BY PATRICK CAVASOS
Staff Writer
No More Heroes features some adult themes as a M-rated game, nothing too serious in this article but this must be known to anyone interested in this game and series. This installment of the No More Heroes series has a unique aspect in my eyes, as it was the installment that to me and probably many others acted as an introduction to the series as a whole. This large chaotic adventure has us following our favorite otaku anti-hero Travis Touchdown as he finds himself in a desperate fit of anger trying to avenge his father and mother’s death. He’s joined the Assassin rankings in a drunken fit and has trapped himself in a long-form way of life that will never let go of him as he changes character completely through the course of the game. That’s about the only way the story can be described without ruining any of the impacts it actually has buried within.
Gameplay-wise this game is filled with variety, the stages may be similar combat wise but nearly every section in between an encounter is filled with some absurd actions like a gundam styled bullet hell, or a large run across a school campus to turn on the sprinklers as Travis is burning. The main structure of this game is quite simple and is made up of three main sections per chapter, it goes like this, run around doing chores to make money for upgrades and stage entrance fees, travel through stages battling hundreds of enemies, and finally, you finish off the chapter with a deep conversation about the morality of each assassins jobs and their view on their own individualism before finishing them off in a dramatic fight to the death.
The chores done before these battles are simply… boring in a way, it rarely does anything interesting, this is definitely intentional as it serves as that cherry on top that just brings the absurdity to the situation, Travis may be a Beam Katana swing Assassin obsessed with anime and pop-culture yet he also is just everyone else in some way such as the many mundane and boring jobs he must inquire to be able to perform any of the actually interesting parts of his life and it brings that much more connectivity between Travis story and views and how they can connect to us as players. No doubt all this comes together to make another unforgettable gaming experience, while many tend to strive away from excessive violence or swearing, I promise that even you could find enjoyment in this game. It’s truly an experience made for all yet feeling like it was made for you.