No More Heroes
Latest
Wii Fanboy Review: No More Heroes
Suda 51 is the Quentin Tarantino of game design. Like the hyperactive filmmaker, Suda 51 makes intentionally rough-looking works that celebrate forgotten film genres and are characterized by over-the-top graphic violence and rapid-fire pop-culture references. The major difference between the two is that Tarantino has been successful, making millions of dollars, winning awards, and guest-judging on American Idol, whereas Suda has to make licensed anime games (unconventionally, still) in order to gather the budget for original work. To carry the metaphor further, No More Heroes feels very much like it could be Suda's Pulp Fiction: the game in which Suda finally gets to bring his unique game design to an accepting mainstream audience. It could easily be the crossover hit that he never tried to make. And in true punk style, No More Heroes redefines the AAA game, rejecting most of the considerations that usually denote a game's quality in favor of what he cares about.%Gallery-4611%
Fanswag reminder: Win a copy of No More Heroes [update]
Update: If you want to enter for a chance at winning the game, you have to go here. Comments were never supposed to be turned on for this post. For that, I apologize.Hey, did you know that we're unloading one free copy of No More Heroes onto one lucky Wii Fanboy reader? Well, if not, then you're only a few days behind the others, so all is not lost. What you'll need to do is head on over to the original giveaway post and give it a thorough read. Once you've done that, leave a comment telling us who your favorite hero is and that's it. You're then officially entered. But, be sure to remember that you can come back to that post each and every day, leaving a new comment to increase your chances at winning. You may only leave one comment per day, though, and must be 18 years or older and a current resident of the United States.For the official rules, give a click here.%Gallery-4611%
Will Brawl fall to the Wii's casual focus?
An interesting opinion piece by JC Barnett popped up on GameSetWatch yesterday, which covered the familiar area of the general lack of success of "hardcore" games on the Wii, specifically in Japan. Barnett's prime example is No More Heroes, which, despite being hyped like crazy (and also despite being really awesome) totally bombed. A "punk rock game" from Suda 51 isn't really prime hit material, being somewhat niche by design, but Barnett uses this as an example of a game that doesn't fit with the Wii audience.He then wonders out loud if Super Smash Bros. Brawl will actually sell as well as we all think it will. "It is hardcore, but it is popular hardcore. But is it a fit for the Wii audience? My guess is: not so much." He expects a fairly strong first month with a large drop-off, much like Super Mario Galaxy. In other words, it'll sell well, but not as well as a DS game about petting a dog.We've heard a lot of talk about the Wii's casual-focused audience, but this is the first time somebody has questioned the sales potential of Smash Bros. It should be pretty interesting to see how the first month plays out in Japan.
Flower, Sun, and Not Heroes
In addition to touch-screeny puzzles, the DS remake of Flower, Sun, and Rain has been confirmed to contain at least minimal new content -- minimal but meaningful. Notably (har), you have a memo pad, which lets you save pages of handwritten notes. This is, of course, wonderful for adventure games.In addition, Suda has (openly) hidden a reference to his recent Wii release No More Heroes in the new game. Sumio Mondo has access to some changes of costumes, which we are guessing are unlockable. One of them is a bellboy, in the same style as Flower, Sun, and Rain's creepy-looking bellboy character, but the other is Travis Touchdown -- right down to the amber sunglasses and single glove. It's no surprise that Suda alluded to No More Heroes in Flower, Sun, and Rain, since he made a similar allusion in (at least the advertising for) No More Heroes.[Via Siliconera]
Wii Fanswag: No More Heroes
Santa Destroy is a rough place, unless you've got the moves to make it to the top of the assassin's ranking list. And we want you to give the game's protagonist, Travis Touchdown, a helping hand. So we're going to hand you a copy of No More Heroes for the Wii. How does one enter for such a prize? Well, each day, from now until Wednesday, January 30th at 11:59pm EST, you can leave a comment telling us who your favorite hero is. It can be a superhero or just your dad. We want to know who it is! But, you can only leave one comment per day, so any more than that and you'll get disqualified. Again, the contest is open from today, January 25th until Wednesday, January 30th at 11:59pm EST. Also, you must be 18 years of age or older and a current resident of the United States. And, be sure to give the official rules a read.Good luck!%Gallery-4611%
Metareview - No More Heroes (Wii)
The critical consensus on No More Heroes has more or less quelled our fears: It plays nothing like Suda 51's last cel-shaded bizarro-fest, Killer 7. Though the stylized characters and unrelentingly quirky atmosphere remains, Grasshopper Manufacture's wack 'n slash seems to benefit greatly from frenetic fighting and gallons of comical blood (at least if you're playing the American version). Looks like we'll be wanting that sequel after all, Suda. GameSpy (80/100): "Its controls aren't always as solid as the visual and narrative experience, however; driving around Santa Destroy is a little clunky, and some of the mini-games get old fast. But the visual experience, zany storytelling and quirky moments make it more accessible than Killer 7 ever was, though it's certainly not a game for everyone." IGN (78/10): "No More Heroes isn't the most polished game out there, and it certainly has its fair share of quirks all around, but it deserves to keep its place in the libraries of the more serious Wii gamers just the same. Suda 51 promised a violent, stylistic spectacle, and he delivered." X-Play (100/100): "Death is hilariously over the top, bodies collapse in sections, heads pop like released balloons, amidst a symphony of screams from larynx free throats. Travis plays sweetly on these organs, the moans are applause. We love Suda and the imaginative commitment to No More Heroes, from the brown zep-dropping humanity of save points, to the incredible characters, story, and fight mechanic, we give No More Heroes a 5 out of 5."
Metareview: No More Heroes
We've been eagerly anticipating the release of No More Heroes for a long time. There aren't too many titles that offer Wii gamers a mature experience, and we're looking for more diversity in our libraries. With No More Heroes, Suda 51 attempts to sate our cravings, while at the same time making the game ridiculous and quirky. But, is it any good?You can release the breath that you've been holding; it looks like No More Heroes lives up to all the hype (or at least, most of it).Need some proof? See for yourselves: IGN (78/100) thinks that despite the game's shortcomings, No More Heroes is worth getting: "No More Heroes isn't the most polished game out there, and it certainly has its fair share of quirks all around, but it deserves to keep its place in the libraries of the more serious Wii gamers just the same. Suda 51 promised a violent, stylistic spectacle, and he delivered." GamePro (90/100) raves over the game's combat and its use of the lightsaber: "For every gamer who's felt disappointed by tacked-on motion controls, I present the game that has completely captured the essence of the Force. No More Heroes? Try No More Competition." NGamer (94/100) says that the playing No More Heroes is a unique experience: "The mishmash of visual styles, music and the world's most flamboyant dialogue has no comparison to anything else; it's impossible to put the game in a box, except to say that it is unquestionably, undeniably, unequivocally No More Heroes, and you have never played anything like this before." %Gallery-4611%
Wii Warm Up: No More Copies
Like many game nerds, this blogger did the unthinkable and left the house today, in search of the newly-released No More Heroes. And after warnings from friends and fellow bloggers that supplies were slim, I lamented my decision to work at my job before trying to secure a copy of the game. After three stores, I was finally rewarded with an opportunity to wait in line and pay fifty bucks. It looks like GameStops got only enough copies to cover preorders, which makes us think that Ubisoft lacked confidence in the game's sales potential.If you went out for No More Heroes yesterday without a preorder (or even with one!), did you succeed in acquiring the game? Were there other purchasers in line ahead of you? Which stores did you try, and how many did it take? I want to look at my own little adventure in a positive light, as an indication that the game's selling.%Gallery-4611%
No More Heroes soundtrack composer leads GDC panel
For anyone going to the Game Developers' Conference, this session in the Game Design track seems like a must-see. "The Music of Killer 7, God Hand, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, and No More Heroes" is a one-hour discussion led by Grasshopper Manufacture's Masafumi Takada, the composer behind all those games' soundtracks. According to the session's official description, "This session delves into how Masafumi Takada went about creating the spectacular musical soundtracks for (the above games)."Each of the extant games has a strong enough soundtrack for this panel to be worth your time. Takada's music has significantly more personality than most game music. Judging from a few samples, we're taking a leap of faith and assuming that No More Heroes will be the same way. And speaking of No More Heroes' soundtrack, the disc releases in Japan today.[Via Gamasutra]
Suda 51 clarifies Wii remarks on third-party sales
No More Heroes creator Suda 51 wants to clarify a few comments. In a post on Grasshopper Manufacturer's website (click on "What's New"), the developer points out what he considers is a "misquote" in an interview with CVG. In response to a question concerning the sales of No More Heroes in Japan, Suda 51 said, "Whilst the sales weren't as high as I hoped, other titles for Wii aren't selling so well either. Only Nintendo titles are doing well," adding that this is the case outside of Japan, too.The clarification posted asserts that "unlike a lot of Nintendo Wii titles currently available, [NMH] is the kind of product which will attract a different kind of consumer to the hardware, i.e. gamers who are looking for a different genre to the products which have been successful on this platform thus far." That "different kind of consumer" we're guessing is a more hardcore gamer, given comments earlier in the CVG interview where he said, "I wasn't expecting that Wii would be a console targeted only at non-gamers. I expected more games for hardcore gamers." Obviously, he doesn't want to comment on the sales of other third-party titles, but do you think he might have a point?For those looking for a reportedly more hardcore Wii experience, No More Heroes comes out today in North America.
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.
Wii releases for the week of January 21st
Look, we know we've had our ups and downs. It's not been all roses in our relationship. We've had to go through a lot together and our bonds have grown because of that. But, we have one more thing we must ask of you: purchase No More Heroes. Look, we all know how tough a time the game had selling in Japan, so we're hoping it does better here in the United States. If you don't do it for us, then do it for poor Suda 51. We hear he's getting evicted from his apartment and moving back in with his mother.This week's releases are: No More Heroes Endless Ocean Kawasaki Jet Ski One Piece Unlimited Adventure %Gallery-4734%%Gallery-4611%
New games this week: Burnout Paradise edition
We're happy to report that, for the first time in a long time, the choice for the new release of the week is clear: Burnout Paradise. That said, after playing the paradigm-shifting demo, we wonder if all of the series' fans are going to make the leap to this new iteration. How about you?Also: Good news for Wii fans this week too, with the sublimely odd No More Heroes also arriving. See the full list after the jump.%Gallery-2874%
WRUP: The last weekend with heroes edition
This weekend will have many heroes. There will be the firefighter that saves a kitten from a tree. There will be the courteous driver who waves on another driver at a four-way stop. There will also be the middle-aged man who eats in his local diner alone, sad and contemplating suicide. How is he a hero? Well, he found his mashed potatoes to be too cold, but he didn't send them back. What does this all mean? It means that next week we'll all be playing No More Heroes. Yes, all of us will. If you don't pick the game up, we'll find you and [insert violent threat here] to you. In the meantime, however, there's still some time to kill this weekend.So, what will you be playing?
Suda 51 wants more No More Heroes
No More Heroes isn't even out on shelves yet outside of Japan, most of the reviews haven't even been published, and already director Goichi Suda wants a sequel. The punk-rock Killer 7 creator is already itching to create the next in this bizarre Wii-sclusive action series, despite publisher Ubisoft not yet soliciting for the sequel-itis treatment.Talking with GameSpot, Suda says he's "really willing" to make a second No More Heroes, and is already asking about moving forward with it as a future project. Suda describes No More Heroes as being unlike any other action game for the Wii, likening it to alternative rock band Arctic Monkeys in terms of its energy (uh, whatever you say, Suda).Suda 51 is currently working on American localizations of two Grasshopper-developed DS games -- Flower, Sun and Rain and Silver Case -- and is also working on an undisclosed Xbox 360 title for Konami. No More Heroes drops on January 22 in the US, and February 29 in the UK. We'll see then if it's sequel-worthy.
Suda 51: Only casual Nintendo games selling on Wii
Suda 51's No More Heroes was reviewed very well, but just didn't do so great financially in Japan. In an interview with CVG, he suggests that it's indicative of a larger trend about the Wii audience: that they only really go for games published by Nintendo. "Whilst the sales weren't as high as I hoped, other titles for Wii aren't selling so well either. Only Nintendo titles are doing well." He also said that the Wii audience is focused on casual gaming rather than the longer, narrative games that he tends to make. "Actually I was very surprised about the reality about Wii, because before I was making this game, I wasn't expecting that Wii would be a console targeted only for non-gamers. I expected more games for hardcore gamers. The reality is different to what I expected."Yes, there may be some grape-souring effect at work here, but Wii software sales would certainly seem to bear Suda's claims out. Of course, we've seen this happening since the beginning of the Wii's lifecycle. The Wii is, by and large, the Wii Sports machine for the general public, with Wii Play occasionally swapped in (because why not try out the game that you bought along with that second controller?). The more devoted Wii fans are also buying Super Mario Galaxy, of course, but not much else.We just feel bad for poor Suda. He's made what seems to be a brilliant game, and probably his most accessible yet, but the Japanese audience didn't notice because it doesn't have the word "Wii" in the title or the Nintendo logo on the front of the box.
Wii releases for the week of January 14th
Gamers anxious for something new to play this week have a few titles to choose from. But, like us, we assume most of you are doing what we are: ignoring this week for the excellence that will arrive next week. Be patient, young grasshopper. Our time is almost upon us.In the meantime, however, there are some new titles to choose from this week: Nitrobike Furu Furu Park Kidz Sports: Ice Hockey Samurai Warriors: Katana CSI Hard Evidence Planning on picking up anything new? Or, are you just waiting for No More Heroes like us?
Thirty more seconds of No More Heroes
In case you forgot, there's a game that starts with "No" and ends with "More Heroes" coming out in the U.S. this month for the Wii. Ubisoft just released a new trailer to keep the game fresh in our minds -- one filled with the normal mixture of action and absolute silliness. We posted it after the break, since like many other No More Heroes videos, this one is NSFW.
No More Heroes bumped up to Jan. 22
We had been a little worried for Suda51's odd action game No More Heroes, nestled as it was in a February release slot, the same month as sure-to-be-mega-hit Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Would the unknown assassin be able to compete with the entire stable of Nintendo characters? Would Wii owners know what to do with themselves if the console got more than one decent game in a month?Luckily, it seems we can continue with our nearly monthly ritual of trying to figure out which of our disconnected AV cords go to the Wii, with IGN reporting that NMH has actually been bumped up to a January 22nd release. Now, we just need to find two AAs for the Wiimote, as we still haven't perfected Travis Touchdown's unconventional method of charging.[Via Siliconera]
