Red Steel 2

 Wii
  • Publisher: Ubisoft
  • Release Date: Mar 23, 2010
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 207 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 170 out of 207
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 207
  3. Negative: 18 out of 207
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  1. JohnRayJr
    Mar 15, 2011
    6
    Red Steel 2 showcases some good ideas and the potential for a great game, but falls well short. It was released in a bare-bones state, arguably unfinished, and definitely unpolished. Some copies contain serious bugs that can break save data and require chapter resets, wiping out an hour or more of progress. Essentially the main character of this game is a samurai gunslinger who wasRed Steel 2 showcases some good ideas and the potential for a great game, but falls well short. It was released in a bare-bones state, arguably unfinished, and definitely unpolished. Some copies contain serious bugs that can break save data and require chapter resets, wiping out an hour or more of progress. Essentially the main character of this game is a samurai gunslinger who was banished wrongfully from his clan and is now on a quest for revenge when he learns that another clan has killed all of his former clansmen. Why did they do this? They want the mythical katana held by his clan for generations, which he carries. That's about all you'll get as setup for RS2, and the game is sparse even with the basics. There is no development for characters, no changing motivations, and only three NPCs. These NPCs are never developed in any meaningful way - even at the end of the game you'll hardly know who they are, and care little about them. So as far as story and character goes, the story is never elaborated on past the very basic premise, and the game is essentially one big ghost town. There is no one to care about or interact with. It's hard to shake the feeling that this entire layer of the game was planned but cut during development. The presentation of the game is well done, with strongly honed aesthetics and a nice progression of desert environments (it is a Western, albeit a Samurai Western with some technology thrown in). However, the levels themselves are weighed down by three awful design choices. First, there's no overworld map, and the game badly needs one. Second, there is the illusion of exploration, but in fact the progression requires a linear approach that's reminiscent of the 8-bit NES days. In other words, despite the choice to wander around, things must be done in an exact order. The game uses green arrows on the minimap to guide you around, and the game is best played following the arrows. It's odd, because you'd never follow these paths by any natural means. There are doorways everywhere, but you can never interact with them until the relevant objective opens up. The main issue with the levels, though, is that they are filled with generic junk. Crates, barrels, phone booths, vending machines, and inexplicable lockers of some sort - these are scattered about and one of the main means of obtaining cash if breaking random junk. It gets old fast. There is never anything new to find. A safe found in the first 20 minutes of play will contain the same gold bars as a safe found in the last 20 minutes - because the developer created may 10 pieces of junk and populated every single level with them. There's no sense of place and no reason why this crap would be so ubiquitous. There's certainly no explanation why for you find money by slashing open garbage bags and the like - it's the Zelda principle of money-making, but far dumber. The the levels are weighed down by forced and unnatural linearity, ubiquitous and generic junk, and a complete absence of interaction with objects or people. So what doesn't suck about this game? Well, the combat is pretty slick and upgrading your character is fun (and clearly inspired by RE4). That's really what it comes down to. It's a pretty game to look at, plays at a reasonable pace if you beeline from A to B, and has a good variety of swordplay and gunplay. Even here, though, there are major annoyances, and signs that the game was released in an "workable" state, but only just. For example, near the end of the game, there's no indication that you've encountered a shop for the last time. So you can enter the final level having no idea that you should have just spent every penny you had - and there's no way to back this up. Even more bizarre, the final level is filled with hidden money stashes that are completely unusable. The final boss is also identical to the midboss from hours earlier, so of course he's much easier - a total joke at that point, killable in less than a minute, without expending much ammo or taking any damage. And then the game ends - literally with a tacked on "the end" screen. The game features a "challenge" mode that is a basically a non-functional save+ mode. You can't play more than one chapter a time, tutorials are still required, and money from the endgame is lost, and upgrades are still parceled out in the original order even though you have more or all of them. It's not worth more than a quick look. Red Steel 2 would have been a promising launch title for the Wii. As is, it's barely playable. You'll get some fun hours out of this but only if you speed through and don't expect any lasting value or depth. It's pure rental fluff, all potential and no follow-through.… Expand
  2. nathan737
    Feb 7, 2012
    7
    Red Steel 2 is very fun. The main problem with this game is the short story length and a lack of multiplayer. The gameplay was good and the characters were engaging. Red Steel 2 is the best action game on the Wii.
  3. Epik_Ninnja
    May 22, 2015
    7
    Ever imagined swinging around a sword as a little kid? Then this game's for you. With the precision provided by the Wii MotionPlus accessory, cutting down foes is fun and generally responsive. On top of the swordplay, you'll obtain a few firearms that you can upgrade. You can also learn new and awesome moves. Also, the art style is neat. So, there are no clear major flaws but this gameEver imagined swinging around a sword as a little kid? Then this game's for you. With the precision provided by the Wii MotionPlus accessory, cutting down foes is fun and generally responsive. On top of the swordplay, you'll obtain a few firearms that you can upgrade. You can also learn new and awesome moves. Also, the art style is neat. So, there are no clear major flaws but this game just pales in comparison to some of the best games out there and I simply didn't enjoy it enough to give it more than a 7 or an 8 (I'd say it's a 7.5). To sum things up, if you have a Wii, play this game because it's a fun action game.… Expand
  4. gold
    Mar 28, 2018
    5
    уровни однообразны, сбиваешься со счёту какой уровень и сами локации блеклы. управление интересное.
  5. frederik1478
    Apr 10, 2021
    6
    An experiment worth playing once , Wii motion controllers truly makes is an interesting game to play and it's very cheap because it didn't sell so you should probably buy it , The story feels like it's an anime from the 90s but that's ok because this is just some fun And has enough character to pull you through, But does this game has replay value I would say no but that's mostly becauseAn experiment worth playing once , Wii motion controllers truly makes is an interesting game to play and it's very cheap because it didn't sell so you should probably buy it , The story feels like it's an anime from the 90s but that's ok because this is just some fun And has enough character to pull you through, But does this game has replay value I would say no but that's mostly because it's a kind of one and done kind of game when you have played it once you've seen all the Game have and there's nothing left to go back to experience again… Expand
  6. Yojimbo2015
    Mar 4, 2023
    6
    Sequel to FPS Red Steel, this instalment concentrates more on swordplay and adds more characterful visuals in a similar vein to No More Heroes. A nice attempt to try something new but the original was actually more fun to play.

Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best Wii Game of 2010
12
#12 Most Discussed Wii Game of 2010
12
#12 Most Shared Wii Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. Gamervision
    85
    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.
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  2. IGN
    86
    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.
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  3. GamePro
    70
    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.
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