Red Steel 2 is a great game. The melee combat can be described as Zelda on steroids rather than a WSR type 1:1 waggle fest. You circle strafe enemies, using A to dodge in all directions, either to get to the sides or behind the enemy, or to move further back, or close in. Then, you slash away at any angle you want with motion plus as shown in various videos. Holding A down blocks most melee and ranged attacks, except for strong attacks which need you to either hold the sword vertically, or horizontally, to counter their orientation. You also can't just waggle away, especially to make strong attacks against enemies that need them (to break their armor or break their block stance or whatever else) as you need a certain swing strength to activate them, so you'll find yourself playing it somewhat realistically, not waggling in front of you, but first swinging back to get room for a large and strong swing. This probably makes some people think it's not 100% reliable, they likely don't make a strong enough swing (but you can change the sensitivity). Then you get all sorts of move upgrades (some from the story, others you purchase, alongside new guns, and further efficiency upgrades both for the special moves and the guns, as well as health and armor stuff) that are mostly gesture based but enhance the combat greatly, including a parry that has you pushing forward with the remote and nunchuck just before an attack to make the opponent stagger, charging your sword with A+B then doing the upward slash to launch them, or a downward strike to send a wave around you, or a frisbee motion as seen in WSR to send a blast left, center, or right depending on when you release the buttons during your swing. It has many different moves that make the fighting system as robust as any good beat 'em up, having you exploit the weaknesses of the specific enemy type (there are many), not just 1:1 waggling. It is by far the better option for a deep engaging game, Ubisoft will surprise you all when you get it. It has minor flaws, but the combat system is way cool and up there with the best of the brawlers (cos that's what this game is in the end, closer to No More Heroes than a standard FPS, except with more variety), not to mention the shooting on top of that for even more variety, which while it has The Conduit-like settings for full control customisation, it also has cursor smoothing as seen in Metroid Prime 3 (smoothing is a separate option too) which makes the cursor movement feel much tighter and better than in lesser Wii shooters. As for the story, it's light hearted badassery like Samurai Jack or similar cartoons. It's certainly more appealing than the highly rated generic military shooters we've been getting lately. The game progresses nicely with a little bit of exploration thrown in the mix, similar to the Metroid Prime games. You usually get a hub area that connects to many different areas, some of them maybe inaccessible until you reach a certain story point. Then after major events, boss fights, etc, you progress to a completely different hub area with its own setting and theme, its own exploration, events, bosses, etc, until you complete the game. It has many different enemy types that spice things up as they need different strategies, and it does have the occasional change of pace, as well as some twists in the story which keep you going forward, leaving the hub setup aside and just going from action packed set piece to set piece before returning to the previous pacing and in the end a cool final confrontation. All in all, it's a great 10-13 hour package that you'll likely want to experience at least twice, first in normal difficulty, then in the toughest mode to put your fighting skills to the test. It just feels so satisfying to block a sequence of hits, vertical, horizontal, vertical, maybe do a parry somewhere in there, and retaliate with awesome moves of your own. Red Steel 2 may have staples of other first person shooters, or even action games like No More Heroes, but in the end it's an experience you've never had before. Buy it, rent it, or whatever else, just experience it at all costs. It's that good, regardless of what some stuck up reviewers may claim. We all know how most feel about the Wii. I'm sure if this was a Move exclusive it would have been rated much higher. Thanks for finally trying your best on Wii, Ubisoft, it paid off.… Expand

I wish the rating system would allow intervals between 10 and 9. My true rating is 9.4 It's a very good game, worthy of purchase. It's been a long time since I've legitimately had fun playing a wii game. Red Steel 2 capitalizes on the accuracy of the wii motion plus to deliver the sensation of a super powerful cowboy warrior. Give it a shot.

This game is just ridiculous! The setting is absurd, the concept a joke, the story laughable.. however.. it doesn't matter because it all somehow works and ends up being the most fun I have had with a wii game ever. Sword slashing is extremely satisfying and being able to pull the trigger on one of four well designed guns anytime you need them will have you feeling like your in a clint eastwood (draw fast or die) western. The cel shaded look is absolutely gorgeous... but in the end all that matters is that the ability to finish off your opponents with precision and ridiculously pleasing finishers will have you feeling like one bad sword wielding gun shooting samurai cowboy. Two boyhood fantasies smashed into one... simply divine and oh so tasty!… Collapse

This is a very great game. It's not Triple A, but it's definitely AA. Now to be honest, at first, I was extremely disappointed when I first picked the game up. The gameplay and controls just felt mediocre. But after 20 minutes, everything picked up and the controls were fine. So for anyone who has given this game anything lower than a 8, I highly doubt they finished the game. The further you go into the game, the better it gets. The voice acting is APPROPRIATELY chessy (for some characters) because it a comic-like game. You have so many powers you can use, and the great thing about those is that you can string them together and such to make combos. Im going to stop typing right now cause I could go on for days, but just know this - it's a great game.… Expand

Wow! this has been an amazing ride!! trust me if you are bored with your Wii-which you shouldn't be with all the great games- then check this one out! If your wallet only allows you to purchase one newly released game on the Wii make it this one. The visuals, gameplay, and story are all so intreaguing and satisfing. I own all consoles and playing this game made me confuse myself as to which console i was playing it on. The quality of this game can be mistaken for MassEffect, Halo, or Borderlands, and the visuals! Jesus the visuals! Let ubisoft take you on a ride on their Red Steel rollocoaster.… Expand

Still the game that best proves that Nintendo's motion system does indeed work. It's not just flopping around your WiiMote anymore, this time around you actually need to swing it the right way to make it work. There are enough upgrades, collectibles and things to see to keep you interested, and combined with the great art style it makes for a very good game. One of the few remarks is that the game is short (I'm thinking around 8 hours), but by now I've played through it three times, and it hasn't bored me once.… Expand

I can simply say that this is a really good sequel. It eradicates the many problems that severely plagued the over-hyped mess that was the original. Wii players are not only treated to a gameplay system that works but one of the best looking games with an awesome visual style to match on the console. The sword fighting is awesome thanks to the motion plus and as a result it is easy to pull off the many deadly and cool moves that the games provides the players with. The gun play is good even though it doesn't play a huge role in terms of combat. My only gripes with this first person hack'n 'slasher is the loading times which are masked through the door opening sequences, and the story is a little under developed which is a shame as the characters look cool despite the fact they have a strange resemblances to the characters of borderlands and the concept isn't bad. Despite these flaws I highly recommend this game to all Wii owners and a good reason to dust off/or buy a motion plus.… Expand

I actually had fun playing Red Steel 1. Was it mediocre? Yes. Painfully so. Was there a good underlying concept and occasional flashes of what it could have been? Yes. Red Steel 2 is everything that Red Steel 1 wanted to be. Red Steel 2 starts out strong and keeps it going. The first thing you notice is the completely revamped art style and general atmosphere of the game world. Its an eclectic mix of east, west, past and future that somehow works and is constantly fun to look at. Then you actually meet the hero himself, the "Swordslinger" as he is reffered to in the game guide. He's pretty much every 10 year old kids fantasy hero. He's a ninja samurai cowboy slicing and shooting his way through the nevada desert while constantly looking badass. The badass level in this game never lets up. The second you get your first sword and unleash hell on your first enemy you are left with a tingling sensation that only wears off when your arms becomes sore from slashing and shooting for the past hour and a half. That, along with the rather long and far too common loading times are the only real drawbacks to this game. The loading times occur when you try to open certian doors, which sit there until the next area loads, a la "Dead Space" (One of the funnier examples of this is when your sword slinging gun shooting badass samurai ninja cowboy seems to struggle to open swinging saloon doors because the area behind them is loading). Other than those small, minor faults, the whole product comes out to be EXACTLY what a Wii FPS should have been the whole time. Wii MotionPlus adds a depth to the motion tracking that can only really be understood by playing the game. Its like trading in a bike for a space shuttle. If you own a Wii there is absolutely no excuse not to get this game, its easily one of the best games released for the console.… Expand

Just finished the game yesterday. And i have to say that this game is the best Wii action game ever. I was waiting for this game since it was announced and im not disappointed. It does a good use of Wii Motion Plus and it has a great graphical style. The only flaw in the game is the story mode longevity. It should have a online mode, or more playable characters in the story mode to increase the game longevity. Because the Challenge mode ain't that fun... But at the end, the game is worth purchasing and if i could be more accurate with the rate i would give it 8.8. If you have a Wii go get it!… Expand

This game is awesome. Thanks to Wii Motion Plus, the swordplay is much better. How much better you say? Well, it's enough to give the first Red Steel the finger Another great thing is the customizable controls. It appears that The Conduit has definitely set the standard for shooters on Wii. This game is is wonderful and it's definitely worth a buy.

This is easily the best action game on the Wii, and possibly this entire generation. I would dare say this is the best innovation of the motion control fps genre and a new gold standard for this genre. The game features a near perfect mix of sword play and gun slinging. The shooting is solid, but the real show stealer is the sword play. To put it in simple terms, the motion control sword play is one of the best combat systems I've ever seen in a game. While many complain that Red Steel 2 doesn't have exactly 1:1 control over the sword, its better that it doesn't. If it was really that accurate it would completely destroy the combo system, and over complicate the melee combat by introducing too much realism into the mix. In an action game like this you don't really need anything more than strong attacks and weak attacks, and people need to realize that this is an action game first and foremost, not a sword fighting simulator. Even though its not 1:1, its still incredibly accurate in simulating player's strikes. The combo system is great and one of the better aspects of the game. Most combos tend to involve either some combination of "A" "B" or "Z" and a corresponding slash with the Wiimote, or using a dash and a corresponding slash. Its simple, intuitive, but extremely fun and satisfying allowing for fun, varied combat. This game also features some of the best and most stylish graphics on the Wii, and are so amazing its easy to assume its a 360. I'm not sure how they managed to pull it off, maybe magic or something, but they're really striking. I assume this has more to do with the hyper stylized cel shading, which gives the world a unique visual flavor. The setting is a mishmash of the Western and the Samurai settings, and the soundtrack reflects this very well, and really makes the game feel pulse pounding and exciting when it needs to be. That said, the game isn't quite perfect. The missions are mostly average. The map layout is also fairly uninspired, with most areas either being large rooms or small tunnels. The game also makes players do this round about way of activating certain switches by making players tilt the Wiimote, and its rather annoying. However, even with this I still feel that the combat system is still amazing enough to overcome these flaws; Its just that fun, unique and revolutionary. I never got tired of the combat through playing this game, and its just a blast to play through. If you're a Wii owner and a fan of action games, you NEED to get this game. There is literally nothing like it on the market.… Expand

An incredibly fun and polished experience for the Wii. Red Steel 2 takes everything that the original Red Steel promised and delivers it in a way most Wii skeptics have been saying is impossible. A truly unique experience with amazing controls; if you've been waiting for a game that makes the most out of Wii's motion controls, Red Steel 2 is your game. Do not hesitate on this one, just go buy it, now.… Expand

Sword slinging action that plays like no other! More combo brawler than FPS, this game packs both a physical and visceral punch, it looks fantastic and has one of the most original and interesting settings for a game in recent memory (Wild West Feudal Japan in the future!) Great game, deserves a great score.

Overall, Red Steel 2 is a great game. The motion controls work well and the combat is satisfying. The graphics are very good and the voice acting is good too. But it has a few bugs that can get in the way of the fun.

this game is very good in every aspect, sound..visuals..gameplay........but the ultra energetic action really shines here, its like 1st person zelda(well, far more simplistic) but more realistic and adult oriented, even if theres no blood at all (shame).............minor control issues dont really matter as the game is so intense and enjoyable .......must have

The original Red Steel was a wii launch title that did not live up to the expected, the developers of this game took that concept out and started from scratch, they managed then to create something special, something that is worth playing in the wii because there is no other game in any platform like this. The develpoers first of all managed to create a unique environment, combining cultural things of the far west and the far east with futuristic technology which give you something great. Something to mention when talking about how this game looks is the graphics, the wii is not great for graphics but this game looks great. The cell-shaded graphics are great and give you more immersion in your surroundings, I believe this graphics are just wonderful and get quite close to the graphic level of games like borderlands. Gameplay has also changed, this time sword fighting and gunslinging combine to make something unique and enjoyable. Collectibles and upgrades you can buy give you even more reason to keep playing. The two issues I had with this game were the fact that you only get 4 guns in all of the game and the dialouge that varied from really good to bad. The final verdict for this game would be a recommendation to buy, this is something unique that any wii player cant miss.… Expand