In early 2008, the Nintendo Wii was graced with No More Heroes; a stylish beat 'em up featuring intense violence and language which told the story of a bumbling assassin rising through the ranks of a bizarre league of trained killers. The game's combat and controls received a fair amount of praise overall, but many critics were unimpressed by the slow and monotonous adventuring aspects in between the big fights. A year later, MadWorld takes everything No More Heroes introduced to the Wii, pumps it full of testosterone, then cuts out the slow segues between the violence to create an even more visceral experience. This formula shocks and delights early on, but it also concludes not long after, which will leave you with a bittersweet taste in your mouth.

MadWorld begins with a news broadcast reporting that Jefferson Island has been completely cut off from the rest of Varrigan City by a terrorist organization, who violently threatens any trying to enter. The chief of police assures citizens that he has no intention of complying with the terrorists, and the mayor announces that a special group of marines will be infiltrating the island to restore order. There, a disturbing game show called DeathWatch is taking place. The show, which caters towards the super-rich, follows depraved thugs brutally murdering one another to rise through the ranks and ultimately earn more money for their sponsors and themselves.

Jack cuts a fire-breather in half in Asian Town with his wrist-mounted chainsaw.

Enter Jack Cayman, a leather-clad brute wielding a wrist-mounted chainsaw. He quickly earns the attention of Agent XIII, a wealthy sponsor who finances Jack's carnage throughout the island. Jack is glad to comply with the game's brutal rules, but he has his own hidden agenda which he slowly reveals as he climbs the ladder. The story begins simple enough but evolves into a plot similar to those of No More Heroes, Killer7, and Metal Gear Solid. While it's a fairly satisfying story, it obviously plays a backseat role to the game's over-the-top action.

The goal in each level of MadWorld is simple: earn enough points by eliminating "Killseekers" (low-ranking contestants) to gain access to a boss. Jack is quite well-equipped for this task, as he is a ruthless killing machine. If pummeling foes with his powerful fists or hurling them across bloody streets isn't enough, Jack's handy-dandy chainsaw will get the job done. Vertical and horizontal swings of Wiimote while holding down the B button will often chop multiple enemies in half, creating geysers of blood. Jack's greatest weapon, though, is usually the environment itself.

In honor of the DeathWatch games, Jefferson Island has been decorated with numerous ornaments of death. Spiked walls (affectionately referred to as "rose bushes") are everywhere, begging for Jack to repeatedly slam limp bodies into them. Giant rotating fans are completely exposed to allow for maximum spattering of flesh and bone. Even flat fires, trash cans, and sign posts are promoted as death implements. The more objects violently forced through an opponent's face before he's dispatched in a strategically placed death machine, the more points you'll earn.

Aside from the first level, MadWorld's arenas are non-linear playgrounds. Weapons, Bloodbath Challenges, and boss fights are accessed only after a certain number of points are acquired, so the player is encouraged to have fun slaying enemies in the most creative way possible until these events are activated. Bloodbath Challenges are violent mini-games in which Jack uses the level's thugs as playing pieces. Man Darts, for example, has Jack wielding a spiked bat to club enemies into a giant dart board.

Each level is narrated by two foul-mouthed announcers who are likely responsible for half the ESRB content warnings on the back of the box. They drop F-bombs constantly while discussing numerous profane topics. If MadWorld's excessive violence isn't enough to turn you off from the game, the commentary shouldn't be a problem either - outside of some occasionally repetitive lines.

The boss fights in MadWorld deviate from the typical mass-murdering and are another nod to No More Heroes. Each boss is eccentric and stylish featuring his or her own Power Struggles, which are scripted moments where the player is asked to make quick motions with the Wiimote. Performing the motions correctly results in incredibly violent and damaging blows. When a boss's health is depleted, the player performs one last series of actions to dispatch the enemy. These execution moves are the highlight of MadWorld because they are often so drawn out and exaggerated.

Regular enemies can be executed as well; either through the use of a level's death devices or after inflicting tons of damage. Early on, these executions (most of which require a quick Wiimote gesture) are so incredibly violent that they can elicit cringing. Bending an opponent's head backwards so that it ends up below his groin, snapping him in half in the process, is one of the more brutal deaths.

You would think a giant, blood-soaked spear would scare enemies off, but in MadWorld, grunts live to die.

Despite excellent controls, the action understandably gets a bit stale once the initial shock value wears off. Working to earn the highest scores possible via creative deaths takes the place of the shallow violence, but aside from the cutscenes occurring between each level, there's no break from the action. The game also ends disappointingly early in as little as four hours. A couple of new weapons are unlocked after completing the game, but they're not enough to inspire a second playthrough. In addition to the short play time, the antiquated lives system in place is a disappointment. Jack starts each level with three lives and has to restart a stage if he loses his last one. This mechanic doesn't work to MadWorld's benefit in any way, and serves as a reminder of why games have evolved beyond this method of game length padding.

MadWorld is probably best recognized for its unique visual style; the graphics are presented in black and white. Blood, however, is sprayed and displayed in a brilliant red, contrasting greatly with the graphic novel inspired characters and scenery. Yellow also appears to indicate health, sound effects, and the Bloodbath Challenges, but the color's use is handled carefully and never ruins the unique visuals. The creative presentation also serves to draw some attention away from the Wii's graphical limitations. There are still some rough edges here and there, but MadWorld's limited color palette makes it exempt from the inevitable "It looks good, for a Wii game," comments.

For all of the improvements it makes over a game like No More Heroes, MadWorld could have used some of the former's slow-paced adventuring aspects. The initial shocking appeal ends as quickly the game itself. It's great to have such a visually appealing and mature-themed title on the Wii, but MadWorld is too brief and a bit too shallow to justify a purchase. It's definitely worth a rental; just make sure there aren't any kids around when you play it.