Red Steel 2 comes bundled with great controls, outstanding graphics (especially for the console), and large diversity.
Red Steel 2 comes from a time when firearms and swords live together in harmony. Firearms are long-ranged, and, different from our time, swords can parry bullets. This game can be described as a western action film with modern robots added for good measure. These machines flout in the air and carry machine guns or a single bomb for suicide missions. You, as the main character, carry a Katana sword and four guns, three of which must be purchased at the sheriff's shop.
Red Steel 2 seems like a short game, and it only feels that way because it's a little too easy. I started playing this game on medium mode, and found it too simple to master. In the middle of the game, I switched to Ninja mode (the hardest mode in the game), and the challenge was still a little too low. With all the upgrades and power-ups, the Jackals don't put up much of a fight, and the later enemies can be defeated with a little thinking.
Once you purchase the overpowering special move, the Tiger, you'll glide right through enemies like they're not even there. The Tiger not only parries an enemy's attack, but also paralyzes them temporarily, giving you enough time to strike. Soon, the player will be tempted to do the same thing over and over again: Tiger, slash, slash, Tiger, slash, finish. This works on most, if not all, enemies, regardless of power or what weapon they're carrying. Red Steel 2 would improve at least 30% if the Tiger was weakened or removed.
One of the great features of Red Steel 2 is that it isn't shallow. The diversity in moves is enormous, making fighting enemies never boring. You can slash in any direction and parry in any direction. Special attacks are purchased at the shop with the money collect through playing the game. These include the Rush, the Bear, the Tiger (unfortunately), and more. Special moves, your sword, and your guns all have upgrades available at shops around Caldera.
Red Steel 2's story mode is divided into several chapters. This features storyline, fighting enemies, and a few bosses, all of which are the main aspect of the game. A good 12 hours can be spent completing this section. Unfortunately, after completing the final chapter, the player is stuck. All the money collected up to that point becomes useless, as no shops are available. Backtracking to earlier stages is impossible in story mode.
Challenge mode, available from the main menu, is a repeat of the chapters you've already completed from story mode but allows you to earn medals through the cash you collect along the way. This mode extends game time, but is much less entertaining, as the player is now aware of what will happen. Surprise is no longer an element. All power-ups and special moves obtained through story mode are used here, but new purchases cannot be made in Challenge mode, where the shops are empty.
In this review, I've mostly pointed out the negatives. I would recommend this game to anyone who loves slashing swords and firing guns. The game is suitable for teenagers: there is no blood, and profane language is rarely used.
Red Steel 2 is a huge improvement over the original Red Steel, but there were some good features from the original that weren't in the sequel. Red Steel was set in a more modern and intimidating environment, and I found the music here to be more entertaining than the music in Red Steel 2. Red Steel 2, however, did have much better controls and graphics. That's what I want in Red Steel 3: the environment and music from Red Steel 1 combined with the controls and graphics of Red Steel 2.