Every day is the "End of the Week"

Many of us are eagerly anticipating the arrival of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword this November and to some, it will the last big hurrah for the Wii before we start adopting the Wii U next year. The game will see major changes to the Zelda formula, including one to the combat that will now utilize the Wii Motion Plus to make how you strike your opponent just as important as attacking at the right time.

 

     Now while some of your are swinging sticks at each other in preparation for the emphasized swordplay, you can stop looking ridiculous and get ready the right way: by playing Red Steel 2.

 

     The original Red Steel was a Wii launch title that failed to meet up expectations. While it showed that the IR pointer technology in the Wii remote made for an excellent shooter (and it really does), the swordplay that made up the other half of the game play left much to be desired. Red Steel 2 however fixes that mistake and gives us what could only be described as a first-person brawler.

     East meets west in the Nevada city of Caldera, fusing elements of neon lights and elegant designs with the dusty and run down style of an old Western movie. What makes Red Steel 2 different than your typical beat-em up is that precision and skill are more required than just mashing buttons fast. Enemies will block your attacks and if you aren't careful, that can leave you open to a fatal strike.

     While Skyward Sword will undoubtedly be more puzzle based than that, Red Steel 2's approach is to hit things hard and hit them fast to solve your problems. Each power and each gun gives you a wider range of solutions and the best thing about this game is that your way to play is only limited by your imagination. Want to be a master swordsman? Then master your skills to send bullets back at gunmen and master dodging and dash attacks. Want to be a wild west gunslinger? Upgrade to ricocheting pistols and make trick shots. Want to be both? You can do that to. The game gives the player every tool they need to be a badass and the combat flows so smoothly together, don't be surprised if you walk away thinking yourself somekind of Cowboy Samurai.

 

     Personally, I loved mixing up my sword powers and gunplay to perform some cool looking combos. By using a power called "The Eagle" I would send an opponent into the air and jump up after them. Once I was looking straight down at them, I could quickly use my shotgun (by using the D-pad to change weapons and just pointing and shooting) to send them back down. As a finisher, I would flick my Wii remote downwards to come down on the bad guy with a stab to the chest, and immediately use the Z-targeting to engage my next opponent.

     Red Steel 2 is a game fueled entirely by doing awesome things and making the player feel like an unstoppable force of nature (while still being pretty challenging, especially once you start fighting the ninjas). The more fancy moves you pull off the more money you make from each kill, which can be used to buy more powers, upgrades for your weapons, and armor or more defensive items.

 

     It's a shame that this game didn't sell so well when it first released. Some think that it's because the world is still in the early stages of adopting motion controls as a viable means of play. Others may think they'll get too tired (although Red Steel 2 has an option to adjust how hard you have to swing for a powerful strike). Whatever the excuse, for a measly $20 or less, you can dust off the motion plus and experience a truly unique game, as well as get your swinging arm ready for what will be the Wii's last flame of glory.


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