Red Steel is an exclusive Wii launch title that takes full advantage of the console`s innovative controller and puts players directly into the action-packed first-person experience with the weapon in their hand literally.

An engaging storyline unfolds as you learn that your fiance has been kidnapped and her father a Japanese mafia kingpin murdered by a rival gang. The only way to save your loved one and defend your honor is to journey from Los Angeles to Japan and confront the Tokyo underworld.

By learning the ancient art of Japanese fighting with your katana and the focused precision of modern firearms, you will progress and adapt yourself to this foreign environment, where skills alone may not guarantee you victory.

• Red Steel is the only original first-person action game built from the ground up for the Wii
• Take full advantage of the Wii controller, and control the action like never before. You`ll replicate sword-fighting movements and eliminate enemies quickly by directly targeting and shooting them
• Execute deadly combo moves using multiple swords or choose from a variety of firearms for longer-range attacks
• Learn to harness your mental power to unleash powerful attacks in dire situations, and use the focus system to freeze time and effectively target several enemies at once
• Learn the art of Japanese fighting, and then use these skills to take out your enemies or gain their respect and loyalty by sparing them
• Challenge friends with various split-screen multiplayer modes to see who the real master is.

In a nutshell:
Fight against armed gangs in both the U.S. and Japan in this brand new first person actioner from the publishers of Rainbow Six and Splinter Cell. Master both guns and swords as you play through the bloodiest game yet on the Wii.

The lowdown:
One of the biggest third party games announced exclusively for the Wii, this is also the first proper first person shooter for the new console. You use the nunchuck controller to move around and the Wii remote to aim your weapons with real precision (the game even knows when you’re holding a gun sideways, gangsta style). When using a sword the motion sensors in the nunchuck are used to block and you can slash away with the Wii remote. The graphics aren’t massively more impressive than a good GameCube game but the seedy Japanese back streets and giant explosions look great and the artificial intelligence for enemies is already quite a challenge.

Most exciting moment:
The game features an ability to called freeze tagging which allows you to slow down time and “tag” enemy body parts with the Wii remote. When you switch back to normal time you can take down each enemy you tagged instantly.

Since you ask:
As seen at E3 the sword controls do not respond exactly to the movements you make with the Wii remote, for example moving the remote up actually causes a downward thrust. Following complaints though Ubisoft have promised to change things for the final game.

The bottom line:
The Wii gets violent with the next gen’s only first person sword fighter.
HARRISON DENT