate balance rarely seen in most other arcade shooters, and a most welcome incentive for both hardcore gamers who love a challenge and casual gamers who prefer the difficulty just right.
Two players can play cooperatively, but before you get any ideas, it's important to note that this is handled a little differently than what you're accustomed to. While some of Star Successor's cutscenes give the initial impression of being able to play both characters at the same time, the opportunity, unfortunately, isn't there. One player controls a selected character's movement while the other handles the targeting cursor and shoots. This is somewhat discouraging for people who were expecting true cooperative gameplay as there's nothing really all that exciting about two players controlling one character---well intentions considered. Sadder still, there's no split-screen or online co-op to be had. But what Star Successor does offer, however, are online leaderboards. Thanks in no small due to the Wii's Wi-Fi, you can upload your scores for the world to see each time you successfully finish a level, giving the player more of a reason to go back to it multiple times as a means of maintaining a ranking against others or vying for the coveted top slot. You're given the chance to replay any level you've cleared, granting you more scoring opportunities in levels that you might be struggling with.
The graphics aren't ground-breaking, but they're far from bland. From ruined cities to lush forests and underwater tunnels, Star Successor indulges the player with a surprising amount of level variety. The music is appropriately shooter-techno and synthesizer; while not entirely memorable, it's good enough not to serve as a distraction. The English voice acting during gameplay and cutscenes are well-acted, but you can opt instead to switch to the original Japanese track; an option that, surprisingly enough, wasn't available in the original game.
Frenetic action on all cylinders, a diverse portfolio of gameplay environments and accessibility for gamers of any and every skill level make Sin and Punishment: Star Successor a worthy successor of a sleeper hit franchise that we're now just starting to get acquainted with. Although a disappointing two-player co-op mode hurts the package for cooperative gamers, it is still a fun rail shooter that holds it weight well on its own. Whether you've enjoyed the first game or are just itching for an immersive arcade shooting experience on the Wii, there's no Sin or Punishment in giving Star Successor a worthy shot---consider it a guilty pleasure.