It has been a long time since the last No More Heroes game came out on the Wii, and until the announcement of a new release on the Switch I had all but given up on there being a new game in the franchise. And while it's not as big as the previous titles, only being a thirty dollar game, the game does a fantastic job at carrying on the franchise.
Depending on where you heard about this game, you may have a different idea of what to expect going in. Specifically, there were outlets talking about how each game world is a different genre, which clearly isn't the case. Each game world uses the same core mechanics, though are designed very differently and give a different feel. One world is a pretty straight forward top-down action game, one is a side-scrolling platformer, one stays with the top down view but focuses on the maps you traverse is a puzzle, all while keeping all core mechanics the same. The only real exception to that is the half-finished Astroids style game (That part about being half finished isn't a criticism, it's rather intentional), and the racing game. The Racing bit being honestly the worst part of the game, as it's basically just a really boring timing based puzzle. Thankfully that bit isn't too long.
The reason you are in these worlds is at one point you were attacked by Badman. You may remember the number two ranked assassin you killed in the first No More Heroes, Bad Girl. Well, this is her father. While trying to kill you, after tracking you down to a trailer in the middle of nowhere, the Death Drive Mark II is activated, a legendary game console. It sucks both Travis and Badman into the game, and they are now fighting together to finish it. Each World is a different game, and there exists a legend that if all games are completed you are granted a wish. So the two decide to keep working together, Travis for the thrill, Badman to bring his daughter back to life.
It's really hard to describe in words what it's like to play through the narrative of a No More Heroes game because there is nothing conventional about the way these games are set up. This has always been a weird talent of Grasshopper, the studio behind the game. Normally a badly timed joke can ruin a scene that is trying to create tension, especially when that joke pokes holes or exposes the artifice. But the world and characters are so insane and defying conventional reason in these games you get sucked into the insanity of it all, so even when the game points out the craziness of it all you're still able to get sucked into it. Throw in all the strange lines, “Video Games - Bowling's arch nemesis” being a personal favorite, and you're up for an experience you can't get from any other franchise.
The Gameplay itself is simple. You can do either a strong or weak attack, dodge, charge your weapon, perform a special charge attack, or use up to four equipable abilities. You can also switch between Travis and Badman, each one having a slightly different play style and a couple abilities you can equip that are unique to them.
You aren't given a huge variety of enemies, though considering it isn't too long of a game it's not really that big of a deal. It actually feels like the level to level gameplay offers a bit more variety than the original games, so that's definitely a plus. The abilities you can equip are pretty fun to play around with as well, the set up I used was an attack that fired out three energy balls that could stun your enemies, then I'd beat on them with my strong attacks. As the stun wore off, I'd use an ability that basically grabs your opponent and flings them in a direction, you get to pick which way. For bosses and really strong enemies that could survive that, I'd use my dash to close that distance (Unless they land nearby), and drop 'Heavy', which slows all enemies down in its radius and beat on them until they get up. And there are a ton more abilities then those four in the game too play around with, giving you a lot of options.
There is also a lot of side things you can find. There are hidden Ramen Shops (Most of them aren't really hidden) that unlock Ramen Blogs you can read, hidden characters you can find using cheat codes (They aren't really cheats, but I digress), and all the shirts you can collect by both buying them with money you find in game, or exchanging hidden Aztec Coins. So if you also like finding extra goodies, there is a fair bit you can do here.
As with most games from Suda, it does struggle at times with controls not feeling quite as precise as you'd like. It can be easy to fuck up your combos since something feels just off about the timing, or on certain areas, it can be easy to lose track of where you are with the camera angles, though it's something the game has improved when compared to its predecessors.
I also love the games collaboration with indie studios. Every T-Shirt you get has a logo of some indie game out there. I was especially happy to see Hollow Knight and Furi, a couple games I really did love. A lot I also never heard about. It's nice to see this game shining a spotlight on other titles out there.
And this is a game series that really isn't for everyone with how bizarre it gets. As mentioned above these stories are not very conventional, the insanity of the characters and story never hold back regardless of the situation, and the game almost laughs at the idea of a Fourth Wall. There is a reason No More Heroes was always a 'Cult Game', and it's not because it was just an unfairly overlooked gem, but because there is a lot about this game that isn't going to go over well with a lot of people.
But if you are one of those people who can get into the breakneck pace and insanity of the story, Travis Strikes Again is worth the purchase. While having played the previous games is nice, even if you haven't you are given more then enough context to be able to enjoy the game on its own. This was a great way to start off my major releases for the year, and I hope it's a sign of good things to come.