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Aug 12, 2010 Issue #32 - Summer 2010 - Wasted on the Youth By Nick Hyman

Even though it didn’t receive a domestic release in 2000, the Nintendo 64 shooter Sin & Punishment has since become a cult classic. Its release on WiiWare a couple of years ago cemented its reputation amongst gamers. A decade later, the sequel has arrived, and while it doesn’t radically change what made the original work, it is a challenging, fun, and welcome addition to the Wii platform. If you remember Space Harrier from SEGA and its jetpack-wearing protagonist zipping all around the screen, you’ll have an idea of what’s in store. As in that game, you hover around (and sometimes pilot vehicles) while shooting all sorts of futuristic enemies and some impressive bosses. Developer Treasure (Ikaruga, Gunstar Heroes) is known for their solid controls, and that’s precisely where Sin & Punishment: Star Successor excels most. The Wiimote truly gets a workout with so many enemies coming at you at once, and fortunately, you’ll be able to take them out with pinpoint accuracy. If you want to change it up and increase your challenge, you can also play with the Wii Zapper, the Wii Classic Controller Pro, or even the GameCube Controller, but the Wiimote is arguably the most fun. Level design is complex and the art style and graphics stand out as being uniquely sci-fi, a sophisticated change of pace for the largely family-baiting Wii. The game is relatively short and the cinemas are almost last-gen in quality, but that’s really being picky when the game is so much fun. Sin & Punishment: Star Successor is one of the best shooters, if not the best, currently available on Wii. (www.sinandpunishment.com)

Author rating: 8/10