No More Heroes PS3/360 Ports Hit Japan

No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise, the upgraded PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 ports of the original No More Heroes, hits Japan on April 15. This week's issue of Famitsu magazine has the first review, and despite an assortment of complaints, the editors still liked it, giving it 9/8/8/8 for a total of 33 points.

The game is largely unchanged from the Wii original, save for improved graphics and a new Japanese-language voice dub (the Wii version had English voices only, even in Japan). "The graphics have gotten prettier, and the Japanese voices let you enjoy the unique story on a whole new level," one editor said. "It's not a dramatic change, but the HD shift makes a difference." Another agreed: "The Japanese dub doesn't feel stilted at all, and the voice cast really gives the game a new sort of charm."

These No More Heroes ports are somewhat unique because -- in Japan, at least -- the PS3 version features less violence than the 360 one, which is rated Z by the local rating board and is therefore restricted strictly to gamers 18 and up. (The original Wii version had toned-down blood in Japan, too, so the country's getting the first "uncensored" No More Heroes with this 360 release.) "The Xbox 360 version is pretty violent," one editor wrote. "There's blood flying everywhere, and you can cut off all sorts of things. It adds a sense of depth, especially in the cutscenes after ranking battles."

Remarkably little was said about the brand-new control scheme, which "has its advantages and disadvantages; some people will like it while others won't." Instead, the brunt of the reviewers' complaints was pointed toward load times, which have apparently taken a hit on both ports. "Unlike the Wii version, the load times are pretty long, which makes things stressful," one said. "It's a shame considering how much easier the game is to play now."

Another issue: "It's too bad that the Japanese dialogue is often hard to hear clearly, especially since you can't display subtitles in Japanese mode."

Despite it all, though, the off-beat charm of the original game still shines through like a beacon. "The sheer wit behind the dialogue is still enough to make you smile," as one writer put it. "Between that and the upgraded graphics, everything's a lot nicer than before. The crazy conversations and wild twists really keep you interested in where the story's going."

The 360 and PS3 ports of No More Heroes currently have no US release date. Wii publisher Ubisoft have decided against releasing the game in the States, leaving it for some other company to pick up instead.