Wii - No More Heroes

[stray]

Is it an adventure-esque game, ala killer 7? i was able to forgive a lot about k7 because of this, but if it has good gameplay/combat too, great.

[schild]

It's more like some sort of deconstructed GTA.

[HaemishM]

It's being shipped to me by my rental place. I hope to have a review up late next week, sooner if it sucks like Killer 7.

[Azazel]

Here or on your blog?

[HaemishM]

Are you taking the piss?   

[Azazel]

Actually, I'm not.

I don't follow any blogs and only read articles from any of them very occasionally (like when linked). It's the new "Welcome to my homepage. Here are my thoughts on random stuff (and here are photos of my cats)". So, erm, I'd check out yours specifically if there was a review up, but not otherwise. Nothing personal.

[Margalis]

To continue the derail a bit, what you write is true some of the time. I'm not a fan of blogs that cover a wide range of topics.

I'd read a blog that was all movie reviews, or all game reviews, or all political news, but not one that was all three at the same time. I differentiate between blogs about a topic and blogs about a person.

I read Haem's blog from time to time, but I would probably read it more if it was about one set of connected topics.

[stray]

Kinda wish I didn't give my Wii away... There hasn't been much for the PS3 lately.

[HaemishM]

Actually, I'm not.

Fair enough. I've gotten stick from some folks around here for talking too much about my blog and been told outright not to link to it. So you can hopefully understand why I thought you might be fucking with me.

As for my review, it'll depend on how good the game is. If it's balls, but not bad enough to get a really good ass-reaming, I'll probably just say it in this thread. If it sucks so bad, it deserves Boll-esque roasting, or is good enough to keep me playing it, I'll blog it.

My blog would probably be a lot better if I could actually get my lazy ass to stop watching TV or playing games and write about shit.

[Yegolev]

This game redefines "fucked up".  I was smiling inside of twenty seconds and chuckling inside of thirty seconds.  I give it thirteen thumbs-up.  It looks like a PS2 launch game most of the time, due to both style and the Wii, but the action and dialog make it.

I expect 95% of you will hate it.  If you like unusual or new game experiences, try it.  I'm not ready to BiiF it, having only just made it to the real game.

[HaemishM]

Finally got this yesterday, and played for about an hour. It's no Killer 7, in that it doesn't outright suck. I'm going to play it more before writing up a review (and yes, it will be blogged), but my first impression are it's a better rental than a full-price purchase. And that it isn't a "hardcore gamer's game" whatever that means. Whoever called it a niche game was right on. And by niche, I mean REALLY FUCKING NICHE. I'm not quite sure who the fuck it's supposed to appeal to.

[Margalis]

Weirdos like myself and Yeg. Do I really need another WW2 shooter, another GTA and another racing sim with real cars?

Not really.

[Yegolev]

Weeeeelll, this is sort of another GTA.  Sort of.  I started over so I could show the wife and it played a bit differently for some reason.  The first boss took longer, and I discovered that I could not pause during it, so I was alternating between blocking and helping my wife not choke on Cheerios.  Don't worry, I won the fight.  Anyway, trash shirts.  I love collecting things.  Driving kinda stinks, controlwise.

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE SUNDAY!

I love this game.  Rolling sabat on palm trees, indeed.

[Azazel]

I don't really like the idea of gambling with my dollars. (see Ninety-Nine Nights). I especially am wary of doing it on Wii software.

[schild]

NMH makes Saint's Row look like Amateur hour.

Though, NMH is only about, oh, 8 hours long.

Of course, SR is 40 hours long, 36 of which are bad driving sections.

[Yegolev]

It's not gambling.  RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE SUNDAE!

[Azazel]

Hm.. a trippy, weird short GTA-thing with a Wiimote to control it. By the people that brought us Killer 7/. (and for the people that enjoyed Killer 7?)

Not feeling it still.

[stray]

Killer 7 rocked. This place is bizarro land, I swear!

[HaemishM]

No, it didn't.

The Wiimote thing? It's not a Wiimote game. It has some waggle that really might as well have not been there at all. It's really gimmicky. The driving is better than Driver for the Wii, but Driver for the Wii was complete ass. The boss fights are interesting, almost enjoyable. They are also way too few and far between.

[Yegolev]

OK, I've only had half a bottle of wine so I should be able to lay down the Wiimote specifics.  Here's the deal:

1) Hold wiimote vertically for high stance, horizontally for low stance.  Press A or B to attack as per stance.  Easy.
2) Empty an enemy's life bar and then twitch the wiimote in the direction flashed on the screen.  Easy.  If you are lucky this gets you RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE SUNDAE.
3) Press B to throw stunned enemy.  Twitch both nunchuck and wiimote in the directions flashed to do a wrestling move.  Moderate since the twitches are simultaneous and I nearly garrotted myself last night.
4) In case of simultaneous attacks, spin wiimote in a circle quickly to break the tie.  Easy.
5) When your lightsaber beam katana runs out of battery, press 1 and waggle the wiimote to recharge.  Easy and hilarious.

This game falls into the Easily Digested Fun category for me.  It makes me laugh.  It's not hard.  It's about the style rather than the substance, but the substance isn't totally lacking.  Might not be worth the retail price for most people.  It's not at all like Killer7 except for some art and just for being so outside the norm.  Actually I think No More Heroes should have been a Cube (or PS2!) game and Killer7 should have been a Wii game.  I need to have a talk with Suda 51.  For real.

[HaemishM]

I finally wrote my review on my blog. The short version: I didn't like it, I couldn't figure out who the game was supposed to please, and I really wish it was a fighting game with just the boss battles. The boss battles were great. The rest of the game was mediocre or irritating.

I agree with you on the system, Yeg. It should have been a PS2 game.

[Margalis]

Just bumping to say now I've played it a bunch and I love it.

My friends came over and I showed it to them and they loved it too. It's just fun and I love the sensibility. It doesn't have that design-by-committee feel, it comes across a strong singular vision. I also think it is a great fit for the Wii, and it's hard for me to imagine it on another system. The gestures add a lot to the fun, frantic feel.

I can understand why some people wouldn't like it. But that said this is one of those games that everyone should play, it's just so unique and such an *experience.* Ten years from now I'm probably not going to remember playing the umpteenth WW2 shooter but I'm always going to remember this.

It's very creative and novel but it's also fun, not just wacky and different for the sake of. I'm constantly smiling as I play and that's a good thing. I wish more games provided this sort of singular experience.

Also I have to give props to this MSNBC writeup, one of the best I've seen in the mainstream media:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22899501/

[Rasix]

Necro!

I have to say playing this game has been a wonderful experience. For someone that enjoys a sense of humor in their games and complete random weirdness, this game is a must buy.  Plus, hell.. it's only 30 bucks now.

The driving portion of the game I would consider it's greatest flaw.  It's completely unnecessary and bothersome and you can actually get stuck on the geometry in certain points requiring you to get off your vehicle, run away, and then call for your vehicle (it's rare, but it happens).   A TMNT type world map or just any sort of 2D representation would have been preferable, but that would mean sacrificing the GTA parody concept on the altar of "not pissing me off".   The cash grind between missions can get bothersome (especially when you need to get a new saber), but it's rarely overly long and you'll be completing this 10 mission game in likely around 10 hours.

The Wii mote controls just work for this game.  There's no forced swing for swing mechanic, but the finishing moves and especially the wrestling moves add to the experience.  The jo-jobs can even be somewhat entertaining in the ways that they incorporate the Wii mote.  The one failing would have to be Thunder Ryu training portions, where the cord between the remote and nunchuck can become a dangerous whipping weapon or your arm can cramp from rapidly mashing the A button.

The gameplay itself is nothing spectacular outside of the boss fights, but it fits and adds to the overall level of amusement.  Blood spurts from dismembered, disposable henchmen while you're hoping that the post kill slot machine will strike it rich, sending you into a <insert random dessert name here> rage.  The boss fights and accompanying dialog are all superb with the last few bosses upping the difficulty significantly.

The whole experience is, like Margalis mentioned, memorable.  From the way the game never takes itself seriously, the hero being an otaku and professional wrestling fan, the functional/stylish graphics at time being almost purposely terrible, the interesting and sometimes absurd gameplay wrinkles; it all just comes together in a package that is as much art as it is game.

This is a game that has made me remember why I'm a gamer in the first place.  You just can't get this experience anywhere else.   I would say more, but I really don't want to give too much away to someone that might consider playing this.

edit: This is one of the rare, rare moments that I'm almost completely in agreement with Yatzee's assessment of a game.

[HaemishM]

The boss battles were pure luv, surrounded by an ocean of mediocrity.

[Margalis]

Yeah the driving sucks, I too have gotten stuck on the geometry.

I strongly suggest playing through on bitter difficulty once you beat it. On bitter you get to keep your weapons and you don't have to do the odd jobs, so you can pretty much go directly from one mission to the next. You get to see the real ending and the final boss is a challenge. It's smart the way they set it up, they realized that while collecting coconuts is funny once it's not the kind of thing you want to do over and over again. The New Game + experience is streamlined nicely.

[Rasix]

Hrrmmm... so, when I selected "See the Real Ending", I didn't see the real ending (plus additional boss fight)? I was given two options upon completion.

The boss battles were pure luv, surrounded by an ocean of mediocrity.

Not an unfair assessment. Game just fit together well for me, provided a lot of laughs, and I actually beat it.  That's saying a lot considering I can't be bothered to beat most games I play nowadays.