Rating of
4/5
Udon Western
Nelson Schneider - wrote on 12/26/11
“Red Steel 2” (“RS2”) is the sequel to “Red Steel,” a game that was universally panned for having one of the worst implementations of motion-controlled sword fighting on Nintendo’s then-year-old Wii. Having experienced the horrors of motion-controlled sword fighting done wrong in “SoulCalibur Legends,” I made sure to give “Red Steel” a wide berth, even moreso because it was ‘yet another FPS’ and developed by the detestable Ubisoft. So why would I even give “RS2” a chance? First, the game has dropped precipitously in price, to the point where new, unopened copies are going for $15 or less. Second, I wanted a real game (none of this mini-game nonsense) to test out my recently-acquired Wiimote+, which combines the form-factor of the original Wiimote with the added functionality of the Motion+ dongle. Since “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” was still a ways off, “RS2” was the only game that met my criteria. Finally, after researching the game, it looked like it included enough originality to differentiate it from its FPS brethren both in style and setting. Could this game defy the odds of its pedigree?
Presentation
“RS2” features cell-shaded polygonal graphics reminiscent of that ‘other’ FPS, “Borderlands.” This is, of course, playing to the Wii’s strengths, as the shading looks much sharper than any standard definition textures would. As a result, “RS2” is one of the best-looking Wii game’s I’ve ever played. I was pleasantly surprised by the almost complete lack of jaggies as well. The environment and character designs are well-done and fit with the game’s unique setting. “RS2” also seamlessly blends pre-rendered cutscenes with game-engine-rendered scenes in much the same way as “Metroid: Other M,” thus leaving the player with the impression that the already impressive graphics are even better than they actually are.
The sound is likewise impressive. The music is all rather low-key, but distinctly thematic, then swells into prominence when a fight breaks out. It’s an old trick used by many games, but it’s well done and there’s no shame in using a tried-and-true technique. The sound effects are nice as well, able to both punctuate the flow of an intense melee and hint at the non-existent civilians hiding in the barren streets. Finally, the voiceacting is suitable to both the characters and the setting, with lines delivered competently.
Technically, “RS2” is pretty clean. While the game did freeze on me once (due to my repeatedly dying at the first boss), the only recurring glitch was a strange one in which enemies failed to spawn at the beginning of a battle. This caused the battle music to get ‘stuck,’ and continue playing while I walked around enemy-free environments.
Story
“RS2” begins with our nameless hero, a Kusagari warrior who is occasionally referred to as Hero (or perhaps Hiro), tied by the wrists to the back of a motorcycle driven by a crazy guy in a mask. This masked individual is none other than the leader of a gang called the Jackals. Not only have the Jackals decided to give Hero some gang justice (for reasons unknown), their leader, Payne, has stolen his sword, a special Sora Katana crafted of meteoric metal. Using his expert marksmanship to escape his predicament, Hero must track down Payne and retrieve his sword in a world in which feudal Japan and the Wild West collide. Before long, however, it becomes apparent that the Jackals aren’t just rampaging for the Hell of it, but are actually working for a far more menacing foe who aims to create an unstoppable force of warriors armed with unbreakable Sora Katanas… and Hero is the only one with the skills and the weapon to put a stop to this plan.
But Hero isn’t alone on this mission. “RS2” features several supporting characters: There’s Jian, the wise Kusagari master who teaches Hero new combat moves in their clan’s signature style, which combines the strengths of both katana and revolver; Tamiko, the sex-pot hacker who provides Hero with intel; Sheriff Judd, who provides Hero with firearms, all while looking awesome in a pink Hawaiian shirt; and Songan, the shady casino owner who provides Hero with a variety of defensive upgrades. All of these characters are Japanese, yet half of them speak with ridiculous Wild West accents… which works surprisingly well in the game’s unique setting. And the setting is a character in-and-of itself, providing a much-needed change from the tired modern war, space marine, or zombie apocalypse settings that dominate the FPS genre. With its mix of spaghetti western themes, martial arts themes, and stylized violence, it feels a bit like something from the mind of Quentin Tarantino.
Unfortunately, the setting, supporting characters, and villains are all presented in such a way that it made me feel like the game was expecting me to remember details from the original “Red Steel.” However, upon reading a story synopsis of that game, it seems it has absolutely nothing in common with this sequel. “RS2” is entirely its own entity, a clean break from its disastrous predecessor in everything except its name (which probably would have been a good idea) and the core gameplay mechanic of wielding a sword and a gun at the same time. Yet, in spite of having an entire game with which to weave a detailed narrative, many things are glossed-over, especially motivations for the supporting characters providing their support. I never felt like I really ‘knew’ any of them. Some details do trickle-out eventually, specifically about Hero’s history and the Kusagari Clan, but it would have made more sense to encapsulate a good amount of story material in prologue and ending sequences to act as bookends for the game’s action. Tragically, “RS2” doesn’t have a real ending. The final boss dies, there is a brief (BRIEF) conversation, and the credits roll: Truly an example of wasted potential.
Gameplay
“RS2” plays-out across 7 large stages in a completely linear fashion. While each stage is open and explorable, once Hero has moved on (there is a prompt each time to let the player know), there’s no going back. The exception to revisiting past stages lies in the ‘Challenge’ option on the title screen, which allows the player to revisit completed stages and play through them with a time limit in order to earn in-game cash. I never found the need to do the Challenges for cash… of course, I also spent a ridiculous amount of time in-game poking boxes, barrels, and other environmental objects, which hemorrhage cash when destroyed. As a result, it took me about 25 hours to complete the game with all possible upgrades.
In order to clear each stage and progress to the next, Hero must complete a chain of main missions. These missions each contain a number of pre-set encounters with enemies. After these encounters have been cleared-out, it's possible for Hero to run into random encounters with slightly-variable groups of enemies in the cleared areas. Hero has a set amount of health, which can be upgraded at the casino and supplemented with 4 pieces of armor that absorb a single attack each. At the end of each encounter, Hero's health and armor are completely restored, thus each battle is a self-contained challenge.
Each stage also contains a number of optional side missions that award cash for completion, as well as a number of hidden ‘Tokens’ and ‘Sheriff Stars’ to find. Overall, these main missions flow at a nice pace, creating a game that feels urgent, but not rushed. Sadly, the side missions and optional upgrades are shoe-horned in, likely as an attempt at making a straight-up FPS more RPG-like. Scrounging-up cash by destroying the environments gets repetitive and takes far too long. Not even the cash-awarding side missions break the monotony of earning money, as most of them involve doing the same thing in each stage (destroying Wanted posters, messing with communication towers, destroying enemy vehicles, etc.). It feels like unnecessary padding in what could have been a very streamlined game. Instead, it would have been far better if all of Hero’s weapons, armor, and upgrades were earned in the course of the missions and simply handed-out instead of purchased.
Of course, the real heart of “RS2” is the motion-controlled sword fighting. In this regard, “RS2” is an amazing and very fun game to play. Wii Motion+ improves motion recognition immensely. While the motion recognition still isn’t 100% perfect, it’s definitely North of 90%. Vertical, horizontal, and diagonal slashes are all recognized accurately for basic attacks (both weak and strong, depending on the force of the swing). However, basic attacks quickly fall by the wayside once Hero starts learning his stable of Hidden Strikes and Kusagari Powers, resulting in numerous ways engage enemies and weaken them before slaying them with quick Finishers. In addition to controlling Hero’s sword, motion controls are also used for an enjoyable safe-cracking mini-game.
Despite the beauty of motion controls being used correctly by a third party for the first time, the game’s controls aren’t quite perfect. Despite using a Wiimote+ & Nunchuck as the only control configuration and leaving several buttons unused, there is no ‘jump’ button. Instead, Hero can ‘vault’ over low obstacles, climb specially-marked walls, or automatically ‘leap’ across specially-marked gaps. I also found the Wiimote pointer-controlled crosshairs that control Hero’s gun to be a bit jumpy at times. I would carefully aim at an object and slowly pull the B trigger, only to have my aim abruptly jerk to one side, resulting is a complete miss and alerting nearby enemies. Finally, the way blocking is implemented in “RS2” has one enormous flaw. Holding down the A button causes Hero to hold his sword in front of him, blocking any incoming projectiles or weak attacks (this is good). Tilting the Wiimote while blocking allows Hero to parry incoming strong attacks (this is also good). However, blocking also makes it impossible for Hero to turn around, except via a contextual tap of the Z button when immediately threatened by an enemy behind him… which frequently doesn’t work. If that tap of the Z button to turn around wasn’t contextual, but always available, Ubisoft would have been behind the first FPS to incorporate a fix for one of my biggest peeves in the genre. As it is, they just taunted me with it.
Overall
“Red Steel 2,” despite being a sequel to a disaster and made by a questionable developer, is the first ‘real’ game to use Wii Motion+ in an impressive way. It’s an aesthetically pleasing game with a unique and interesting setting and fun core gameplay that falls just short of greatness due to a somewhat hollow narrative, padded gameplay, and minor control issues. It’s still worth playing, not only as the only example of a third party living up to Nintendo’s example of how to implement motion controls, but because it’s a genuinely fun experience. I recommend “Red Steel 2” to fans of single-player FPSes, as well as anyone who likes action/adventure games, sword fighting, westerns, or old samurai movies.
Presentation: 4.5/5
Story: 3.5/5
Gameplay: 4/5
Overall (not an average): 4/5
