Travis Touchdown must rise to the rank of Best Killer in Santa Destroy, and it's one hell of a trip.
Story:
Travis Touchdown is an Otaku, he's got Anime and wrestling merchandise all over his apartment, he's got a cat named Jeane, and he also has a beam katana he ordered off the Internet. It isn't long until Travis decides to take up a job, killing Helter Skelter, also called "The Drifter." Doing so forces him into the eleventh spot on the UAA hired killers ranking list, where the only way to go is up to the top. The story is actually really good, with so many twists that if it had a Metal Gear in it, it would pass as a Metal Gear title. What helps with this story doing so well is not only the great voice work, but also the colorful cast of characters you run into, and the fact the story itself breaks the fourth wall a few times throughout the adventure. The story of this game also can give Wii owners a reason to say it's not a kiddy system, and the story also goes places not many games go.
Design:
No More Heroes is an open world action adventure title, at least it tries to be, and somewhat does a good job. The game has a world to explore, the problem is aside from hunting down T-shirts, Lovikov balls, and money, everything happens by standing on an icon. The main focus of the game however, is the over-the-top fighting, and this the game does well on. A typical ranking fight is a few rooms loaded with enemies, followed by an extremely clever and challenging boss fight at the end. However it's not that simple, as you have to earn the money to pay for the entry fee for the ranking fights. You start out doing some menial task like finding kittens or cleaning the trash, but these unlock challenges at K-Entertainment, a place you go to get killing jobs for more cash. There are also random challenges on the world map, but these don't vary, and usually you can't do much before failing.
Gameplay:
Gameplay is a mixed bag kind of, the city of Santa Destroy is somewhat interesting the first time you are free to move around it, but aside from a few places, there's nothing to really do. The Shpeltiger, Travis' ridiculously huge motorcycle is fairly clunky to control, though power sliding and jumps help with the otherwise mediocre driving controls. The collision on the streets is also sometimes questionable, as you'll crash into a car that you didn't actually touch, but were too close to, while street lamps fall when you touch them. It's mostly forgiven however, when you get into the killing portions. In an odd move, Grasshopper didn't make all the attacks placed on the Wii-mote, choosing to use a combo. The player holds the Wii-mote up or down for a high or low stance, and uses the A button to attack and the B button to use a hand-to-hand strike. That doesn't mean all controls avoid the motion controls. When an enemy is about to be finished off, an arrow appears on screen, telling you which way to swing the Wii-mote to make Travis kill his opponent by turning them into a fountain of blood and coins. Even though you do it to every enemy in the game, it never gets old. Wrestling moves are done to stunned opponents by pressing B, then two arrows appear that tell you which way to swing the Wii-mote and the nun-chuck. Combat is very satisfying, and even the mundane jobs are varied and use the remote in various ways.
Graphics:
Graphics have their ups and downs. The upside is the cel-shading and animations are well done, the game is super colorful and easy to look at, despite all the red you will see throughout the game from the blood flowing from your foes. It's not all perfect however, as the frame rate is fairly inconsistent, jumping around quite a bit, though it's never a huge problem. The cut-scenes are very well done, with great animations and special effects. The HUD, menu, icons, everything not related to the actual game world is done in a 3d 8bit style, fitting in incredibly well to the visual appeal.
Sound:
Sound-wise this game is like a party grab bag, mixing new, old, catchy, and great into one package. Sound effects are well done and well utilized, including using the wii-mote speaker for some of the beam katana sounds, some sounds sound like something you would have heard back on the NES, which still works in the context of the oddity that is this game. The music is catchy, and gets the job done well, from fast paced themes for fighting, older retro style for scenes, as well a great bass tune that plays in your apartment. The voice acting is creepy in how well it works, each character, as odd and colorful as they are, kind of become believable because of the voices that bring them to life. A bit of warning though, the script goes weird places, and the F word is used quite a bit, but other than that this game is just very original in it's looks and sounds.
Final Words:
No More Heroes has it's down sides, but it has it's upsides that outweigh the down. The game has some clunky controls but the sheer brilliance of the fighting system is unmatched. The graphics have their frame rate issues, but the actual visuals are unique and make the game fun to look at. Sound has some questionable music, but the effects and voice acting really makes up for it. Overall No More heroes is a game that any Wii owner over 17 (the game is rated M), shouldn't miss.
Story: 9
Design:8
Gameplay:8.5
Graphics:8.5
Sound: 9
Overall: 8.6