No More Heroes 3 is now available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox, and Steam after being a Switch exclusive for just over a year. The new ports on more powerful hardware allow the game to be run in 4K resolution as well as at a solid 60 FPS and we can safely say that it’s the strawberry on the shortcake.
This will be more of a first impression for the new ports, particularly the PS5 version which is what we played on. We already reviewed No More Heroes 3 when it was released last year for the Switch so if you want more information about the game in general, you can check out our old review. Overall I thought the game was fantastic and pretty much everything I liked about that version is not only carried into the new ports, but they even managed to mend a couple of its flaws.
Content-wise the PS5 version of No More Heroes 3 is exactly the same as the Switch version. You play as Travis Touchdown a part-time assassin who must now fight in the Galactic Super Hero Rankings against 10 aliens that want to take over the Earth, all led by the pompous Warlord Prince Fu.
The biggest issue with the Switch version was while the hack-and-slash combat and bombastic boss fights were fast and smooth, the performance driving around the overworld had issues with frame drops and pop-ins, not to mention, the game could look pretty fuzzy. It’s far from unplayable but it was noticeable.
Thankfully the higher power of the PS5 fixes these issues. Driving around the streets of Santa Destroy now comes with a crystal clear resolution and no frame drops whatsoever. The models and cutscenes overall are less grainy and are a lot more detailed.
While driving around, there’s even a nice touch with the PS5’s dual-sense controller. The haptic shoulder triggers cause some resistance while accelerating Travis’ motorbike making it easier to handle. You’ll still be collecting trash and mowing grass to pay for your fight fee but at least now the drive to get there will have fewer bumps.
That being said the new ports don’t completely get rid of all the jank, I suppose it wouldn’t be a GrassHopper game without at least a little. The resolution and framerate are fine but the game still has a lot of pop-in on the overworld. As you drive into the distance, palm trees and street signs will seemingly appear out of nowhere. These aren’t a big deal for me and don’t really affect the game overall but if you’re looking for the highest fidelity possible, it’s maybe something to take note of.
In terms of combat, it’s as satisfying as ever. Using a mix of sword slashes, wrestling moves, and the death drive special attacks to hack through your enemies is still fun, especially when you get to the killing blow. I’ll admit though, as a longtime fan I do kinda miss the motion controls. There’s just something extra satisfying about quickly flicking your wrist around the deliver that final slice but it’s not a big loss. The game still plays perfectly well on regular controllers.
Overall No More Heroes 3 was one of my favorite games from last year and seeing brought to new systems for more people to enjoy and discover is nothing but a good thing. Between its punk-inspired style and well-written sense of humor, if you’re looking for a hack-and-slash with something a little different, I’d highly recommend starting the game.
Now if only we can get No More Heroes 1 and 2 on PlayStation and Xbox, especially considering the story of 3 has heavy callbacks to the events of the previous two games.
No More Heroes 3 is available on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
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