Wii-exclusive motion-driven FPS-katana action with mandatory MotionPlus. Nordic cowboy with dreadlocks wields pistols and katana, sword attack angles precisely follow the Wiimote. Cel-shaded fantasy western aesthetic, pulp revenge scenario. Innovative ranged/melee hybrid combat, varied action levels. Ambitious Ubisoft Paris production, underrated at release. A true MotionPlus experience, no equivalent elsewhere.
Your verdict
Category
First-Person Shooter1 player16+
Description
Action game by Ubisoft Paris and Ubisoft, Europe March 2010. Bounty hunter Hayate battles samurai clans and tech corporations in a dystopian Japanese Far West. MotionPlus controls for precise fluid sword combat, long-range gunplay and parkour, unique cyberpunk-western atmosphere and memorable bosses. The most technically advanced Wii action game using Wii MotionPlus.
Red Steel 2 review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
An improbable marriage of samurai and western, the game adopts a nervy cel-shading of ochre flats and bold outlines, like a comic in motion. The stylised desert and the wooden arenas compose an instantly recognisable world. This sharp graphic identity still holds up remarkably well.
North American run of Red Steel 2, the most widespread version but marked by its initial release bundled with the Wii MotionPlus, an accessory essential to the game. Complete copies with the original accessory have become the sought-after configuration on the NTSC-U market. Desirability rests less on raw rarity than on the value of the complete bundle and on the title's place as an accomplished demonstration of precision gesture control on Wii.
Is Red Steel 2 still worth playing in 2026?
A rethought sequel to Ubisoft's launch game, Red Steel 2 makes full use of MotionPlus for sword combat of unprecedented precision, blending katana and revolver in a world contrasting western and stylised Japan in cel-shading. The fluidity of the clashes, the bold art direction and the gestural pleasure of slashing make it a showcase for motion control. The repetition of the arenas and slightly thin content weigh on it. A striking title for fans of sword action and gestural combat on Wii.
