Travis Touchdown is back and more badass than ever!
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle continues the tale of punk anti-hero Travis Touchdown, the Japanese anime Otaku, and pro wrestling-obsessed assassin. Travis finds himself at the bottom of the UAA (United Assassins Association) rankings and must wage war to become the No. 1 assassin once again.
The original No More Heroes was an enjoyable, addictive and sometimes humorous action game. Sadly, the EU version of the game had the blood turned into other bits of coins and some weird looking things. It drove many of us to import the US version, until a Wii update made Freeloader void again. So, we had hoped that the sequel would take a more relaxed approach and give us the gore we so desperately crave…and you know what? They listened.
Yes…blood, gore, violence and a lot of cleavage are the ingredients to a great game and NMH2 has it all. The game has been revamped with easier controls (You can even use the classic controller this time around) but the motion controls are simpler, yet more satisfying as you do an on-screen swing to decapitate someone. The object of the game remains the same…kill everyone and get to the top of the UUA ranks.
Side jobs return, but some are 2D mini-games that feel like full games themselves. Getting around Santa Destroy is easy thanks a menu that just highlights the areas of the city that have jobs and missions. It’s a much simpler and better way of accessing things; you can also customise Travis with new clothes and upgrades with the cash you get. NMH 2 is crazy…and I mean crazy! Travis badly wants revenge, but also has a huge desire to get laid (as if he were based on yours truly) He can turn into a tiger and rip people apart, he jacks off his beam sword to recharge it as he did in the first game. There are mech fights, bike battles and all other crazy stuff that feels just right in Desperate Struggle.
Combat is rewarding and sadistically satisfying, especially with the waggle moves. Boss battles can be tough sometimes, but are incredibly fun and there’s a great sense of accomplishment each time you kill another assassin. The story is decent and there are some genuine funny moments like someone explaining to Travis that we don’t want to hear how he fell from grace from the UAA once he reached the top. Plus all the perving glances that he gives to the busty women of Santa Destroy is amusing.
The soundtrack is a mixture of old and new tracks, but they are all excellent and zany…as is the game itself. Voice-acting is strong and the script is brilliant. Besides a few niggles with the textures, No More Heroes 2 is a great looking game on the Wii. Who knew that the small box can still pull it out of the bag? Character models are well animated; the visual style of NMH remains the same and fits the anime style well.
The Verdict
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is an amazing game with a wealth of things to do. There are 50 assassins in your way and plenty of sins like lust and wrath to keep you going. It’s one of those games that you will play from start to finish just because you want to see what will happen next, be it cutting some guy in half or Travis staring down someone’s cleavage. It’s insane, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.