To the Hilt- Red Steel 2 Review

Launch day Wii purchasers will likely recall Red Steel, one of the leading (along with Call of Duty 3) first-person shooters for Nintendo’s fledgling system. Like other euphoric gamers at the console’s coronation, I purchased the title based on the perception that a FPS could be even more intense with the added physicality of motion control. On the morning of November 19th, after hooking my pristine system to the television, I inserted the Red Steel disk, and primed myself for a day full of visceral sword fights and gun battles. After a few hours of awkwardly navigating my on-screen persona and swinging a katana ineptly, buyer’s remorse had set in.

While the title’s ballistic battles approached competency, my expectations for fierce swordplay were met with disappointment. Hopes that each energetic slashes and formidable parry with the Wiimote would be replicated on-screen were mislaid, as the game only recognized broad gestures which scarcely resembled swordmanship. Now, three years and a small peripheral later, Red Steel 2 capitalizes on the potential hinted at by this early Wii title.

In execution, Red Steel 2 is a sequel in name only, cleverly abandoning its predecessor’s setting, characters, and clumsy play mechanics. Players assume the role of a taciturn protagonist, who is equal parts Wild West gunslinger and formidable samurai. The hero’s construction mirrors the title’s locale- a dystopian landscape that’s equal parts consumerist Shibuya, desert plain, and Edo period Japan. Despite efforts to create similar amalgamated venues in titles such as 1999’s Raising Zan: The Samurai Gunman, and 2005’s Samurai Western, Red Steel 2’s setting complements the action adeptly, allowing players to feel like the ultimate yakisoba-western badass.

Two separate editions of the game are available- a sixty dollar version that includes the WiiMotion Plus accessory, and a fifty dollar version for players that already own the device. Compelling players to own the peripheral isn’t the superfluous ploy owners of Wiimote Wheels and WiiSpeak units are familiar with.  The add-on skillfully elevates Red Steel 2’s action, allowing players to become immersed in the game, instead of stymied by the title’s input methods.

Players use the nunchuck to move and strafe, while a Wiimote aimed at the borders of the screen rotates the Stetson -sporting protagonist. A depression of the “Z” button permits players to lock onto any opponent, enabling gamers to circle-strafe any aggressors- helpful for foes with a deficiency of posterior protection. Whereas Red Steel‘s primary focus was on gunplay, firearms take a backseat in the sequel. While players can pepper most adversaries with fire and slowly deplete their health bars, strategists will attempt a leg shot to immobilize the encroaching attacker.

Gamers accustomed to quick, constricted jerks of the controller to manipulate their on-screen characters will have to adapt to Red Steel 2’s robust tactility.  Knocking off enemy armor demands forceful swings of the control, as the Wiimotion Plus discerns the vigor of each slash. As players progress through the game, new moves are learned and enemies exhibit different attack patterns, pushing players to react to foes in a Punch Out-like manner, capitalizing on telegraphed weaknesses. Soon players will be holding their controllers perpendicular to inbound strikes, carrying out parries with satisfying assurance.

For many, Red Steel 2’s recurring mission structure will be the game’s main drawback. Although the game offers passive quests, such as blowing us trucks or collecting wanted posters, most assignments involve little more than moving from each modular area to the next, eliminating ever present enemies. Moreover, load times when journeying to each zone can be a bit long, although the game valiantly tries to disguise each hiatus. Clearly, the title’s focus is on creative and compelling way to eradicate enemies, rather than offering a complex story or an open-ended world for players to explore.

Don’t let any unenthusiastic attitudes towards Red Steel 2’s predecessor dissuade you from picking up what is one of the best action titles found on the Wii. Those yearning for a solid sword fighting experience on Nintendo’s console should truly appreciate the effort. If anything, the game proves that the Wii is more than capable of delivering a proper Bushido Blade sequel. Until that day, Red Steel 2 will happily quench our bamboo-slicing, enemy-dicing daydreams.