No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle Review

As store shelves overflow with inept shovelware, vapid minigame collections, and licensed drivel, I’ve encountered an ever-increasing constituency of jaded Wii owners. Clearly, designer / provocateur / enfant terrible, Suda51 is also aware of the growing epidemic- his recently released No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle brilliantly satirizes each of these problems with dazzling precision. The title’s fulgent stream of moments,  from cinematics wrought with poetic grace to stylized geysers of Grand Guinol bloodletting, converge to form one of the most offbeat and lurid Nintendo titles in recent memory. Gamers that skip this title deserve an extended stay in piss-poor port purgatory.

Players take control of recurring protagonist Travis Touchdown- an archetype that’s equal parts otaku and violent American, along with an unexpected dash of endearing sensitivity. When Travis isn’t seeking vengeance, or attempting to ascend the ranks of the United Assassins Association, he spends his time slimming down his pet cat, or playing a variety of charming mini-games inspired by diversions of the eight-bit era. Unmistakably, Desperate Struggle’s lead character is as multi-faceted and intriguing as the game itself.

Like the game’s 2008 predecessor, Travis’ chief vehicle for fervent violence is his beam katana- a weapon that boasts an uncanny resemblance to an iconic science fiction saber. His repertoire of furious moves includes attacks initiated with button presses, while a swing of the Wiimote prompts a gratifying finisher. While the game offers an alternative control method via the Classic Controller, carving opponents up with the analog stick saps much of the enjoyment from combat. The title’s AI shows a remarkable improvement in this iteration, as opponents block and dodge attacks with nimble dexterity. Each of the game’s fifteen boss battles are preceded with an spirited cinematic, although some of these scraps lose energy when the antagonist spams players with a limited gamut of attacks.

The title’s other significant alteration is the elimination of the previous game’s open world exploration. Now gamers can travel around the locale of Santa Destroy through the game’s menu system. At first glance, this change would appear to oversimplify the game. In execution, the modification improves the pacing of the title, as momentum isn’t lost navigating through desolate streets. Now, players can jump into the game’s brilliant assortment of minigames- which range from a simple shmup to currency earning diversions that evoke classic titles like Pipe Mania, Adventure Island, and Alien Syndrome. Additionally, players can power-up their stats with the help of a flamboyant trainer in a pink leotard.

At times, Desperate Struggle presents moments of remarkable visual fidelity, from the array of colorful luchador masks that populate Travis’ room to the detailed lace of every bra and thong. Although the game is typically fluid during heated battles with numerous opponents, the game’s framerate can inexplicably plummet during placid cutscenes with two characters. Dispatched opponent which utter one of three phrases; whether this is parody or negligence is open for interpretation.