Red Steel 2

Red Steel 2 is a great game that offers an efficient combination of sword and gun and won't disappoint those who try it.

What's most amazing about the game though is how well Ubisoft Paris was able to take the system it given and play to its strengths.

The first let so many down, while part two succeeds in just about everything it set out to do. Maybe it's the bundled MotionPlus, maybe it's just better programming, but we left Red Steel 2 thinking it could be the most improved sequel of all time. If you've given up on Wii shooters, here's a reason to rethink your stance.

Red Steel 2 is not only a great sequel but also a great shooter, a competent action game and one of the best Wii games overall. A title recommended for cowboys wishing to became a violent samurai.

With a subtle progression of moves, an excellent sense of empowerment when you defeat a tough area, and a solid learning curve, Red Steel 2 manages to keep up the pace throughout its 10-hour adventure.

After years of vain promises and long before Move, Natal and who knows whatever else, Red Steel 2 is finally ready. Swordfighting has never been so fun and intense: don't skip this amazing Wii exclusive, this is the game we've all been waiting for... Now get ready to fight!

Ubisoft have created an amazing adventure.

In a unique single-player experience, Red Steel 2 brings the player into a stylish Samurai-Far Western world dominated by violence. A clever use of the Wii MotionPlus, some fine cosmetics and the wise balance between shooting and fighting sessions are the keys of its success.

Red Steel 2 is a very good FPS-esque action game with heavy emphasis on swordplay. The cartoon graphics are excellent and the MotionPlus-sword works really well. [Apr 2010]

If you thought first-person shooters couldn't be done justice on the Wii (and I was in that boat) then Red Steel 2 will make you think again. It's stunning on the eye and gets your blood pumping both with the onscreen action and the physicality required to play it.

Red Steel 2 is a high quality title from a third-party developer and all fans of the console should support it.

Ubisoft delivers a wonderful sequel to Red Steel. It looks amazing and the diverse special moves connect well with the fast-paced action. Unfortunately, the sword fighting doesn't feel 100 percent realistic, because there's a slight delay between your own move and the one on the screen. This isn't a bothersome factor, because the difference is minimal thanks to the Wii Motion Plus. If your Wii hasn't seen action in a while, Red Steel 2 is the perfect opportunity to change that.

One of the best action games on Wii and a great FPS in its own right. Wii owner? Get this. [May 2010, p.74]

Sharp sword fighting and a believable new universe unite in this amazing game. There's a little bit too much backtracking and enemies look sometimes like clones, but if you love your Wii, you can't miss this one.

There are still some issues, both in game balance as well as wishy-washy motion sensing control, but the awesome style and energetic gameplay are enough to make this one of the top titles on Wii.

Red Steel 2 has it where it counts, with a deep combat system that continuously improves as the game progresses. It could do with more interesting tasks outside of battle, but it nails the swordplay like no game before it.

Everything its predecessor should have been. It’s gritty, stylish, tasteful, and riveting all at once, and the action is a lot of fun. The incorporation of the motion controls truly does feel integral to the combat experience… they’re not at all a chore, but instead a valuable ingredient of the formula—the way it ought to be.

It's not perfect, but it's a highly enjoyable, unique twist on first person action gaming.

Red Steel 2 isn't just the game everyone wished Red Steel was, it's better than that. It single handedly proves the Wii MotionPlus's value for adventure games, while providing one of the best action experiences on the system. That said, it's almost a tech demo for the hardware, lacking in terms of story and gameplay variety.

As a template for how to combine shooting and swordplay within one intuitive, fluid control system, Red Steel 2 is an incredible achievement. But the bottom line is that the game takes a little too long to get going, and when it does it's all over way too soon.

Red Steel 2 is everything the original game should've been and more. While there are some lingering control issues and a linear feel, this is one of the best shooters you can find on the Wii.

Finally the first full adventure making use of Wii MotionPlus. Red Steel seems to breathe quality and is surprisingly deep. This is what action games should have been on the Wii since the beginning.

Gratifying and empowering, Red Steel 2 is simple, unpretentious fun.

A vast improvement over the first game. It's limited in places, but has some of the most immersive and responsive combat we've ever seen. [Apr 2010, p.48]

Red Steel 2 is a great game with a great gameplay. There are many action games, also quite popular, that give you dozens of combos when you come to only use a couple: this doesn't happen in RS2, the moves are introduced gradually and are all equally useful and effective. Ubisoft has done a really good job, from this point of view.

The visuals are appealing, the controls are solid and the music is engaging.

The gameplay is extremely engaging because the Wii Motion Plus support is so well done. This is how motion controls should work from here on out.

All in all, it's a homogeneous game. Handling, graphics, atmosphere, sound and gameplay are well done, and Red Steel 2 shows off the Wii's capabilities. It's a bit repetitive, but nevertheless: Action fans will like it.

It's a fun game that is unlike anything else really on the Wii right now so go pick it up and give it a slash.

Red Steel 2 really isn't a complex game. It doesn't need to be, of course, but it would be nice if it had better storytelling and more interesting characters.

Red Steel 2 is a series of hugely entertaining combat skirmishes linked by some slightly formulaic level design. It's a lot of fun to play, with the steady rhythm of combat proving hugely satisfying, and it's great to see the Wii MotionPlus being used outside of Wii Sports Resort.

Red Steel 2 let's you experience some cool and intense swordfights and battles. The game lacks of variety, so long play sessions are not recommended. However, Red Steel 2 is a must have for hardcore Wii gamers.

One of the best action games on the Wii. It's a gamers' game, with old school mechanics some will find tiresome (mentally and physically), and control issues guaranteed to frustrate. But it all comes together to work well, which is the most important thing.

Red Steel 2 is complex without being incoherent, innovative without being off-putting, and one of the finest brawlers we've played full stop.

Even with its flaws it's a very polished game with great controls, samurais, ninjas, cowboys and robots, what more could you want?

Fortunately, the good parts in Red Steel 2 are quite good. The combo system is flexible and offers room for experimentation.

There's really only one thing you need to know about Red Steel 2, and that is that the sword combat absolutely, positively delivers in every way you want it to.

The sword has been sharpened, the gun is greased up. Red Steel 2 is a huge improvement from the first game, and both the swordplay and the graphics are unique.

This is a Western done the Hollywood-way, that is if Hollywood was in Japan. Simple story, but really atmospheric settings coupled with great controls makes this everything the first game should have been.

After twelve hours of gameplay you can put Red Steel 2 to rest, because there's no multiplayer here. Still, in those twelve hours you've experience a challenging adventure with impressive sword controls and wonderful graphics. It's not perfect, but it has never been so much fun to become a samurai.

Red Steel 2 is a great example of how WiiMotion plus should be used. It provides solid entertainment, delivering a great First Person Action game.

It's not often that a developer starts a sequel from scratch and succeeds. The WiiMotion Plus-supported controls have no equal (at this point, anyway) and the presentation is the best we've seen from Ubisoft on the Wii.

There are very few games on Wii that are this good, and it's nice to see that someone other than Nintendo are making full use of the Motionplus, rather than just making it an optional extra.

Over three years after the Wii hit store shelves, Red Steel 2 finally delivers the motion-controlled swordplay we expected from the original Red Steel, and it more than makes up for any niggling flaws in the level design.

Red Steel 2 has a fantastic control system, finally delivering on the promises made by the original, and the Samurai and cowboy sensibilities make for an interesting mashup and a fun premise.

The surprisingly delightful mixture of classical Japanese weaponry conjoined with that of a Spaghetti Western makes for a unique ride that never slows down or disappoints.

There's nothing else like it on Wii or any other platform, and I'm eager for more. [May 2010, p.84]

Every game has its flaws, and Red Steel 2 is no exception. But what it lacks in heart, it more than makes up for in cajones.

Red Steel 2 has been carefully crafted from top to bottom, and with the exception of a few balancing issues and a weak storyline, it manages to excel, both as a game in its own right and as a showcase for what can be achieved with the Wii MotionPlus hardware.

Red Steel 2 is a nice Japanese western with great controls. The Wii Motion Plus feels like a real sword, who needs a story?

Red Steel 2 is a great little arcade shooter/slasher that will hopefully be a benchmark and catalyst for more Wii Motion Plus titles.

Red Steel 2 does quite well on the way the progression of the campaign takes the player to scroll through different areas, gaining an additional assurance each time that you're called upon to restore order among temples and saloons. This is the biggest appeal that you will find.

While not the pinnacle of gaming itself, Red Steel 2 proves that developers listen to their fans, restarting the Red Steel brand in a way that is both effective and fun. I always like pleasant surprises, and Red Steel 2 certainly fits that bill.

So here's the problem, exactly how much do you get out of waving your arms around? For me, especially with the Wii Motion Plus, the answer is: Quite a lot. It's probably the most motion-control fun I've had with the Wii yet.

Swordplay is very enjoyable and has enough variety to keep you entertained, yet one-to-one sword fighting is still not an option.

Despite some frustrations, Red Steel 2's stylish blend of shooting with swordfighting is frequently exciting and makes good use of motion controls.

You have to learn how to reinvent yourself to take interesting atmosphere and parlay it to an outstanding action game, lacked by its own gameplay system and the use of a Wii motion plus controller that's not able to give the right feelings when playing. Red Steel 2 hit the action spot but nothing more than that. Fair enough considering the quality of its predecessor.

Ultimately, Red Steel 2 failed to capitalize on its potential by delivering something that is little more than a beat-em-up. It misses the opportunity to take what excites people about the Red Steel franchise and turn it into something exceptional.

If the satisfying melee combat was tied into a better game with a compelling story, I'd praise Red Steel 22 as the next step in the Wii's evolution. But the nonsensical narrative, the repetitive nature of the gameplay, and the poor pacing keeps it from being anything more than a promising glimpse at the future of FPS games on the Wii.

In the end, you'll likely forgive Ubisoft's game its shortcomings on the strength of its energy, obvious good will, and deep sense of craft.

I've never played anything quite like Red Steel 2, which lets you use swords and guns simultaneously, switching back and forth between wild swinging and precise aiming.

A vast improvement on the first game, but still only a partial vindication for motion controls.

Red Steel 2 is a drastic improvement over the first game. The controls are tight, and they rarely cause any problems. At times the game still doesn't quite catch what you're doing, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

Effortlessly likeable.

Red Steel 2 is one of the best hardcore games for Wii made by a third party. It has some design flaws, but it's really worth playing and a good example that motion controls can be great if they're well used by developers.

Despite its ample amount of exasperating moments, Red Steel 2 is the most ambitious game to make use of the Wii Motion Plus attachment thus far. Looking past its flaws is easy when you consider how polished the overall product is—especially for a Wii game.

After the first game, the series was in need of a rethink; now all it needs is refinement. [May 2010, p.94]

As the first game for the Wii that demands the use of controller peripheral Wii Motion Plus we're surprised by the lack of actual 1-to-1 movement. Instead we're treated to a control scheme that allows you to swipe in eight different directions. The combination of gun and sword combat does make up for truly entertaining combat, but all this is for naught since the storyline and it's missions are an utter drag. Still, this is the best use of the Wii controller in an action title yet.

Finally a hack & slash game you can enjoy fully thanks to the wii motion plus controller. Pity devs did not focused more on story – a stereotype appears too soon. [Issue#190]

Feels like a game that mistakes activity for fun. [Issue#95, p.112]

A mostly unremarkable, occasionally exhilarating run through a dystopian Nevada. Just don't expect a long, drawn-out action adventure -- if it was, you might put your arm under serious stress from all the swinging.