No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is a 3D action game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and released for the Nintendo Wii in January of 2009. In it players control series hero ‘Travis Touchdown’ as he fights his way to his position as the top-ranked assassin in the world. This involves hunting down assassins above him in rank and defeating them in over-the-top boss battles.

Each boss is preceded by a short stage that has Travis battling a number of enemies. Travis battles by using his personal beam katana, launching attack combos, grabs and absurd finishing blows. The game's battle system is straightforward but sometimes quite challenging, allowing players to approach regular enemies in a simple hack-and-slash style while challenging them to play carefully during the game's many inventive boss fights. Between these levels players can take on odd jobs to make money, which can be spent to purchase various upgrades for Travis. These jobs take the form of 8-bit style minigames based on things like burger flipping and pest control. 

Educationally, the game's biggest strength is in developer creativity. The game's mechanics make it come off as a fairly simple action game, but its many eccentric stylistic ideas, incredible characters and strange minigames help it feel totally unique.

Classroom Facts

No More Heroes doesn't feature many classroom facts. Basic math is involved when collecting money and purchasing items, and a straightforward minimap system allows players to locate objectives, items and enemies easily.

Creativity & Imagination

By the Player:

Players have creative freedom in a few specific areas, but overall the game follows a linear path. One way that players have creative control is in Travis' wardrobe; a clothing store allows players to purchase a number of different shirts, jackets, sunglasses and other accessories to customize Travis' appearance. Players can also buy a small number of weapons - exceptionally expensive - that have a more direct impact on the game's mechanics. Purchasing these kinds of goods requires players to undertake a series of side jobs, presented through 8-bit style minigames, in order to make money. This side of the game is optional, available to players who are interested in getting more out of the game.
Players do have some creative freedom in battle, but that game's fairly simple mechanics prevent players from experimenting too much. 

By the Developer:

No More Heroes 2 is pretty eccentric all the way through. While many aspects of the game may come off as offensive, in general they serve to parody a kind of videogame culture that surrounds games that, outwardly, seem like this one. The entire cast of characters is bizarre, with the bosses being inspired by everything from horror games to giant robot anime and Travis himself a caricature of some kind of super-hip hardcore gamer.

The boss battles are definitely the highlights of the game. As Travis claws his way up the assassin rankings he enters plenty of ridiculous battles. Their descriptions would all be ridiculous, but it's safe to say that they keep offering new surprises from the beginning of the game until the end. However, the huge variety there helps to highlight the vague repetitiveness of the levels and chores sandwiched between the bosses, which occasionally feel a bit like filler.

The game's story and soundtrack are both highly original and effective, helping the game to parody other videogames while also showing certain affection for the medium.

Business Skills

Players can purchase new clothes and accessories for Travis, as well as new weapons from an inventor and status upgrades from the local gym. It's a fairly straightforward system. Players collect money by opening treasure chests in levels and defeating enemies, but this money is very rarely enough to purchase anything useful. Purchasing expensive items requires Travis to take on odd jobs around town, which adds up very quickly.

People Skills

No More Heroes 2 is a single-player adventure, and the story is ridiculous enough that people skills never become a focus.

Problem Solving

Problem solving involves defeating the enemies in each of the game's levels. The battle system is simple. Players can launch high and low attacks depending on how they tilt the Wii remote, as well as use grab attacks and a few special abilities, and most levels simply involve wading through several waves of enemies as Travis moves from the start of a level to the boss.

The boss battles vary things hugely, requiring players to use Travis attacks to fend off much more cunning foes or occasionally putting the player in control of different abilities altogether. One early example has Travis taking control of a gigantic robot in order to battle with another gigantic robot piloted by a football player and a team of cheerleaders.

Players also deal with different challenges in the game's many different minigames. Travis' odd jobs each has its own minigame, as does helping his cat to exercise and a few other activities. These break up the game's more standard 3D action approach nicely, keeping things varied throughout the game.

Simulation

No More Heroes 2 is not a simulation game.

Popularity

No More Heroes 2 has received almost universal acclaim, with reviewers praising the game's remarkable sense of style, over-the-top characters and feverish boss battles. Critics have made particular note of a few key features that were changed from the first game that improve the overall experience considerably. One criticism of the game is that the combat can get somewhat stale, especially against standard enemies.

Controls & Options

No More Heroes 2 offers a few standard audio and visual options, as well as two difficulty levels and more that can be unlocked as the game is completed.

Tips

No More Heroes 2 received an M from the ESRB with descriptors for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes and Strong Language.