Red Steel 2

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.