Overview- Critic & User
Reviews - Videos &
Screenshots
News- Codes
& FAQs - Gameplay
Controls - Similar
Games
Answers
Bundles
Critic & User Reviews
IGN Review of No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise
Grasshopper Manufacture CEO Suda 51 lives on the edge, at least in his game design. His gonzo portfolio of games – including Killer7, most recently Shadows of the Damned, and his upcoming Lollipop Chainsaw – do little to conform to the milieu of the mainstream. Like we care. His other most notable franchise, No More Heroes, has finally landed on the PlayStation 3 with No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise (thanks, Konami). Save the addition of Move support, some gameplay tweaks, and a pinch of added content from No More Heroes 2, the port arrives in its original state—warts and all— but newcomers to the series should consider giving this a play nonetheless.
In No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise you play as Travis Touchdown, an anime geek who won a beam katana in an online auction and aspires to become the top assassin by carving up the 10 killers above him on the super-secret homicidal ladder.
Totally freaking nuts does little to describe No More Heroes. I hit start, crashed my motorcycle into a mansion, decapitated two guards, and called them "f---heads" while blood geysered from their necks. The game earned an M rating for a reason, though I would hesitate to call anything in No More Heroes "mature" on any level. In fact, its total immaturity represents a large part of its charm.
No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise prides itself on being over the top. It flaunts classic Japanese ultraviolence, and the game comes off as a true anime experience more than most actual anime games. The combat exudes fast paced but simple brawler sensibilities; you only use two attack buttons and the occasional swipe of the Move wand to filet your enemies. You can play the game with the regular PS3 controller and shirk the original design, but honestly, swiping your arm to cut off somebody's limbs feels way more satisfying in this case than button mashing. Now, some of you might find the motion controls limiting, but they're responsive and tied into the best part of the game: brutally killing every idiot who gets in your way.
Each of the 10 assassins makes up a standalone mission that culminates in an epic, difficult boss battle. No More Heroes doesn't mess around -- you'll have to work your ass off to beat some of these guys, and they all play completely differently. The bosses easily comprise the brightest points of the game; dodging gunfire, blocking projectiles, and finding that perfect opening to deliver a killer blow crackles with tension. The cutscenes before and after each fight run deep with hilarity to boot, and every character comes off completely over the top.
Sadly, not every part of the game achieves maximum awesome. We still don't understand why Suda decided to make missions require an entry fee that forces you to earn money by completing odd jobs around the city; these side jobs only serve to destroy the momentum. Like the original, driving around a rather empty city, completing mini-games that hover between amusing and tedious still feels out of place, unnecessary, and comes off like gameplay padding more than an actual addition.
Thankfully, some of the improvements for the PS3 version come into play here. If you fail a job, the game gives you the opportunity to retry immediately, rather than kicking you out like it did in the Wii version. More people walk the streets of the PS3 version, too (though the same six people and all of their clones make up the population). Still, the money-raising portions of the game stick out compared to the fun, fast-paced ranking missions, and driving around on Travis' bike remains as clumsy and unnecessary as ever.
The bump up to HD includes some more detailed textures and significantly better lighting effects, but the slowdown and screen-tearing that plagued the Wii version persist. This stuff came with the territory on ambitious Wii titles, but it feels jarring for a PS3 game, especially for a cel-shaded game that doesn't ever push the system's capabilities.
A few other additions and improvements round out No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise -- namely the ability to replay cutscenes and boss battles. You'll also get five additional boss fights taken directly from No More Heroes 2. There's even a Score Attack mode with online leaderboards. The new stuff delivers some extra fun, but not enough to warrant a second purchase (especially if you already played No More Heroes 2).
©2011-08-15, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved
In No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise you play as Travis Touchdown, an anime geek who won a beam katana in an online auction and aspires to become the top assassin by carving up the 10 killers above him on the super-secret homicidal ladder.
Totally freaking nuts does little to describe No More Heroes. I hit start, crashed my motorcycle into a mansion, decapitated two guards, and called them "f---heads" while blood geysered from their necks. The game earned an M rating for a reason, though I would hesitate to call anything in No More Heroes "mature" on any level. In fact, its total immaturity represents a large part of its charm.
No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise prides itself on being over the top. It flaunts classic Japanese ultraviolence, and the game comes off as a true anime experience more than most actual anime games. The combat exudes fast paced but simple brawler sensibilities; you only use two attack buttons and the occasional swipe of the Move wand to filet your enemies. You can play the game with the regular PS3 controller and shirk the original design, but honestly, swiping your arm to cut off somebody's limbs feels way more satisfying in this case than button mashing. Now, some of you might find the motion controls limiting, but they're responsive and tied into the best part of the game: brutally killing every idiot who gets in your way.
Each of the 10 assassins makes up a standalone mission that culminates in an epic, difficult boss battle. No More Heroes doesn't mess around -- you'll have to work your ass off to beat some of these guys, and they all play completely differently. The bosses easily comprise the brightest points of the game; dodging gunfire, blocking projectiles, and finding that perfect opening to deliver a killer blow crackles with tension. The cutscenes before and after each fight run deep with hilarity to boot, and every character comes off completely over the top.
Sadly, not every part of the game achieves maximum awesome. We still don't understand why Suda decided to make missions require an entry fee that forces you to earn money by completing odd jobs around the city; these side jobs only serve to destroy the momentum. Like the original, driving around a rather empty city, completing mini-games that hover between amusing and tedious still feels out of place, unnecessary, and comes off like gameplay padding more than an actual addition.
Thankfully, some of the improvements for the PS3 version come into play here. If you fail a job, the game gives you the opportunity to retry immediately, rather than kicking you out like it did in the Wii version. More people walk the streets of the PS3 version, too (though the same six people and all of their clones make up the population). Still, the money-raising portions of the game stick out compared to the fun, fast-paced ranking missions, and driving around on Travis' bike remains as clumsy and unnecessary as ever.
The bump up to HD includes some more detailed textures and significantly better lighting effects, but the slowdown and screen-tearing that plagued the Wii version persist. This stuff came with the territory on ambitious Wii titles, but it feels jarring for a PS3 game, especially for a cel-shaded game that doesn't ever push the system's capabilities.
A few other additions and improvements round out No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise -- namely the ability to replay cutscenes and boss battles. You'll also get five additional boss fights taken directly from No More Heroes 2. There's even a Score Attack mode with online leaderboards. The new stuff delivers some extra fun, but not enough to warrant a second purchase (especially if you already played No More Heroes 2).
©2011-08-15, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved