Suda51 is one of the most eclectic developers in gaming, churning out acquired taste after acquired taste over a decades long career. As niche asSuda51, he’s managed to garner a cult status thanks to his penchant for stylization, deep love for the medium, and ability to play on interconnectivity in a way most video games fail to.No More Heroesand its sequel,Desperate Struggle, embody the best of Suda51’s design philosophy and their recentNintendo Switchre-releases have made the games more accessible than ever.
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Set in a world where assassins are commonplace,No More Heroeshas a very unique sense of style that leans into the inherent violence that makes up so many video games. Travis Touchdown is a bloodthirsty main character and his Beam Katanas cut through hundreds in bothNo More Heroesgames. Travis has a bunch of different Beam Katanas you may unlock acrossNo More HeroesandDesperate Struggleif you put in the work.
Blood Berry
TheBlood Berryis the default Beam Katana in bothNo More HeroesandDesperate Struggle, although it’s designed very differently in both games. InNo More Heroes, the Blood Berry is Travis’ weakest Beam Katana and you’re expected to replace it as soon as you may. The Blood Berry has low damage output, drains battery relatively quickly, and has the longest recharge time in the game.
The Blood Berry inDesperate Struggleis another matter entirely and can comfortably stay equipped the entire game. While the Blood Berry’s range isn’t too crazy when the Ecstasy Meter is unfilled, it has the highest damage amount inDesperate Struggleand can string together some truly deadly combos. The Beam Katana still has a lackluster battery and will need to be recharged often, but Blood Berry cuts throughNo More Heroes 2s hardest bosses like butter.
Tsubaki & Tsubaki Mk-II
After defeating Death Metal in the firstNo More Heroesand gaining access to Santa Destroy, you’ll be able to visit Naomi’s Lab to buy new Beam Katanas and Part Enhancements. The first Beam Katana you can purchase is theTsubaki, which is available as soon as Naomi’s Lab is unlocked. The Tsubaki is ostensibly a stronger version of the Blood Berry with a more durable battery, costingLB$98,000.
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Naomi will develop a second iteration of the Beam Katana called theTsubaki Mk-IIafter defeating the first game’s Rank 6 boss, Holly Summers. The Tsubaki Mk-II costsLB$148,000,but has incredible range and deals heavy damage that casually rips through mobs. While the Tsubaki Mk-II isn’t the overall best Beam Katana inNMH1, it’s strong enough to get you through the end of the first game.
Tsubaki Mk-III/Camellia Mk-III
TheTsubaki Mk-IIIis the best Beam Katana in the firstNo More Heroesand can be purchased from Naomi’s Lab forLB$498,000after defeating the Rank 3 boss, Speed Buster. Unlike other Beam Katanas, the Tsubaki Mk-III has an unlimited battery which removes the need to charge – allowing you to pull off non-stop combos from enemy to enemy. Fast and strong with long range, there’s no reason not to use the Tsubaki Mk-III once you unlock it.
Curiously enough, the Tsubaki Mk-III makes a comeback inDesperate Struggleunder a brand new name, theCamellia Mk-III. The Camellia Mk-III can be purchased from Naomi’s Lab at the start of the game forLB$50,000. It goes without saying, but the Camellia Mk-III being available so early means it naturally isn’t as strong as it once was. While the Beam Katana is still quite fast and has infinite stamina, the Camellia Mk-III is noticeably weaker when it comes to damage output.
Peony
The Peony is available for purchase at Naomi’s Lab after you beat the Rank 25 boss, Charlie Macdonald. The Peony is the single longest Beam Katana inDesperate Struggle, with an almost ridiculous range that’ll cut through enemies far away from Travis. The main downsides to the Peony are that it’s quite slow and costs a total ofLB$300,000to purchase – which is more than most will earn in an average playthrough ofNo More Heroes 2.
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The Peony does have its uses and is incredibly fun to play around with, but it’s far from an essential purchase. The Beam Katana tends to be impractical for boss fights, best used against waves of enemies who are rushing towards Travis.
Rose Nasty
Rose Nasty is the overall best Beam Katana inDesperate Struggleand is automatically unlocked as part of the story after defeating the Rank 8 boss, New Destroyman. Travis dual wields the Rose Nasty, using two Beam Katanas in conjunction with each other. While Rose Nasty doesn’t have infinite stamina, it has an incredibly sturdy battery.
Not just that, Rose Nasty hits hard and fast, allowing you to seamlessly chain full combos from enemy to enemy. Maxing out Travis’ strength makes Rose Nasty especially deadly as well. While the Blood Berry is still the best Beam Katana to use againstDesperate Struggle’s bosses, Rose Nasty is the most fun to actually play around with.
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