I'm a gamer, and over the years I've played more than my fair share of them. Some good, most bad, and the rest fall in line somewhere between the two...those a bit more critical than myself would probably err on the side of negative. But nothing impresses me more than when I'm plopped in front of something new, something that goes out of its way to avoid the mundane and crosses over into uncharted territory. I'd be lying through my teeth if I said these experiments were always enjoyable, but in the case of famed (if not insane) gaming director SUDA 51's newest effort No More Heroes, I'd have to go with a resounding and enthusiastic "thumbs up!". In a virtual world that gleefully mixes bloody decapitations with toilets, 8-bit sprites with kittens, the best advice is to just go with the flow.

The is exactly the sort of game you'd expect from the creator of Killer 7, and by that I mean there's no way you could possibly expect what's inside. Eccentricity hits a new high as you assume the role of Travis Touchdown, an anime-loving otaku nerd (oxymoron?) with a thing for pornography and bloodlust who gets himself involved into the seedy world of organized assassin hierarchy. With the city of Santa Destroy as the backdrop, what ensues is a forward dive into an unusually violent and hilarious melodrama that pits our hero against the various assassin kingpins who're plagued with their own emotional problems. Pinning down the game's convoluted, but involving plot would give away too many surprises, but know that it won't be long before you're tempted by a menagerie of sexy foreigners, sociopathic schoolgirls and even a few sharp-shooting hitmen singing in baseball stadiums. If any of this sounds remotely interesting, then you probably need some serious therapy, or maybe just a good round of hacking and slashing with the most bloody violent Wii game to date.

Those of you still thinking the Wii console is only capable of cute 'n happy party games and multiplayer matches might want to leave the room...now. With bloody combat and enemy dismemberments making up the core combat elements here. What really sets this apart from most games on the market (Wii or otherwise) is the at-times brilliant execution of using the Wii-mote as an extension of Travis' certain Star Wars-aping sword weapon as he mows down enemy combatants. The initial perception is that No More Heroes would be a literal waggle-waving affair, but luckily the approach is handled with a great deal of thought and planning, as the A button you attack with your beam katana and the B trigger deals with hand-to-hand combat. You can also target enemies with the Z-trigger to block or deflect bullets, and use the D-pad to dodge and precisely counter moves. Stance is also taken into account, as you can prolong some devastating combos just moving the remote into a high or low position at will, as well as recharging your beam sword to separate itself from mindless repetition.

The real reward, however, comes from the ability to perform finishing attacks that require some pretty dexterous control movements and Wii-mote handling. Depending on how you're swinging the remote will determine the type of attack (mostly), with the option for a combination Wii-mote/Nunchuk physical takedown. Either route has a style all its own that never feels tired or repetitive, making the game's countless death blows always seem fresh and exciting. Slow-motion comes into play often, allowing another opportunity to decimate foes in fountain-like sprays of blood from dismembered heads, limbs, or even vivisected bodies for your pleasure. Random slot bonuses from incredible kills offer up awesome darkside powers (for immediate disembowelments) and add a nice touch. All of this might seem a bit morbid to the random onlooker, but the game emits such an overwhelming sense of cheerfulness and glee that you can't help but smile.

Throughout the game you'll have plenty of things to do, but will focus on two main elements: dispatching enemy foes and taking on odd-jobs. Since you'll need cash to play ranked matches, you'll have to buckle down and get yourself a job (much like Sega's Shenmue), often participating in some truly unforgettable scenarios. You think working fast food is tough? Try your hand at professional coconut collecting, or even scorpion collecting for starters. Much like everything else about the game, nothing seems to make much sense, and by the time you're off removing land mines it won't even seen that unusual. On top of mindless working, you'll have to find time to beef up at the local gym, watch a few movie rentals (to learn new wrestling moves), participate in assassin missions, or snag a few weapon upgrades at Dr. Naomi's lab. Thankfully all this miscellaneous work is only the lead up to the game's core attraction, the total destruction of the various top-ranked assassins scattered throughout the city of Santa Destroy.

For what's been called a Grand Theft Auto-styled sandbox game, the actual city itself is a bit underwhelming (disappointing, really) as there really isn't much to outside of traveling from one hit spot to another. Aside from being a bit on the ugly side, the streets themselves are practically devoid of life or traffic. Its this aspect of the game that feels the most incomplete, as though replacing a more traditional hub-system with a sandbox-modeled city would draw in fans in love with the idea of having an entire area to explore. Plus, don't count on taking any joyrides in anyone's car or other vehicle, as you're strictly limited to your own tricked-out motorcycle, which again may disappoint those expecting a more open-ended approach to the missions.

What No More Heroes lacks in the technology department is more than compensated by its sense of style. Every inch of the street is consumed by a sense of purpose, as though SUDA 51 and his crew felt they had to prove something to the world - visually, this is a video game absolutely in love with being a video game. Rather than rely on technical prowess, the visual motif is as bizarre as the concept itself, with a hybrid punk-rock, anime, and retro theme overflowing into every pixel and polygon on-screen. With 8-bit pixelated text and maps (love the maps, by the way) to stylized, cell-shaded characters and backgrounds that almost fit perfectly fit onto the Wii hardware, with only trace amounts of unintentional slowdown and jittery frame rates now and then. Slicing and dicing foes into chunks of enemy cutlets bring a flurry of the absurd, with casino jackpots and happy tigers depending on the outcome of your killing skills and the blood flows like waterfalls. Good times.

Back to the game's style, I can't say that I've ever seen a videogame so infatuated with itself, or one that offers so much eye-candy and rewards to those who follow the history of video games religiously. The whole thing may have come off as parody in the hands of someone with less reverence for the subject matter, but in director SUDA 51's more than capable, crazy hands the whole thing just comes together.

I can't forget to mention the game's outstanding soundtrack and effects, which really are a joy to the ears. The soundtrack in particular is a perfect companion to the insanity on-screen, as every song fits the mood of the game so appropriately. Like the visual clues, look for a few joyful surprises that'll bring a smile to your puzzle-game loving faces (I'm not saying, but astute readers will pick up on them). Plus, the game's voice work are as quirky and far-out as you can possibly get, and I can honestly say that never until now have I heard a common thug lament the loss of his spleen after getting sliced in half, or decrying their own virginity. It's so ridiculous it could only fit in a game like this, so you know its perfect. Dialog between the main characters is nothing short of spectacular, with a pitch and delivery that brings the whole package into the realm of the possible. Don't ever think of turning the volume down on this one, otherwise you'll be missing half the spectacle.

How you'll view No More Heroes largely depends on what type of gamer you consider yourself, and I say that with full respect for those who feel that such classifications don't exist. If ever there was a single title that drew a resounding line between the growing Casual and Hardcore markets, this is it. From the first screen to the third-wall shattering finale, SUDA 51 has crafted an entirely original creation that readily draws from its own inspirational sources and pop culture bits for its own amusement. It makes no apologies to anyone for anything, and chances are those craving a more 'hardcore' experience on Nintendo's waggle machine will be raving about it forever, while the 'casual' market might want to start picketing Walmart right now, because this one is definitely not for the kiddies. It's nice to see such a well thought out and great playing mature game for the Wii, a console that gets enough flack for its lack of meaty titles. Well, here's the game you've all been waiting for, so now there's No More Excuses!