The saga of Travis Touchdown continues in another great action game. However, not everything is perfect.

User Rating: 8.5 | No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle WII
I recently finished playing No More Heroes2: Desperate Struggle. How good of a game is it? Read on to find out… (May contain spoilers to No More Heroes 1.)

Graphics: The graphics in this game have been given a pretty significant facelift over the first one. They are still cel shaded, but this one goes for a more realistic look. Over all, it's very good looking. Combat is very stylish, the animations are solid, and the levels are fun to look at. Also, this game is just as bloody as the first one, for the most part. The reason I say "for the most part" is because the Assassin deaths are not really as gruesome as in the first game. However, enemies still shoot blood out of their bodies upon death, and there are some pretty cool death scenes for a few of the assassins. Also, it's worth pointing out that NMH2 pays homage to the 8 bit era of gaming with minigames that resemble NES games. The graphics are very charming for these, with some pretty funny animations. Also worth noting, is that a few characters from the first game have been given makeovers; Travis has some more bouncy hair, Sylvia dresses even less sensibly in this one, and the females in the game have some… well, interesting physics applied to them. Overall, this is a very good looking Wii game that makes good use of the hardware. 9/ 10

Sound: The sound in this game is even better than the first. For one, the soundtrack has been greatly expanded. The main battle theme from the first game is still here, but it is complemented by some other great battle tunes. The music outside the battles are also very good; the overworld map is absolutely rocking, the mini game music is insanely catchy in an old school kind of way and it is very fun to listen to. The sound effects have also taken a step up. For one, the voice actors give more great performances, and some new ones also give their great talents. Also, the enemies in this game will now shout a lot of expletives, so get used to it. Also expect Travis to swear much more often. Every time he gets knocked down, he yells the f bomb, and there is also much more swearing in cutscenes. However, as long as you don't mind, this game sounds very good, with great music, voice acting, and sound effects. 10/ 10

Story: This story is very different from the first. In the first game, the story was more as a means to send a message, hidden deep within the game. It was a comment on gaming, gamers, as well as America's (and the world's) need to be number one. It was a brilliant metaphor. This game, however, is more focused on simply telling a story. While there is some commentary, it's nowhere near as prevalent as in the first game. So, at the end of the first game, we learned that the UAA (United Assassin's Association) was a hoax put together by Sylvia in order to help Travis get revenge that he didn't even know he wanted. However, in the 3 years' time between this game and the first, people were put in awe by Travis's actions. Now, the UAA is real, and Sylvia is somehow put in charge again. So, Travis fights Skelter Helter, who wants revenge on Travis for killing his brother, Helter Skelter, in the first game. After defeating him, Travis learns that his best friend, Bishop, has been killed by hitmen. The person responsible for the hit is the number one ranked assassin, and so Travis sets out to once again cut, slash, and otherwise mutilate his way to the top. (He walked away from the number one rank in the first game. He is sometimes referred to as the "crownless king.")
There is a lot of weirdness in this game. I mean A LOT. It's odd, too, because, in the first game, there was kind of a point to it. However, in this game, it seems to be more thrown in for the purpose of it being there. Either way, it helps flesh out the world of Santa Destroy, and it adds a lot of charm to the game. However, not everything is all dandy. A lot of the Assassins aren't fleshed out very well; for the majority of them, we are given no explanation for them, and we don't even learn their names until after they die. This is a disappointing fact, but many of them are still charming and very eccentric. And, many times, the location of the fight helps add a lot. For instance, in one of my favorite boss fights, you are in an abandoned haunted house, and the assassin is a fat teenager/ young adult wearing a clown mask, loves to giggle, and carries a flamethrower that doubles as an axe. He never speaks, just laughs the entire fight. Some of the assassins leave some to be desired, but you will still find yourself charmed by their weird and quirky personalities.
Overall, while this game isn't really about sending a message, the story of this game is very entertaining, and is definitely worth seeing through to the end. 8/ 10

Gameplay: There are some pretty big changes made to the gameplay. Possibly the biggest one is the map of Santa Destroy. In the first game, the overworld was just there for you to ride around in. Aside from a few exceptions, it served no purpose besides to get in your way. In this game, it's removed completely. Instead, you simply select a place you want to go to on the map and, bam you're there. This is a pretty nice way to get around, and saves a lot of time. While it does shorten the game, it's a very welcome addition.
Combat also feels very different. While, basically, it is the same fighting system as before, it feels "looser." That's the only way I can describe it. You hit the A button, swinging the Wiimote in a direction the game tells you in order to kill dudes. It is still very entertaining to chop guys apart. Also, it is worth mentioning that you can now switch Beam Katanas on the fly. You simply press 2, and choose which one you want. This helps add to the strategy of the game. Two of the katanas have very different fighting styles, and each one is appropriate in certain situations. I really liked this addition, because, 1. It makes Travis look pretty badass to be running around with beam katanas on his belt, and 2. Different ones fit different situations.
Outside of combat, you can partake in side missions. In the first game, these were fun, but repetitive diversions. The minigames in this one, like mentioned a above, are basically NES minigames. One has you fitting Tetris esque pieces into a square, and pays you based on how fast you complete it. (Get ready for some mental gymnastics. It can be pretty tricky.) Another has you doing a racing style minigame, where you ride Travis's motorcycle and avoid oncoming traffic on your way to deliver pizzas. The minigames in this one are unquestionably more fun. However, they don't pay as well as in the first game. This isn't a huge complaint, because you won't spend as much as in the first game, but there are some very expensive things to buy. For instance, the second (and last) beam katana you buy from Naomi is 300000 dollars. This wouldn't have been a sweat in the first game, but, in this one, it takes a while to grind for that. (Unless you decide to exploit a certain trick in one of the games that gives you upwards of 100 k.) This can get tedious, especially since some of the games are quite tough. Speaking of tough minigames, the workout games in this one are insane. In the first game, between matches, you could go to a local gym and perform simple, easy minigames to increase stamina and strength. In this one, you can still do that, but the minigames are very tough. The one that boosts your health is tricky, but can be mastered with practice. You basically stay on a treadmill by mashing buttons and switching directions when the workout specialist changes the way the conveyor goes. However, the strength game is extremely tough, even on lower levels. You must punch, kick, and duck your way around obstacles that Ryan (the workout guy) sends your way. This is much tougher than it sounds, because the collision detection is off. Normally, this wouldn't bug me so much. However, you must pay every time you attempt to beat the minigame. You can lose a lot of money this way if you're not careful. Who decided this was a good idea is beyond me.
Another addition is that you can immediately access the next ranking battle in this one. They no longer cost any money. This means that you can essentially make the game as long as you want it to be. This is a pretty neat addition.
However, how are the ranking battles? As mentioned before, the locales for these are fairly interesting. Everything from haunted woods, to a hotel, to a strange, unknown dimension, this game covers a lot of ground. The boss battles at the end are fun, and have some good variety to them. One of the coolest ones is when you get to fight it out with a guy in a mech in Travis's gundam- esque robot, Glastonberry. There are some great fights in this game, and I won't say much past that for sake of spoilers. While Travis is ranked number 50, you actually fight around 15 bosses due to some extenuating circumstances. There is also a secret boss that takes place in a school, which is pretty cool.
There is also some cool stuff in Travis's motel room. You can help his cat, Jeanne, lose weight. (She's gotten huge in 3 years!) You can also play a top down shooter based on Travis's favorite anime Bizarre Jelly. This is a pretty decent time waster.
Finally, there are things called Revenge missions. Basically, these are supposed to be the guys who killed Bishop. They alternate between killing a certain number of enemies in the time limit and killing a certain target in the time limit. These are fun, but it is somewhat disappointing that the people you fight aren't more fleshed out. It feels more like these were put in as an afterthought. However, they are still fun, and unlock a cooler- than- you- would- think ability to make Travis not wear a jacket.
Speaking of which, the wardrobe is much expanded in this game. You can now customize everything Travis wears, glasses, jacket, t shirt, shoes, belt, gloves. It's a pretty cool addition over the first. There are some great new shirts, and the designs for outfits are much more unique this time around. (There is one that makes you look like you came straight out of a cheesy '80's sci fi movie.) It doesn't really add anything, but it's still a pretty cool change from the first.
The last thing I will talk about are the enemies. There are fewer than in the first game onscreen at once. However, they take more hits to go down. There is also a greater variety. There are still the basic beat em up and shoot em up bad guys, but there are also guys who fistfight, use chainsaws, and really tall guys who also have beam katanas. The variety is certainly welcome, and it helps you to make use of the multiple beam katanas at your disposal.
Overall, many changes were made to the game, some welcome, some not. This is still a very fun action/ beat em up game. 8/ 10

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is another great game. There are many improvements made over the original (you now just click where you want to go and you're there) but also a few steps back. (Minigames don't pay as much and the power up minigames are too hard to make you pay every time.) Despite any flaws, this is a game well worth playing. The graphics are great, the sound is fantastic, the story is very entertaining, and the gameplay is very fun. (There are even some surprises, like different playable characters at certain points.) As long as you don't mind over the top gore and a lot of adult content/ humor, this game is well worth it. I just hope this isn't the last we've seen of Travis Touchdown and Sylvia Christel. So long, and thanks for reading!