Do you have what it takes to get a review published right here on Kotaku? Kyle does, as he turns into a trash-collecting tiger. Or something like that.
Yes, that’s right, we’re now publishing reader reviews here on Kotaku. This is your chance to deliver sensible game purchasing advice to the rest of the Kotaku community.
And thanks to the very kind chaps at Madman Entertainment, purveyor of all kinds of cool, indie and esoteric film, the best reader review we publish each month will win a prize pack containing ten of the latest Madman DVD releases.
This review was submitted by Kyle Best. If you’ve played No More Heroes 2, or just want to ask Kyle more about it, leave your thoughts in the comments below.
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (Wii)
Travis Touchdown returns in Suda 51’s latest attempt to make us all insane. Travis is out for revenge after his best friend was murdered by the vile Pizza Bat Company. So grab your toilet paper and eject that anime VCR, we’ve got reviewing to do.
Loved
Exploitative: Breasts jiggle violently with every step, enemies explode into a fireworks display of blood and anatomy, and characters swear more than a drunk sailor trying to unlock his front door with a banana. It’s everything you’ve ever loved about B-movies, spliced with the all the best parts of Devil May Cry. There are sequences that are part of the game for no other reason than to be fan service, or to be cool. This game doesn’t make any apologies for what it is, and it is awesome.
Combat: Make no mistake about it, most of the game you will be spending slicing and dicing through wave after wave of enemy, then following it up with a boss fight. Combat in this game is more style over substance, but it’s so damn stylish you won’t care. It’s beautiful in its simplicity, making use of the Wii remote in a way that won’t break your wrist. I don’t know many other games that let you hit a tombstone piledriver on an overweight chainsaw-wielding thug while screaming about desserts, and then turn into a tiger and maul his terrified buddies, but I would like to.
Boss Battles: The true highlights of Desperate Struggle, much like the first game, are the imaginative and bizarre assassins that make up the boss fights at the end of each level. The cut scenes are packed with flair, and the fights themselves always present you with something different to figure out. You will fight everything from a giant mecha made up of horny cheerleaders to the entire Russian space programme. These sequences are where the game shines most brightly, and provide the best memories.
8-Bit Goodness: Unlike the absolute painful free-roaming world of the original, Desperate Struggle has a simple map system. Even better, the job system has been revamped to be presented in glorious 8-Bit, complete with NES-era soundtrack. I found myself getting lost in the Balloon Fighter-style trash cleanup game. Best part about this? Have fun while earning cash (or improving stats!) to buy more clothes and better weapons… just like real life.
Hated
Camera: You know the drill. It’s a third-person action title, and the camera has the usual issues. It’s difficult to feel the satisfaction of using your double katana energy sword to slice an enemy head to groin when you’re staring at the floor.
Overall, I can’t recommend this game enough, but I do so understanding that it won’t appeal to everyone. Much like the artistic stylings of a bad Nic Cage movie, it takes a certain kind of person to enjoy. If you do get Desperate Struggle, get ready, because it’s a wild ride.
Reviewed by: Kyle Best
You can have your Reader Review published on Kotaku. Send your review to us at the usual address. Make sure it’s written in the same format as above and in under 500 words – yes, we’ve upped the word limit. We’ll publish the best ones we get and the best of the month will win a Madman DVD prize pack.
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