Infendo Review: No More Heroes
Sunday, January 27th, 2008 at 5:25am by Kyle
Obscene would be the best way to describe this game. Not so much in the sense that there are gratuitous amounts of visceral fluids on screen, or that the language would make a sailor blush; but rather that Suda 51, the game’s creators are attempting to sell you a reality where you use coconut transportation as a means to pay an entry fee into a battle royal of the top assassins in the world. Is there blood? Oh yes, there is blood. Is there foul language? Oh yes, there is cussin-a-plenty. But is that the leg this game uses to stand on? Absolutely not. No More Heroes, as the title would suggest is a cynical look into the current state of pop culture, what we view as a hero, and most importantly; the state of video games.
This isn’t a game for everyone. No More Heroes requires its players to be well read in video games and pop culture. Our ‘hero’, Travis Touchdown’s weapon of choice is a ‘laser katana’. Upon seeing the box art the player can easily make out that this is a shoddy law suit side step by Suda 51 for arming their protagonist with a lightsaber. After your first chance to see our Otaku Luke Skywalker decapitate a horde of yakuza you’ll know that no other weapon on earth would have fit into this universe. The fight sequences owe more to Takashi Miike then they do George Lucas, but that’s the game you’re playing. You’ve never seen sci-fi epics crossed with Japanese mobster stuff with Lucha Libra moves thrown in top of it for no other reason than “what the hell” any where else on earth. And you know what? It works. It works beautifully.
The game examines what we consider a hero in the medium of video games. Travis spends his time killing extras from The Warriors, watching porn, and using the bathroom… a lot. You can choose to have Travis hang out on his couch and snuggle with his cat, but after a few minutes of that you’ll want to head back out to the streets to find some bad guys to cut in half. Even after the kitty cuddling you feel that if this self serving geek is what we have to consider a hero, then we are in a lot of trouble. But that’s the kind of game this is. You have to ask yourself, what kind of guy am I playing here? Doesn’t a hero save kids from burning buildings? Is a hero someone who looks out for themselves? Which is more fun playing? As you drop those coconuts off for money you’ll ponder on what your efforts are really for in the end.
The game is a big step graphically for the Wii. Not because it pushes the hardware to do new things, but rather that it knows how to use what it can do effectively. All of the in-game menus are a throw back to the days of 8-bit gaming. The game also takes a rather direct stab at the Grand Theft Auto series by giving you a city to roam around in completely free of consequence. Want to get on your motorcycle and run over someone? Do it, the cops won’t stop you. After all, GTA established that this behavior was not uncommon of heroes.
No More Heroes is truly a geek’s dream. Its a valentine to video games, Japanese culture, wrestling, movies, all these things that are the building blocks of your personality. Yet it remains wholly original. It’s a self referential look into what would happen if you got up off your couch, walked out the door, and started killing people without consequences. Play it with an open mind, because in the end that’s really the only way you can.
January 27th, 2008 at 5:45 am
Great review kyle. I picked up the game today and played through the first two boss battles before I forced myself off the wiimote. I had higher expectations for the ‘free roam’ parts of the game, wishful thinkings I guess. I really wished there was more interactions in this so called free roaming state, but I guess thats another game. The gameplay is amazing, and I don’t think I’ll get old of watching Travis’ blade swinging through people’s necks.
January 27th, 2008 at 7:52 am
For the question: Is there blood in it?
I answered no. Blood is supposively going to be censored in the PAL release of this game. Which is actually why I won’t buy the title. I’ve bee on the fence lately but after playing Killer 7 again I decided that its not worth it.
Sure its got pop culture references and an interesting art design but if its not ‘fun’ then it ain’t worth my cash. And I spent years anticipaiting Killer 7 and it let me down by being too obscure to care about some solid gameplay.
January 27th, 2008 at 9:19 am
[...] Infendo Review: No More Heroes - Infendo | Nintendo news, podcast, Wii, DS, and GBA blog No More Heroes is truly a geek’s dream. Its a valentine to video games, Japanese culture, wrestling, movies, all these things that are the building blocks of your personality. (tags: wii games nintendo) [...]
January 27th, 2008 at 11:32 am
I urge you to reconsider, Daniel. True, the overworld leaves a little to be desired, but the combat sections are quite solid.
January 27th, 2008 at 11:37 am
@Daniel: The blood is technically not censored in Europe. The PAL version will be identical to the Japanese version; blood was added in for America. The gameplay in No More Heroes is much more accessible than Killer7 in that it plays more like a modern game, whereas Killer7 was a point-and-click adventure game with guns. The combat and story in NMH are enjoyable beyond belief. Destructoid.com also has a great review of it.
January 27th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I rented this game yesterday and actually I was very impressed. The game is not only a creative masterpiece and entertaining in that sense, but it has some of the most addictive game play elements i have ever had the opportunity to experience. After playing for a brief (heh) 4 hours I was wishing that everyone would go out and buy it, it would be a blockbuster, and Goichi Suda would be so happy that he would make it a franchise with the wii. I like the way that the graphics flow and the main character is a really cool dude. Lets just hope that in the future more third parties will create games that I can enjoy so much.
Its not perfect, but having been a relatively hardcore gamer since I was on Atari, it was a perspective changing experience. You can love it or hate it or like it only somewhat, but definitely don’t ignore it.
January 27th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
“Beam Katana” not “Laser Katana”
January 27th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
good write-up though…
killer game, buy it, love it.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
“As you drop those coconuts off for money you’ll ponder on what your efforts are really for in the end.”
It should be obvious, Sylvia agreed that she will have sex with Travis, After he becomes number one on the top assains list. A truly wonderful ending to a truly wonderful game.
Also, I have to add, some of the dialogue is hilarious. Especially when the rental store calls Travis about his over-due pornos.
“Uh, hello, this is Diane from ‘Beef Head’ movie rentals. Um, I just wanted to remind you that one of you’re videos are over-due. The title was… uh… Coffee and… MILF. So, when you’re done with that, please return it” *click*
January 27th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Yeah I do realize that it is a much better game than Killer 7 but I still don’t think that I’ll buy it. Well at least not at full price. I’ve been very strict on my purchases lately.
January 27th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I actually wish I could buy the PAL or Japanese version, because while the game sounds pretty decent, I’m not 14 years old anymore, haven’t been for quite some time, and gallons of blood don’t do anything for me. At all.
January 27th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I LOVE this game. Makes me want to go back and play Killer7 again.
January 27th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
raindog469: The “blood” is No More Heroes isn’t there for gore-value. It truly is artistically implemented. It is blood, and there is lots of it…but it’s not in the same category as we’ve normally thought of “blood” in gaming. At least, not to me. There is artistic merit to it this time, rather than something to beat our chests about.
No More Heroes is unquestionably fun, too. Many of the complaints about Killer 7 dealt with a supposed “style over substance” argument. The same complaints simply lose validity when applied to No More Heroes. Suda definitely found a way to implement his trademark style and nihilism into an experience that is actually fun and enjoyable for the player. Spectacular Wii controls, great visuals, an original concept…
This is everything a Wii gamer could ask for in one slick $49.99 package.
January 27th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Thank Hell for Suda 51. Punk rock is a great analogy. Rough around the edges but more than a sum of its parts. Warts and all, this is an amazing piece of work. Glad I got my copy.
Don’t miss it!
January 27th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I’m with raindog. I’ve said for years that every game should have a toggle in the settings menu to turn blood on and off. I don’t really mind it, but given the choice, in most cases, i would turn it off. And my wife enjoys watching me game and its a big turn off for her to have to see lots of blood, artistic or otherwise. That being said, the game is fantastic.
January 27th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Is there an option to turn the blood off in this game and make it the coins instead?
I rather prefer the coin explosion when you kill a guy over the blood spray.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:41 am
samfish: The coins are there along with the blood, and I believe they’re added to your total $. There is no toggle option.
I have to agree with Derek. The blood is stylistic, much like it was with Kill Bill Vol. 1. I haven’t seen the Japanese video for the Destroyman boss battle, but if it doesn’t have all that blood splattered around the studio it definitely won’t have the same effect, considering the kind of character Destroyman is.
And technically, nil, blood was in the original trailers, and later changed to the black dust for the Japanese and European releases.
January 28th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
NMH is indeed a punk game in the best sense of the word. I’m really enjoying it so far, though it’s rather tedious to explore the city given how slow Travis runs, and I really wish they had done a better job of rendering the boundaries of alleys etc. The combat is a blast.
Also, I don’t mean to hijack, but Kyle, since you namedropped Takashi Miike, would you be willing to suggest which film or films of his one should start with?
January 28th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
ichi the killer
January 28th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
i’ll second ichi the killer.
oh so much more f-ed up then no more heroes but about on par with some of the death sequences.
this is a gamers game, do not miss it. play it once at a friends house or watch gameplay videos, this is a game that realizes it is a game and its easily the best use of motion controls to date.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Wow, what a great and intelligent review. Actually, i haven´t been able to get my hands on this yet (i live in Mexico, hometown of La Lucha Libre, wahooo)
But i really don´t need to hear any more positive comments about it, this game will be mine as soon as i see it.
January 29th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Miike’s films are very interesting. My favorite is Audition; this one shows how much he’s grown as a film maker. Dead or Alive is fun and ridiculous and Miike’s segment in Three Extremes is truly brilliant. I found Ichi the Killer to be overrated.
No More Heroes definitely has a Miike vibe, whereas Killer7 was clearly influenced by both Miike and David Lynch.