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Exclusively on: Wii

Genre: Third-Person Rail Shooter

Players: 1-2 players Co-op

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Treasure

When you need a shooter done right, look no further than the talented team at Treasure. Sin & Punishment: Star Successor is as on-rails thrill ride, and about as good as they come for shooters. I was so excited to hear that Nintendo decided to bring this title overseas, considering that the original Sin & Punishment on N64 never saw the light of day stateside(until recently, since it is now available on the Virtual Console). So if you love to shoot things, you have come to the right place.

The plot is the tale of a rookie operative named Isa Jo, who has been sent on a mission to terminate an enemy Recon Unit disguised as a human girl. Originally created by Outer Space to gather intel on the humans weaknesses, the Recon Unit lost its memory and directives in the process of infiltrating Inner Space. Now instead of doing its job, it finds humans interesting and wants to learn more about them. Once Isa finds Kachi(the girl) and sees her innocence and curiosity towards humans, Isa begins to question his motives. Sensing a strange connection to the girl he decides to stick around her for a while. This act of course, infuriates the creators of Inner Space. Perceiving the acts of Isa as betrayal, they send the Nebulox, and elite squad, to destroy both Kachi and Isa. The hunt begins as soon as you start the game.

The game is rush from start to finish. The screens are always littered with endless amounts of baddies, wildlife, and explosives to tickle your destructive needs. The game play reminded me a bit of Panzer Dragoon Orta since you are basically on a rail the entire time. You have your standard gun that you will use most of the time  as well as a lock on feature which helps in aiming but does less damage. The game also arms you with a charge up shot that deals massive damage but has a cooldown period in between uses. You are also equipped with a handy laser sword for melee attacks, which help out when enemies get too close or to knock back projectiles such as missiles etc. To help with the constant enemy onslaught of attacks, you can evade. This my friends, will be your best friend. Essentially, you can dodge every single attack if timed properly.

The landscapes you visit are also a treat to the eyes. Each stage is completely different from the last, which keeps the game looking fresh and best of all beautiful. Expect to see a multitude of unique areas including a gorgeous desert, a lush underwater pathway, a fiery volcanic base, as well as showdown in space.

I will also have to mention that this game can be quite hardcore. Each stage has multiple bosses with about what seems like an endless amount life bars. You will without a doubt, have your reflexes tested and be required to memorize attack patterns. You will have to be able to shoot the endless amount of things on screen, as well as keep an eye out for enemy fire and projectile attack and dodge/reflect accordingly. It can get quite insane at some parts. The one saving grace is the checkpoint system. In each stage there are a ton of generous checkpoints that will help even the worst gamer out there get through this title. The only downfall of the checkpoint system is that you lose your score, and in shooters, your score means everything. Do not worry though, once you play through again you will easily see your how much your skills have progressed. You can even grab a buddy to help you out in Co-op, to make things a tad easier. To help you see where you stand in the world, they included online leaderboards.

PROS:

Stuff to shoot: I was continuously floored by just how much is going on screen at any given moment. There is never a dull moment, as you will always be on your toes and the edge of your seat. I must have killed thousands upon thousands of critters and enemies. It helps keep the game fast and most of all, fun.

Challenge: I hope you can multitask. You will required to not only have precise aim, but also a quick finger for your evades. There are hundreds of things trying to murder you in each stage. Your reflexes will definitely be tested. Oh I almost forgot, each stage has about 4 bosses. Not to mention that each boss has like 5 life bars. Now we got a party! Even though it is definitely challenging, it is also immensely satisfying once you get the hang of a stage or boss. It is never frustrating to the point where you do not want to continue.

Checkpoints: Thank the maker for the very generous amounts of checkpoints in this game. If you die, and you will on your first play through, the game always throws you back in at a decent spot.

Gorgeous: As far as Wii titles go(just go HD already Nintendo), this game is beautiful. All of the insanity on screen is like an orgy for your eyeballs. The game is packed with unique and colorful enemies and creatures. The best part? It runs smooth as hell.

Precision: I wish all Wii games had this level of precision with the Wii-mote. I felt like I had complete control over the cursor at all times. I was always able to shoot at what I wanted and if i had any kind of mistakes is was definitely my fault.

Soundtrack: To help get you in the mood the game sports an awesome Techno soundtrack. All of the tracks felt perfect with what was going on screen.

CONS:

Characters: Not only do the main characters look like lifeless dolls in every cut-scene, but their English voices do not match either. Thankfully there is an option to switch languages. Oh and what is up with the main characters outfit? Those shorts are way to short and his gloves and boots are way to long. Don’t forget the Epcot Center shaped jetpack on his back. Its not too bad to be honest, just a tad quirky.

Co-op: Don’t get me wrong, I love co-op but I hate it when it feels like a last second add-on. The second player only gets to control a cursor on screen. It is a very weird choice in my opinion, considering there are two main protagonists here. Also since Player 2 only gets a cursor, they don’t get to evade attacks or control a character, which in my opinion is a lot of the fun.

Length: The game clocks in around the 4-5 hour mark to complete. Normally I wouldn’t care but I just was left wanting more. Yep, its that good. At least the game has some re-playability since you can always go back and try to best your top scores.

Sin & Punishment: Star Successor isn’t the ideal game for everyone. The difficulty and overall hardcore nature might put off most casual players. Which of course, the Wii is the console with the most casuals. But the game is certainly a must have for anyone who remotely likes shooters. The game has a frantic, chest pounding pace not seen in most videogames nowadays. It also has some of the craziest action going on in each stage. It was an incredibly satisfying game to finish, and I look forward to popping this bad boy in for another round.