But the also stated that later in the week, there is another Direct focussing on PlatinumGames (of Madworld and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance) newest title for the Wii U titled The Wonderful 101.
Originally unveiled at E3 a year ago titled "Project P-100", it's an action game with a mix between Pikmin and Viewtiful Joe and it's from the brainchild of Hideki Kamiya, who's well known for games like Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry (the original), Okami and Bayonetta.
The direct was hosted by Kamiya while amusingly wearing a suit like he was trying to emulate Iwata and showcases and talks about the games features, combat and utilization of the Wii U gamepad which all seemed very interesting as well as repeating the release date over and over again after each section. After ending with a 7-minute trailer (which I felt was very spoiler-heavy), the game's demo was released an hour later after the Direct was finished.
I managed to get the demo after midnight but didn't play until morning. The first time I played around with it, I had a bit of a hard time getting used to how it played, how you moved the heroes was fine but the combat, the use of the gamepad and the scope of the game was really tricky to get used to but as I progressed I was kinda getting the hang of it but then the gamepad stopped because the battery was dead.
So after a while of charging, I gave the game another go and it became more clear every time I kept playing it over and over again, it seems simple at first glance but it's surprisingly complex for a game like this. Something I never thought it would be possible in an action game but Kamiya knows how to pull it off and pulls you in for the ride.
The camera is placed on an isometric view and since it has a fixed zoom level within battles (depending on how big they are) it can be hard to see where you are at times but if you keep your eyes focused, it shouldn't be too hard but you do need to time your blocks and dodges at the right moment but careful as abusing them can drain your battery meter. There are two different kind of attacks, one to use your team and the other to use your morph abilites which can be swapped by drawing with the touch pad or using the right analog stick. So for a fist, you draw a circle. For a sword, a straight line or for a gun, a right angle.
The gamepad also has other features like swapping heroes and other details but not really that important but the information and the tabs kind got in the way which made the experience a bit of a hindrance. But it was intuitive enough to make it functional and it works very well when changing morph powers or using other morphs to create special combo attacks. Even using the right analog stick worked perfectly. You can also use the D-pad or touch pad to swap items and hold the item on the touch screen or down on the D-pad to use the item
The gameplay consists a lot of crazy action but also emphasizes on rescuing citizens of Blossom City and allow them to be in your team to make larger morph abilities which can be more powerful than the previous amount depending on how long/big you draw. Your team attack is primarily used as a stun attack for the enemies while you blow them away with a morph attack but each morph attack is useful for different attacks like the sword to vertical attacks and the gun for aerial attacks as well as for solving puzzles like turning a wheel with the fist or unlocking a door with the sword like a key. Hell, you can even use your heroes to form into a ladder or a bridge when needed to go from one place to the other.
There is a bit more to the gameplay but it'll take a while to explain and some of it is best to experience it yourself if you want to play the demo. But as for the other features the game has, you can play it off-TV or with a Pro Controller but there's one part in the demo that requires you to go into a warehouse and requires you to look on the touch pad to see inside but luckily, you have the option to swap screens by pressing the minus button.
The presentation isn't anything too spectacular but if anything, it's a nice reminder for those who loved Viewtiful Joe as they took the feel of that game and it's obvious "Super Sentai" influence that gave that game it's personality with Kamiya's touch and it's been done again but with a more fun and chaotic feel. The graphics aren't the most technically advanced I've seen on the Wii U as the environments looks simple and the characters look like mini Xbox Avatars but the lush colors and design gives the game a sense of charm that only Kamiya and PlatinumGames can do. The sound design isn't anything remarkable either but the voice acting (which can be switched to Japanese in the options) and the music fit the tone of the game perfectly.
So all in all, I'm very impressive with The Wonderful 101, it's shaping up to be PlatinumGames next best things since Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and it'll probably be one of the better offerings on the Wii U thus far even if the system isn't so hot right now. The game does have it's shortcomings but can be overlooked with some trial and error and it's overly chaotic which may not appeal to everyone but for those who are looking for something new in their action games, fans of PlatinumGames or Hideki Kamiya in general or just want something to play on their Wii U, This is a must buy.
I have this game on pre-order at EB Games after making some big trade ins and I cannot wait, it's coming out later in Australia and Europe later in August but it's coming out on September 15th in America which doesn't bode well since it's two days before the worldwide release of Grand Theft Auto V and the combination of the game's niche appeal and it's on a system that hasn't been a big seller, it may end up selling poorly but I can see it being a cult gem in a few years.
That's it for this blog, thanks for reading!
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