Viewtiful Joe returns for another adventure, with a sidekick to boot. But does two heroes make the adventure better?
Presentation: Ok, this game pretty much has a similar presentation to the first game. Cheesy (though thats a good thing) voice overs, stylish menus, and a pure comic style and movie look, Viewtiful Joe is as stylish as the first game. The game is also easy to navigate, with quick and brief load times as well. However, to maintain the look and feel of the first game, some mechanics in the game do feel a bit recycled, but as they say, dont mess with the formula if you don't need to right?
Graphics: The graphics in Viewtiful Joe 2 are just as attractive as the first, with the same style to boot.. The levels in Viewtiful Joe 2 are extremely well done, with a lot of thought and design done in the process. The characters have very fluid animations, both Silvia and Joe. Probably my favorite thing graphic wise in Viewtiful Joe 2, was the variety of environments. There are tons of areas that are all completely different in their look, something that wasn't quite present in the first Viewtiful Joe game. However, there is one slight problem that I experienced in the sequel of the Viewtiful Joe games. There seems to be a very, very slight frame rate problem in the first three levels of the game. Im not sure why its not present in the last levels (as there is more action and on screen movement), but the first three levels were a bit slow during intense battles. This isn't what you would call problems as the game is completely playable during this time, but it just wasn't something Ive seen in the past Viewtiful Joe game. Sound: Really, I think the sound in Viewtiful Joe 2 is better than it was in the first game. Now there seems to be a different style of humor, now that Silvia is involved in the action, and the voice work is as cheesy as ever! The music is nice and pumping during high action sequences, it just all sounds smooth and balanced. As well, there are no problems with hearing the voices during the games in game cut scenes, which was present in the last Viewtiful Joe game. The sound in Viewtiful Joe 2 is great, and could really give you a laugh.
Gameplay: Now for the aspect of what makes the Viewtiful Joe series as great as it is. This game is just as fun, if not, maybe more than the original. The new addition of Silvia really adds to the game, and makes the game feel even more fresh than it already it. Now you may ask, whats different, and what remains in this adventurous sequel; where heres the rundown:
Well, the game is like the original in just about every aspect. You have both puzzles and combat which take up your time in the game. Usually you can breeze through both, but you wont be able to succeed with using your powers; which is where the whole aspect of the game comes in. You are Viewtiful Joe and Silvia, both superheroes to protect Movieland, and promote happy endings. Well fighting bad guys is no easy task for the simple minded, and those not well equipped. Well thats why you have your V Watch. Also present in the past game, the V Watch is what gives Joe and Silvia there Super Powers. Well first, lets just get a rundown of how Joe and Silvia fight in the first place, as well as some basic differences between the pair of them. Well Joe has a common Punch and Kick, and he can do these actions alot faster and stronger than Silvia. Silvia however, has a different Kick, and her punch is actually a Ray Gun. Her Ray Gun hits enemies over long distances, and can be shot in long distances and hit enemies far away. That gives her a slight advantage over some bosses and enemies. Also there are two special moves that belong to Joe and Silvia. Joe is what is called Ukemi, in which he can grab and throw his enemies. Silvia has a move known as Desperado, in which she can shoot up to 8 blasts from her Ray Gun to attack her foes. These are new additions to the game (in Joe's Part) so its good for more variety. Speaking of differences, there really is only a minor difference between Joe and Silvia. The fact is, that while Joe is stronger and quicker in combat, Silvia can run faster and jump higher outside of combat. That is not much of an advantage, but I guess you can call it a difference either way. But don't worry, if you are worried about characters; you simply switch them out. You switch between Joe and Silvia with a simple press of the Z Button, and either one of them are at your disposal. There is also a special move with this that can cause damage, but you can discover that for yourself. There are the basic terms of VJ, as well as some minor differences, but now is when we get into the bigger issue: Joe and Silvia's Super Powers. Well this is what makes the game different than the last, is because Silvia has one different power than her male comrade. Well here is what they possess:
Joe/Silvia: Slow- This is the first power in Viewtiful Joe 2, and basically it slows down the overworld and makes Joe and Silvia a lot stronger. Also, there is this added effect on the environment; for example, while hard to explain, there is an effect: droplets of water become larger in slow motion, and volcanoes spurt higher into the air. That could literally make no sense at to you if you haven't played the first game, but well, just take my word for it. Now heres the next Power that Joe and Silvia possess:
Joe/Silvia: Zoom- Zoom; what kind of power could that be? Well basically, the camera zooms in on the sexiness of Joe and Silvia; what else? This really may seem out of the ordinary, but what it does is show daring towards enemies, and thus they may become, well, a little surprised. They become "stunned" to say the least (only while Zoom is activated) and are wowed by Joe and Silvia's daring. Well its not a special power unless you could do something else with it, so heres the catch: Joe and Silvia's arsenal of moves is different when Zoomed In. They both do Cartwheel Kicks that hit all enemies in the vicinity, and they both have stronger punches as well (Silvia however, uses the power of her glutes!). Zoom is an interesting move, but this power may be one of the reasons why Viewtiful Joe is Viewtiful Joe. Now for the individual powers of Silvia and:
Joe: Mach Speed- Now some of you may remember this power well from the past game, as it is one that is quite fun to use. Here, the entire overworld becomes engulfed in a wave of Superspeed, in which things move faster than normal; except your enemies of course! Here, Joe can quickly jab at his opponents (Zoomed in or out) and engulf himself inside a flame that is quite hot: His Red Hot Flame, another difference between Joe and Silvia (more on that later). When Joe enters Mach Speed and enters his Red Hot Flame, he burns his enemies, and even has effects on the environment. As well, hot materials don't affect Joe either. So theres Joe's SuperPower, now time for:
Silvia: Replay- Yes, Replay; a very intuitive new addition to Viewtiful Joe 2. Well in this power, Silvia can do a physical action (ahem... never mind) , and when she makes contact in the Replay mode, she repeats her actions 2 more times; making three. Well lets just say, kick a enemy in Replay; you just kicked the enemy three times, and not once. And just like Joe, she has her own special effect in Replay too. When she uses this power, she gets engulfed in powerful electricity known as "CoolBlue", in which she can use to electrify her enemies, or add power to different items. Its a nice mechanic, but remember that you will need to switch Joe and Silvia out when you need to use both. However there is one major downside to Replay. Its if you are using Replay and get attacked; if a enemy attacks Silvia, she will receive three times the damage instead of one. So Replay, while powerful, is a risky move that you may want to keep an eye on. All right so there are your powers in Viewtiful Joe 2, but how do you manage everything else in the game? What else is there? Well you have basic Health Meter, in which decreases with damage, or increases with (in game) health with food (Cheeseburgers). You can also increase your health by buying hearts with points you save up in the game at the VJ Shop (later). Well also, in Viewtiful Joe (1,2), you don't have infinite Super Powers either. This is managed in your V-Watch stamina meter. Here, you have a bar of power in which you keep track of, and it decreases depending on the quantity of how much power you use. But don't fret, the meter restores whenever you aren't using any powers at all. As well, you can increase your power in each level, by collecting V-Films. V-Films, when you collect 50 of them, increase you bar by one meter and then you have more powers at your disposal. Now remember when I mentioned buying things in a VJ Shop? Well this is done with V-Points. V-Points are awarded at how stylishly you use your powers, working with combos, and also your overall performance in the levels. In the sop you can buy things from power ups, items, and new moves. Its a great selection in the series, and I'm glad that it was present in the sequel. Well there are your basics of Viewtiful Joe 2; but remember, that whilst not all sequels are considered better than the original, this one is a game that may not be lesser than its predecessor. The new characters, Silvia, really adds a bit to the game, and just makes the game a lot more fun. Viewiftiful Joe 2 is just a great game, much like the first., with plenty of laughter, actions, and style to keep you the edge of your seat. Value; Well, this game, I say is a bit more worthwhile than the original. I say this because, as I will reiterate, 1) Silvia adds a lot of depth to the game 2) The environments are much more different, and are plenty refreshing. 3) I havent said this yet, but there is a mode in VJ2 that wasn't present in the first. Its the 36 Films, which is much like the Pit of 100 trials in Paper Mario TTYD, or the 100 room dungeon in Zelda: Wind Waker, only with 36. You try and complete levels in the time limit with the right amount of health, and whilts its not overly different from the game in terms of gameplays, its still enough to keep you still playing. The main game itself, much like its predecessor, takes around 7 hours to complete, so its a bit short; but there are plenty unlockables, and this is a game that you might want to go through again. So sequel or the not, Viewtiful Joe 2 is one game you should definitely check out- and I trust it wont disappoint newcomers or fans of the series alike.