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{{future game}}
[[Image:North River Warren County Iowa.jpg|thumb|300px|The North River as viewed from the [[Great Western Trail (Iowa)|Great Western Trail]] in northwestern [[Warren County, Iowa|Warren County]]]]
{{Infobox CVG
[[Image:North River Iowa.jpg|300px|thumb|The North River as viewed from a rural road in northwestern Warren County]]
| title = Red Steel
</div>
|image = [[Image:Red-steel-20060926031145442.jpg|250px]]
The '''North River''' is a [[tributary]] of the [[Des Moines River]] in south-central [[Iowa]] in the [[United States]]. It is approximately 70 miles (115 km) long<ref name=Columbia>[http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/N/N04751-north-river.html Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry for North River]</ref> and drains an area of 349.2 mi² (904.4 km²).<ref>[http://wqm.igsb.uiowa.edu/activities/stream/monthly%20sites/northriv.htm Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Watershed Monitoring and Assessment: North River]</ref> Via the Des Moines River, it is part of the [[drainage basin|watershed]] of the [[Mississippi River]].
|developer = [[Ubisoft Paris]]
|publisher = [[Ubisoft]]
|designer =
|engine = Modified [[Unreal Engine technology#Unreal Engine 2|Unreal Engine 2.5]]
|released ={{flagicon|USA}} [[November 19]], [[2006]]<br/>{{flagicon|Japan}} [[December 2]], [[2006]]<br>{{flagicon|Australia}} {{flagicon|New Zealand}} [[December 7]], [[2006]]<br>{{flagicon|Europe}} [[December 8]], [[2006]]
|genre = [[First-person shooter]]
|modes = [[Single player]], [[Multiplayer]] (4)
|ratings = [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]]: Teen (T) <br>[[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]]: 16+<br>[[Office of Film and Literature Classification (Australia)|OFLC (AU)]]: M
|platforms = [[Wii]]
|media =
|requirements =
|input = [[Wii Remote]]/[[Wii Remote#Nunchuk|Nunchuck]]
}}
'''''Red Steel''''', originally codenamed Katana（刀）, is an [[Ubisoft]] video game in development for Nintendo's upcoming [[Wii]] console. It is being developed by the [[Ubisoft Paris]] studio. It was unveiled in the May 2006 issue of ''[[Game Informer]]''. ''Red Steel'' was the first game for the Wii platform to release in-game screenshots, thus giving the public an idea of what the console is capable of. It is currently scheduled to be released on [[November 19]] [[2006]] along with Nintendo's [[History of video game consoles (seventh generation)|seventh generation]] console, Wii.[http://www.ubisoftgroup.com/index.php?p=59&art_id=60&vars=c2VuZGVyPUFMTCZzZW5kZXJfdXJsPWluZGV4LnBocCUzRnAlM0Q1OSUyNm1wZmlyc3Q1OCUzRDAmY29tX2lkPTM2MSZmaWx0ZXJfdHlwZT0mZmlsdGVyX21vbnRoPSZmaWx0ZXJfeWVhcj0%3D] A version of the game was playable during [[E³]].[http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8922]
The North River rises northeast of [[Casey, Iowa|Casey]] in southern [[Guthrie County, Iowa|Guthrie County]] and flows generally eastwardly through [[Adair County, Iowa|Adair]], [[Madison County, Iowa|Madison]] and [[Warren County, Iowa|Warren]] Counties, past [[Carlisle, Iowa|Carlisle]], into southeastern [[Polk County, Iowa|Polk County]],<ref>[[DeLorme]] (1998). ''Iowa Atlas & Gazetteer''. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-214-5.</ref> where it joins the Des Moines River 10 mi (16 km) southeast of [[Des Moines, Iowa|Des Moines]].<ref name=Columbia/>
==Plot==
{{spoiler}}
Tokai, the antagonist of the game and leader of the Shibuya Giris, attempts to take control of six [[Yakuza]] clans, including the Financial Clan, who controls major banks. While Tokai persuades the clans, it is Scott Monroe's (the protagonist) job to convince them to join him and fight Tokai.
In Madison County, it collects a short tributary known as the '''North Branch North River'''.<ref>{{Gnis|459561|North Branch North River}}</ref>
At the same time, Monroe's fiancee, Miyu Sato, is kidnapped during what was supposed to be his first meeting with her father, Isao Sato. Sato is revealed to be the Oyabun (godfather) of one of the largest Yakuza families, and gives Scott the "Katana Giri" -a legendary weapon once used to punish dishonorable Godfathers and now a symbol of peace- to find his captured daughter.
{{endspoiler}}
==GameplaySee also==
*[[List of Iowa rivers]]
The game will take full advantage of Wii's unique motion-sensitive controller, along with the "nunchuk" attachment. The use of a [[katana]] and a [[firearm]] have been confirmed. It has been confirmed that the game will be extremely immersive (e.g. twisting the controller while handling the gun causes the on-screen gun to twist as well). Players can push objects to use them as cover by pushing the controller forward. Shaking the "nunchuk" attachment reloads the gun. The player can also lob grenades in a more realistic fashion, with underhand or overhand, employing the controller as the thing being 'thrown'.
The [[artificial intelligence|AI]] characters can "care for themselves" according to project leader [[Roman Campos Oriola]]; enemies will be aggressive, moving around objects and the environment to attack the player (like jumping on a table instead of running around). The developers hold the [[computer game]] ''[[F.E.A.R. (computer game)|F.E.A.R.]]'' as their standard for the AI.
The AI will also be completely unique, with an option that allows the player to force the enemy mob bosses to surrender, rather than take their lives. This is done by disarming the boss and holding them at the player's mercy instead of killing them. (A ''Game Informer'' article mentions this can be done by stopping the katana's swing a fraction of a second before it could inflict a killing blow, or shooting the gun out of their hand.) This actually becomes beneficial, as the bosses may then help the player if the player can convince them to join the player's faction, possibly handing over new weapons or paths. A violent approach will also be possible, but it will not be as beneficial, wise, or encouraged. The bosses' factions may actually join Tokai (instead of the player) in his quest for Yakuza control, making the final confrontation with the mobster more difficult.
<!-- There has also been mention of challenging enemies to a sword duel, or something to that effect. Can this be confirmed? -->
The game will reportedly place less influence on killing the enemy and a greater influence on defeating them and convincing them to join the player rather than to join the opposing faction. Recklessness will be strongly discouraged by a unique system that adds 'freeze points' for accuracy/efficiency while using one's weaponry. When a certain number of points is accumulated, the player will be able to momentarily freeze time thus allowing for amazingly accurate attacks.
The latest control scheme was revealed in a recent interview. [http://www.slicedgaming.com/feature155.html/] The biggest revelation was that the above nunchuck trigger (the C button) makes the player's character jump, as this functionality was not present in the E3 build. The bottom button (Z) makes him crouch, the B trigger shoots, the D-pad reloads and the A button zooms the player's gun in and out. For sword fighting, the motion sensitivity of the Wii remote controls the katana, and the accelerometer in the nunchuck moves the tanto (short sword).
Another interesting aspect of multiplayer is a when playing a Killer match, the remote acts as a telephone. It rings for the player to place it against the player's ear. Then mission objectives are given without the other players being able to hear what it is.
==Characters==
*Scott Monroe: (the Hero) a man without a description
*Miyu: Scott's fiancee
*Isao Sato: Miyu's father and Scott's future father in law before he is murdered
*Tokai: Main antagonist; takes control of six Yakuza companies
*Harry Tanner: Teaches player how to use firearms
*Otori: Former Yakuza member; teaches player katana combat
==Graphics==
The May issue of ''Game Informer'' magazine had the first ever screenshots of this game, Polaroid photos of which leaked onto blogs and fan sites all over the Internet. Ubisoft Paris claimed they were rendered in real time. The demonstration of the game during Nintendo's E3 2006 press conference seemed to confirm that the in-game graphics were very similar to the shots seen in the magazine. Since the E3 demo, ''Red Steel'' has been going through a major overhaul, to improve the graphics further.
The associate producer of ''Red Steel'' Jean-Baptiste Duval, said in an interview with Australian video game magazine ''[[Hyper (magazine)|Hyper]]'' that the game runs on a modified [[Unreal Engine technology|Unreal Engine 2.5]]. He said that much of the Ubisoft staff had worked on the engine and knew its strengths and weaknesses. The graphics of the game have been designed to achieve a defining artistic style rather than photorealism.
In the September edition of the Official Nintendo Magazine of Europe, there was a featured article that looked at the newest build of the game. The magazine staff who had the opportunity to play it said that the graphics were looking far more incredible than before, and that "People should be expecting visuals that are a more pretty version of Resident Evil 4". It should be noted that as Europe is a PAL region, the demo was not played in 480p mode and thus the game may look more impressive on a 480p NTSC television. The game is still undergoing visual developments in its final stages, so Ubisoft said that people should not expect this to be the final quality.
==Weapons==
''(names are subject to change)''
===Melee===
*[[Katana]] - Giri
*[[Tantō]] - Can be used with the katana using [[Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū]] style or using two of them.
*[[Bokken]] - Used when training in Otori's dojo
===Firearms===
*[[Pistol]] - The [[Steyr_M_Series|Steyr M-A1]].
*[[Pistol]] - [[Colt]] [[M1911A1]] Goverment (Referred to as "45 Cal")
*[[Pistol]] - The [[Walther P99]].
*[[Pistol]] - A certain [[Revolver]].
*[[Machine pistol]] - [[MP7]] shown in the new trailer.
*[[Pump action]] [[Shotgun]] - [[Benelli M3]]
*[[H&K G3]] automatic rifle
*[[Grenade]] - A frag grenade that can be tossed even while holding another weapon.
*[[Submachine gun]] - The [[Uzi|Mini Uzi]] (due to the one handed use seen it is likely the player will be able to use two in an [[Akimbo (gaming)|Akimbo]] fashion).
*[[USAS-12]] - A automatic shotgun seen in the latest Red Steel videos. <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGZDTdxtWwU</ref>
*[[FN FAL]] - A rifle resembling the FAL seen in a video of Red Steel. <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGZDTdxtWwU</ref>
*[[FN SCAR]] - Possibly a [[SCAR-L]], seen with reflex sight in a screenshot of Red Steel. <ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:RedSteel3.jpg</ref>
*[[Sniper Rifle]]
== Multiplayer==
Red Steel's innovative way of playing makes it very unique experience compared to other FPSs. With the multiplayer feature, four people can play together. Katanas and other guns can be used. It has been [http://www.pro-g.co.uk/news/27-10-2006-3921.html confirmed] that the game will have at least 4 player multiplayer: [[split-screen]] [[multiplayer]] with traditional [[deathmatch (gaming)|deathmatch]]es. According to the project leader, "Perhaps most impressive is the fact that although split-screen reduces the amount of onscreen space you are playing in, you don't have to make smaller movements —you can gesture as wildly as you want, and it won't interfere with the other player's onscreen quadrants."
== Reaction ==
Red Steel has the dubious honor of being the first third party game on the Wii to have screenshots released. This caused a massive amount of excitement among Nintendo enthusiasts. However, the game was met with a lot of initial negative response at its showing at E3 2006. Many critics complained that the controls were too loose and that the sword fighting portions did not mimic the player's movement with the [[Wii Remote]]. Ubisoft later announced that they got the Wii Remote development kits about a month before E3 2006, so they couldn't make the game function in the style that they had originally intended. Ubisoft has taken this criticism into account, and has announced that the game is being fine tuned to please gamers when it releases. Since E3, it has been rumored that the updated version mimics sword movement and fixes many of the problems present at E3, though Ubisoft has since denied this claiming that mimicking exact movements would be too difficult. However, it has been released by Ubisoft that sword movement now closely mimics the player's movements although sword swinging will not mirror the player's exact movements on screen. Although most of the game is praised for its graphics and impressive enviroment many have stated the charaters have a cut out look to them. However, in [[Nintendo Power]]'s November issue, it was stated that the characters appearances have been changed to look more realistic. Pictures were shown that backed this statment up.
In the December issue of ''[[NGamer]]'' the game was reviewed and given a score of 90%.[http://www.blork.co.nr/redsteel-review.jpg]
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:RedSteel1.jpg|Recent, updated graphics for Red Steel from Ubisoft 27/07/2006
Image:RedSteel2.jpg|Recent, updated graphics for Red Steel from Ubisoft 27/07/2006
Image:RedSteel3.jpg|Recent, updated graphics for Red Steel from Ubisoft 27/07/2006
Image:RedSteel4.jpg|Updated graphics for Red Steel from Ubisoft 14/07/2006
Image:RedSteel5a.jpg|Updated graphics for Red Steel from Ubisoft 14/07/2006
Image:Red-steel-20060926031145442.jpg|Official American boxart
</gallery>
==References==
<div class="references-small">
*{{Gnis|459621|North River}}
<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags-->
<references/>
</div>
[[Category:Rivers of Iowa]]
==External links==
[[Category:Adair County, Iowa]]
* [http://www.redsteelgame.com/ Official ''Red Steel'' site]
[[Category:Guthrie County, Iowa]]
* [http://www.dojoofpain.com/redsteel/index.html Official ''Red Steel'' community] <!-- created by UbiSoft itself -->
[[Category:Madison County, Iowa]]
* [http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/wii/redsteel "Red Steel" Reviews] at Metacritic.com
[[Category:Polk County, Iowa]]
* [http://revolution.ign.com/objects/821/821973.html ''Red Steel''] at [[IGN]]
[[Category:Warren County, Iowa]]
* [http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3149447 ''Red Steel''] at [[1UP]]
* [http://www.slicedgaming.com/feature155.html Sliced Gaming interview]
* [http://computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=147690 Interview with Lead Game Designer], ''[[Computer and Video Games (magazine)|Computer and Video Games]]'', [[2006-10-16]]
[[Category:First-person shooters]]
[[Category:Ubisoft Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Wii games]]
[[Category:Wii-only games]]
[[Category:2006 computer and video games]]
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