No More Heroes

No More Heroes is a video game that consists of 4 releases

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An action-adventure hack-n-slash title for the Nintendo Wii, players take the role of Travis Touchdown, a man who challenges an organization of assassins to become the most feared hitman in the world.

Overview

 No More Heroes is a cel-shaded hack-and-slash action adventure title for the Nintendo Wii, created and directed by Goichi Suda (killer7, Clock Tower and Fire Pro Wrestling) and Grasshopper Manufacture. Published by Ubisoft in the United States, No More Heroes is also one of the most violent games released in 2007 and easily the most violent title released on the Wii to date.  No More Heroes, beyond being a well received video game, also provides an astute commentary on aspects of both Japanese and American game design (particularly the American obsession with open world games).

Plot

Travis Touchdown
Travis Touchdown

In No More Heroes, players take control of Travis Touchdown, a wanna-be assassin/ former wrestler/ otaku. After winning a beam katana (read: Light Saber) from an online auction, Travis is pulled into a mysterious Assassin's league by the sensual Sylvia Christel. Sylvia challenges Travis to become the number one Assassin in the world and to do that, Travis will have to battle an army of minions while killing the 10 powerful assassins in his way. Travis will also take on small odd jobs such as mowing lawns, picking up trash, and washing graffiti to earn the cash needed to vie for the top spot in the guild...and a night in bed with Sylvia!

Gameplay

Players use the A button to make Travis swing his sword, but deliver the final blow with a motion sensing quick time event.
Players use the A button to make Travis swing his sword, but deliver the final blow with a motion sensing quick time event.
No More Heroes is primarily a standard hack and slash action game. Players will wield the beam katana and take the blade to hundreds of minions, using anything they can get their hands on (from baseball bats to stop signs) to try and fend of Travis and his relentless assaults. Unlike other actions games on the Wii, No More Heroes doesn't make the player waggle and shake the remote to attack. Instead (and wisely) No More Heroes maps the katana slash to the A button and a kick attack to the B trigger. Using the A button attack will whittle away an opponent’s health, but, to deliver the final strike, the player must swing the Wii remote in a certain direction (indicated onscreen). Nailing this final swing (not a difficult task, as the game provides players with a good bit of time to nail the attack) will cause Travis to decimate his opponent, usually resulting in decapitation, dismemberment, or worse. Killing enemies earns the player money(as well as the joy of seeing opponents shoot gallons of blood, only to then explode in a final cloud of blood). Presses of the A button will create combo attacks that almost always lead to the motion-controlled finishing blows.

Players can also use the B button to mix up combos and send a kick at opponents. If the kick button is held and charged, Travis' attack will stun the opponent. Once stunned, Travis can execute a deadly wrestling move to finish off his enemies. To nail the wrestling move, players must swing both the Wii remote and the Nunchuk in the direction indicated onscreen. Wrestling moves usually kill opponents but those that survive the attack will remain stunned on the ground. With  a quick tap of the a button, Travis can finish off the downed soldier with a quick stab to the chest.
Travis can kick opponents to stun them, leaving them open to powerful wrestling moves.
Travis can kick opponents to stun them, leaving them open to powerful wrestling moves.
By only using the Wii's motion capabilities in these very specific quick time event sections, No More Heroes ultimately does a better job in making players feel like they are wielding a sword or lifting an opponent into the air than any other game on the Wii.

Combat has a few other twists to add a little more depth to the game. In combat, Travis can switch between a high and low stance, depending on where the Wii remote is being held (higher or lower for their respective styles). If Travis is in the same stance as his opponent, than all attacks the player uses  will be blocked. However, if Travis is in the opposing style, his attacks will land on the enemy. Conversely, if Travis uses his kick attack in the same stance as his opponent, they will automatically become stunned (without having to charge up the kick attack) leaving Travis free to use a wrestling move or land a quick barrage of sword attacks.

Players can also use different special sword attacks (activated by holding the A button) depending on what style Travis is in. If Travis is in the high stance, his charged up sword attack will deal damage to enemies directly in front of him. If Travis is in a low stance, his charged sword attack will damage all enemies to his left and right.

 As you move on in the game, Travis will learn wrestling moves.
 As you move on in the game, Travis will learn wrestling moves.
In combat, Travis can quickly dive in a certain direction by pressing the desired direction on the D-pad at the top of the controller and lock onto targets by holding the Z button on the Nunchuk. If the player presses left or right on the analog stick just before a locked on enemy lands a strike, Travis will quickly dodge around the enemy(in the direction the analog stick was pressed). During this moment, time slows down, and Travis can land a number of sword blows or even execute a wrestling move before the opponent recovers. This technique is key in defeating the game's difficult and weird bosses.

While locked on to a target, Travis will automatically block all incoming attacks, provided he isn't moving or using one of his own attacks.

The Beam Katana, while a powerful weapon, has a short battery life(which can be seen on the bottom right of the game HUD. Blocking attacks and using beam katana attacks will slowly decrease the remaining battery charge on the sword. If the battery meter ever completely runs out, the Beam Katana will shut down.

Recharging the beam katana
Recharging the beam katana

To recharge the battery life on the Beam Katana, the player must hit the number 2 button on the Wii Remote. Hitting the button will change the perspective onscreen, and the game will tell the player to shake the Wii Remote quickly to recharge the power. While this doesn't sound particularly interesting on its own(as few players are fans of weapon degradation in any capacity). Shaking the Wii Remote, however, will cause Travis to violently jerk his katana up and down, grunting softly under the sound of the rapidly recharging meter (which actually dings once the battery is again completely filled). The entire situation, from the way its seen to the sounds made, make the character Travis seem like he's masturbating. The subtle, hysterical touch ties together violence and sexuality together in a more clever way than any other game to date.


Open World

Between the actual assassination missions in the game, No More Heroes lets players take Travis around the "open world" of Santa  Destroy. Travis can call his motorcycle and drive around Santa Destroy. To obtain the money necessary to set up an assassination match, Travis will have to complete a series of missions.

First, Travis can access a "3rd-Rater" job doing menial, often hysterical labor. Travis will pick up coconuts, mow the lawn, wash cars, and collect scorpions. All of these job missions try and use the Wii Remote in a clever way, When mowing lawns, players steer by twisting the Wii Remote in their wrists to turn in a different direction. To put a scorpion  in a container strapped to Travis's back, the player much lift the Wii Remote, as if they were tossing the Scorpion over their shoulder.

After completing the
Exploring the open world
Exploring the open world
initial job, Travis unlocks a series of two assassination missions. These missions have Travis going to a location (usually one the player has already visited) and killing everyone. Certain parameters change one battle from the next (kill a specific character, kill everyone in Travis's Dark Side mode, go through an upside down version of the level with reversed controls) adds some variety to these missions, but it's more or less the same fighting that takes places in the game's main missions (the unspoken irony of this setup is that players might enjoy the chore mini games more than the combat fights, as the chores offer a welcome dose of variety after the assassination levels.

Between the jobs and the combat missions, Travis can purchase a few things around town. Going to the gym will allow Travis to upgrade his strength, health, and combo length (provided the player successfully completes the motion sensitive quick time event), while going to Dr. Naomi's store will let plays buy new parts for the beam katana, as well as whole new weapons. Travis can by a selection of jackets, shirts, pants and sunglasses from Area 51 (although they only change the appearance of Travis, not the gameplay). Travis can also visit Beef Head videos to buy video tapes (teaching him new, more powerful wrestling moves).

However, between buying clothes and upgrades and completing jobs, there is nothing else to do in the open world. Players won't find the same kind of vehicular thrills seen the Grand Theft Auto franchise: pedestrians hit by Travis' motorcycle grunt and disappear. Light poles struck will fall down in a very wooden animation. Travis will only pull out his sword in the specific battle sequences, so no pedestrian slaughter will take place in the game. 
 

Meet the Assassins 

 

Rank 11 - Helter Skelter 

 Helter Skelter
 Helter Skelter
 
The UAA's eleventh ranked assassin can be seen battling it out with our  protagonist Travis before the story begins. Armed with dual revolvers and blades, Helter Skelter releases some vicious blows on Travis before being swiftly taken down via swift decapitation by our hero's beam Katana.  
 
This cowboy garbed albino got his namesake from the Beatles song of the same name. Whether or not this is his true name isn't known, but he has gone by the nickname "The Drifter". 
 
 

Rank 10 - Death Metal  

Death Metal 
Death Metal 
 
Ranked tenth in the UAA, Death Metal is a hardened old assassin who simply wants to be left alone. Death Metal, or Devin Townsend, lives in a large mansion just outside of Santa Destroy. This 55 year old killer has adorned his body with various decorations. From the rime stones in his face to the elaborate tattoos on his body, the man screams rock and roll.  
 
His large extendable blade can deal massive damage when it connects. During his fight with Travis, he creates two copies of himself that engage in the battle. All though the copies are far weaker than Death Metal himself, three swords beating on Travis is far worse than one.  
 
As Travis amputates both of Death Metals hands, the man gives a touching informational speech about mastering the ways of the assassin before his head is lopped off. 
 

Rank 9 - Dr. Peace 

Dr. Peace 
Dr. Peace 
 
The ninth ranked UAA assassin known as Dr. Peace enjoys singing, gun play, and most of all, killing. Real name Pastel Brankino, Dr. Peace comes armed with his golden voice, and his golden pistols. The 50 year old man is introduced on the pitchers mound, singing a song written by Suda 51 called " The Virgin Child Makes Her Wish Without Feeling Anything". He explains how he spent the money Travis paid as an entrance fee to the fight, telling of his relationship with his daughter, Jennifer. 
 
Dr. Peace has a vicious charge up shot that you've got to dodge to stay alive. Be wary of his shooting tricks, his fancy maneuvers cause a distraction as bullets fly every which way. After receiving a large wound at the hand of Travis, he dies while speaking his daughters name one last time. 
 

Rank 8 - Shinobu 

Shinobu 
Shinobu 
 
Shinobu Jacobs, the 18 year old African American assassin of Santa Destroy High School, is a deadly threat. Her age and beautiful appearance are a suitable distraction from her excellent skill with a sword. With talent far beyond her years, she has become cold blooded and detached after the death of her father. Upon seeing Travis's Beam Katana, she enters a rage, thinking he is her fathers killer. However Travis was a student of Shinobu's father. Although they had never met in person, Travis learned all his fighting techniques from his video tapes.  
 
Shinobu cuts with her sword quickly and lethally. She is quick to parry your attacks and send you flying back with a swift blow. Her specialty move, sonic sword, sends a glowing red blade toward Travis with precision accuracy. 
 
 As the fight rages on, Travis is able to rend one of her hands from her body. She pleads for Travis to finish her, but he refuses. He challenges her to find him and kill him when she grows older. She continues to scream and curse Travis as he exits the room.  
 

Rank 7 - Destroyman

 
Destroyman 
Destroyman 
 
Destroyman, also known as John Harnet, is a 28 year old mailman. His fighting style and costume based entirely off of an in-game movie character by the same name. His encounter with Travis begins on a less than honourable note, severely shocking Travis while shaking hands before the fight.  
 
Destroyman has a wide variety of attacks. All very creatively named with the prefix of "Destroy". During the match, Destroyman will rise towards the ceiling, sending electric balls towards you until a glowing node is hit with the Beam Katana. Destroyman will throw many electric based attacks your way throughout the fight, including Destroy Spark,  a close range shocking attack, and Destroy Cannon, a large energy beam that sweeps the entire room.  
 
Travis ends the fight with a katana through the chest, he makes Destroyman beg for his life. Upon removing his Beam Batana from him, Destroyman takes one last shot at Travis with the machine guns hidden in his nipples. Travis slices him vertically in two before making a dramatic exit. 
 

Rank 6 - Holly Summers 

Holly Summers 
Holly Summers 
Holly is the sixth ranked assassin of the UAA. She is a Swedish model, dresses in military garb, and has a prosthetic leg. She is found on the beach, and has set several pit traps on the beach to prevent any assassins from reaching her. Travis falls into one of her hole traps before the beginning of the fight, stating that he likes her style, and he wishes to steal a kiss before he steals her life.  
 
Throughout the encounter, Travis has to be wary of the various pitfalls planted at random locations around the beach. Holly fires missiles at Travis as he tries to make his way towards her. If he falls into a pit, Holly quickly throws a grenade down the hole. Travis must climb out before the grenade detonates. When Travis finally reaches Holly, she still has various tricks up her sleeve to separate herself from him. Either a quick sprint across the beach or activating a land mine at her feet to blow Travis and herself apart will put distance between the two again.  
 
As Travis is about to defeat her, he stops. It is revealed here that  Travis has an issues with killing women, which is the likely reason for sparing Shinobu. Holly says that when an assassin is defeated, they must die, so she puts a grenade in her mouth and pulls the pin. Travis is shaken by the suicide, and carries her body to her new sandy grave.    
 

Rank 5 - Letz Shake  

Letz Shake 
Letz Shake 
Letz Shake is a 22 year old punk singer from Singapore. He is found on a large desert highway, standing next to a deadly looking machine with a brain. A dramatic countdown begins as the machine appears the be charging up. Travis is making a mad dash for the machine while the countdown runs, and it appears they will both get off attacks at the same time. 
 
Suddenly, a shadow against the sun descends downward and chops Letz Shake and his massive machine in two, completing Travis's kill for him. Travis is angered, and asks the name of the rude boy who just stole his kill. The mysterious Irish assassin tells Travis his name is Henry. After some mocking dialog from Travis, the two are about to match blades when Sylvia steps in and stops it. Henry disappears when Travis is about to explain what he is doing.  
 

Rank 4 - Harvey Moiseiwitsch Volodarskii  

Harvey Moiseiwitsch Volodarskii 
Harvey Moiseiwitsch Volodarskii 
 
Harvey, for short, is a Russian and Jewish magician. Sylvia invites Travis along to see one of his shows and kill him afterwards. Harvey and Travis do a short show on stage, featuring Travis escaping from a  box underneath a large, slowly downward moving circular saw. Harvey brandishes two coloured beam katanas, and his mystical powers as weapons. 
 
During the fight, Harvey will take quick slashes at Travis. He will often disappear and reappear at will, creating lots of space between the two dueling assassins. On occasion the games camera will be flipped upside down by Harvey, causing the player to use inverted controls. He will also teleport Travis into the same box underneath the saw, which must be escaped in order to prevent death.  
 
Travis eventually lands a blinding slice across Harvey's eyes, sending him reeling across the stage without sight. His assistants cuff him to a large stage prop, allowing the saw that nearly killed Travis to disembowel Harvey.     
 

Rank 3 - Speed Buster 

Speed Buster 
Speed Buster 
 
The 76 year old Speed City resident is the UAA's third ranked assassin. Travis's master is seen dying at the hand of Speed Buster before Travis's engagement with the assassin begins. As Speed Buster begins to transform her shopping cart into a massive, long barreled cannon, she distracts Travis by constantly making him repeat himself, claiming she's hard at hearing.  
 
There is a large stretch of land between Speed Buster and Travis, forcing Travis to use the abandoned houses along the sides of the street for cover while the cannon fires large energy blasts. Slowly working his way towards the old woman, he eventually reaches a power pole, which he strike with his Beam Katana, causing a domino effect of falling poles, eventually hitting and stunning Speed Buster.  
 
Travis quickly slices the cannons incredibly large barrel in two, rendering it unable to fire. Speed Buster tells Travis he will one day become a good man, and gives him a kiss before her head is taken from her neck. Travis's cat Jeane is there to witness it all, after escaping from his motel room. 
 

Rank 2 - Bad Girl 

Bad Girl 
Bad Girl 
 
The second ranked assassin in the UAA is a 23 year old alcoholic. She is completely desensitized to killing, brutally killing men dressed in sado-masochist gear as they roll down a conveyor belt into her humble abode. Her weapon of choice is a large baseball bat, capable of cracking bone with a single swing. Her innocent appearance is worthy distraction to any assassin. She has the appearance of a small girl, but the attitude of the most jaded old man. 
 
As the fight begins it is a close combat situation with Travis. She beats viciously and swiftly with her bat, dealing huge damage with each connection. From time to time she drops to her knees, faking injury. If Travis approaches her in this state, she will immediately knock him over, and kill him with her bat. After taking a few hits from Travis she makes a dash across the room and begins to hit some fodder from the conveyor belt towards Travis. These men flying across the room will cause big damage if they're not dodged. 
 
As the fight progresses Bad Girl will spit alcohol on to her bat, and set it ablaze. Travis really has to stay out of her range now, for being set on fire is never a good thing. Travis manages to run his Beam Katana through her stomach, enraging her further as she tackles him and beats him until she dies. Right before she dies, Travis surrenders. She closes her eyes for the last time, leaving Travis the new number 2 ranked assassin, despite the surrender. 
 

Rank 1 - Dark Star & Jeane

 Dark Star
 Dark Star
 
Dark Star is a mysterious man, living in an isolated castle beyond the bewildering forest. Travis finds his way with the guidance of his deceased master, Thunder Ryu. Upon reaching the castle, Dark Star Claims to be Travis's true father. Asking Travis to call up his deepest memories of when his parents died. Travis remembers that his sister, Jeane, is the murderer.  
 
As this realization comes to be, Jeane slices Dark Star in two, and engages Travis. She takes the large, dragon like energy whip wielded by Dark Star, and creates a ring around the two combatants. Her lightning fast attacks prove damaging to Travis.                                                                          
Jeane 
Jeane 
  As Travis nears the end of the fight, Jeane punches her fist into Travis's chest, stunning him. When it looks grim for Travis, Shinobu, whom Travis previously spared, appears the remove Jean's hand from the rest of her body. Travis ends Jeans life with a couple quick cuts.   

Game Name No More Heroes
Platform(s)

Wii
Publisher(s)
Developer(s)
Genres
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Themes
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Original US Release Jan. 22, 2008
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Aliases NMH
OFLC
OFLC: M
CERO
CERO: D
ESRB
ESRB: M
PEGI
PEGI: 16+
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