Sin and Punishment 2: Successor of the Skies (Wii) Review

Sin and Punishment 2: Successor of the Skies is not your everyday shooter, and even the developer itself refuses to label it as a mere ‘shmup’. Treasure’s masterpiece is more of an on-rails shooter if anything, with elements of the much-loved bullet-hell style of games thrown in to keep gamers’ palms constantly sweating and their bums firmly on the edge of their seats. In fact, Treasure has attempted to fit as many different styles of gameplay into the hectic-paced adventure in order to keep people riveted right through to the very final set of credits rolling on the screen…and it has truly succeeded in every single department.

Visually and aurally stunning, Successor of the Skies delivers gorgeous, highly detailed graphics, with hordes of enemies flitting around the screen constantly, all at an amazingly high pace that leaves you wondering how the action never actually slows down, whilst overlaying everything on top of an Industrial-themed futuristic soundtrack that adds perfectly to the atmosphere, coming complete with a slew of intense sound effects that definitely get the adrenaline pumping more than ever. On top of this, there is the choice to listen to the original Japanese voice talent during cut-scenes, merely relying on subtitles if you so desire, but the standard of English voice acting is impressive enough to not bother with that extra option.

For those that thought the first Sin and Punishment had a rather unusual storyline, it soon becomes apparent that this was no mere one-off and that Treasure has again crafted a seriously odd tale to serve as a strong backbone to the main adventure. Successor of the Skies’ introduction explains that there is in fact not merely one universe out in the great beyond, but two; the Inner- and Outer-Space, the former consisting of multiple Earths that are protected by ‘The Creators’, who guide and/or destroy mankind as they see fit over time. The latter of the two is where Kachi comes from, a young girl who has been sent to infiltrate Earth-4, part of the Inner-Space, but has lost her memory and become very attached to the human race. Isa Jo, the young male lead and son of Saki and Airan from the first title, has been given the job of exterminating her, yet upon realising her newfound innocence due to memory loss, Isa turns against The Creators and chooses to protect her. This leads to The Creators sending out a army of warriors going by the name of the Nebulox in order to destroy both Kachi, the invader, and Isa, who is now classed as a betrayer.

On the cover of the game’s outer casing, you can clearly see that Isa has something attached to his back that looks somewhat like a football, except a little more angular. This special backpack actually allows him to hover around, giving him the chance to freely use his hand-operated weapon to destroy the wealth of incoming enemies that bombard the player on a constant basis as you progress through the on-rails stages. Attacks do not always have to be from a great distance using Isa and Kachi’s gunfire, though, as there are melee attacks where obstacles or enemies within close proximity of the player can be swatted down. These can be used to build up more points in the combination chain multiplier system incorporated in order to achieve an even greater final score at the end of play, thus placing you higher up the online leader-board that has been gratefully included.

There are also times when this close combat approach becomes a real necessity. Whilst the main method of shooting in the game comes in the form of using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk duo (or the Classic Controller for old school fans), with the former used for pinpoint bullet accuracy and the latter for movement and dodging, there are circumstances when bullets will not suffice, so going in to close quarters to deal fatal blows is a must. This totally changes the dynamic of the game, as with the alternate perspectives on offer, again keeping the player tremendously engaged at every turn. Generally, though, the focus is on blasting away whilst floating around on the hover-board or using the jet pack, independently moving the characters with the Nunchuk and directing the fire power with the Wii Remote (with a second person able to take control of another on-screen cursor for a two-player co-operative mode), trying to build up the power gauge so a destructive shot can be released, which can only be done by carefully manoeuvring through the cavalcade of bullets, shrapnel and laser shots heading your way.

It should be remembered that Treasure is one of the oldest independent studios in Japan and has a wealth of classic shooting games under its belt already, with the likes of Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga and Gunstar Heroes being at the forefront of people’s minds when hearing the company’s name, but also great titles such as Astro Boy: Omega Factor on the GBA and Gradius V for the PS2, as well as the unforgettable Bangai-O and its DS successor. The fact that Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies excels in almost every field should come as no surprise then, yet how it manages to surpass the majority of the company’s previous games with the greatest of ease is truly staggering. Perhaps the only way this stunning sequel could be beaten is if an updated edition made it across to the 3DS at some point, putting the 3D effect to good use.

Treasure also has quite the reputation with regards to epic boss battles, and Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies certainly does not fail to live up to expectations on this front. Numerous high octane encounters are included, featuring gigantic monsters, intricately crafted creatures and devastating machines built up into a multitude of layers that need to be meticulously broken down before the core can be destroyed. They are not all within the 3D realm either, since the developer constantly mashes various viewpoints together, giving players the chance to flying through traditional side-scrolling stages, before plunging them into a twisting, turning ‘into the screen’ rollercoaster ride section, having Isa and Kachi sat in the foreground, dodging incoming fire and swipes from enemy tendrils deeper in the background, or even dancing around in a rotational fashion, hopping over incoming laser beams and attempting to get behind to reach weak points of your adversaries.