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Suda considering MotionPlus, online play for No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle
"Give us MotionPlus!" That seemed to be the most popular response when we asked you what changes you'd make to No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle. Luckily for us, Goichi Suda seems to agree (does he read Wii Fanboy reader comments? If so, hai, Suda!). Speaking to IGN (hit the break for the full video interview), the maverick developer discussed how he'd like to utilise Wii MotionPlus in the No More Heroes follow-up, despite not having touched the add-on yet. 1:1 beam katana action? Um, yes please. He's also "very interested" in online play, though sounded slightly less committed to the idea when he discussed it with CVG, describing it as "still up in [the] air." We'd probably take MotionPlus over some online mode, though if Suda feels like adding both to Travis' next outing, we suppose we can accept that as well. %Gallery-34131%
More waiting for No More Heroes in Europe
European gamers are already feeling pretty sensitive about No More Heroes, since they're getting the original Japanese version and not the "extra bloody" American version. Now there's one more thing to complain about, as Rising Star Games has bumped the release date back a week from February 29th to March 7th. That's not too long to wait, but considering that the game has been out for two months in Japan and one month in the U.S., we can imagine how it would sting.In lighter news (to distract the European audience from the boiling rage they're sinking into), check out Suda 51's joking, Suda-like design idea for an 'adult' Mario game: "Maybe Mario could wear an Italian suit and have a machine gun," he hypothesized, adding, "But Nintendo probably wouldn't like that idea." Oh, Suda, you certainly do enjoy making games about professional killers.%Gallery-4611%
Comparing the censored and uncensored versions of No More Heroes
Spoiler alert: This is the first boss fight in the game.If there's one thing we can't get enough of right now, it's No More Heroes. Suda's masterpiece (yeah, we went there) came in to our video game collection and proceeded to decapitate every single other game in its pursuit to be the top title of our library. We're so smitten, we've cuddled with the game's case every night in bed, clenching it tight against our chest like our teddy bears of old. But enough about our rampant love of the game. One of the biggest concerns for Europeans is how the censored version would stack up the bloody affair that is the U.S. release. One gamer was kind enough to do just that, taking video of each death scene in the game from both censored and uncensored version of the game. So, if you're beaten the game or just don't care about spoilers, hit up the link below. For the rest of you, go play No More Heroes already!%Gallery-4611%
2008's Biggest Blips: Flower, Sun and Rain / The Silver Case
Developer: Grasshopper ManufacturePublisher: TBD / TBDRelease: TBD / TBDThe DS boasts an enviable spread of adventure games, and 2008 promises much for the genre. Courtesy of Grasshopper Manufacture, both Flower, Sun and Rain and The Silver Case will be appearing on the handheld in the coming months, and it's fair to say that both reek of awesomeness.Flower, Sun and Rain puts the player in the shoes of Sumio Mondo, an assassin tasked with defusing a time bomb planted on a plane. Sumio initially fails his mission, only to wake the next morning and find that the explosion has yet to happen. Presented with a second chance to save the stricken plane and redeem himself, Sumio again fails, but wakes the next morning to find himself living the same day over and over, his hotel room becoming more and more warped as he slowly begins to lose his mind from the repetition.Comparatively little has been revealed about the DS version of The Silver Case, a murder mystery title that originally appeared on the PlayStation back in 1999. Centered around a series of grisly murders, the game is played from two perspectives: that of a leading detective, and of a freelance writer investigating the affair. In the PlayStation original, the story was narrated entirely through a montage of 2D illustrations, 3D CG, live-action images, and motion graphics, but it's not yet known whether the DS version will adopt the same techniques (the presence of two screens would seem like the perfect excuse to mimic this, however).While both titles are wildly inventive, we feel we should also contribute part of this preview to the man behind them. Here in the DS Fanboy dungeon, our admiration and respect for Goichi Suda knows no end. As the name behind the likes of Killer 7 and No More Heroes, Suda has proven time and again that the punk spirit is alive and well in videogames, and that there remains a place in gaming for the unconventional and the plain bizarre.As much as it saddens us, Suda won't be making games forever, but we like to think that his eventual successor will keep the punk flame alive in game development by following: DO feel free to compare the process of making your games to defecating.DO pile on the geeks and freaks. Suda is an expert at this, as Flower, Sun and Rain looks set to demonstrate.DO try and avoid selling very many copies of your game, even if it's completely awesome. Selling games in any great quantity is for those Establishment suckers at EA and Ubisoft. Stick it to The Man through your own low sales!DO come across as an obnoxious, uncooperative ass in interviews -- think The Sex Pistols and Bill Grundy in 1976 (in a very unpunk fashion, we should warn you that that last link is NSFW). In truth, Suda actually fails to follow this particular rule, as he consistently comes across as the kind of affable, fun-loving fellow you'd quite like to go for a drink with, or at least become friends with over the internet, which could perhaps lead to you both becoming BFF IRL. AND ON THAT SUBJECT, GOICHI, WHY DO YOU NEVER ANSWER MY EMAILS?DO NOT follow rules or guides -- they just, like, totally pigeonhole you. Except, y'know, this one.%Gallery-12911% FFIV Back Many infos
Yet More Cosplay
We can totally get behind No More Heroes cosplay. For one thing, it's a cheap and fairly easy pastime, not unlike your mom requiring none of the intricate and potentially expensive items needed for, say, successful Metroid cosplay. For another, the end result generally looks quite good, if you have the right physique to pull it off (we don't), as well as the correct cocksure attitude (again, no).Hit the link below for more photos of Travis Touchdown and Sylvia Christel imitators that you can shake a paper-mâché WarioWare mask at.[Via GameSetWatch]
Fanswag: And the No More Heroes winner is ...
With over two thousand entries in our giveaway for No More Heroes, the task of selecting a winner would be a very difficult one. Thankfully, we take the easy way out and select the winner via random drawing. So, without further ado, let's congratulate: Patricia Mortimer, who said her favorite hero is Oprah Winfrey Congratulations to Patricia and better luck next time to the rest of you! Be sure to keep an eye out for our next Fanswag giveaway!%Gallery-4611%
Wii Warm Up: No More Heroes vs Endless Ocean
Two great titles hit stores this week, one for hardcore gamers, taking you through the twisted and stylized world of Travis Touchdown, the other for those with more casual tastes, allowing you to explore the Manaurai Sea and its marine life. So, considering your limited budget, which of these two are you considering picking up, No More Heroes or Endless Ocean?Or are you planning to skip them both, buying Advance Wars: Days of Ruin instead? But then what if No More Heroes bombs, and US publishers refuse to bring Goichi Suda's games stateside in the future? Won't someone please think of Suda 51?!%Gallery-4734%%Gallery-4611%
So, Goichi Suda, how would you describe making No More Heroes?
There seems to be some sort of inextricable link between No More Heroes and toilets. Previously, it was revealed that we'd all be saving our progress in the game by perching on the john. Then there was that novelty No More Heroes themed toilet paper that was handed out at the game's launch party in Japan, and which director Goichi Suda would later give away on the streets of Akihibara.Now, Suda has told Eurogamer that the creative process behind the game was comparable to ... pinching a loaf. You know: making a deposit at the Porcelain Bank. Taking the Browns to the Super Bowl. Defecating. We're struggling, so we'll let Suda take us from here: "When you take a shit, everything you've consumed is all mixed together, there are all sorts of things in that -- and that's the same kind of idea, I think."That's ... charming.
DS Daily: Heroes
No, we're not talking about the heroes you might be thinking of. We're talking about the heroes behind the heroes. The names and faces that make our games come alive. The visionaries, if you will.Yesterday's unveiling of a release date and the official website for Flower, Sun and Rain inspired a chat amongst the staff about the game's creator, Goichi Suda. You see, around these parts, we simply can't get enough of Suda's work: the wildly imaginative concepts, that inimitable visual style. Hand on heart, Suda's mere involvement in a project means a sale to this blogger is more than likely. We only wish others felt the same way.But what about you, reader? Is there a particular development guru you look up to? Are you more about Sakaguchi or Shiggy, Molyneux or Mizuguchi? And do you ever purchase a game solely because they played a part in its creation?
Suda and Wada behind bloodless No More Heroes
A recent announcement that Europe would be getting a bloodless version of No More Heroes didn't go down well with many of our bloodthirsty commenters. At the time, PAL publisher Rising Star Games refused to reveal what was behind the decision, but more light was shed on the omission earlier today, in a joint statement from director Suda51 and producer Yasuhiro Wada (pictured above unsuccessfully trying to give away free toilet roll and autographs on the streets of Akihabara).Turns out that it was Suda and Wada themselves who decided to drop the outrageous levels of gore from the European version, citing the "broadly growing Wii market" in the region.Not that this affects many of you, as the U.S. version still contains plenty of the crimson stuff. Buckets of it, in fact.
New 'No More Heroes' spots show off coconut, garbage collecting
Good times come February, friends. By then we'll have officially given up on our New Year's Resolutions, making way for more decadent, artery-clogging food, and Goichi Suda's bizarre, frightening No More Heroes will be hitting US shelves. No More Heroes releases on December 6th in Japan, and leading up to the launch the official site has been updated with a bevy of new videos.The two highlighted here show the lead, Travis Touchdown, the most awesomely named character in any fictional construct to date, collecting the mundane -- garbage and coconuts. Who said being an assassin was all blood and body bags? Hit the jump for the second video.
Suda 51 talks No More Heroes some more
Whether it's save screens showing one of the more embarrassing parts of being a human being, or the crazy cast of characters , we want No More Heroes. We need it like we need oxygen to live. So, when head honcho Suda 51 (Goichi Suda) talks, we listen. His latest interview with Gamasutra is no different.Suda's inspiration for the game comes from a movie called El Topo, by Alejandro Jodorowsky. Can't say we've seen it, but you can bet we're planning on it. Suda says he always wanted to create a story where progression occurs through a series of battles. Also, he says he learned a lot from Ubisoft's Red Steel. Now, before you blow your top, he says he learned from the good and the bad, so at least he recognizes that the game had faults.Of course, this isn't the first time he's talked inspirations on the game, so take it as you will
Is it worth watching X-Play to see some No More Heroes footage?
We say it is! No More Heroes is the pinnacle of Wii awesomeness. Unfortunately the G4 website is the nadir of annoying Flash navigation. You have to click "Videos," then the X-Play icon, then the No More Heroes link. But once you've jumped through all those hoops-- beautiful gameplay footage. And English voice acting!No More Heroes looks as stylish and cool in motion as it does in stills. Sword combat looks great, with insane duels ending in explosions of blood. It looks like a real action game-- much more so than Killer 7. The motion-controlled Beam Katana charging is, well, inspired. The wrestling moves appear numerous. And then, as if merely to fill space, there's a surprise Suda 51 interview.No, there's no explanation of the tiger graphic. Yes, we're a little disappointed too.[Via NeoGAF]
No More Heroes character bios
The official No More Heroes page has updated with three brief character bios. We immediately put on our Secret No More Heroes Fan Club Decoder Rings and set to the task of figuring out the mysterious secret code in which they were written.Travis Touchdown is #11 in the assassin ranking. He loves pro wrestling, competitive fighting, and a "Japanimation" (their word) called "Bizarre Jerry." Sylvia Christel is an agent of the assassins' group. A mysterious, cool woman, she organizes the ranking competition herself (we think.) Holly Summers is ranked #6. She is a model who also works as an assassin.None of this is entirely new, but it does have the benefit of being about No More Heroes. And it's another excuse to go look at the character art.
Wii Warm Up: Suda 51
He's got a weird name, he makes weird, violent games, and he's got really, really cool friends. He's also writing the Snatcher radio drama, which makes him our best friend. Grasshopper Manufacture's Suda 51 applies a punk-rock philosophy to game design, and the results are always interesting.He seems to have made the Wii his home console for the time being. Do you welcome his contributions? Are you looking forward to No More Heroes as much as we are? The kind of stuff he likes to make is pretty far outside the usual Wii fare, but we feel that the Wii all about shaking up the norm. Is there merit to his disruptive game design ideals, or are they just disruptive for disruption's sake? If you're a Suda fan now, would you still be if he didn't have the glow of Wii association? Can we put some more question marks in here?
Suda surprise: The Silver Case will be localized
Back at GDC, Grasshopper Manufacture's Suda 51 announced that his Playstation text adventure The Silver Case and its cellphone sequel were getting ported to the DS. We tempered our interest in this development with doubt that the games would be released outside of Japan, due to their limited appeal and the large amount of text involved.Sometimes, we don't mind being wrong. During the Australian G03 event, Suda announced that the game, which was "a minor hit" in Japan, would receive a worldwide release. Now we should all buy it and let him know he made the right decision![Via NeoGAF]
Suda 51 & Kojima's 'Project S' based on Snatcher, radio drama announced
According to Famitsu, Suda 51 has declassified 'Project S,' a not-so-mysterious collaboration with Hideo Kojima. As suspected, "S" is for "Snatcher," Kojima's 1988 cyberpunk adventure, which was eventually translated and released for Sega CD in 1994. During this past weekend's 'Snake vs Zombie Vol. 2' event, Suda confessed that Snatcher was his favorite Kojima effort, prompting a few snickers between the No More Heroes creator and Kojima, who joined Suda on stage. While the pair alluded to Project S's presumed connection to Snatcher, it wasn't until this week's article that the link was openly confirmed.Project S is apparently a series of works based on the Snatcher property. The first, a radio drama (yeah, you read that right, radio drama), will be written by Suda 51, who will also star as one of the voice actors. "I think I will call it 'Snatchers.' I can't talk about the details of the story at this point," he told Famitsu. Any chance it'll make it to satellite?
Kojima and Suda 51 tease Snatcher fans
Last Saturday, Suda 51's company Grasshopper Manufacture held the coolest event ever, at least for game nerds: Snake vs. Zombie vol. 2, a series of informal panel discussions by big names in the Japanese game industry, including Hideo Kojima, Shinji Mikami, ICO's Fumito Ueda, and Tetsuya Mizuguchi. There were also musical performances from Metal Gear Solid 3/Portable Ops soundtrack composer Norihiko Hibino and Silent Hill series producer and composer Akira Yamaoka.As if the mere existence of this event (and our non-attendance at said event) weren't causing us physical pain, now we have unbearable anticipation buzzing around in our heads. During a Kojima/Mikami panel hosted by Suda, Mikami, a man of taste, mentioned that his favorite Kojima game was Snatcher, to which the other two responded "Ah yes, Snatcher," followed by "Oh, should we announce it here?" To sum up, in italics, there is a possibility that Hideo Kojima and Suda 51 are collaborating on some kind of Snatcher game. We do not care if it is a sequel, a remake, a port, an action figure, or an official recipe for Neo Kobe Pizza. We want ten.
Possible No More Heroes t-shirt surfaces
This weird-looking t-shirt with the phrase "NO MORE HEROES" was spotted in Japan recently. Just from looking at the shirt, we have no idea if it's related to the Wii game, but the 4cr poster who purchased it seemed to think so, indicating that it is part of a line of No More Heroes shirts. We'd like to see the full line of these shirts; we'd be unlikely to purchase this one, but we really like the idea of having some No More Heroes memorabilia. Suda 51's games and his company Grasshopper Manufacture's website prove that they are capable of remarkable stylishness. Check their shop for some amazing stuff that doesn't look like it was designed by a video game company. Of course, the store is for Japan only, but go and gawk anyway.
Suda 51's inspirations for No More Heroes
This video interview with Grasshopper Manufacture's Suda 51, the eccentric auteur responsible for Contact and Killer 7, shows off the stylish semi-cel-shaded graphics and bizarre second-person camera angles we've come to expect from a Suda game. In addition, we get a few details about the storyline, which concerns an otaku named Travis Touchdown who wins a beam sword in an online auction and then (naturally) gets involved with a bunch of competitive professional hitmen.Suda goes on to discuss some of the influences that he synthesized into his new Wii game No More Heroes, including Ultimate Fighting, Grand Theft Auto, and Johnny Knoxville. No mention is made of the title, which is also the title of a Stranglers song-- no surprise from a guy who titled his GDC presentation "Punk's Not Dead." The video is embedded, after the cut.
