No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle
From No More Heroes Wiki
| No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle | |
|---|---|
 Teaser logo | |
| Developer(s) | Grasshopper Manufacture |
| Publisher(s) | NA Ubisoft EU Rising Star Games |
| Designer(s) | Goichi Suda |
| Platform(s) | Wii |
| Release date | NA January 2010 EU Early 2010 |
| Media | Nintendo optical discs |
| Input methods | Wii Remote and Nunchuk |
No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle (ノーモア★ヒーローズ デスパレート ストラグル Nō Moa Hīrōzu Desuparēto Sutoraguru) is an action video game currently in development for the Wii video game system. It is the second game in the No More Heroes video game series, directed by Goichi Suda, developed by Grasshopper Manufacture, published by XSEED Games and Rising Star Games, and has a tentative release date of January 2010 in North America, and February or March 2010 in Europe. A Japanese release date has yet to be determined, as a press release by Marvelous Interactive, who were responsible for publishing No More Heroes in Japan, confirms only that publishing Desperate Struggle in North America will be a joint-effort with XSEED, and that plans for release in Japan are currently undecided. At their E3 press conference, Ubisoft announced that they are in fact publishing the game instead of XSEED Games.
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[edit] Development
Plans for a No More Heroes sequel were first revealed shortly after the release of the first game, in a March 15, 2008 interview with Computer and Video Games, where Suda revealed he would be interested in producing a No More Heroes 2 for the Wii, on the condition that the game sold well enough to convince its publishers. With No More Heroes' positive reception in North America, and Martin Defries, manager of Rising Star Games who were responsible for publishing No More Heroes in Europe, raving about the sales of the first game, not only was it unlikely that Suda's intention to direct a follow-up would go unsupported, but this meant it was likely that the sequel would not be published exclusively in Japan. Release dates for Desperate Struggle in North America and Europe have been confirmed. XSEED Games will be publishing the game in North America, taking over from Ubisoft, who published No More Heroes in the country.
Desperate Struggle was announced on October 8, 2008, where a teaser trailer for the game was shown at the Tokyo Game Show in Chiba, Japan. This trailer provides little insight to the premise of the game, other than that the player will once again take control of Travis Touchdown, the protagonist from the first game. Following No More Heroes' suit of pitting Travis against unique adversaries, the trailer sees Travis preparing to battle a woman fitted with a six-limbed jet pack. Also, similar to the first game's numerous references to popular culture, in the trailer Travis says the Terminator film series' catch phrase "I will be back!" before initiating a sequence with music similar to that of the Terminator series' scores. Travis' attire has apparently been modified for Desperate Struggle, as well. Instead of his signature red hot jacket and Pure White Lover Bizarre Jelly t-shirt, Travis wears a black jacket, with ragged pants and a simple t-shirt reading "TRAVIS STRIKES AGAIN" in the trailer.
Desperate Struggle is planned for release in Europe in both "extreme" and mild formats, to appeal to European fans who were disappointed by the bloodless version of No More Heroes that was published in their region. On the topic of these different formats, Suda has explained:
| “ | We won't be able to make the same game for all territories. For Europe, we're going to release two versions. One extreme version, and one with less violence... With No More Heroes 2 we want to please the fans too. I want the European users to be able to experience the extreme version. When I first had the concept [of No More Heroes], I had both the bloody version and the milder version in mind. So when I worked on the US version, it wasn't a problem for me to make, but when I made the Japanese version, I needed to rethink it a little bit. But I did both at the same time. | ” |
Suda has also promised improvements to the game's engine as well as its graphics, resulting in "a far busier Santa Destroy" (thus confirming the town's reappearance). This may assure the senses of those who, like reviewers at GameSpot, feel the Santa Destroy of No More Heroes "should be taken as a hub rather than a city and something that should have been worked on a lot more." Another frequently criticized feature of the first game's engine is its poor collision detection. The same production staff responsible for the first game are also confirmed to have reprised their roles for the designing of Desperate Struggle.
Suda declared in an interview with Eurogamer on October 9, 2008, "When we worked on the first No More Heroes, [Grasshopper and Japanese publisher Marvelous] we were really confident that this one was going to be a huge success. When we were talking at that time we said okay, if it really becomes a success, we should definitely make a sequel. The sales in US and Europe were pretty good so we said okay, we have to make it." He has also confessed, "[No More Heroes] is the very first time that I really wanted to make a sequel, out of all the titles I've made so far."
Though Suda has remained fairly secretive of the game's premise thus far, when questioned by Eurogamer on what feeling Suda wished to convey to players through the game, he responded with, "One of the feelings you may be experiencing is the true meaning of fighting," likely a result of the game's dominant themes being revengeful in nature. A recent issue of Famitsu has revaled that there will be dual katana game play, and over 50 bosses.
[edit] Plot
With the game's trailer scarce on details and its release date confirmed for no earlier than 2010, very little is known about the game's storyline. From what appears in the Desperate Struggle trailer, it is clear that Travis Touchdown returns as protagonist to combat what may or may not be another series of assassins. This is implied by the fight that is clearly about to ensue between Travis and an unknown woman wearing a distinctive jet pack (the assassins of No More Heroes similarly had distinct modus operandi and appearances). A row of buildings can also be seen, topped by flags of Santa Destroy, California; one building (numbered 51, referencing director Goichi Suda's nickname "Suda51") even showcases a giant mural of Travis' face. The flags imply that the game may once again take place either partially or entirely in Santa Destroy. This setting has since been confirmed by an announcement by Suda, who referred to the town when briefly describing the game's improved engine. Though the purpose for Travis' face appearing on a building is uncertain, this may simply be used to represent his rise from a stereotypical otaku to a capable assassin.
It has been reported that the plot will be driven by Travis seeking revenge for the murder of his best friend, three years after the first game concludes. Although in No More Heroes Bishop Shidux is seen as Travis' only true friend, it was uncertain if this is the identity of whom Travis will seek to avenge, until a newly-shown trailer depicted Bishop about to be shot in the head by some hitmen, but not before he calls out Travis' name. Travis has become a more serious character than he was depicted in No More Heroes, and his personal vendetta will likely result in a much darker plot than in the first game, in which Travis' key motivation to battle ranked assassins and their thugs was largely his desire for a sexual encounter with Silvia Christel. "I think it's time for No More Heroes to become serious," he says. "But it's going to have humour, don't worry. It won't be too serious," said Suda in an October interview with Eurogamer. Though it is heavily implied in the real ending of No More Heroes that Travis and his brother Henry honorably kill each other, this may not be the case due to Travis' appearance in the trailer. This indicates that Henry may have met an ill fate during the cliffhanging clash at the end of the game, though this is currently speculation. Regardless, the result of the brothers' conflict is expected to be explained at some point during Desperate Struggle.
A recent Famitsu article and a new trailer revealed that Christel will appear in Desperate Struggle, but her role at this time is unknown. Alongside her are two new characters: Nathan Copeland, a hip-hop themed assassin with a shapeshifting boombox as a weapon, and another assassin - a young girl - armed with what appears to be a flute which can become a dual-bladed beam katana. The young girl appears in a black and white style sequence hinting at a flash back, and her appearance and voice are very similar to Jeanne. She apparently has a sexual interest towards Travis, one of her lines being "If you get me preggers, promise not to ditch me, okay?"
It is also revealed that Travis will now be able to use two beam katanas at once.
[edit] Staff
[edit] Production staff
- Toshihiro Fujikawa - director
- Goichi Suda – writer , executive director
- Yūsuke Kozaki – character designer
- Okama – costume designer
- Shigeto Koyama – weapons and mechanics designer
- Kris Zimmerman – voice-over director
- Masafumi Takada – music composer
[edit] Characters and Voice actors
- Robin Atkin Downes – Travis Touchdown
- Paula Tiso- Sylvia Christel
- Josh Keaton – Destroyman
- Kimberly Brooks - Shinobu
[edit] Further reading
- TGS 2008: Some More Heroes Wii-bound next year at GameSpot
- No More Heroes 2 Desperately Struggles To Interest Native Japanese — Sequel Slated for US and Europe in 2010 at GameCyte
- No More Heroes 2 to get two versions at Eurogamer
- Rising Star Games announces/confirms games for 2009/2010 launches at GoNintendo
- Suda 51 Interview at Eurogamer
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Suda51 Wiki article
- Official trailer at Gamekyo
- Second trailer at Youtube
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