Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 84 | 15 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 74% | 70 | 609 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 87 | 37 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 79% | 74 | 438 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Apr 29, 2025) · 300 reviews sampled · 438 total reviews in window · weighted 197.5 up / 51.2 down · computed 5h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (67)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle is undeniably rough around the edges, but the same can be said about Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables. Grasshopper's vision for Travis's tale goes uncompromised at the expense of refinement, but one could argue that the cracks and fuzz are an intentional part of the overall punk aesthetic (given the developer's track record, it'd be tough to argue they're not intentional).”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Those that loved No More Heroes will really enjoy Desperate Struggle. The winning gameplay has been retained and polished for an even more enjoyable experience, and the changes made to the overall gameplay makes things a lot more accessible, quicker, and more fun overall.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“In every way, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is a better game than No More Heroes.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Outrageously irreverent, eccentric, and self-aware, No More Heroes 2 is a giant robot full of fun.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Still an excellent third person brawler, but not the subversive outsider the original was.”
read full review ↗ - 87
“One of the most stylish, offensive games on the Wii. [May 2010, p.63]”
read full review ↗ - 100
“But it's most laudable for the way it simultaneously mocks and adores the videogame culture that birthed it without conceding to shallow in-jokes.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While the quirky details aren't as well formed compared to its predecessor, Desperate Struggle's broad strokes are still joyously insane. Far from perfect, infuriating at times, but uproarious and unforgettable all the same.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“This isn't a game that begs you play it. It's a game that knocks on your front door, waits for you to answer in a towel and your favorite pair of slippers, rips your head off, and shoves itself down your throat.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Developer Grasshopper Manufacture went above and beyond in creating a game that features some tightly packed pacing and fun, mature gameplay that the Wii doesn't see as often as it should.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Bloody and brutal action is born of totally crazy bosses... with plenty of peculiar mini-games and retro-stylings. NMH 2 is a pure linear, sexy delight. [Aug 2010]”
- 90
“While there are a few things we could've done without (frustrating recharging, camera issues, worn-out voices), No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is incredibly entertaining.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
NintendoWorldReport
Worth Playing
GameSpot
Metro GameCentral
The A.V. Club
Telegraph
IGN…and 55 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch Notes 8/26/26Aug 26, 2026
- Patch notes 4/29/25Apr 29, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Patch notes 4/8/25Apr 8, 2025
- Patch notes 4/7/25Apr 7, 2025
- Patch notes 7/14/21Jul 14, 2021
- Patch notes 6/21/21Jun 21, 2021