No More Heroes’ boss fights are hard. They’re also complex, multi-layered, and all very, very different. So much so in fact, that the game’s assassin battles are essentially levels in themselves. Those slogs through their footsoldiers are just a warm-up compared to the main event, and it’ll take all your dexterity, reactions, thinking and problem-solving abilities in order to emerge victorious.

Thankfully though, we’ve already done the legwork on that latter part for you. The biggest challenge in any NMH boss fight is working out how to actually hurt these guys in the first place, so with that in mind we’ve put together a strategy guide on exactly how to approach each fight in terms of both offensive and defensive tactics. We won’t go as far as to say it’s easy when you know how. In truth it’s still pretty blood hard when you know how. But with this knowledge at hand, you’ll be able to get straight into the bloodletting and finish these guys and gals off far faster and more efficiciently. And that’s what it’s all about when you’re hungry to climb the ranks to becoming the world’s best hitman, right?

Just a few general pointers before we start.

• Make upgrading Travis your priority before going into a ranked battle. It’ll mean taking more time doing odd jobs and side missions for the cash, but you should always go to the gym and complete all available workouts before any of the big fights.
• The same goes for weaponry. Naomi’s sword upgrades are expensive, but get each one as soon as it comes onto the market. They’ll make your attacks much more potent as you progress through the game, and make sure that you can keep up the pace with the higher-ranked pros.
• Ditto with trips to the video shop and Lovikov’s bar. Watching videos back at the motel will give you some killer grapple moves, and adding to Travis’s general abilities by finding and delivering Lovikov balls will open up some near vital abilities for the later battles.
• Have fun!