Red Steel
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2009) |
Red Steel | |
---|---|
Unreal Engine 2.5 | |
Platform(s) | Wii |
Release | |
Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Red Steel is a
Red Steel received generally mixed reviews from critics who praised the game's graphics and soundtrack, while the controls and sword-fighting sections were criticised. Nevertheless, it was a commercial success, selling over one million copies worldwide. A stand-alone sequel, Red Steel 2, was released in 2010.
Gameplay
The game takes advantage of the Wii's motion-sensitive controller, along with the Nunchuk attachment, to control a katana and a firearm. The on-screen gun hand points the gun in the same direction the Wii Remote is pointing. Players can push objects to use them as cover by pushing the controller forward. Shaking the Nunchuk attachment or pressing "right" on the D-Pad reloads the gun. The player can also throw grenades underhand or overhand by moving the Nunchuk as though it were the actual grenade.
The AI characters can "care for themselves" according to project leader Roman Campos Oriola; enemies are aggressive, moving around objects and the environment to attack the player (like jumping on a table instead of running around).
The AI allows enemies to surrender, rather than fight to the death. The player can shoot the weapon out of an enemy's hands, causing him to raise his hands in surrender. Alternatively, disarming the leader of a mob of enemies will cause the entire mob to surrender. Once an enemy has surrendered, the player has the option to either shoot the opponent or direct him to kneel with hands behind his head by waving the gun at him. In the sword fighting aspect, a similar option exists. After winning a sword fight, the enemy gets on their knees and the player has the choice of whether to deliver a coup de grace or to show mercy. In both sword and gun fights, sparing a defeated enemy essentially removes them from the gameplay, and they can no longer attack the player nor be hit by gunfire. In addition, the player is awarded respect points. Slaying an enemy who has surrendered has no gameplay benefits.
Recklessness is discouraged by limited ammunition supplies and a system that adds "freeze points" for accuracy/efficiency while using one's weaponry. When a certain number of points is accumulated, the player is able to momentarily freeze time, thus allowing for more accurate attacks.
In story mode and multiplayer "Killer" matches, the remote acts as a telephone using its internal speaker. It rings for the player to place it against their ear. The mission objectives are then given without the other players being able to hear what they are.
Multiplayer
Up to four players can play together on four different maps: Dojo, Restaurant, Games, and Docks. The multiplayer mode is
Red Steel features three multiplayer modes: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Killer:
- In Deathmatch, each player fights independently and must score as many kills as possible to win.
- In Team Deathmatch, the players are in two teams. The team with the most kills wins.
- In Killer, each player fights independently. This mode consists of rounds. At the beginning of each round, each player receives a secret objective through the speaker of the Wii Remote. A timer is set that defines the duration of the round. The first player to complete the objective wins the round. Depending on the difficulty of the round, players will be rewarded different quantities of points. Killer mode is only playable with four players.
Another feature of multiplayer is the notion of "bonuses". Before beginning play, each player chooses one of three bonuses: More Damage, More Life, or Unlimited Ammunition. During play, the bonus meter increases for each enemy killed. Once the gauge begins to fill up, players can press the "1" button on the control to activate their selected bonus for a period of time proportional to how full the meter is.
There is no multiplayer mode for sword fighting.
Plot
Scott Monroe, an
Scott learns the ways of the katana from Sato after being attacked by a
In Little Tokyo, they meet up with Tony Tanaka, Sato's friend in Los Angeles. Sato is revealed to be the
At Tokyo, Scott makes contact with Otori, a former samurai, and Harry Tanner, an American nightclub owner who assists him in tracking down Ryuichi. Harry leads Scott to a waste processing plant off the coast of Tokyo, where Ryuichi delivers Miyu to Tokai, the true antagonist of the game. Ryuichi duels Scott again, but is defeated. Scott spares him, but Ryuichi is murdered by a sniper while giving information to Scott.
Tokai is revealed to have taken over the major franchises of Tokyo -
- bringing down the Sanro Kai, the leaders of these districts. Scott goes to the four separate districts, either managing to restore faith in the Sato Gumi to old members of the Sanro Kai or overthrowing a new leader appointed by Tokai.Eventually, Scott delivers the Giri to Otori for safekeeping. Back at Harry's bar, Tokai is waiting for Scott in the
Harry reveals that Tokai has raided Otori's
Otori and Scott travel to Tokai's
If Scott moves to defend Tokai, he fights Otori and breaks the Katana Giri in the process. Otori respects Scott's action and honors him. Otori and his daughter are cured with the antidote. At the end of the game, all the characters are at Isao's funeral. The Sanro Kai explains that they understand Tokai's motivation for his actions, but he must be punished.
If Scott lets Otori kill Tokai or is unable to defeat Otori, then Tokai is killed; Otori and Mariko both die from the poison. Scott and Miyu leave Tokai's estate alone, ending the game on a more negative note.
Development
The associate producer of Red Steel, Jean-Baptiste Duval, said in an interview with Australian video game magazine
Reception
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | 63/100[3] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Edge | 5/10[4] |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 5.17/10[5] |
Eurogamer | 6/10[6] |
Famitsu | 34/40[7] |
Game Informer | 7.5/10[8] |
GamePro | 3.25/5[9] |
GameRevolution | D[10] |
GameSpot | 5.5/10[11] |
GameSpy | [12] |
GameTrailers | 7.8/10[13] |
GameZone | 7.9/10[14] |
IGN | 6/10[15] |
Nintendo Power | 8/10[16] |
The New York Times | (average)[17] |
Red Steel received wildly mixed reviews. While
The one point of agreement among reviewers was the soundtrack, which was considered exceptional by most.[13][15][18]
Despite generating mixed reviews, Red Steel has sold over one million copies worldwide.
References
- ^ "Red Steel for Wii". Nintendo. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ Orry, James (October 27, 2006). "Red Steel multiplayer video". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ "Red Steel for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ Edge staff (December 25, 2006). "Red Steel". Edge. No. 170. p. 77.
- ^ EGM staff (January 2007). "Red Steel". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 211. p. 62.
- ^ MacDonald, Keza (December 12, 2006). "Red Steel". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- Nintendo Life. Archivedfrom the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ Bertz, Matt (January 2007). "Red Steel". Game Informer. No. 165. Archived from the original on January 20, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ T3hPanda (December 11, 2006). "Review: Red Steel". GamePro. Archived from the original on April 29, 2007. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
{{cite magazine}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Game Revolution. Archivedfrom the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ a b c d Kasavin, Greg (November 17, 2006). "Red Steel Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ McGarvey, Sterling (November 30, 2006). "GameSpy: Red Steel". GameSpy. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "Red Steel Review". GameTrailers. November 18, 2006. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
- ^ Bedigian, Louis (November 26, 2006). "Red Steel - WII - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on February 23, 2009. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Casamassina, Matt (November 20, 2006). "Red Steel Review". IGN. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ "Red Steel". Nintendo Power. Vol. 211. January 2007. p. 106.
- ^ Herold, Charles (December 14, 2006). "A Lone Warrior Takes Partners to Save the World (Page 2)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ 1UP.com. Archivedfrom the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ East, Tom (December 25, 2006). "Red Steel Review". Official Nintendo Magazine: 68. Archived from the original on November 3, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- ^ IGN staff (April 26, 2007). "Ubi's Big Wii Hits". IGN. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. Archived from the originalon March 19, 2009.
- Gamasutra. Archived from the originalon September 18, 2017.