As discussed in the previous reviews of the No More Heroes, once you play a Suda51 game, you know what to expect from his work. That is to say, you learn to expect to be surprised constantly and always left wondering what is coming next. No More Heroes is an over-the-top action game series and one that has seen many twists and turns in its storytelling and embodies this idea perfectly.
Before going any further, it must be stated that while some view Travis Strikes Again as a side game that can be ignored, this is not the case. Skipping Travis Strikes Again will leave players confused with details in No More Heroes III right from the beginning. This is due to story revelations that occur in the game, and it is required playing before the latest entry to make sense of things.
No More Heroes III is just as over the top as the previous entries but does make some changes here and there. While the overall gameplay loop is the same as before, Travis now needs to complete several designated matches, against small squads of minibosses rather than fight generic mobs between levels. Whereas the generic mobs were the same types of enemies over and over again, these fights have their own gimmicks and challenges that need to be tackled and come off much better than previous games.
In between stages, Travis will once again explore Santa Destroy and do minigames, but things feel more streamlined and accessible here. Criticisms of the emptiness of Santa Destroy in the first game and the lack of open-world in the second title have been addressed in part as well. It is not perfect still, but the game does seem to have reached a bit of a compromise between the previous games.
In terms of overall combat, No More Heroes 3 has the tried-and-true hack-and-slash action fans have come to expect with the Beam Katana. However, this time Travis has some new tricks thanks to the Death Glove, which resembles two Joy-Cons that Travis wears on his hand, giving him four special moves. These special movies drastically change the gameplay and help keeps combat fresh and engaging.
The slot machine also returns and will play when Travis kills an enemy and/or deals a significant blow. The slot machine will add random special effects that affect gameplay or give coins. The slot machine will also allow Travis a chance to use his Henshin Suit, a mech outfit that lets Travis use more powerful attacks, although there are some sections of the game that only use the Henshin Suit.
While the combat has been improved in some ways, it can come across as too easy for some due to how accessible the game now is. There are more invincibility frames for instance, and that can throw off the combat that players are used to from previous entries. That said, there are difficulty options, and the game can be made a lot harder if players want
Motion controls are present in No More Heroes III but feel like an aside rather than a necessity like they were originally. Even in the Switch ports of the first two games, Motion controls felt more refined than stick control, but the situation is reversed here. Unless players want to use motion controls for the direction strikes in special moves or recharging the Beam Katana, there is no reason to use the motion controls here.
New moves can also be purchased for Travis over time that will make him more powerful, and there are ways to have temporary buffs as well. Travis can buy sushi to have buffs that make him stronger or revive him when he dies, or to use to recover his health during fights. The Death Glove can also receive upgrades over time, making the end result a slightly overpowered Travis, something that ends up fitting with the game’s nature.
No More Heroes games are known for going all out for their stories and No More Heroes 3 is no different. The reminder to learn to be surprised constantly applies here, as the story and gameplay are constantly throwing twists and turns. Some gameplay changes are so wild, referencing other games and properties, that the game starts feeling like a self-parody at times, but in a good way.
No More Heroes III is being called the finale of the series, but do not be surprised if Suda and the team bring another entry down the line. Travis and his expanding world have an excellent setting, a great cast of characters and mastery of unpredictability, making the series and No More Heroes III, in particular, a video game about video games. It is obviously not for everyone, but aside from feeling too easy at times, No More Heroes III is hands down the best in the franchise. It is highly recommended
Disclaimer: A review key was provided.
Images were taken from Nintendo.com