Review: No More Heroes 3 gets new life on the PS5. So how is it? - Technobubble Gaming

When No More Heroes 3 launched on the Switch during summer last year, there was much rejoicing — and maybe some lawn mowing — among series fans who owned Nintendo’s console.

For No More Heroes fans who didn’t make the jump from the Wii to the Switch, however, not being able to play the third game in the No More Heroes franchise was likely “berry” disappointing.

That is, until now.

This month, No More Heroes 3 brings its unique Suda51-style vibe to systems such as PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, as well as PC, greatly expanding the game’s audience. It’s like Travis making touchdowns in the Super Bowl vs. Thursday Night Football.

It also makes this a bit of a different review.

On one hand, you have folks who played the original No More Heroes 3 release on the Switch. On the other hand, you also have those who haven't played the game at all. As such, I’ll try my best to address the needs of both audiences.

So what’s No More Heroes 3 like?

For folks who haven’t played No More Heroes 3 — or a No More Heroes game for that matter — it’s, uh, a pretty unique experience.

Think of it like an early 2000s-era action game with a 1990s gaming culture vibe combined with the sense of humor and sensibilities of a teenager. It’s like Kill Bill meets Gintama with a heavy sprinkling of otaku culture. No More Heroes 3 doesn’t take itself seriously and loves to throw in all sorts of references to anime, video games and other pop culture stuff while regularly breaking the fourth wall.

One of the game’s strong points is definitely its diverse cast of misfits. From protagonist Travis Touchdown to the game’s breakout character, the hilariously named main villain FU, the game is just teeming with an assortment of crackpots that make your trip through the campaign a fun romp. The violence won’t be for everybody, for sure. But if Quentin Tarantino-style action and storytelling is your cup of tea, then you’ll feel right at home with No More Heroes 3.

For his part, Travis continues to be an irreverent goof who shakes his beam saber to charge it and saves his progress by sitting on a toilet (seriously). At the same time, he manages to still be cool, boasting a slick personal style, an undeniable swagger and even a futuristic motorcycle that Shotaro Kaneda from cyberpunk anime Akira would be proud of.

That being said, this ain’t Travis’ first rodeo. Instead, it’s villain FU who’s the real surprise of No More Heroes 3. The alien despot is just such an over-the-top, irredeemable jerk that you can’t help but find his antics amusing in a dark comedy sort of way. Add the excellent voice acting of Noshir Dalal and you’ve got a pretty compelling character that steals the show every time he pops up.

Speaking of voice acting, No More Heroes 3 is one of those rare games where the English and Japanese voices are quite good. In fact, I recommend experiencing them both, even if you’re like me and prefer using Japanese voices for games such as this.

Combat is another area where No More Heroes 3 does a good job. Travis’ beam sword serves as his primary weapon, allowing him to deal a variety of combos and special attacks. Travis can also tack on a grab and suplex enemies like a wrestler, er, sports entertainer. For special fights, Travis can also call upon full armor mode and turn into a humanoid robot.

The flow is improved compared to past No More Heroes games although the changes can admittedly be polarizing for fans who like some of the older weapons as well as mechanics such as the classic dark step. Instead, No More Heroes 3’s last-second dodge adds a “witch time” mechanic that encourages more aggressive play. Admittedly, the combat isn’t quite Bayonetta level but it’s still plenty of fun.

Boss fights are also good and serve as the main attraction in No More Heroes 3. You can even say that it’s the game’s raison d’etre, with everything you do essentially being a means to this particular end.

It’s in the stuff you do in between, however, where No More Heroes 3 starts to stumble.

The game brings back the open world mechanic after taking it out in the second game, for example, which should be good news for fans who missed the feature. Its implementation, however, makes it feel more like an afterthought as opposed to a compelling feature like it is in games with well-designed open worlds.

In No More Heroes 3, you’ll need to traverse the open world in order to take part in designated matches and raise your clout in order to take part in ranking battles. These in turn let you climb the ladder in the Galactic Superhero Rankings until you ultimately earn the right to fight the game’s big baddie. 

Although there’s stuff to find and acquire, the open world has a lot of empty spaces that are just, well, there. It’s like the world is big just to be big with no real reason or engaging discoveries to encourage you to get lost in exploration. It’s a bit of a shame as it has lots of potential but the open world just feels tacked on at this point and something that you’re forced to go through before the fun boss fights.

The game also suffers from some bugs, which, while not game breaking, can still be annoying. One time, for example,  I walked past a curb onto some grass near a wall and got stuck on said patch of grass because I couldn’t walk past the curb for some reason.

Don’t get me wrong, No More Heroes 3 is still a fun game. But its issues also make it feel like a less polished title.

So how does No More Heroes 3 on PS5 compare to the Switch?

For folks who played the Switch version of No More Heroes 3, a couple of questions come to mind.

One is how improved these ports are compared to the Switch. Another is whether it’s worth getting them again if you already played the Switch version. For this review, I played No More Heroes 3 on the PlayStation 5 so all my thoughts will be based on the PS5 version.

Visually, No More Heroes 3 sports some noticeable improvements, at least on the PS5 copy that I played. The most noticeable one involves the game’s textures, which sport more detail than the original release on Switch. Cutscenes are also improved, particularly when it comes to the backgrounds.

Then again, No More Heroes 3 still remains just OK from a graphics perspective, even with the addition of 4K resolution. Like many Japanese action games or RPGs, most of the visual focus is spent on character models. Environs, by comparison, aren’t quite as detailed and can feel sparse at times.

One plus is that frame rates are also more consistently smooth. This is particularly true when traversing the open world areas that the Switch can struggle with at times.

Whether it’s worth getting again if you’ve played the heck out of the Switch version, though, isn’t quite as clear cut. The ports don’t really offer any major changes or additions so the decision on whether to double dip lies primarily on how much of a premium you put on the graphical improvements.

For folks who never played No More Heroes 3’s original release on the Switch, however, the decision becomes much easier. If you like fun, old-school action, value improved visuals, and don’t care about playing the game on the go, then No More Heroes 3’s PS5 version is a much easier sell.

No More Heroes 3 might have missed the extra point with some of its flaws. But a zany cast, fun combat and a nice selection of boss fights make Travis’ latest adventure still a touchdown in my book.

• Rating: 8 out of 10
• Cost: $59.99, PS5, PS4, Xbox; $49.99, PC
• More details:  No More Heroes 3 official site

Jason Hidalgo covers business and technology for the Reno Gazette Journal, and also reviews the latest video games. Follow him on Twitter @jasonhidalgo. Like this content? Support local journalism with an RGJ digital subscription.