Does Suda51 keep his kill streak alive with No More Heroes III? Find out if Travis still has his death-slinging swagger in our full review.
Recapturing the magic of a cult classic, especially one as unique as No More Heroes, is no easy task, but Goichi Suda (aka Suda51) has kept his bizarre epic rolling along with surprising success. No More Heroes 2 was arguably just as good as the original, and while Travis Strikes Again was a bit less ambitious than previous games, it expanded the NMH universe in some interesting ways. Now, Suda51 attempts to keep his kill streak alive with No More Heroes III. Has Travis Touchdown hung onto his death-slinging swagger? Is the latest lineup of bosses as crazy as ever? And most important of all… how’s that new lawn mowing minigame? Pump up your beam katana, it’s time to see if No More Heroes still has that killer instinct… You Can Now Play the Iconic ‘Super Mario 64’ On Your iPhone or Mac’s Browser No More Heroes III grabs your attention right from the get-go as we see a young boy, Damon, help a cuddly alien named Fu return to his home planet. Flash forward 20 years and Fu returns to reconnect with Damon… and brutally conquer the planet Earth with a cadre of alien killers. Whoops! Travis Touchdown isn’t down with this of course, but for some reason his now-wife Sylvia and the United Assassins Association (UAA) are working with Fu and Damon, so it’s time to rise through the rankings yet again, this time with the fate of the whole world on the line. Suda’s latest story smartly balances accessibility with fan service – the basic “E.T. gone wrong” premise is something anybody can understand and enjoy, but he also packs No More Heroes III with references to past games hardcore fans will love. Initially, I was maybe a bit disappointed by the new alien protagonists, as they feel like they have a bit less personality than past NMH bosses, but I think that’s partly by design. Without giving anything away, Suda has plenty of twists and turns up his sleeve, with many old friends and enemies, and some interesting new ones, popping up at regular intervals. Some may disagree with how certain fan-favorite characters are treated, but Suda is pulling no punches here and manages to build his latest grindhouse saga to a satisfying, fist-pumping conclusion. Suda uses everything in his toolbox to tell No More Heroes III’s story, from epic in-game cutscenes to various styles of anime, to retro video game graphics, and while the game isn’t exactly a technical masterpiece, you have to respect its flair.
