Red Steel
A Wii launch title with motion-controlled gun and sword combat.
Red Steel is a first-person shooter for the Wii, launched alongside the console in November 2006 in North America and December elsewhere. Developed and published by Ubisoft Paris, it uses the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to control a gun and a katana. The on-screen hand mimics the Remote's direction, and players can push the controller forward to use objects as cover. Reloading is done by shaking the Nunchuk or pressing right on the D-Pad, while grenades are thrown by moving the Nunchuk like the actual explosive.
Enemy AI is designed to be self-sufficient, with aggressive foes that navigate the environment—jumping on tables instead of running around—and can surrender. Players can shoot a weapon from an enemy's hand, causing surrender, or disarm a leader to make the whole group give up. Surrendered enemies can be shot or forced to kneel by waving the gun. In sword fights, winning leaves the opponent kneeling, and the player chooses to deliver a coup de grace or show mercy. Sparing defeated foes removes them from play and awards respect points, while killing them offers no benefit. Reckless play is penalized by limited ammo and a "freeze points" system that, when accumulated, lets players briefly slow time for accurate shots. In story mode and "Killer" multiplayer, the Remote's speaker rings like a phone, and holding it to the ear reveals mission objectives privately.
Multiplayer supports up to four players in split-screen deathmatches on four maps: Dojo, Restaurant, Games, and Docks. The split-screen design allows wild gestures without interfering with others' quadrants. Three modes exist: Deathmatch (free-for-all), Team Deathmatch (two teams), and Killer (four-player rounds with secret objectives delivered via the Remote speaker, with points awarded based on difficulty). Before play, each player picks a bonus—More Damage, More Life, or Unlimited Ammunition—which activates by pressing the "1" button after killing enemies to fill a meter.
The plot follows Scott Monroe, an American bodyguard engaged to Miyu Sato, daughter of yakuza boss Isao Sato. At a hotel meeting, disguised gang members attack, and Scott is knocked out. He wakes, grabs a pistol, fights through the gang, and finds an injured Sato on the roof. After learning swordplay from Sato, they retreat to Sato's room, then head to a car with Miyu and guard Ryuichi. Ryuichi betrays them, kidnapping Sato and
- developer
- Ubisoft Paris
- publisher
- Ubisoft
- platform
- Wii
- release_year
- 2006
- genre
- First-person shooter
- sales
- Over one million copies worldwide
- sequel
- Red Steel 2 (2010)
Lore & Background
The game follows Scott Monroe, an American bodyguard engaged to Miyu Sato, daughter of yakuza boss Isao Sato. After a gang attacks a hotel meeting, Scott is knocked unconscious and awakens to fight through enemies, eventually learning the ways of the katana from Sato. The plot involves the kidnapping of Miyu and Sato by a guard named Ryuichi, leading Scott to Japan to retrieve the Katana Giri, a sword used to execute dishonorable godfathers, as ransom. Scott confronts the antagonist Tokai, who seeks the Giri to avenge his father's execution. The story offers two endings depending on player choices regarding sparing or killing key characters.
Reader's Guide
Red Steel received generally mixed reviews from critics, who praised its graphics and soundtrack but criticized its controls and sword-fighting sections. Despite this, it was a commercial success, selling over one million copies worldwide. The game introduced innovative motion controls for aiming, reloading, grenade throwing, and sword combat, as well as an AI system that allowed enemies to surrender. Multiplayer modes included Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and a unique Killer mode where players received secret objectives through the Wii Remote speaker. A stand-alone sequel, Red Steel 2, was released in 2010. The game's legacy lies in its early attempt to leverage the Wii's motion controls for a first-person shooter, though its execution was seen as flawed.
Did You Know?
- The game uses the Wii Remote's internal speaker to simulate a telephone for mission briefings in story mode and Killer multiplayer mode.
- Players can earn 'freeze points' for accuracy and efficiency, allowing them to momentarily freeze time.
- Enemies can surrender if disarmed, and the player can choose to spare or kill them, affecting respect points.
- The multiplayer mode includes a bonus system where players select More Damage, More Life, or Unlimited Ammunition.
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