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[Sadist]

Agreed, if this title turns out to be good, it'll be the true litmus test on whether or not traditional games sell on the wii.

You don't say?

 

[Azure J]

Hey Punk.

What did it need to separate itself from, particularly on Wii? It was already the only FPS sword fighting game out there. And the system isn't exactly overwhelmed with quality shooters. Motionplus swordfighting is already a USP and they could have just done the original concept properly. It seems weird that they did this whole reboot and cancelled versions to go completely off tangent.

I'm just worried that they've just Prince of Persia-ed this out of the market with cel-shading. Dont get me wrong, I love cel-shading but most cel-shaded games dont sell amazingly well. Couple that with this far off concept. I mean its basically a wholly original game and should probably be branded as one. What will the 3rd game be? Anything as long as guns and swords are involved? A pirate cutlass and musket first person game? Pirate steel?

Dont hate me guys I've been looking forward for RS2 for years and I think it looks okay. I'm just commenting on the style change and all.

OK, I'm late to this and I totally understood (not necessarily agreed with though) everything you said here, but Pirate Steel? Fucking want. That's officially right next to Zelda on a blimp for coolest accidental GAF game concept ever. :lol

 

[Vinci]

OK, I'm late to this and I totally understood (not necessarily agreed with though) everything you said here, but Pirate Steel? Fucking want. That's officially right next to Zelda on a blimp for coolest accidental GAF game concept ever. :lol

That's what I thought!

 

[Eteric Rice]

What about the next one being about a Ninja that becomes a Pirate?

Though that might destroy the universe.

 

[Raide]

What about the next one being about a Ninja that becomes a Pirate?

Though that might destroy the universe.

You play a Schizophrenic Chuck Norris who thinks he is a Ninja and a Pirate. 2 Play co-op using the same controller.

 

[Sagitario]

Off-topic question: what did they say about Tales of Graces?

 

[vetrox]

Well, this is an unusual twist for the franchise.

Nice

 

[EmCeeGramr]

OK, I'm late to this and I totally understood (not necessarily agreed with though) everything you said here, but Pirate Steel? Fucking want. That's officially right next to Zelda on a blimp for coolest accidental GAF game concept ever. :lol

red steel is the next final fantasy

an epic aaa series held together only by basic gameplay concepts

 

[AceBandage]

red steel is the next final fantasy

an epic aaa series held together only by basic gameplay concepts

Whoa now, cowboy...

 

[scitek]

I just replayed some of the levels in the first game, and the gunplay is really addictive. The turning is slow, yes, but it's not unplayable by any means, and being able to twist your hand is so awesome, I hope the sequel retains that. I love the destructible environments, too, like someone said earlier. I hope they don't change a whole lot apart from the controls and the sword-fighting.

 

[gamingeek]

OK, I'm late to this and I totally understood (not necessarily agreed with though) everything you said here, but Pirate Steel? Fucking want. That's officially right next to Zelda on a blimp for coolest accidental GAF game concept ever. :lol

Yeah I was thinking the same thing as I typed it in another thread. This game could start off this trend of using a brand name and just completely doing whatever the hell you want in a sequel.

Red Steel 3, anything with swords and guns. So Dino Island Steel, Red Steel Galaxy. Pirate Steel. Laser sword future Steel.

I mean they might as well, they've changed the concept so much.

ALSO:

Red Steel 2 - more details reveal some controls, non-linear gameplay, and explanation for lack of multiplayer- some aspect of leveling up your character
- gun and sword combos
- “RS2 is tightly focused on intensely physical first person sword fighting, with gunplay a secondary option”
- hold Z to lock onto enemy
- hold down C and swing to block, vertical and horizontal blocks
- switch lock-on at any time
- screen prompts you if you’re being attacked from behind. Press A to quick-turn in this situation
- many enemies wear bulletproof armor
- not open world
- not a linear game, multiple paths to take
- several hub-worlds
- side quests
- collectibles
- return to old areas with new powers and abilities
-”non-combat use of MotionPlus wont be limited to opening doors”
- boss fights
- production began last summer
- Ubisoft discussing the lack of multiplayer: “We would love to create a multiplayer engine, but not right now. It’s single player because we want to really focus on the core mechanic and as much as we all want to kill each other with swords, it’s not going to happen this time.
- Ubisoft on releasing a multiplayer mode through DLC: “That would be cool. The world has changed, and we can do that sort of thing. I certainly think that would be cool. I’d buy it. But we need to be careful bringing out something that people think should be in the main game.”

 

[Stormbringer]

[edit] Beaten.

Anyway :

- “RS2 is tightly focused on intensely physical first person sword fighting, with gunplay a secondary option”

That's interesting. I guess this makes sense due to the emphasis on motion plus. Could explain that the game has been described less as a shooter and more as a "slash 'em up".

 

[gamingeek]

Just wanted to point out that Red Steel 1's art was anything but generic. The in game rendition of it may be to some. But the actual concept art was pretty beautiful.

That's why I said earlier it looks like they are going for the concept art approach. Truthfully though I would prefer it if they cel-shaded the game and still did the modern japan setting of the first game.

I want them to use the new cel-shaded approach for these environments, lush and colourful. The new game looks quite stark to me.

 

[EatChildren]

Cool new info. Focus on sword combat + lock-on gives me some hope for solid controls. I don't mind the gun taking a secondary place, but I do hope we still aim and shoot. I'll be disappointed if it's something like "press Z on nunchuck to shoot gun" and it just shoots whoever you're locked on to.

 

[Kenka]

Those screens are pretty yummy.

The level of anticipation for this game is actually rising with those glimpses of the past.

 

[gamingeek]

---------

 

[nightside]

Artistically looks ten spans better than the first game.
Definitely hyped, they aren't rushing it and unless they screw something up it has the potential of being huge.

Don't know.. I loved the japanese stages of RS (expecially the last one), and for the sequel I would have preferred a return of the yakuza theme...

 

[EatChildren]

- production began last summer

So it's only been in development coming on a year now?

 

[ivysaur12]

That sounds... radically awesome. I really hope Ubi can nail the motion+

Spoiler

yeah, I know they probably won't be able to.

 

[Scrubking]

New info turns me off. Focus on swords is really bad. It's like the got so focused on M+ that they forgot about the rest of the game. Also if it is sword focused I don't see more than 2 or 3 enemies on screen at the same time - just like the screens. Ugh.

 

[rollingstart]

I'm genuinely excited for this game. Cheesy western samurai setting + first person brawler + toon graphics. Sounds like it could be great.

 

[Ether_Snake]

So it's only been in development coming on a year now?

Production is not the beginning of development, it is the last phase. Usually there is conception, pre-production, and then production.

 

[Eteric Rice]

I think it's going to be kind of hard to fuck up the sword controlls, really. Maybe how the execute them, but not implementing them. The software you get with M+ (as a dev), I think, has a thing that lets you do the motion, and it records it so you can use it in game.

 

[Boerseun]

That sounds... radically awesome. I really hope Ubi can nail the motion+

Spoiler

yeah, I know they probably won't be able to.

They'll nail it! You'll see!

 

[EatChildren]

Production is not the beginning of development, it is the last phase. Usually there is conception, pre-production, and then production.

Excellent. I was wondering if they were including all the pre-production design in this, but hopefully not.

New info turns me off. Focus on swords is really bad. It's like the got so focused on M+ that they forgot about the rest of the game. Also if it is sword focused I don't see more than 2 or 3 enemies on screen at the same time - just like the screens. Ugh.

Focus on swords is good in my mind. The gun is still there, clearly, but the sword fighting is going to be the meat of the game. Sure, if it plays like the original it will suck, but if it plays smooth and fluent it will be a blast slicing and gunning.

 

[Raide]

Focus on swords is good in my mind. The gun is still there, clearly, but the sword fighting is going to be the meat of the game. Sure, if it plays like the original it will suck, but if it plays smooth and fluent it will be a blast slicing and gunning.

Guns are just too easy, swords are much more fun to play with. Motion+ really won't add that much to gunplay, since you just point and shoot. Swordplay on the other hand is made for Motion+, so the kind of things you will be able to do make it much more interesting than a straight shooter with random swords.

 

[J-Rock]

Interesting new info. So this is an FPSF, not an FPS. Could still be cool. I don't mind the change.

 

[gamingeek]

So it's only been in development coming on a year now?

I find this hard to figure out. Back in July 2008 they said the game had already been in development for "many months". But then recentely they say that the motionplus unveiling changed everything and they began development from the summer and changed everything. From what we know about the cancelled version, it was this weird abstract/futuristic concept. I have a feeling that some of that project lives on in this futuristic city.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ubisoft-embraces-wii-motionplus-for-red-steel-sequel

July 2008

"Red Steel 2 has been in development for many months now, and this new device will help us be even more precise in what we do with the product,"


"The Red Steel brand is strong - I think we released it on year one, and that people understood that it was a first try on new technology, technology that wasn't completely finished. And our game tried to grab the best out of it, and was a bit rushed to be sure to offer something in year one to Wii consumers," he added.


"So Red Steel is a brand, and as with every brand we have, we now have to reach the top quality possible. What was missing was the preciseness of the sabre - and with this new device I think it will change the experience."

Ubisoft is one of the few third-party publishers to see considerable sales success on the Wii, and Corre puts that success down to the amount of time spent on developing games for the unique home console, compared to competitors.

"When you make a great game, you need more than one year of development," offered Corre.

"A lot of games are made in less than a year, but they're not great products and they're not selling at all. So it takes some time to develop good games. This year we're coming with Shaun White, which we've developed over 18 months, and the same for Rayman 3.

"I think these two games can be in the top ten of the Wii charts at Christmas again, and there will also be new Wii games announced soon - more games dedicated to capturing this new audience," he concluded.

More snippets from the Ubisoft interview:


Q: Ubisoft was pretty proactive when the Wii first launched, getting some titles on there - how do you appraise that initial push, and what would you say the lessons were now you're coming on to the second and third iterations of titles?

Alain Corre: It's true we were early on the system, with Rayman and Red Steel. Both games were in the top ten of the Wii chart for the first 6-9 months of the machine. We came down a bit in year two, for a number of reasons, but it also takes time to create great products on the Wii - despite what some people say. When you make a great game, you need more than one year of development.

A lot of games are made in less than a year, but they're not great products and they're not selling at all. So it takes some time to develop good games. This year we're coming with Shaun White, which we've developed over 18 months, and the same for Rayman 3. I think these two games can be in the top ten of the Wii charts at Christmas again, and there will also be new Wii games announced soon - more games dedicated to capturing this new audience.

So I think our Wii share that we lost a bit last year, versus year one, we'll grab it back this Christmas. We have started the development of a lot more games on the Wii for Christmas 2009, so it's in place.

We should have developed even more games in year one, to be ready for year two, but now we've switched a lot of our people in development to the Wii, so our ambition is that our market share on Wii grows starting this Christmas - and I think we're on the right track.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

Talking about a focus on swordplay makes me wonder whether your revolver is your only firearm. Maybe you can "level up" your gun in an RE4 style fashion.

 

[EatChildren]

Talking about a focus on swordplay makes me wonder whether your revolver is your only firearm. Maybe you can "level up" your gun in an RE4 style fashion.

Totally possible. I doubt there will be a huge amount of firearms anyway, if any. What we've seen has shown a very melee focused game, steampunk-ish setting, and the character's main weapon being a revolver. I'd say the art shows signs that we wont really be seeing uzis, assault rifles, etc. Maybe as some bonus mission stuff, but never as a standard weapon.

Of course, that's pure speculation based on bugger all information.

 

[Black-Wind]

They'll nail it! You'll see!

Having faith in Ubishit's Wii out-put is what broken hearts are made of.

I will simply say "nice art direction . . ." til I see something that gives me reason to think they did something right.

 

[scitek]

They're such an appropriately named company. They give you all this concept art and boner-inducing information, then you play the game and Ubisoft.

 

[Android18a]

The screenshots of RedSteel 2 in the latest ONM are pretty hot. Got my issue in the post this morning, and I think visually, it's almost XIII-ish.

 

[Black-Wind]

The screenshots of RedSteel 2 in the latest ONM are pretty hot. Got my issue in the post this morning, and I think visually, it's almost XIII-ish.

Does ONM and NP have the same info?

And does ONM say anything about ToG/ Sypborgs/ Spore Hero or any other game thats in NP that people seem to refuse to talk about?

 

[Nirolak]

- Ubisoft on releasing a multiplayer mode through DLC: “That would be cool. The world has changed, and we can do that sort of thing. I certainly think that would be cool. I’d buy it. But we need to be careful bringing out something that people think should be in the main game.”

I wonder how this will go over if they actually decide to make it.

 

[Ramenman]

I wonder how this will go over if they actually decide to make it.

Making a 1:1 sword fighting system is already a challenge in itself, but making a 1:1 sword fighting multiplayer game is really something else.

Spoiler

First one to mention Wii Sports Resort misses the point.

I want to see how far they can go, if they actually end up getting somewhere.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

I'd take an offshoot multiplayer-only "Red Steel 2: Hunters" game if they decided to make it.

And it was, you know, good.

 

[TwilightPrincess]

I find this hard to figure out. Back in July 2008 they said the game had already been in development for "many months". But then recentely they say that the motionplus unveiling changed everything and they began development from the summer and changed everything. From what we know about the cancelled version, it was this weird abstract/futuristic concept. I have a feeling that some of that project lives on in this futuristic city.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ubisoft-embraces-wii-motionplus-for-red-steel-sequel

The first version of the game was canceled in october 2007 and handed over to ubi paris. July 2008 they say they have worked for many months on the game. I can t imagine, they threw away everything because of implementation of m+

 

[Android18a]

Does ONM and NP have the same info?

And does ONM say anything about ToG/ Sypborgs/ Spore Hero or any other game thats in NP that people seem to refuse to talk about?

There are screenshots and a 4-page preview of Spore Hero.

About 8 pages of Red Steel 2, I think.

 

[Dascu]

What kind of game is Spore Hero?

 

[Black-Wind]

There are screenshots and a 4-page preview of Spore Hero.

About 8 pages of Red Steel 2, I think.

How does it look?

What does it say about Spore Hero?

Why isn't anyone talking about anything non-RS in this effing mag?

 

[wsippel]

What kind of game is Spore Hero?

Action adventure. No idea how that's supposed to work, though. The creature editor and the animation system from the PC game are there, but everything else is completely new.

 

[nightside]

Making a 1:1 sword fighting system is already a challenge in itself, but making a 1:1 sword fighting multiplayer game is really something else.

Spoiler

First one to mention Wii Sports Resort misses the point.

I want to see how far they can go, if they actually end up getting somewhere.

I often play Age of Chivalry, and multiplayer swordplay really needs a good netcode and it's really influenced by ping.

 

[EatChildren]

Seen the ONM Red Steel 2 article. They got hands-on time. Screens are pretty great. I really need to see it in motion, but I like the style they're going for. It's like a mix between Prince of Persia and XIII, leaning more towards the latter with the environments and cel-shading, and the former with crisper line drawing and texture detail.

Some quotes from the mag. I don't know if this is ok to post so if it's not someone give me a heads-up.

What is MotionPlus like? It works, that's all you need to know. I knows where your arm is and how you're holding the Remote. It knows how strong your swing of the Remote is, and it knows whether you're going for a vertical, horizontal, diagonal slice, and everywhere in between.

So it's a very different game from the first Red Steel, that's for sure. Using the Nunchuck to move, you can still point at the screen and press B to shoot, but it is clear that gunplay won't be the main attraction.

Ubisoft wants to make game progression as non-linear as possible, but is also very insistent that Red Steel 2 is not an open world game. Many of the stages are closed-off affairs offering little escape from the action, which keeps the temp up. There are different paths to take along the way, and you'll move on through the game via several different hub worlds, each more challenging than the last.

There are side quests to complete, collectables, combos, Finish Kills and other moves to learn too.

 

[GC|Simon]

Don't misunterstand me Ubisoft, I'm sure that the game is going to be great but please make a 'real' ego-shooter, too. Just like Red Steel 1...

 

[Flakster99]

I can't believe I am saying this about a Ubisoft Wii game, nevermind the sequel to Red Steal, but after reading up I am cautiously, yet genuinely, excited.
Looking forward to it's unveiling at E3.

 

[EatChildren]

Don't misunterstand me Ubisoft, I'm sure that the game is going to be great but please make a 'real' ego-shooter, too. Just like Red Steel 1...

There's an interview at the end where they state you can focus on gunning, but you'll change back to the sword because of how much fun it is to use and how much better it works in many situation. Lots of fights are close quarters and don't give you a lot of room to stand back gunning, plus you cant 'defend' with the gun, and a lot of enemies are wearing armour.

It's pretty clear gunplay won't be a major role. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the revolver is the only damn gun in the game, but they do state that it is used and seems to be still useful, especially when combining with sword combos and what not.

 

[Neomoto]

"MotionPlus is the beating heart of Red Steel 2" - Creative Director Red Steel 2

ONM: Will you use MotionPlus to introduce non-combat uses of the technology?

JV: Oh yeah, as many as we can get into the game. [...] We want people to manipulate a lot of things. We call them 'game breakers' - the chance to do something cool that's outside the core gameplay.

ONM: What's it like working with MotionPlus?

JV: It's incredibly satisfying - really exciting. I've been working in games for 12 years and this is the first time that I feel we're going to give the fans something really cool that they've never seen before. And I genuinely mean that. It's not just marketing bullshit - this is something new that you've never done before and it's really fun. It's a great feeling to be able to say that.

- Game is build around MotionPlus (M+ made it possible to make the game they wanted to make with that kind of gameplay, and "shift the game away from the shooting side of things"). That is also why production began when they first got their M+ dev kits.

- Seems there will also be some kind of "backtracking", where you can enter previously inaccessible areas when you have gotton new abilities and such.

- ONM seems to think that this will be the showcase MotionPlus title for the "hardcore". Perhaps even demostrating how MotionPlus could transform core gaming. "A new era for Wii gaming? You bet."


Personal opinion:

The art of the "hero" is fantastic. Seriously. They've hidden his face but the rest is awesome, "real badass" looking from upclose haha.

The concept art of the scenario's / area's or something doesn't seem impressive at all though, rather generic even (but maybe that's just me). The concept art from Red Steel 1 (see above) is much, much better in my opinion.

 

[Dash Kappei]

Thanks Neomoto, I'll add that to the M+ Discussion thread if you don't mind.


I didn't understand if M+ will be mandatory to play the game like for Wii Sports Resort or if it'll be something optional that you can use to add to the experience... I'd really prefer the former, but I don't really have that much hope that would be the case.

 

[Kilrogg]

Thanks Neomoto, I'll add that to the M+ Discussion thread if you don't mind.


I didn't understand if M+ will be mandatory to play the game like for Wii Sports Resort or if it'll be something optional that you can use to add to the experience... I'd really prefer the former, but I don't really have that much hope that would be the case.

The game will be mandatory from the looks of it. I hope Ubisoft won't be stupid on this one and will bundle the game with the WM+.