Video Game: Red Steel 2

I recently found the Red Steel and Wii motion plus bundle discounted in a Walmart bargain bin.  Although Red Steel 1 hadn't been my favorite game or anything, I had heard some really good things about Red Steel 2.  At the time, I also realized that at some point, Skyward Sword was going to require Wii motion plus, so I decided to give it a shot.  Man, Red Steel 2 did not disappoint.

Red Steel 2 shares only a few similarities with its predecessor.  The main character uses a sword and a gun.  That is about where the similarities end.  For those that never tried Red Steel 1, the game could be described as a very cheesy 80's action movie.  Horrible dialogue coupled with Wii launch controls and strange comic book cutscenes that didn't really help to immerse the player.  The game was not awful by any means, but the consensus what that it really left the player just wishing it would have been what they had hoped; a game that would satisfy the player's urge to wield a sword and slice up bad guys.  

Red Steel 2 delivers in this department.  Ubisoft once again didn't take the story too seriously, but this time its far more clear that zany is what they were going for.  In a heavily Western like setting, for some reason lives different samurai clans.  Some enemy samurai want a very special sword that the Kusagari clan has, so they slaughter all of the Kusagari.  Unfortunately the "hero" who had the sword was away while all this happened.  This premise allows the "hero" who looks like a mix between Vash the Stampede and a red mage, to seek bloodthirsty revenge.  The graphics are reminiscent of borderlands.  While there are a few things one could go about collecting in the game, like tokens and sheriff stars, as well as side missions, it is fairly linear.  This is a good thing in my opinion.  The game really just feels like a roller coaster of pure action.  You get a mission, head in that direction on the minimap, knocking into barrels and boxes that for some reason always have money in them, (money being used to upgrade your weapons and armor).  Once you reach the green arrow on the map, you fight the enemies.  Rinse and repeat.  This does eventually become a little repetitive, but a mixup between what type of enemies you fight and what type of moves you need to execute keeps it fresh.

Red Steel 2 is everything Red Steel 1 wasn't and more.  Pure action.  No extremely cheesy love interest with a damsel in distress.  Tight controls ala Wii motion plus.  Stylish graphics.  If you're looking for a game where you don't necessarily need to think about where to go next, but requires some good eye hand coordination and reflexes, give this awesome game a try!