The Beginning of a Saga
Overview
VJ
Enter Joe, usual everyday guy, just seeking out some fun. Well fun may be a
stretch. As an idea, he went out on a date with his girl, Sylvia. Little did
he know, that fate would find him. For some vendetta, the baddies of the
film changed the story. And hero loses?
Something’s not right here, and it gets worse. One of the evil baddies
captures Sylvia, and holds her hostage. Now its Joe’s mission to stop at
nothing to save her!
Hero May Care –
Did I forget to mention Joe becomes a superhero?! Thankfully in part of
Captain Blue, Joe obtains the v-watch and is tested to see if he is “The
One”. Don’t worry its not some other film. During your heroic quest, you’ll
obtain VFX powers, these up the antie on Joe’s powers. Use these well, and
you will pummel evil!
The End?
Thanks to Joe’s efforts, he successfully saves his girl. And finds out more
about his powers, and who he is. *and the fact that Captain Blue is Sylvia’s
father. And chances that be, she also gains her own hero identity. Lo,
this is only part one. “There is more to this story” –Captain Blue
Story so far-
Its been only a little while since the last battle. Before Joe, and Sylvia
can take a snack break. We’ll expect a new villain! And that’s pretty much
what happens. But things get worse. These new foes plans to snag the
“Rainbow Oscars” that will support their evil plans. And the other part?
Captain Blue has been kidnapped and turned into one of the Oscars!
Now with nothing else to lose, Joe and Sylvia plan to take down this new foe,
and rescue Capt. Blue. **did I forget to mention Joe’s dad makes an
appearance? He owns the classic theater, that all of this hero-ness is
taking place. And might say he's the other hero in this tale.
Graphics 9/10
2d-ism! Keeping the same vibe that VJ1 brought into the light, VJ2 takes the
engine even farther. The places that Joe and Sylvia go to within Movieland are
filled with detail and color. Although this time, they go the extra mile,
from adventure to sci-fi worlds. Plus the slow-mo and mach speed effects
return, with little advancements. It’s a gorgeous game to watching in
action, and play.
Gameplay/Controls 9/10
Viewtiful Joe 2 stays true to the first game. But why ruin a good thing?
Likewise, the first game floored anyone who played it. And this one will
bring those fans back.
Duo time! –
In this second installment, Joe is no longer alone. His girl Sylvia, joins
him in the fight to save Movieland. They both use the same powers, although
Sylvia brings a few new abilities to the screen. She’s able to wield two
guns, and the special ability “Replay’. It will let you record a special
move, and counter it against enemies. It even does more damage, and creates
a dramatic action scene.
Team-work –
Tag Team – Switch between the hero, and heroine. But be careful, the enemies
will not stop attacking during battle. Plus the Tag uses your VFX power, so
keep it maxed in order to do a switch quickly. Six Machine – New upgraded
abilities. During the tag team switch, your VFX power will charge up a
Special ability. From a bazooka, to even more powerful weaponry.
Which are you playing? PS2 or GC? Either one works fine.
Controls are solid, and timing is great. Even though the PS2 has more
buttons, the setup works alright with VJ2. On the even side, using the
teamwork is key, especially with controls. Both characters have different
ways of fighting various baddies, and the VFX has also been amped a bit.
So either character you choose, you'll still kick alot of bad guy behind.
Sound/Music 9/10
Hero May Cry! – ok so that was a direct parody on Devil May Cry. But hey it
was fun. Straight to the point, the background tracks are awesome. *that’s
the best word to describe the tunes! Sound fx, are perfect and you hear
everything. From the punches, kicks, and explosions.
The in-game soundtrack is alright, like the first game. Mixing the best
types of tunes together, with the action non-stop, so is the bgm tunes.
Plus there's a bit more variety, the music even reflects what's goin on
real-time. Like a comic book, turning a page, you could imagine some kick
butt theme playing when the heroe(s) take on an evil foe.
Replay Value 8/10
There's a bit of variety in this sequel. Along the way you can unlock all
sorts of goodies (depending which modes you choose). Plus there's even a
neat tribute to martial arts films, but its also a survival mode. There's
quite a bit of variety you'll find here.
Overall 8/10
Even though this sequel seems like a retread over the first one, its still a
fun romp. Its also what makes this entry not so great. You've played it
before, even though a small change. On the fun level, its still just as
crazy as the first game.
- by Rob Turner
