Red Steel 2

[Da Robot]

Ubisoft is pulling down all RS2 trailers because they weren't supposed to be up yet, so see it before it gets taken away!

EDIT: I'm updating

Well it was revealed in Nintendo Power last week and I posted some of the details in the 3rd party annoucements thread.




So here's some old and new details.

- Red Steel 2 is a series reboot
- runs at 60fps
- takes places in the fictional town of Caldera (think Tokyo meets Reno)
- when Ubisoft saw the MotionPlus, they decided to reboot and take things in a new direction
- cel-shaded style, much like XIII
- aiming for Teen rating “The gore just doesn’t fit for us and what we’re trying to do”
- no multiplayer
- Wii MotionPlus exclusive (can only play with Wii MotionPlus?)
- dual wielding Gun and sword might happen
- some aspect of leveling up your character
- gun and sword combos
- “RS2 is tightly focused on intensely physical first person sword fighting, with gunplay a secondary option”
- hold Z to lock onto enemy
- hold down C and swing to block, vertical and horizontal blocks
- switch lock-on at any time
- screen prompts you if you’re being attacked from behind. Press A to quick-turn in this situation
- many enemies wear bulletproof armor
- not open world
- not a linear game, multiple paths to take
- several hub-worlds
- side quests
- collectibles
- return to old areas with new powers and abilities
-”non-combat use of MotionPlus wont be limited to opening doors”
- boss fights
- production began last summer
- Ubisoft discussing the lack of multiplayer: “We would love to create a multiplayer engine, but not right now. It’s single player because we want to really focus on the core mechanic and as much as we all want to kill each other with swords, it’s not going to happen this time.
- Ubisoft on releasing a multiplayer mode through DLC: “That would be cool. The world has changed, and we can do that sort of thing. I certainly think that would be cool. I’d buy it. But we need to be careful bringing out something that people think should be in the main game.”
- Ubisoft working hard to make sure you can’t waggle/cheat the game
- a Wiimote waggle translates to a quick slice
- take out multiple enemies at once
- Clint Eastwood-inspired main character
- The Swordsman is nameless, faceless, and friendless at the start, but also fairly powerful
- mission variety
- boss fights required a greater focus on skill and planning
- different methods of blocking the player from progressing as you approach missions

Here's a few quotes from ONM.

What is MotionPlus like? It works, that's all you need to know. I knows where your arm is and how you're holding the Remote. It knows how strong your swing of the Remote is, and it knows whether you're going for a vertical, horizontal, diagonal slice, and everywhere in between.

So it's a very different game from the first Red Steel, that's for sure. Using the Nunchuck to move, you can still point at the screen and press B to shoot, but it is clear that gunplay won't be the main attraction.

Ubisoft wants to make game progression as non-linear as possible, but is also very insistent that Red Steel 2 is not an open world game. Many of the stages are closed-off affairs offering little escape from the action, which keeps the temp up. There are different paths to take along the way, and you'll move on through the game via several different hub worlds, each more challenging than the last.

There are side quests to complete, collectables, combos, Finish Kills and other moves to learn too.

[Da Robot]

Some more new info on RS2.

- correct angle and force of a swing are important
- you can enter an options menu that allows you to change the force necessary to perform powerful swings
- flick Wiimote to pull out sword
- quick on-the-fly weapon switching, no inventory
- quick-time event for enemy parry, when the situation comes up
- once you fire a shot, enemies will charge you
- yellow indicator is always present on screen
- there are different weapons, such as a shotgun
- seems that weapons will be upgradeable somehow
- block bullets with your sword
- if you start the game without the MotionPlus accessory, the screen will stay black and the game won’t progress
- Setting: eastern influences mixed with wild-west america set in the near-future
- other areas in the game will also show Asian influence
- art direct flew to Japan and took about 6,000 pics in order to get a good feel for the design approach
- main character is the only one able to accomplish the task of saving the world
- a warlord is the main villain
- more that 15 different enemy types
- no one from the first game returns
- some enemies will have heavier armor and bulletproof vests
- at least 5 bosses
- story development came last, gameplay was first
- 30% linear, 70% free-roaming within massive levels
- 70% huge free-roaming levels in which you receive new missions via radio
- choose the missions you want
- destroy barriers with Katana moves you learn later
- 6 enemies maximum at once
- as of right now, the game has 10+ hours of content

[Da Robot]

It appears RS2 is getting destructable enivironments.

“The basic idea is that bashing things with a sword is fun. So we plan to have as much destructibility in the environments as we can. We’re also building a gameplay mechanic around destructible objects…..but I can’t say more than that at the moment.” - Lead game designer Roman Campos Oriola

[Wildcat]

Awesome. I like destructibility. ^_^

[Da Robot]

New trailer and 13 minute long walkthrough with developer commentary.

The art style of this game is very good. Combat is cool, you can hurl someone into the air and then shoot them or jump up with them and attack them with you sword when you are both are falling. (Aether anyone?)

May 18, 2009 9:19:47 GMT -5 Wildcat said:

Awesome. I like destructibility. ^_^

There is lots of breakable objects, because the developer really, really likes breaking things.

[Da Robot]

I'm heard comments from E3 that RS2 does not have 1:1 motion control there does seem to be seem lag with the game. Hopefully that can get fixed up before release, I was quite interested in the RS2/MotionPlus bundle.

Also Ubisoft had some help from Retro Studios (yes, Metroid Prime dev!) on RS2's controls!

“We worked very closely with the guys over at Retro Studios, and the producer of Metroid Prime came to work with us and gave us a lot of insight into how they handled things.” - Red Steel 2 creative director Jason Vandenberghe

[Wildcat]

Heh, so Retro's been aiding UBI Soft...cool.

[Da Robot]

Red Steel 2 has been delayed till 2010 . . . Sounds like that's probably a good thing with all the other games coming out in the last quarter (NSMB Wii anyone?)

"Red Steel and Splinter Cell are going to greatly benefit from the additional polishing time we are providing and will clearly be among the leading brands on the Wii and 360 for the March quarter. The changes on Splinter Cell and Red Steel – it's just a question of polish. The team was asking that they couldn't be with the level of quality on all the maps and all the game for the end of the year, so they had asked for more time to be able to come with a better product, for both of those games. The quality of the games is there for what you've been able to see at E3, but we were not able to have that same quality on the full game of those two products. We really think with the level of quality that we'll be able to obtain with the time we give them we will have a long shelf life for those products. Now, because [Conviction and Red Steel 2] are launching during that quarter, they will not do as many units for the first month as they would have done in November/December, but we think that on the long-term they can achieve more units than what they would've done." - Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot




Also here's a video talking about the design of the hero of RS2.

[Da Robot]

BUMP!

Well, Red Steel 2 is out now for purchase (and in bundle packs with WiiMotion Plus as well).

Here's some review snippits from NeoGAF's RS2 thread.


Official Nintendo magazine

"This is probably the best third party wii game we've played in recent memory. A great deal of thought has gone into every aspect of Red Steel 2. The visual design is stellar, but most importantly its evident that ubisoft has put the necessary amount of time into making sure the controls and the balance are (almost) pitch perfect. It's been a long time coming but finally we have it. After watching Shiggy waggle the wii remote on stage at E3 2006 and having our ballooning expectations deflated, we now have the sword game we all wanted. It's taken new technology and the best part of three and a half years to get it, but precious few will argue that it hasn't been worth the wait. Red Steel 2 is finally here and it's awesome."

93%

Kotaku review

kotaku.com/5500030/red-steel-...-was-this-good

"In the same month that Red Steel 2 reaches Wii owners, Sony has loudly proclaimed that its Wii-style Move controller is the device that will enable the best motion-controlled gaming experiences that appeal to fans of so-called hardcore games. But you don't need a Move to feel just how impressive and involved an action game can be when controlled by your motions. Red Steel 2, a game any PS3 owner ought to hope comes to the Move, shows that Sony's console wasn't essential to make this happen. Ubisoft is on a streak of sequels-as-atonement that began with Assassin's Creed II. It has now built not just one of the Wii's best games and not just one of the most radically improved sequels in many years but a motion-controlled game with previously unfelt depth of control and excitement of action. To understand how well motion-gaming can feel, Red Steel 2 is a must play. This is a 2006 Wii promise delivered."

Examiner Red Steel 2 review

www.examiner.com/x-12218-Video-Game-Examiner

"If Red Steel 2 was what Red Steel was back in 2006, then this series would be the top Wii third-party franchise. You have to disregard the existence of Red Steel and go into this series with untainted eyes because Red Steel 2 is everything Ubisoft promised and plenty more. It's one of the best video game sequels ever made and not playing this groundbreaking Wii game would be an injustice. Ubisoft has finally shown us what kind of games can be made for Wii and has set a new benchmark for Wii FPS titles and any Wii game that may use a sword. Red Steel 2 is the top Wii game of 2010 right now."

Gamesradar review Red Steel 2

www.gamesradar.com/wii/red-st...30135117953091

"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."


9/10

ONM Red Steel 2 review

http://www.officialnintendomagazine....e.php?id=16114

"Red Steel 2 looks superb and after a wobbly first section settles into a very enjoyable first person action romp. It's a gameplay experience unlike any other, and that needs to be applauded."


86%

IGN US REVIEW

wii.ign.com/articles/107/1079106p1.html

"Red Steel 2 is absolutely an "A product." It's clear that the development team wanted to right the wrongs of the original game and produced an all new design with controls that actually work. 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."

8.6

Gametrailers

www.gametrailers.com/video/re...-steel-2/63525

8.6

Digital Chumps
www.digitalchumps.com/game-re...d-steel-2.html

"Few other Wii games provide a comparable sense of hard-hitting action fused with the gritty and rugged nature of a true action title. You really do feel like a sword-swinging, gun-toting badass in the heart of the Wild West, and you hold no remorse for your shameful adversaries. You can truly “feel” the impact of your actions on your enemies, and this sensation is only accentuated by the application of the Wii motion controls."

8.6

NGamer Holland

"MotionPlus's first test, and it passes with flying colours"

Score: 8.5/10

[Nester the Lark]

If I were into FPS's, I'd be watching this game really closely. And I don't mean that as some kind of backhanded comment indicating that I don't care. I mean that this game should have an audience.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's safe to assume that any 3rd party Wii game has a built-in audience.

[Wildcat]

I think I'll give this a go when it gets cheaper. $50 games are not in my budget right now, alas, but it looks like fun, and I've been craving a new FPS experience.

[Dances in Undergarments]

First Red Steel was eh. Hence me not really caring about this one. Bargain bin, perhaps.

[elecman]

Has anyone on the forms played it yet? I'm curious, and I have the money to get a game right now. My only thing is, I'm not too into FPSs (Argh Halo!!!), but I'm very excited about the idea of using a sword and gun interchangeably. And of course, my biggest question is: Why not get something else that's cheaper, or is it really that good?

[Da Robot]

Apr 6, 2010 18:32:01 GMT -5 elecman said:

Has anyone on the forms played it yet? I'm curious, and I have the money to get a game right now. My only thing is, I'm not too into FPSs (Argh Halo!!!), but I'm very excited about the idea of using a sword and gun interchangeably. And of course, my biggest question is: Why not get something else that's cheaper, or is it really that good?

I haven't played it yet but it is supposed to be a really good game and is getting good reviews. And I think the game is around 12 hours long.