Three years after its debut with the launch of the console, Ubisoft is back with the follow up to it's massively disappointing attempt with Red Steel. As you may know, I value the storyline of any game as one of the stronger aspects of a title. Needless to say I was skeptical that this title would have me lost and confused in terms of plot after three years. However, no need to torture yourselves through the first one to get to where we are now, Red Steel 2 is more of a continued concept than it is a continued story. But is that necessarily a good thing?
I believe with this title, the Wii has finally taken a step in the right direction. Red Steel 2 is a continuation as a concept that seemed like it’d be a major hit yet flopped once it hit shelves. Very rarely do we see developers take the time to revisit a former idea or concept and give it a second whirl. To right what it had originally wronged. More developers, especially connected to the Wii, should take note of this. Ubisoft took what it had all intensive purposes of doing before, and remastered it, almost like a redemption game.
As for the game itself, there are just as many negatives as there are positives. Good news is always best, so let’s set you up for the downfall, to soften the blow. Right off the bat, I am in love with the graphics. I was a huge fan of this cell-shaded art style that is very reminiscent to Borderlands. I think it really adds to the environment, game play, and characters by bringing them to life. Sometimes too realistic is too much, and you begin to pinpoint the design flaws of games trying to be as realistic as possible. The bright colors, and inanimate objects that kind of have a 2D yet 3D feel to them look really polished and actually compliments what the Wii is capable of achieving in terms of graphics. Ubisoft truly took the specs of the Wii and worked around them, instead of trying to push the limits and it paid off.
The game play is definitely unique, and if you’ve seen the commercials, you’re under the impression you’re going to wield a katana and revolver in the same breath. But the story of the game really detracts from the overall projection. You’re a hero who has no name, apparently, and you’re returning to a village you’ve recently been banished from to retrieve your sword. This is a huge miss right from the beginning. Had Ubisoft have given you the option to add your own name to the character so that it at least shows up in dialogue and text would have made it much more personal. I guess the developers thought that was too 1990’s and left it out. As a result your character really has no personality aside from a dude who’s on the same terms of a man in a break up and just wants to retrieve his belongings back from his crazy ex. Not only that but you’re in a world where you’re surrounded by “Jackal’s” and other enemies who either wield swords or guns. Did Ubisoft not see “The Last Samurai”? Or even "Indiana Jones"? Guns are greater than swords. Why even wield a sword if you're packing heat? Plus, what is up with the “village” of eastern culture apparently located in the deserts of Arizona or Nevada? Completely lost on that concept entirely.
Using your weapons is good and bad at the same time; I’m really torn on it. The gun is easy to use, just by just aiming the controller at the screen and firing at will. The swordplay is definitely better than we’ve seen before, but honestly, you’ll get the most damage done by inducing an epileptic seizure while holding your sword. The game offers many techniques and moves with the sword, but with the motion-plus required; it’s extremely temperamental and doesn’t really register what exactly you wish to do because all moves are similar in some form.
I enjoyed Red Steel 2, but I didn’t. The game is definitely a massive step forward and will no doubt be one of the more impressive releases on the Wii this season until Mario dethrones yet again. But in the same token, it just really plays to what I dislike about the Wii, that being the motion control gimmicks. It’s only fun for so long and it really puts a strain on your triceps and arms in general to maintain constant control of the vision of the game. I definitely recommend giving it a shot if you were one of the many disappointed with how awesome Red Steel was supposed to be, for Red Steel 2 really puts that anguish to rest, and delivers what it truly intended to so you can sleep easily at night. But it did come three years too late.
Phil writes, "Too often we see video game sequels that don't quite live up to their predecessors... but we already have an article series dedicated to those games. Instead, let's take a look at those video game sequels that not only live up to their predecessors but greatly surpass them in quality. It's time to bring back The Most Improved Video Game Sequels (you can read part one here) to check out these sensational sequels that delivered and did so in a deliciously delightful manner."
Resident Evil 4
Ratchet & Clank 2
Silent Hill 2
Street fighter 2
Castlevania: Symphony of the night
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Assassins Creed 2
Metal Gear Solid (not first game in the series)
Tekken 3
God of War (2018)
Mortal Kombat 9
Devil May Cry 3
Virtua Fighter 4
Luigis Mansion 3 doesn’t really belong in that list because the first game was great and it’s sequels didn’t really redefine the series.
There’s more to Ubisoft’s back catalogue than its Templar-bothering flagship franchise and we’re here to prove it. By grovelling for remasters, of course.
With the Switch bringing interest back into the realm of motion controls, it seems as good a time as any to dip back into the backlog and retrieve some lucrative nuggets from the one that launched the phenomenon in the first place: the Nintendo Wii.
