Just call me, Viewtiful Joe. Henshin A Go-Go Baby!
Overview
We all know about Capcom’s big four. PN 03 was the first to be released, which met mixed reviews. You may have started to question Capcom’s move to support GameCube with such original titles. Fear not, the next up to bat is Viewtiful Joe, a cel shaded 2D side scroller that will change your opinion. When the game was first shown, many gamers cheered for it’s nostalgia of classic game play and cool look. When trailers, and playable demos finally showed, critics began raving about the greatness that is this game. GameCube owners are starving for great games, that don’t have Nintendo written all over them. Sit tight, you are about to be fed with what could possibly be the GameCube game of the year.
Graphics 10/10
Viewtiful Joe uses cel shaded graphics. We been seeing this a lot nowadays, but this is one of the few games that uses it well. The game has an anime/comic look, the story and the way the stages are laid out helps. Joe is animated very well. All his normal moves look great and when you start combining slow, mach speed, and zoom with your combos, it’s jaw dropping. I sat there watching the demo play and I was drooling over all the moves and the sheer coolness of this game. The enemies look great, but it’s basically the same character, just with a new outfit and attacks. It doesn’t matter though, since you will be having too much fun destroying them. The bosses are a sight to see. Each one is well animated and has their own personality. Hulk Davidson is the best, Yoyoyoyoy was up was up, as he has the bad ass, biker attitude. Gran Bruce, the shark, is your typical stupid bad guy and can’t keep his mouth shut, giving away all their plans, lol. This game moves at a speedy 60 fps, without a hint of slowdown, besides the slowdown you cause. The cut scenes use in-game graphics which is just fine since it looks fantastic. The game is very beautiful, or shall I say viewtiful, and it’s a visual feast, even if you are just a spectator and not playing. This is one of the best looking games this year.
Gameplay/Controls 10/10
This is what Viewtiful Joe is all about. The game is a 2D side scroller, think Mega Man, with a classic beat em up style. Joe battles enemy after enemy, much like those old school games. That is where the similarities end. As the name suggests, this isn’t your basic beat em up. It’s suppose to be beautiful and have style, hence Viewtiful Joe. When your VFX meter, can be expanded by collecting canisters, fills up in one section, Joe quickly changes to his alter ego. He gains strength and the ability to double jump, but that’s not all. As you progress you earn new powers. First is slow, which makes the game move in slow motion for more powerful attacks and V combos. Next we have mach speed, this speeds up Joe. This can cause multiple versions of him to appear or sets him on fire for more damage. Last, but not least, zoom. This zooms in on Joe and gives you a new arsenal of moves, these are the most damaging attacks in the game. These techniques, plus your normal arsenal, are used to gain points, which are used to buy new moves and items during the intermissions, or solve the games simple, but unique, puzzles. Joe also lacks a block button, instead uses a dodge move that will avoid attacks and sets up huge combos. You must utilize all of your moves to make it through this game, which can be tough at times, but not frustrating. Each stage, seven in all, is broken up into episodes. It has a very comic feel as the narrator gives the intro for each stage and the lengthy outcome. Not to mention the preview for the next episode, reminds me of DBZ without giving away plot points. At the end of each episode you are rated on your performance, which leads to more points. You fight tons of enemies at a time, with a boss at the end of each stage, typical beat em up. You might think that this game gets repetitive quick, but the game is challenging and you have a lot of moves to mess around with that will keep you busy and entertained through many play through. Part of that challenge is the lack of save points, one in the stage and in between. Thank god you have unlimited continues and you start at the last intermission, two or more per stage. The game is a blast to play , fighting off hoards of baddies, doing incredible combos, changing the speed and the camera, and dodging attacks. It’s on the short side though, but who cares. This game is viewtiful, just like the title suggest. It’s been a long time since I had this much fun with a game.
The controls are simple, but takes a little getting use to. You are going to tap A or B for attacks at first, or even hold up on the analog stick for jump. A little practice, you will be throwing out V combos and racking up points in no time. This is a good thing, since horrible controls can ruin a game like this. The buttons are very responsive so you can quickly throw out punch after punch. You can’t ask for better controls. You watch trailers for this game, wondering if those crazy combos are hard to do. They are far from it. Once you gain all three powers, you will be pulling off insane combos that will have you friends wishing they owned a GameCube.
Sound/Music 10/10
The sound effects are great. The punches, kicks, explosions, everything sounds fantastic. The voice acting is top notch. Joe has the perfect voice, who is very cocky and has great one liners. As do the bosses. Hulk: Who are you suppose to be, Mega Man? Classic! The bosses talk trash and show off their personality perfectly. The narrator fits the part nicely as he sounds like he should for this style of game. He sets up the stage and the ending. He also gets you hype up for the next episode, which makes you want to play more. The music is decent, but nothing memorable.
Replay Value 10/10
The game last seven levels, so if you’re really good you should be able to clear it in no time. However, the game is not easy so expect to play a couple stages a few times. You unlock new characters and modes as you beat the game. Beating the game on normal will net you harder difficulties, and every difficulty you beat will unlock a new character. Does Silvia have what it takes to save the world?
Overall 10/10
Overall:
This game is nothing short of amazing. Capcom took a classic genre, added their own twist, plus likeable characters with sweet graphics, and made one hell of a game. They also manage to make it really fun and very addictive to keep you hook until you unlock all the secret characters. All of the minor negatives: difficulty, length, and possible repetitiveness, can’t hold this game back. The difficulty is tough, but not frustrating. The length is decent and typical for a game like this. There is so much to do that I don’t feel bored when I play. I’m serious when I say possible game of the year for Nintendo‘s console. If you own a GameCube, you must buy this game. Everything just came together perfectly. Its been a long time since I felt this excited playing a game. I would even recommend purchasing the system for just this game. It’s that damn good.
- By Cold Man X
