Last Action Hero
The game is similar to Sega's "Comix Zone" only it's not a comic book you jumping into it's the movies. There isn't much to say about this game but what is great about it is it brought back an old style in gameplay that has been absent in a while but also did some new things to it to make it better than before.
Game is sort of formated like the underrated film "Last Action Hero".
You basically play a typical movie fan Joe who's girlfriend Silvia get's kidnapped by movie villian "The Evil Emperrior" somehow she is the key to making the portal to the movie world and our world. Once he does this he will then launch his evil army to invade. To stop him Joe transports himself into the movie world and turns into a "Gatchaman"/"Power Ranger" like superhero named Viewtiful Joe and with you newfound superpowers you would like any superhero combat evil and save the girl.
This game does a lot of things right it's obvously a homage love letter to most of those japanese superhero shows like "Ultraman Tiga", "Karmen Rider Black RX", "Pritty Guardian Sailor Moon" you name it which were all ridiculous but fun with it's scripts, speical effects, martal arts action, awdsome soundtrack, characters, and some creative psychodelic monsters (I still have no idea how the heck they could come up with them), you name it it's all there.
From it's graphics which are just supurb, the cel animation is just beautiful from it's color, detail in background and characters, to how the characters themselves are drawn. It really creates sort of a surreal fun comic book/cartoon atmosphere a world where anything seem possible. When your playing the game it almost feels as though your fliping though the pages of a comic book or just watching a good animated film, though you get to highly participate.
The voice acting and dialog with it is fun and funny, which is both witty and just a bit cheesy but on purpose. Joe is a great character, funny in a witty and fandom sort of way, cocky, though does get a bit in over his head which is both a strength and weekness. The bosses are sort of similar to "Dick Tracy" villians, have great personas which do reflect their unusal looks and actions.
But of course the highlight that really makes the game is in it's combat system which is great. When you encounter enimies there is away a caution bubble, this is a god send because it give you 5 sec time to evade the enimies attack which will knock their senses off balance and create an opening for you. But most importantly the VFX power which is the best thing about this game because it give you the ability to manipulate your movement making them go slow which give you moves more power or fast to be able to take down the odds quicker, or a close up which is another way of increasing your power.
This is a great thing because it give you a freedom of creativity in combat, you can just utilize one function or mix them up in any order you want or what the sittuation call for. But also it help you control your enviorment which is important in solveing certain puzzles in the game which are the typical how to get from point A and B which is common in all platform action games. This is usulally the part in the game where you take your time, you might feel a bit stumped momentarly but the solution to the puzzles is always simple, they always go by the principle "it's easy if you know how."
There really isn't anything bad about the game except that it's kinda short, you will have this game mastered I'd say in less than about 4 to 5 days. I'll admit at the end of the game I could help but want more but same could be argued for a lot of other games the ride is short but it's a sweet ride all the same. But this game had a good sequel that followed so I wouldn't fret.
Viewful Joe truely is worth the price of admition.