Metareview - No More Heroes (Wii)

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jan 24th 2008 at 8:00PM }

The critical consensus on No More Heroes has more or less quelled our fears: It plays nothing like Suda 51's last cel-shaded bizarro-fest, Killer 7. Though the stylized characters and unrelentingly quirky atmosphere remains, Grasshopper Manufacture's wack 'n slash seems to benefit greatly from frenetic fighting and gallons of comical blood (at least if you're playing the American version). Looks like we'll be wanting that sequel after all, Suda.

GameSpy (80/100): "Its controls aren't always as solid as the visual and narrative experience, however; driving around Santa Destroy is a little clunky, and some of the mini-games get old fast. But the visual experience, zany storytelling and quirky moments make it more accessible than Killer 7 ever was, though it's certainly not a game for everyone."
IGN (78/10): "No More Heroes isn't the most polished game out there, and it certainly has its fair share of quirks all around, but it deserves to keep its place in the libraries of the more serious Wii gamers just the same. Suda 51 promised a violent, stylistic spectacle, and he delivered."
X-Play (100/100): "Death is hilariously over the top, bodies collapse in sections, heads pop like released balloons, amidst a symphony of screams from larynx free throats. Travis plays sweetly on these organs, the moans are applause. We love Suda and the imaginative commitment to No More Heroes, from the brown zep-dropping humanity of save points, to the incredible characters, story, and fight mechanic, we give No More Heroes a 5 out of 5."

Tags: Grasshopper-Manufacture, Metareview, No-More-Heroes, Suda-51

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Delgado @ Jan 24th 2008 8:09PM

Kind of misleading seeing X-PLAY's 100/100 and then reading further and seeing 5/5, though I understand the consistency aspect of setting everything to 100.

It's interesting how a review can change by enlarging it's score range.

Frowelishnu @ Jan 25th 2008 1:58AM

@ VidGuy
Ya but so would 67.35241748 and 89.26154817, or even 67352417.48 and 89261548.17.
I know what you're getting at, but you took it to such an extreme that your argument made no sense.

Co @ Jan 25th 2008 9:06AM

How exactly did the review change again? I think you mean how the PERCEPTION of the review changes.

Kevin @ Jan 25th 2008 9:51AM

5/5 = 1

100/100 = 1

What's the difference?

upz @ Jan 25th 2008 10:53AM

"5/5 = 1

100/100 = 1

What's the difference?"

If X-Play graded on a 100 point scale, do you think the game still would've gotten 100/100? They're stating that they believe the game is closer to 5/5 than 4/5, in other words, closer to 100 than 80.

Delgado @ Jan 25th 2008 1:54PM

What the hell. Sometimes I feel like everyone on this site is mentally disabled and just looking for an internet fight (read: one in the same thing).

zelderman @ Jan 24th 2008 8:11PM

not really. if it were a 4 out of 5, it would be 80/100. But I am happy to see that this game is getting REALLY good scores. The things they are bitching about are general, but I think the game is great.

vidGuy @ Jan 24th 2008 8:22PM

I assume the difference is that there isn't as much range. Usually the only score between a 4 and a 5 is a 4.5, with no smaller gaps in between. Limiting a reviewer to five stars gives them jumps of 10% even with half stars. So a reviewer has a choice of 10 possible ratings instead of 100.

Delgado @ Jan 24th 2008 8:24PM

^What he said.

fluffbox @ Jan 24th 2008 10:17PM

So what? There's an infinite amount of numbers between 0 and 1. The score could have been a 1.0/1.0. It's just that it seems to be easier for people to comprehend differences in larger numbers.

vidGuy @ Jan 24th 2008 10:26PM

Scores of 0.6735241748 and 0.8926154817 would be rather burdensome to give, read, and compare. And, as I said, going from a 5 star to 100 point system isn't just for simplicity's sake: there's 10 times as many possible ratings in the latter.

Vidikron (FU) @ Jan 25th 2008 10:34AM

The 5/5 scale is a double edged sword depending on how it's used. It can result in too many 100% rated games, but unless the places using that scale use decimal places, it can also unfairly tag a game at 80% when it really should be somewhere between 80 and 100.

GD86 @ Jan 25th 2008 2:41PM

I don't think the 5/5 is saying the game is a 100. The show generally explains their scale as, Crap, You may be able to have some fun, Rent, Buy if your into the genera , and recommend to everyone. A 5 out of 5 is still can have flaws but in general if you have the system it's worth picking up even if it ain't normally your bag.

May not agree with it but they do at least explain their system once a year.

mr nimblewick @ Jan 24th 2008 8:15PM

You picked x-play over gamespot? I don't like this brave new world we've entered.

NaeemTHM @ Jan 24th 2008 8:22PM

Gamespot has all but lost it's credibility, while X-Play has Adam Sessler. A true gamer and one of the only reasons G4 exist.

Markez @ Jan 24th 2008 8:28PM

I'd like to rewrite that last reply in my own way... AHem, AHEm

At least X-Play has Morgan Webb, the best reason to watch X-Play. I guess that other guy is good, too, whatever his name is.

Anticrawl @ Jan 24th 2008 8:41PM

If I was attracted to transvestites then I would totally watch X-Play for Morgan Webb. She is one hot man-lady.

NaeemTHM @ Jan 24th 2008 8:48PM

I'll never understand the attraction to Morgan Web....

This best describes my feelings:

http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=218

Fatass of Kickassness @ Jan 24th 2008 8:56PM

Fuck Morgan Manjaw, everything she says sounds scripted and corny. Come to think of it, fuck Xplay in general.

Spartacus @ Jan 24th 2008 9:59PM

I've never seen the show, but if Morgan Webb looks like a man, then consider me gay.

Seriously, no idea what her personality is like, but she is without a doubt a physically attractive female.

Markez @ Jan 24th 2008 10:37PM

Whoa balls did I ever touch a nerve. Thanks for the backup, Spartacus. Scripted lines, WTF, who cares!?

Manjaw?! For some reason I'm envisioning a bunch of you in this thread sitting at your desks in the IT department, guzzling Mountain Dew (perhaps Game Fuel?) just biding your time before you go home to idolize women on the internet you know you have no chance with, and such, hold the fine Webb up to some bonkers standards.

Come on you bozos, close that ticket FTW!

wait in the car @ Jan 24th 2008 11:14PM

Markez.... You said what I was thinking. Lulz.

Noshino @ Jan 24th 2008 11:45PM

:If I was attracted to transvestites then I would totally watch X-Play for Morgan Webb. She is one hot man-lady."

That's why I always carry a paper bag with me all the time...

Anticrawl @ Jan 25th 2008 12:02AM

Clearly I was joking around friends. Honestly though she doesn't suit my tastes at all, when I see her all I see is a beastly build. She's got an oddly boney body. Not sure how one can have such boney nasty legs with such a nice set of hips. Plus her face is a bit manish.

In any case I've got a girlfriend who suits my tastes and am more than satisfied.

OTAM @ Jan 24th 2008 8:16PM

I plan on getting this once I finish Mario Galaxy.

So i'll probably be one of the 15 people who actually buy games on the Wii.

WiNG @ Jan 25th 2008 9:10AM

You forgot teh attach rate news!

playwhutyalike @ Jan 24th 2008 8:17PM

Guess I'll have to play it myself to see if I like it.

What a concept!

BPM4:Guns of the Idiots @ Jan 24th 2008 8:38PM

You should play whut ya like.

playwhutyalike @ Jan 24th 2008 8:57PM

Do whut ya like: "ah, ah, ah, get me a nice tall bowl of cereal, icy cold milk"

"Daddy can I go outside?" Go where you like kid.

vidGuy @ Jan 24th 2008 8:18PM

Reviews for this game are all over the place. I guess NMH is as polarizing as some of the US's current politicians...

Metacritic puts it at 87 right now, and I think it deserves that score. The graphics are mediocre at best, especially the overworld Santa Destroy. But the gameplay is fun and the story/dialog VERY entertaining.

Phi Nguyen @ Jan 24th 2008 11:31PM

I agree. The graphics are absolutely awful at times but I can't seem put my Wiimote down. With this game, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I especially love the self-deprecating humor, such as the method of saving games, the quirky part-time jobs, and the creepy gym owner. The throwbacks to an older era of gaming amuse this old fart and all the sound effects kick ass. BTW, I just beat the superhero-looking guy who shoots laser beams from his cock! Too bad he doesn't shoot spaghetti from his fingertips.

Phi ^_^

Geist @ Jan 25th 2008 3:24AM

Laserbeams...from his cock?

I am going to find a copy of this game and I am going to play it to find the man with the laser-shooting penis.

Co @ Jan 25th 2008 9:10AM

Actually vidguy, reviews are not all over the place. If I recall correctly, IGN's 78/100 is the lowest score yet.

vidGuy @ Jan 25th 2008 11:01AM

It depends on what you mean. Yeah, the reviews range by 22 points (100-78). Though if you look around for some reviews not on metacritic you find worse scores; Insomnia gave it a 40 http://insomnia.ac/reviews/wii/nomoreheroes/

Some games have a lot less range than that (Super Mario Galaxy's range was 10) and some have a lot more (Zack and Wiki = 40). What I meant by it though is that the game is reviewed differently depending on who does it and what they expect. Viewed for it's merits and it's faults, I think both the 78 (and the 40!) and the 100 were unwarranted. This game isn't going to have universal appeal/acclaim like, say, Halo. It has plenty of awesome things that some reviewers will miss; and plenty of faults that some reviewers will overlook.

Rob Accomando @ Jan 24th 2008 8:22PM

this game looks good. Too bad I have too many on my plate right now.

playwhutyalike @ Jan 24th 2008 8:59PM

I totally hear that Rob. Too many to list. What the hell is going to happen when I get a 360 or PS3?

vidGuy @ Jan 24th 2008 9:06PM

With the addition of NMH to my list, I've got three Wii, two GC, two VC, one PC, and four XBOX360 games to work on; total = 12. I feel your pain.

ejamer @ Jan 24th 2008 8:34PM

Reviews really are all over the place.

There are a few fringe reviews that nailed No More Heroes, accusing it of being a pale imitation of GTA. Of course, that misses the point of the game - it's really not meant to be a GTA clone.

There are also a few (mainstream) reviews that put it quite a bit higher than I feel it deserves... the game definitely could've offered more.

In the end, high ratings in the high 80s sounds like a fair assessment. Here's hoping there a sequel is made, because a fun game with this much style doesn't appear every day.

vidGuy @ Jan 24th 2008 8:45PM

Good point. If you are looking for a free-world, GTA clone you are going to be disappointed. But a lot of enthusiasts seem too eager to overlook the game's faults. Seriously, the 100 and 94 given by G4 and NGamer UK are inflated.

Alex @ Jan 24th 2008 8:35PM

I want this game so much, all my local stores don't have it that I've been to (that'd be Target and Circuit City), I'll either have to go to a GameStop (ewww) or buy it off the internet.

Shignami @ Jan 24th 2008 9:03PM

Be a man, hit yourself in the dick with a hammer, and get it from Gamestop.

danny. @ Jan 25th 2008 9:47AM

They put in a new gamestop much closer to me than anything else. I went to get this game last night and they didn't bug me to preorder anything... Just took my money and gave me a game with no offers, I was thrilled.

ekmatt @ Jan 24th 2008 8:43PM

The game looks great I just hope they release it in Canada quickly.

Kevin @ Jan 25th 2008 9:55AM

I went to my local EB (in Ottawa) and they said it's not coming out until February 1st, for some reason.

A week to wait is not too bad.

Dio @ Jan 24th 2008 8:59PM

CVG gave it 94% >:D

Alex @ Jan 24th 2008 9:11PM

How is hitting your self in the dick with a hammer "being a man"?

Trickob @ Jan 24th 2008 9:25PM

i think he was just agreeing with you that going to gamestop sucks ass by comparing the experience of shopping there to the experience of hitting yourself in the dick with a hammer. in other words: you'd have to be a real man to submit yourself to such torture.