This peculiar mature dose of carnage the Wii needs is a must play.
Starting at number eleven, Travis receives all his info on the next target by the sexy tease Sylvia, a woman that leaves him drooling at the sight. Each upcoming target is held up with a small army which must be slice & dice with the beam katana, along with cockiness in the form of Spider-Man banter. Sounds simple, kill ten hired guns, collect some coins, obtain some upgrades/collectibles before traveling back to the motel (the titular No More Heroes) to save the game by dropping your pants in the manner most replenish health. Simple, yes… but more along the lines of fun, entertaining and additive.
Once an enemy is locked in the crosshairs, swordplay is achieved by hitting A, or melee combat by B. The life bar reaches zero to let a "finishing blow" commence by swinging the remote up, down or side to side. Each kill rewards with money, used then to get sword upgrades, melee wrestling techniques or optional clothing. Boss battles are lengthy & challenging, worthy of their own highlight reel. Before each rank battle, a fee must be reached, earning coin by chores, trash picking, fruit collection, lawn mowing or the odd assassin job. The GTA inspired world lets you explore but doesn't really give the offer as it serves the player as a highway from point to point.
The colorful world, cel-shaded characters are easy on the eyes, spoken with excellent voice acting. The whole original game is definitely one that should be played, especially for those who enjoyed Killer 7 or any Quentin Tarantino, Chuck Palahniuk fan. The story, why not entirely new or fresh, delivers some twists that keeps the player motivated to swing the katana some more. The violence, language, sexuality and overall content is a great addition to the Wii, a system that was lacking on adult themed games. Those with weak hearts need not apply.
Last Words: A-, violent gamers, sex deprived gamers, Jedi wannabes….your new favorite game is here.