Travis' base of operations this time around will be from the comfort of his own trailer house. From this area you can access his wardrobe, the online shop, as well as the Death Drive and its games. There's several other interactables here including his bike, a fax machine, and archives. Of course, you can also hit up throne to drop a good old save.
In between blazing through the Death Drive MK II's video games, you're first going to have to actually obtain them. This takes place in its own "game" of sorts called Travis Strikes Back. From Travis' trailer house you'll be able to hop on to his bike to traverse the world to hunt for the Death Ball games. This segment is rendered as an old school Visual Novel/Adventure game which expands on the game's story. Experience a new side of the tale with plenty of comedy, bizarre characters, some familiar faces, and even Travis' beloved pet cat Jeane.
No More Heroes and Suda's works have inspired plenty of indie games, and going into Travis Strikes Again, Suda has predominantly been inspired by those very same indie games in turn. To pay tribute to these creators and their works, upward to 60 crossover collaborations have been opened with indie creators to feature their work in Travis Strikes Again. Returning from No More Heroes is the ability to dress up Travis in various attire, only this time said attire will predominantly be shirts based on a wide variety of indie games. These can be bought from the PC in Travis' trailer using LB$ obtained within the main game, though some special tees can only be exchanged for mysterious objects hidden in each game world. Play through Travis Strikes Again while repping your favorite indie title; including titles like Downwell, Blazing Chrome, Hotline Miami, Hollow Knight, and Undertale!
Q: So why isn't this No More Heroes 3?
When developing Travis Strikes Again, Suda expressed a desire to return to Grasshopper's roots of making games that were very freeform and indie "in spirit", as he was inspired by the modern wave of indie developers who keep making unique new games, unrestrained by the major publishers. Travis Strikes Again was made with the desire to make a similar such game, developed by a team consisting of roughly a little over a dozen people, much like the company's earlier titles. It is the first title from them in a long time that they've had full creative control over, without publisher interference.
Q: I thought this was supposed to be a minigame compilation, so it's actually just a hack and slash?
Correct. Think of the setup as something akin to Kirby Super Star. When marketing refers to "seven different games", it refers to the story of Travis exploring literal video games, but in most basic terms the games are just "levels" or "worlds". The hack and slash combat is consistent throughout all of the games you explore, with the main difference being that each one has a wildly different presentation and gimmicks that are inspired by actual video games and their respective genres. For instance - Coffee and Doughnuts has the hack and slash game play set to a 2.5D sidescroller perspective, with level design and aesthetics inspired by Metal Slug. However, much like No More Heroes, expect some levels to be intercut with a unique gimmick or occasional minigame that's relevant to the game's genre. Golden Dragon GP is one such example, as in between hack and slash action segments, you will partake in drag racing challenges.
Q: Should I care about this game, even if it isn't No More Heroes 3?
In more ways than one, though perhaps the most notable reason why you should is the fact that this is Suda51's first title as director in over a decade. He hasn't had as much hands-on with a Grasshopper developed title since the original No More Heroes, making this the first game in a long time to truly earn the distinction of being a "Suda51 game". In spite of the perspective change, a conscious effort has been made to inject the game play with every bit as much action as the previous titles, with the combat and set pieces rivaling the originals in terms of depth and complexity. On top of this, Suda has said the game's events will directly lead into what he hopes to make into an eventual No More Heroes 3, and much of the title's potential development will be riding on this game's success. It should be stressed that while Suda hopes the game's potential success ease the road on his quest to making a third numbered entry, Travis Strikes Again is a back-to-basics title he genuinely wanted to make and had every intention of developing.
Q: How long is the game?
The game has been compared to the previous No More Heroes games in length; which is roughly 15-20 hours. Famitsu's reviews indicated that with replayability and content unlocks, the game should last you a good 16 hours.
Q: Wait a sec, I thought this game didn't have voice acting?
You would be partially correct - in-game conversations mainly consist of text dialogue (similar to Killer7), but several major cinematics in the game include the presence of voice acting. Initially Suda51 wasn't planning on including much voice acting in the game, likely due to budgetary costs and creative choice, but after seeing the fan demand for Robin Atkin Downes to return as Travis, he decided to put in the extra work. The game's reveal trailer (which serves as the game's intro) has since been redubbed to feature the new cast.
Q: As someone who's never played a No More Heroes game before, is it okay to dive in with this one?
Yes! Suda consciously designed the game around the fact that this would be most people's first time playing a No More Heroes title, so while the game play is easier to wrap your head around, the story also marks the beginning of a new chapter for Travis.
Q: Online Play?
Nope, sorry.
Q: Beam Katana charge animation?
You bet. It wouldn't be a No More Heroes game without it.
Q: Is there hope for a No More Heroes 1+2 port to Switch?
Marvelous own the No More Heroes IP, and while Suda wants to port the old games, it needs their approval before anything can happen.
Q: Travis in Smash?
We can only hope.
