NYCC 09: MadWorld hands-on (Wii)

MadWorld seems to be made with the theme: if you can see it, you can kill someone with it. This game is all about gore and the sadistic glee one derives from spilling others' blood. We've kept our eye on this title for nearly a year now, and with a release looming so closely, Sega finally lets us try it out for the first time.

So what does it feel like going through this ultra-violent Wii title? What does one feel while holding Jack's chainsaw and using the Wiimote to cut into enemies? It feels great – so natural and so good.

Gallery: MadWorld

To say that the action in MadWorld is "fun" would be an understatement. There is just so much one can do. Players can whip out their chainsaw by holding down the B-button and start swinging the Wiimote to slash into an opponent's flesh. Environments are interactive; circuit breakers, trash dumpsters and enormous fans can all be used as deathtraps. There's also the matter of picking up enemies and chucking them around like rag dolls.

Now all of that is fun on its own; however, the amusement is magnified when you consider that the Wii's motion controls have been fully realized and maximized. The Wiimote and nunchuck controls don't feel in any way gimmicky. The controls are intuitive with a low learning curve. The majority of the action involves the A-button; spam it to unleash a flurry of pummels or hold down the button to pick up large crates or enemies. If you've picked up an enemy, you can then toss them by whipping the Wiimote forward.

While there are a lot of positive things to say about MadWorld, the camera, however, is one gripe worth mentioning. It can't fully be controlled; it instead slowly follows Jack around. Tapping the C-button on the nunchuk auto-adjusts the camera, fixing it on to the direction which Jack is currently facing. It's a slight annoyance at first, but it's easy to shake off quickly and get used to.

It's also good to note that there are a lot "safety" spots in the game. Jack can't accidentally fall into those giant spinning fans, nor can he drown in the water at the pier. All these hazard areas can be used to Jack's advantage but can't be used adversely to hurt him. The initial feeling of this and the overall difficulty of the enemies makes MadWorld seem a tad too easy. Sure it's exhilarating to decimate all your enemies in such a violent fashion but the level of challenge – at least in the level we've played – is slightly lacking.

The point collection system is a nice touch as it encourages players to find more creative ways to take out enemies. The more unique the kill-style is, the more points players earn. The objective of each level is to attain a certain amount of points to unlock challenges and finish up the stage. This gives MadWorld a strong arcade-like vibe. Environments are large and explorable, there's no set destination or path. Enemies seem to respawn out of nowhere and they're pretty much an endless horde.

The visuals are, simply put, stunning. The contrasting black and white world mixed in with splatters of red keep things very artistic. It also serves a practical purpose, seeing that these solid colors make MadWorld one of the most aesthetically-pleasing Wii titles to dates. The backgrounds, the character models and the action all look fluidly smooth and gorgeous no matter what you're doing.

All in all, we're rather impressed with what MadWorld has to offer. The gameplay is solid and it uses the Wii's motion controls adequately. We wished we had more time to play the game, or even had the chance to try out the motorcycle gameplay. We suppose we'll just have to wait until March 10 for that one.