E3: Ubisoft confirms 1:1 swordplay and motion plus pack in for Red Steel 2

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Jason Vandenberghe took the stage at Ubisoft’s E3 Press conference to give us a sneak peek at Red Steel 2, and boy howdy did it come across as positive.

“We were the first to jump on the Wii with Red Steel,” Yves Guillemot said earlier in the conference. “…now with Wii Motion Plus, Red Steel 2 will go even further.”

The showing started off with a preview trailer similar to one that was leaked earlier this month, showing a player immersed in seeming 1:1 gameplay, actively switching between katana and handgun in an epic battle against multiple foes.

“Let’s look at our sword.” Vandenberghe started, narrating the gameplay of another Ubisoft representative. “The sword in Red Steel 2 is mapped one to one with the Wii Motion Plus.  To attack, you just swing the sword.  We can measure how hard you are swinging your weapon… so the harder you slash the more damage you are going to do.”

The player’s slashes seemed fluid, the game matched his moves with only a slight delay, which was presumed to be negligible during gameplay.  Vandenberghe described their approach to swordplay design to “fighting with sticks in the back yard” when you are a kid, and stated that they are confident that they recreated that youthful feeling of pretend swordplay.

The stylized graphics looked fluid and suited the game quite well, and reportedly averages at about 60 frames per second.  “I am delighted to tell you that we will bundle Wii Motion Plus at Launch.” Vandenberghe finished.

The bottom line? Red Steel 2 – 1:1 motion and motion plus bundle confirmed.  This game is shaping up to be a great addition to the Wii lineup! Stay tuned for a hands-on preview later this week as E3 continues!