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Penny Arcade Expo 2010

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No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle Hands-On

By Ricardo Torres

PAX 2009: We try out Suda 51's next entry in this fun and eccentric Wii action game.

Suda 51's development studio Grasshopper Manufacture first introduced players to Travis Touchdown and the eccentric residents of Santa Destroy in 2006's fantastic No More Heroes, an original third-person action game for the Wii. Travis and company are back in No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, which is due early next year for the Wii. The first demo of the upcoming game was playable in Ubisoft's booth on the Penny Arcade Expo 2009 showfloor.

Who's Making This Game: Grasshopper Manufacture.

What The Game Looks Like: Although NMH2 sticks to the graphical style of the original game, there are a number of enhancements. From what we saw in the demo, No More Heroes 2 has undergone some graphical tweaks that give it a sleeker look. The character shading has been refined, and Travis sports a higher level of detail. The onscreen interface is roughly the same, although there's a goofy revamp of the energy katana charge interface that's well in line with the game's irreverent sense of humor. The only hitch is the game's camera, which, as in the original game, can set itself at some irritating angles.

What There Is to Do: The demo let us go through a few rooms and beat suit-wearing enemies into pulp, collect pizza, and then face off against a boss. Although the action was short and sweet, we were able to get a feel for combat, including the new dual energy katanas, and the totally insane storytelling. The combat segments were set along the rooms and halls in what appeared to be an opulent mansion that led to the boss. The boss encounter was, in true NMH style, ridiculously over the top. Honestly, when a fight kicks off with Travis and his foe (a boom-box-wielding villain who looks like a demented hip-hop artist), it can only go up from there. As if the fight couldn't have been more surreal, Travis' opponent shot rockets out of his boom box while lasers shot out of the ceiling.

How The Game Is Played: The NMH2 demo played very much like the original game. You'll use the remote and nunchuk to move Travis around. You'll perform slash attacks with the A button, and kicks and physical attacks will be assigned to the B button. The B button attacks can be charged by holding the button down. The direction you hold the remote in will affect Travis' stance, alternating between high and low, which is key for attacking and blocking. When your energy katana runs out of juice, you'll hit the 1 button to go into recharge mode and be required to shake the remote to build up a charge. The 2 button calls up an in-game weapon menu to let you switch between single or dual katana wielding. The C button lets you reset the camera, and the Z button lets you guard and lock on to a target. Shaking the nunchuk lets you perform a jumping slash. Finally, the D pad lets you perform an evasive roll. While performing the combos, you'll get motion prompts for the remote to perform finishers, as well as dual remote and nunchuk motions to perform throws. As before, the system works well and feels responsive.

What They Say: Ubisoft reps on hand were clearly pleased with the demo and pointed out the evolution of the action and humor from the first game.

What We Say: No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle makes a good and hilarious first impression. The game looks sharp and plays well already, which has left us excited to dive in with more of the game. If you were a fan of the original game, NMH2 is for you. If you never tried the first game, NMH2 will be a good chance to find out what you've been missing out on.

By Ricardo Torres

52 Comments

  • Nova_Mongoose

    Posted Oct 28, 2009 4:27 pm GMT

    Finally, a Wii game I'm really looking forward to

  • wolf0

    Posted Oct 24, 2009 3:44 pm GMT

    got a wii just for no more heroes will have to get a new one just for part two

  • lastcamie

    Posted Sep 18, 2009 2:13 am GMT

    No more heroes the game that a wii owners once time ago been praying and now .... if the 1 is not satisfactory WE HAVE N o M o r e H e r o e s 2 D e s p e r a t e S t r u g g l e every thing will gonna be awesome ... just look the past game .... was so crazy ..... Im will buy a 360 and Project Natal Just to play the f...ing nightmare of travis ..... I hope dont be directly like GTA on 360 because ...i dont want to se travis .... on a fuc...ng car .... i want to see him on his bike .... BUT MAYBE ON 360 Travis can slash cars or smashing it with his motor cycle .... and if he is out of control .... hold cars jajajajajaj COULD BE AWESOME ..... no more heroes its a game ... so its not my type of game like GTA .... its more like a f.... crazy zelda but with a lots of galons with blood .... and a F...ing character with a bad ass personality .jajajajaja

  • AngryAngel10

    Posted Sep 10, 2009 3:28 pm GMT

    I would love to keep all my money! XD

  • AngryAngel10

    Posted Sep 10, 2009 3:28 pm GMT

    Do u think we will get inheirtance from the first game?

  • LinkLuigi

    Posted Sep 10, 2009 7:49 am GMT

    @CapeCod

    I couldn't agree more. It got insanely repettitive with all that rushing back and forth, having to work to play the game. I had tto work to get the game, now I have to work more to have fun?

    That, and I hope they fix up that whole "free range motorbike" thing. I can't say how annoying it was to drive all over the place, from long destination to long destination, with nothing to really do in between.

    Still, the first was incredible, but these flaws kept it from being perfect.

  • CapedCod

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 9:18 pm GMT

    All I hope for is:

    1) Less emphasis on obscure odd jobs
    2) More replay value

  • Nintendoood

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 10:46 am GMT

    Ah man this is gonna be epic. Travis pwns. Already seems as though it will be better than the original. If it is longer than the first one it may just be one of the best games of the year! In 08 i'd say NMH/Brawl/Zack & Wiki were the top 3 Wii games. C'mon Suda let NMH2 completely pwn rival console releases! And Nintendo i love you but bloomin' advertise this one a little more please.

  • masterds64

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 7:50 am GMT

    must...get...this...game..

  • jetstopia

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 5:27 am GMT

    Though the first one was a bit boring but the boss battles were really cool

  • Nuirako

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 9:36 pm GMT

    This game is gonna epic. The first one had crazy bosses and I hope this one exceeds the first one with the boss fights. Although I would still love both no matter what. ^_^

  • Nuirako

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 9:36 pm GMT

    This game is gonna epic. The first one had crazy bosses and I hope this one exceeds the first one with the boss fights. Although I would still love both no matter what. ^_^

  • jadefury27

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 2:56 pm GMT

    capcom should'a kept a grip on this one.
    he would have made a nice edition to the marvel vs capcom series or another title.

  • striking_

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 2:55 pm GMT

    if your interested go to ign they have new vids of the game

  • chappy_man

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 2:42 pm GMT

    cant wait

  • bluesteel13

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 1:11 pm GMT

    Excited for the sequel,it is going to be great.

  • DamnedApples

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 10:06 am GMT

    Would totally get this if I owned a Wii. Nintendo doesn't support their third-part devs very well, but occasionally some gems make it through nonetheless.

  • cadc

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 10:00 am GMT

    Raspberry Chocolate Sundae!

    Enough said

  • djghostwolf

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 9:58 am GMT

    I Never Got To Play the first one but i am looking forward to this one im monitoring this game

  • Rottenwood

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 9:27 am GMT

    Oh, Travis Touchdown. You and your antics.

    Kinda funny, but with everyone whining about how the Wii 'killed' hardcore gaming, the original NMH buries any of the action games on the other two platforms. C'mon, you had a drunk dominatrix in a trailer park hitting her slaves at you with a baseball bat. InFamous couldn't hope to lay a finger on that brand of genius.