This review contains spoilers
NOTE:EMULATED ON DOLPHIN. THE PC PORT IS A FUCKING DISASTER DO NOT RECOMMEND.
While it is messy in a lot of places, No More Heroes 1 is an entertaining enough time thanks to its unique style and entertaining premise.
For a game that released on the Wii I was shocked as to just how well the game held up graphically. This is mainly because of how unique it looks for the console, featuring a lot of impressive shadow work and characters that really pop (though the open world can look a bit dull). Speaking of characters that's another spot where the game absolutely shines, with Travis Touchdown being a fun protagonist (who's also an absolute fucking dork) and each of the assassins being entertaining encounters (my favorite being Dr Peace). The engaging combat definitely helps in this regard, never getting repetitive due to just how satisfying it becomes, with the combination of the Katana stances and wrestling moves creating an experience that I can say is truly unique (also getting those multi kills is satisfying as all hell). Last thing to mention is the absolute banger of an OST, with special mention going to the phenomenal main theme N.M.H.
As fun as general combat can be, it's ironic to say that NMH1s biggest issue IS the bosses themselves. While they're all oozing charm and remain a highlight, actually fighting them is a mess. A combination of way too much health and some truly abysmal gimmicks (I fucking despise Holly Summers) makes getting to these bosses more a letdown than an actual reward. Out of the 10 bosses I only really enjoyed Shinobu (a satisfying duel with an amazing setting) and the true final boss Henry (an even better duel which really tests your knowledge of the game). Not helping manners is just how fucking GRINDY the game is, with a majority of the game being spent grinding money to even access these fights. In a shocking twist the actual shitty jobs weren't an issue, as most of them are really easy and don't waste much time (besides Bomb Collecting and Scorpion hunting). The bigger issue is the assassination jobs having dogshit payouts until super late in the game alongside an open world that feels absolutely terrible to navigate (get sprint ASAP). Combine that with all the upgrades and you will be forced to grind for a solid chunk of the 12 hour runtime (I would estimate about half my time was spent grinding). Last thing to note is the actual story, or moreso a lack thereof. Travis for sure grows as a character and his relationship with Sylvia does get pretty interesting near the end but besides that you are left with crumbs for a good majority. Not until the literal LAST TWO BOSSES does the game decide to dump a truckload of backstory that I honestly did not care for because of how late it occurred.
Despite those myriad of issues the first No More Heroes is still a decent time all around. Suda 51 isn't a creator I absolutely adore but I do understand why so many flock to him because of this game (and also Killer 7). A solid start to a cult franchise.
7/10
While it is messy in a lot of places, No More Heroes 1 is an entertaining enough time thanks to its unique style and entertaining premise.
For a game that released on the Wii I was shocked as to just how well the game held up graphically. This is mainly because of how unique it looks for the console, featuring a lot of impressive shadow work and characters that really pop (though the open world can look a bit dull). Speaking of characters that's another spot where the game absolutely shines, with Travis Touchdown being a fun protagonist (who's also an absolute fucking dork) and each of the assassins being entertaining encounters (my favorite being Dr Peace). The engaging combat definitely helps in this regard, never getting repetitive due to just how satisfying it becomes, with the combination of the Katana stances and wrestling moves creating an experience that I can say is truly unique (also getting those multi kills is satisfying as all hell). Last thing to mention is the absolute banger of an OST, with special mention going to the phenomenal main theme N.M.H.
As fun as general combat can be, it's ironic to say that NMH1s biggest issue IS the bosses themselves. While they're all oozing charm and remain a highlight, actually fighting them is a mess. A combination of way too much health and some truly abysmal gimmicks (I fucking despise Holly Summers) makes getting to these bosses more a letdown than an actual reward. Out of the 10 bosses I only really enjoyed Shinobu (a satisfying duel with an amazing setting) and the true final boss Henry (an even better duel which really tests your knowledge of the game). Not helping manners is just how fucking GRINDY the game is, with a majority of the game being spent grinding money to even access these fights. In a shocking twist the actual shitty jobs weren't an issue, as most of them are really easy and don't waste much time (besides Bomb Collecting and Scorpion hunting). The bigger issue is the assassination jobs having dogshit payouts until super late in the game alongside an open world that feels absolutely terrible to navigate (get sprint ASAP). Combine that with all the upgrades and you will be forced to grind for a solid chunk of the 12 hour runtime (I would estimate about half my time was spent grinding). Last thing to note is the actual story, or moreso a lack thereof. Travis for sure grows as a character and his relationship with Sylvia does get pretty interesting near the end but besides that you are left with crumbs for a good majority. Not until the literal LAST TWO BOSSES does the game decide to dump a truckload of backstory that I honestly did not care for because of how late it occurred.
Despite those myriad of issues the first No More Heroes is still a decent time all around. Suda 51 isn't a creator I absolutely adore but I do understand why so many flock to him because of this game (and also Killer 7). A solid start to a cult franchise.
7/10