Travis is Back…those words gave joy to so many at the Nintendo Switch reveal event. We were finally getting a new entry in the No More Heroes series and all was right with the world. Then people saw what the game played like and immediately rushed to judgement. They proclaimed the series ruined because of the new style, but after spending time with the game, I can say this is not the case.
Travis Strikes Again may not look and play like a traditional No More Heroes games, but it definitely has the feel of one. The atmosphere is there, as is the intense action. This is not a simple hack n slash game where you just mow down hordes of enemies, but one that requires strategy like its predecessors. Once again you must be aware of your beam katana charge or risk being clobbered by enemies and unable to fight back.
One thing Travis Strikes Again excels at is atmosphere and narrative. The game loves to point out that its been breaking the boundaries of the fourth wall for its entire existence and TSA carries on that tradition. The game takes place in two main sections, the games within the game, and a visual novel section. The visual novel section explains how Travis and Bad Man acquire the games for the Death Drive and contain some of the funniest and most self aware humor I have ever seen in a game.
The games themselves take the form of a variety of genres, such as action and even platforming. I will say that one of the few faults I have with the game is that the platforming section was so frustrating, I had to stop for long periods of time just to calm down. Fortunately the rest of the game was much better, and Life is Destroy was one of my favourites of the games included. The Death Drive console that drives the story (pun intended) draws on urban myths in gaming like Polybius, and I love the small details added such as the shoutout to the Sega scream.
Travis himself feels much more powerful this time around and that makes sense. He is older and more experienced, but also have new abilities thanks to skill chips. This give him access to his new powers, and finding the right set of skills to use is essential. You can level up Travis as well, and also play as Bad Man, Bad Man was actually useful to me, for getting past the frustrating platforming sections, so I view that addition as a plus.
Suda51 wanted this game to be a collaboration with the best indie games out there, so Travis can wear T Shirts showing various indie games on them. These include Steamworld Dig, Dead Cells, Hollow Knight and more. Its a great way to promote the indie scene and show off just how diverse gaming can be.
Travis Strikes Again is not a perfect game by any means. It has frustrating areas and there are some bugs with collision detection, but overall it made me smile. This feels like No More Heroes, but just that the game is expressing itself differently. I encourage you all to check it out, as it is a worthwhile experience.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided.