Reader Reviews
Viewtiful Joe, The Italian Job, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, "and more!"
Star Review: Viewtiful Joe (Cube)
by Hyoushi
If all you've seen of this game is screenshots, you may say "Well, it's a platform beat 'em up with cel-shaded graphics". A not entirely inaccurate description, but there's much more to it. In my opinion, VJ has lots of similarities to a shoot 'em up (and even is one at the start of Episode three): Short but hard episodes, lots of upgrades, pattern-based boss fights and score-building combo attacks. Take this, add platforming and puzzles, and you're close to describing what makes this game special.
When playing as Viewtiful Joe, you gain three gameplay-defining "VFX abilities"; Slow, Mach Speed and Zoom. The first two are pretty obvious to those familiar to Bullet Time. "Zoom" gives you access to snazzier fighting moves, which prove useful as you progress through the game's seven episodes. Why? Because this is a hard game. Yes. Believe the hype. Initially, there are two selectable difficulty levels, with two more unlockable. While there are some frustrating sections, the game never gets totally insurmountable thanks to the point-based upgrade shopping between tries. New moves, lives and life bar hearts can be purchased, making each try easier. Persistence is rewarded though, since the puzzles and action keep getting better and better with every section. The deliberately cheesy story also keeps building and climaxes with one of the best final battles ever, with a pre-boss cut-scene that made me laugh myself into tears.
In the midst of an increasingly cautious industry that encourages plagiarism and fears high-risk originality, it is fantastic to find a game like this. Utterly oozing with ingenuity, wit and style, Viewtiful Joe is easily one of the best games I've ever played. Minor flaws such as some re-used stage sections and bosses are the only things keeping it from a perfect score. In short: No gamer should be without it.