Red Steel 2 - Wii

What a difference a few years can make. While the first Red Steel peaked gamers interest as a Wii launch title, some argued that the actual control system was lacking. Several years on, however, the series is back with several years of Wii development experience and Nintendo's MotionPlus accessory behind it.

While Red Steel 2 follows its predecessor in terms of gameplay style, it features a whole new, unrelated plot that takes place in an unrelated game world. Where the previous title took you to modern-day Tokyo on a quest to rescue your fiance, this game takes place in a fictional Western setting riddled with elements of Eastern culture and centres around a burning need for revenge. You take on the role of an unnamed Swordsman, who's one of the last surviving members of the Kusagari-clan. Most of his fellow clansmen were murdered by a rival group called the Jackals, and so you must find their leader, Payne, and take retribution. Off you trot, sword in one hand, gun in the other...

Ubisoft has been referring to Red Steel 2 as a 'first person adventure'. While shooting your foes is certainly an option, the publisher says you could feasibly complete the game without firing off a single shot. There's plenty of ledge-hopping, ladder-climbing, switch-flicking and, of course, sword swinging to keep you busy.

With the use of MotionPlus (the game won't work without it) Ubisoft has upped the accuracy of the mapping between your real-life movements and your on-screen sword slashes meaning that, short of getting yourself a real blade, you'll never come closer to wielding a katana! more