The Wonderful 101 (Wii U), directed by Hideki Kamiya

[George]

Holy crap, I never even KNEW about taunting. The effect is has on Unite Camp and your attack can be monumental.

[Chux]

[Finch]

i want to play this right now

[Chux]

So, do it?

[Finch]

i can't. it's not here yet

[Chux]

Bro.

[Shin Johnpv]

I have to drive up to Buffalo tomorrow for a wedding on Saturday, I will have no Wonderful 101 time this weekend and that makes me sad .

[George]

So I wrapped this up on Normal over the weekend. I thought about making a full-fledged review, but I think a few detailed bullet points are in order. It's no secret that I've been a total fanboy for this game since it was announced, but I'm going to be as objective as possible. For the record, I loved this game.

+ The first time through the game should be, and is mostly designed for, having an entertaining experience and learning how the game works incrementally. That means buying core skills one at a time and acquiring your core weapon set as the game goes forward. I started on Normal, and the game followed the standard Platinum curve: Golds and Platinum at the start, and then STONE, STONE, STONE, STONE until you learn how to play properly and acquire the tool-set to make earlier segments easier or more manageable.

+ The nuance to combat and the number of different ways to address encounters is mind-bogglingly varied. In addition to your weapon types, there are Custom Blocks for inserting into your badge, with varying amounts of sockets depending on your Squad Level. These blocks form the core of your build, with various effects like Double Power (with double power consumption) Hero Time (Bayonetta's Witch Time) Auto-Guts, Healing Guts, etc. Changing these up can alter your method of play significantly, and can be changed on the fly between encounters to suit your needs. Think of it as re-speccing. Many enemies have multiple weaknesses or methods to exploit or counter them.

+ The amount of collectibles, from Bottle Caps (Achievements,) Platinum Coins, Wonderful Figures, actual members of the Wonderful 100, and Secret Missions, is vast and varied. Collecting these secret items yields tangible results in the form of no less than FIFTEEN HIDDEN CHARACTERS, each with their own unique Unite Morph. Some of these hidden characters are guest characters from the story that were with you temporarily, but are then added to your squad permanently. Some characters are totally new and totally unique, such as Bayonetta, Jeanne, and the black dude who got your weapons for you IN Bayonetta

+ My first play-through took me about 18 hours. Bear in mind this is me watching every cut-scene. But also bear in mind that in Normal, when you die, you do NOT lose any progress at all, even on a boss' health meter, so NONE of it is retrying content. They weren't lying when they said there's more actual meat to this game than Bayonetta. None of it feels padded or like filler, and you're constantly getting new abilities, new characters, and playing new mini-games all the way to the end of the game.

+ Speaking of: Mini-Games. Each operation is divided into three sub-sections. In each sub-section, they try to throw a totally unique mini-game at you. Almost every last one of them is a complete success. These games can vary from a straight up isometric shmup level, to a Starfox on-rails level, to boss fights that are essentially Punch-Out (complete with Platinum Star Punches), et al. The ones that use the second screen make clever use of it. None of them are lazy, all of them control well (as they'd better, because these too are ranked just like regular parts of the level and contribute towards your average.) There's only ONE that I didn't like at all, and it's the one in Operation 003 where you have to navigate a maze in the bottom screen while the overhead view is on the TV. It's bullshit, doesn't give you enough time, and just isn't fun.

+ The atmosphere/charm factor. There are little flairs and touches throughout the game that, alone, aren't worth much more than a mention. But they happen with such frequency that it creates a playful atmosphere throughout. Little touches like the Wonder Mart printing out little detailed receipts for your purchases on the Gamepad screen, or having a live camera feed of the cockpit of a giant robot showing the W100 pressing buttons or turning levers or lazing about while the action takes place on the TV. There are cute references to prior Platinum games, including more than one use of the word "Revengeance" or multiple references to Viewtiful Joe, Okami, and Bayonetta. This is totally not even mentioning the tone of the story and characters. I could go on about the obvious anime/sentai influences, but it's really just easier to say that this is Gurren Lagann in game form. Insurmountable odds are conquered in obscenely flashy, satisfying dispatches. Not a single operation goes by that you don't kill a boss in the most ridiculous, epic fashion imaginable. It feels great every single time, due in no small part to the sweeping orchestral score and the colorful aesthetic (Near 60 FPS doesn't hurt either.) The creativity during these boss encounters practically boils over at points. Sometimes I feel like a game could barely contain the whole of what they were trying to do with W101.

If it sounds like I'm gushing a little too much, I guess I probably am, just a little bit. The game isn't perfect, though.

- There were times during the game that I became really frustrated at my inability to be effective in combat. It takes a while for your tool set to even begin fleshing out your real potential, and I feel like SOME of these tools should have been made available right from the start (Like the charging climb attack.) The game really doesn't care if you aren't actually prepared for an upcoming mission. There's nothing stopping you from replaying any mission, even as you progress through the game the first time, but it's really easy to finish the prologue and forget to buy your two most core abilities: blocking and dodging. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the worse you do, the less O-parts you get, and the less you can afford between levels. Again, you can replay parts and earn more, but starting right from Normal can make you feel really unprepared at some points if you never backtrack.

- The drawing mechanic is serviceable, like 90 percent of the time. This is my only real and true gripe with the game, since it CAN affect your grade or rank in certain situations. There are far more than just 7 major shapes to draw. There's more like...20? Each of them spawns a different weapon. The bigger the drawing, the more powerful the weapon. This is alleviated by a custom block that lets you charge it without needing to draw it bigger, but still. The problem lies in two parts: 1. the shape of the drawing CAN be blocked or stymied by certain hard obstacles on screen, like a wall or really large enemy. So the shape won't actually conform. And 2. Some shapes are just misinterpreted at times. Usually it's the Whip and the Bowgun. I usually ended up using the right stick to draw most of the time, which resulted in very few unintentional draws, and then I would draw on the pad during quicktime/cutscene unite morphs. When using multi-unite morphs for juggling baddies, drawing them with my left hand while I continued to wail on them worked pretty well.

So what can you take away from this whole thing?

1. If you've played a Platinum game, you know what to expect in terms of pacing, difficulty, and depth. You really do have to be willing to learn, and the more you do learn and put into it, the more you will get out of it. Probably more so than any other game they've made.

2. Invest yourself in the setting and the story and really enjoy the boss fights and over-the-top ridiculousness. It enhances your enjoyment of the game tenfold. I played this game alongside my little brother, age 12, for most of it, and it was just a ton of fun to geek out over the craziness that was happening on screen. This game was a true labor of love, and if sales are any indication, there won't be another one.

This is one of those games that will linger under the surface of the gaming industry's current breakneck pace. People who played and enjoyed it will talk about it and recommend it for years to come. It really is a killer app for the Wii U. Even if you're a frumpy old non-believer for Nintendo, which I don't blame you for, find a way to play this, or at least to watch it.

[George]

It's not by a huge amount, but the game is currently on sale for $50 on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...-20&ascsubtag=[type|link[postId|1440180427[asin|B002I08CSW[authorId|5856732741879800112

New Wii U owners, this is the thing

[GohanX]

Is this playable on the gamepad?