Customer Reviews

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I found the original NMH to be pretty likeable, but to say the sequel is just better is an understatement. Everything from the play mechanics to the visuals has been tweaked and overhauled for an overall more engrossing experience. This one oozes style and keeps the players attention from the first ranked battle to the last. I found myself spending so much time on the "retro" titles within as well, which are the new "jobs" yoy can aquire to earn money. They really are fun and remind me of the games I played on the NES back in tha day hehe. Simply put, from the end of last year till the beginning of this one, Wii's lineup is looking good. Let's hope the next titles to be released are on par with this one and Tatsunoko Vs Capcom. A+++!

Pretty nice I got the game the day it released. Dusted off the wii and started playing,at an instant I loved it. Not only did Suda throw in a parody of Cloud (FF7), but he introduced the game very well for those who haven't played the first (Should buy it if you haven't played it).

Unlike the first one, you don't get to drive and your jobs aren't in 3-D. The jobs you have are like old arcade games that will keep you off your real task for hours.

The beam katanas are back with a couple of new ones, there's a new katana that has slow powerful slashes and gets longer the more your ki goes up. There's also dual katanas that have fast slashes and devastating combos.

If you are looking for a violent game that gives you a laugh at the same time, get this game.

PROS:
+ Graphics improved (Good for being on a Wii)
+ Longer gameplay
+ Playing arcade games to get stronger and money is loads of fun.
+ You charge the beam katana the same way :)
+ More stuff (Clothes, katanas, activities)

CONS:
- Camera will SOMETIMES go against you
- I can't think of any more cons

No More Heroes returns with a vengence. Gone is the clunky free roam overworld you now just select wich location you want to travel to on a overworld map. Starting at rank #51 theres even more insane boss battles then the original. Jobs are now turned into SNES style games that are designed pretty well and will bring back some memories if your into old school gaming. Combat is essentially the same as the original with some additional power-ups and ability to interchange beam katanas on the fly. Game has an excess of sick..mature..dirty humor and style.

Finally, a game that uses that Wii's shortcomings as a strength. I'm an older gamer and love and miss the 8 bit retro games I grew up with. I bought this game primarily for this reason. I initially plugged in my classic controller and thought to myself, another Wii hardcore game wannabe piece of garbage. 5 minutes later I used the Wiimote and nun-chuck and finally saw why all the gaming sites gave this game a 9 out of 10. I quickly learned how to power-up my katana by quickly shaking the wiimote holding down the 1 button, and loved the thrill. I also didn't have any problems with the camera, as I just pressed Z to lock onto enemies. The game is totally awesome if you play with this configuration, otherwise it really isn't so much fun in my opinion.
The minigames were hard to control, but so were the games I used to play when I played the Atari 2600 or NES. It had a nostalgic feel to it. I had a little trouble controlling the Pipe Mania clone, but once I figured the controls out, it was okay. The minigames were a lot of fun, and at the now low price (under thirty dollars), a lot of people should consider it to even just to play these mini-games.

The first "No More Heroes" was a good game with glaring issues. It's fair to say that those issues kept most gamers from getting much past the title screen. However, I actually found that game enjoyable. I'm not sure if it was the epic boss battles, the wackadoo story, or the pure Japanese-i-ness clearly present. Either way, it wasn't the gimmicky controls or the "shiny new tech" feel that has sold many a Wii. However, with all of my love for that game, even I could notice the awkward controls. I noticed the pulp moments of the story. I hated the motorcycle controls, and I did get the joke about stupid open-world games (though I like open-world games). I even found Suda51's little joke about grinding out collectibles annoying, but I still liked the game. I feel it important to mention all of this so you understand where I'm coming from. This way, you can better judge if the game is for you or not.

"No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle" is an excellent game. It takes a vast majority of the good parts of the first game and brings them back, improving on more than a few. The crummy parts of the first are mostly dropped. Graphics are marginally upgraded, but graphics have never been solely indicative of a games overall enjoyability. The controls are tight, the battles are satisfying, and the story is wonderfully crazy. If that isn't enough for you, consider that the mini-games have been upgrading by way of downgrading. All but one mini-game has been replaced with deliciously nostalgic 8-bit style games. Even the music in those 8-bit games is excellent; it's as if they took the game's main theme and beautifully corrupted it into something almost exactly like the game they are mimicking. Just play the "Pizza With a Vengeance" for half a round, and you'll have the distinct feeling of having played "Outrun". You'll get this from the graphics, gameplay, and music. It's fantastic.

This being said, the game is not without its faults. There are moments of being repetitive, but most games have those. The real problems come, sadly, from moments when the game gives a shot at trying something new. The best example comes from an off-level. There's a spoiler ahead, so watch out if you'd rather avoid such things. If you've played the first game, you're familiar with Shinobu. You get to play as her in this game, which is at least a little cool. The problem is, she jumps.

I am one of those jerk-gamers that seems to always want the ability to jump, even when there is clearly no reason for it (likely a complex I picked up from Mario and his NES era plat-former compatriots). However, it feels... wrong in this game. I really can't describe it, but it feels off. It is as if the detection wasn't fully fleshed out. Or more likely that this game and its engine were never intended for 3D platforming. Whatever the problem is, I found it mostly negligible. However, I think that is because of my extensive experience with completely terrible games. Issues like this might prove a bit much for some. Not that it is too difficult, but that the experience may ruin the fun. Some parts of the story are rushed while others drag out a bit long. Some battles become a bit mundane or repetitive. Some of the characters are unduly shallow - though the main character is well intended to be shallow. However, the only real complaint that I have on a personal level is that the one fun side-part of the first game was left out of this game. It was a part of the terrible open-world joke - finding parts of the t-shirt collection in trash cans and other stupid places. I found this an enjoyable diversion in between missions in the first game. I really wish it had returned in "No More Heroes 2", but it didn't.

To be honest, I love this game - warts and all. Playing this game gives me a feeling that I haven't felt since I first played "Super Mario Land". It's simple and complex. It's wacky in a way that only one culture can interpret another. It helps to justify owning a Wii. It is well worth the price, and most of all it is fun. Just give it a try.

Is there any other reason not to buy this game?


No More Heroes 2 I long awaited for. Had the release date marked on my calender I really love this game. The first one took my buy surprise and the second one was more like desert after the main meal.

Whats improved with the second game? Well... The characters have been touched up a lot everything is more detailed this time around (not that there was anything wrong with the original look), the Game has better music this time around that gets you pretty pumped, There's a lot more sexy female bosses for some reason (no complaints here), the goons you fight are much better. There's a lot more variety as far as the types and they do have different fighting styles, but they have nothing to do with the bosses you fight like in the previous game where they actually had a theme to go along with the level you were playing.... and well it looks like they removed and added some stuff to satisfy the complainers.

I'll get into that. With the first game everyone nagged about how hard the bike was to control and nagged about riding around in the world so they took that part out the game(I never nagged it was if fun)now you just point and click on area's on your map and you go right to them. The side missions are old school 8 bit mini games. They have their charm, but since you don't have to grind on side missions to get stuff you're not exactly forced to do them. I kind of missed the old mission style because it added more to the game, but this was alright I guess...would of been more fun if it could of been an unlockable like the Bizarre Jelly game.

Also the game doesn't have all the stores you used to travel around to. Obviously with Bishop gone there's no video store, but there's no guy to train you special moves anymore! That kind of was a let down. Dr. Nayomi is still there she looks like she upgraded herself its always a pleasure to see her, even if she doesn't have anything new to buy (I'm on the last boss and there's still only 2 katanas) so I guess she's been too busy looking for a bra to build Travis new weapons.

The scary shop keeper with the mask is still there although his taste have gone down hill, because I haven't brought anything he offered yet. Compared to the first game, the new clothes and accessories look like a flee markets bargain bin.

The fighting... ah yes the fighting! Travis has been touched up a bit. He has less moves than before and controls a bit differently. To be honest I really didn't like what they did with him. It took me a while to get used to the "new" Travis because I was so used to fighting with the old style that required more effort. This time he doesn't block so well, there's few "wii-waggle" attacks if any, and playing the other characters makes you regret going back to him. Travis is my dude, but they did him wrong with the controls and his skills. I guess he forgot everything he learned from the last game.

The other characters.... you can play as Travis's older brother but who cares about him, lets talk about my baby SHINOBU! oh yeah! She's the reason I brought this game. When I heard you could play the baddest boss from the last game I had to pick it up. Shinobu was no disappointment matter of fact she made the game for me! she is just as fun to play as she was to fight. All of her moves are there except "Sonic sword" or at least she forgot to call it that. She's grown up in the past 3 years since her uniform is replaced for a dress and high heels. She's a fast fighter with both long range and aerial attacks. You can actually fight an entire mob with her and not be hit once. It's hard to play her and not say that she is a better fighter than Travis in the game, because she has such a wider variety of attacks and power moves. Sadly she's only there for a couple of levels then she breaks your heart by leaving.

The bosses... there's a mixture of them although this time around you don't get to glimpse into their minds like you did in the first game (they said so much in their fighting styles very few words needed to be spoken about them). In this game there's no so much emphasis placed on what assassin your fighting they are just there so Travis can push them aside to get revenge. There's really not much mystery about them like who they are and what they are like in the first game. Their levels have nothing to do with them (excluding like 1 or 2), and they honestly are pretty easy. Much much easier than the first game you can pretty much get them on the first try. They don't seem to make you think as much about your attacks and defenses like the first game made you do.

Overall...

No more Heroes 2 is still a lot of fun. Me I brought it because I enjoy the style of the game and knowing your getting something that's different from all the other games out there. Although it doesn't offer as much as the last game it still offers a lot in its own way. Between the two games I can't say which is best. I like being able to play as Shinobu like in 2 but I also like fighting against her as a boss. NMH1 and NMH2 are just too awsome games to pick up they don't need a comparison!

GET IT! PLAY IT! LOVE IT!

I'm a huge fan of the original No More Heroes and it was the game that sparked me to actually play Killer 7 and Flower, Sun and Rain. The reason I love all three of these games is because of the way they're made it feels as if personality is bleeding out of the tv screen as you play it, for all their flaws I always felt Suda 51 must've had at least a great handle on storytelling, comedic timing and characterization. So coming off the highs of FSR I bought this game on the day of it's release.

If this were the first Suda 51 game I ever played I may not've played another, it almost seems as if the game was some kind of sequel that was done by another developer who really didn't grasp what made the original stand out so much. In the original the bosses were far more interesting and colorful. Almost all of these bosses seem incredibly shallow in comparison; when fighting half of the bosses I was wondering where the characters fit into the game because they were as dull as bread pudding. But the worst is Travis himself, he has lost practically al of the charm he had in the first game. As well as sylvia who barely says anything interesting anymore.

The humor just seems more so based on immaturity rather than quirk. Quirkiness seems to have taken an entire backseat because the only quirky things I can recall are helping Jeane work out and the 8bit mini games, some of which weren't even that interesting at all. After all these almost druggy adventures taken in suda 51's previous games, this game seemed to have opted for some kind of bland sort of "realism" and fell flat on it's face.

The game is still fun, mostly because a lot of gameplay changes are an improvement except for the camera. I'd even say that the 8bit jobs were mostly an improvement, and working out with Jeane is fun too.

But if the original were a movie, then this would be a school play done with cardboard cutouts; same deal really but lacking a GREAT degree of depth, and personality.

If you played the first one then you owe it to yourself to play this one, you just may want a box of tissues next to you so you can cry when you realize this isn't the same game you may've loved.

No More Heroes was the WII game that made me feel like I wasn't jealous of not having a PS3 or an XBox. Unfortunately, after playing the sequel, I had my wife buy me a PS3 for Christmas. Ok, so a lot of folks griped about having to build up money between stages to advance in part 1 of this game series, and about driving around Santa Destroy. I kind of liked it. I thought it brought more depth to the game.

Furthermore, it was MUCH MORE worthwhile to have side jobs that entailed actual fighting. It gave you the opportunity to hone your skills before the next boss challenge, and they focused on different aspects (grappling & throws, defense & avoiding injury, stamina (taking out 100 men in one challenge)).

Having every side job and training task in No More Heroes Part 2 as an 8-bit arcade game is INSANE. The couple of old arcade games in part 1 were quaint, fun, and a delightful change. Having EVERY task except boss challengs as an 8-bit arcade game in this version is OVERKILL. Sorry about all of the capitalization, but it really bored and frustrated me to death. If I wanted to play that style of gaming on and on and on again, I would have downloaded old NES games. At least I have fond memories of them.

Main tasks in this version are still fun. But the overhaul that led me to have to play old arcade games for more than 50% of the gameplay killed this game for me. Play the original (on WII or PS3) and end with a good memory about this series.

This is the best Wii game of all the recent ones on Wii.. period..
HILARIOUS and UNCENSORED.. probably the best script ever in a video game. It's raw, and the only cheese is the cheese they put in intentionally.. no kiddie nonsense... so Non-Nintendo-like even.. It's sort of like a funny Devil-May-Cry/GTA, it plays pretty well, and has great graphics for the Wii.

Now, I'm an avid gamer on all consoles, and I know good games & engines when I play them, and this is one of them. Not to mention the spot-on, no-BS, parodies and 8-bit style mini games are a way cool for any old school video-game or anime buff... maybe even TOO COOL for the Wii.. (The camera/reset angles in some of the battles are the major beef I have with this game!) You'll have to see all the content for yourself. This game, unlike 99% of wii games makes me want to keep playing for more than 15-30 minutes.. I just want to leave work and play it now! My Wii is dust-free as long as I've got this in the drive! If you want to be surprised by a game on your Wii.. Look no further than No More Heroes 2.. because owning a Wii CAN sometimes be a 'Desperate Struggle' for a fully-grown gamer.

No More Heroes was one of my favorite wii games. This game takes everything that works from the first game, cuts off the fat, amps everything up a little and delivers one of the best wii games period. If you enjoy, violence, lightsabers, and humor, get this game.