'viewtiful joe deepens and prolongs the feeling of 'damage', taking it to a colourfully absurd, but intense, level'
review - viewtiful joe
Before devil may cry 3D action games were much slower and much less fanciful.
DMC put style, and a new level of flexibility & extremity into 3D action combat. A sword wasn't enough, you needed a gun too, and matrix-style acrobatic skills to boot.
DMC made sure style was rewarded too, by offering bonuses based on how creatively you mixed up particular moves. 3D action games became performances of power and creativity.
Eventually the team who worked DMC formed an offshoot studio called clover, and created a new game called viewtiful joe, which continued the idea of stylish, extreme action, making innovations to the sidescrolling beat-em-up'.
The story is pretty thin on the ground, but it's a simple concept done well.
Joe is a film fanatic, and while watching an old movie with his girlfriend silvia, something strange happens and the characters on screen come to life and grab silvia from the cinema, leading joe to jump into the screen and save her.
The film they were watching was about 'captain blue', a legendary super hero in a battle against some evil robots/villans. Captain blue gains his super powers from a gadget called a 'V-watch' (viewtiful), and to aid in the search of silvia, captain blue gives joe one, so he can perform lots of viewtiful moves and stop the villans.
The 'V-watch' allows joe to fiddle with time in order to become viewtiful; slow down, speed up, or zoom-in.
Joe fights a variety of enemies, most of which look like 'putties' from might morphin' power rangers (erratic, costumed goons). His other enemies are bigger versions of these goons; some wearing 10-gallon hats and wielding dual pistols, some in kinky pink and black uniform.
Joe's powers, (VFX), are really comfortable and easy to access; sinking your fingers into the 'R' and 'L' shoulder buttons to access 'speed up' and 'slow down' respectively.
Slowing down time gives joe's punches and kicks more 'UMPH'; more emphasis, and he is able to shatter them to the bones, bits flying everywhere! And you're like, "YEAH!"
Speed up allows joe to split into images of himself to hit multiple enemies at mach speeds, eventually making his fists, feet and whole body burst into flames, further adding to the 'EXTREME' damage.
The other effect is 'zoom-in', which, with a flick of the 'c-stick', brings the camera and centers it on joe; the enemies shake in fear at his…viewtiful-ness, allowing him to show off fancier moves such as a spinning kick, a human rocket attack for aerial enemies, and a powerful stomp that creates an earthquake especially for enemies on the ground.
However, the VFX powers are limited, meaning joe can only use them when his VFX gauge is full. The VFX gauge can be extended during the course of the game, allowing joe an extended performance as viewtiful joe.
But it's not just fighting. Joe can use his VFX for solving simple puzzles as well.
In a sewer recess and need to get to the other side? No problem, speed up time in order for the water to fill up the space faster, so joe can reach the goal.
Other puzzles mostly involves switches, in which joe has to slow down spinning switches in the air, so the propellers halt, allowing joe to ride the platform, or use it as a switch for a button.
Joe's 'zoom-in' VFX is also versatile as a missile enabling the ability to hit switches on ceilings and clear the goal.
In every stage there is the ability to score and this is what the game is truly about; becoming viewtiful! Scores work in a similar way to DMC, where the more combos you rack up, the more highly you'll score.
By necessity, you'll need to use a variety of VFX powers to really defeat and overcome the baddies, and being stylish is a lot more accessible than in DMC.
The top score possible for each stage is a rainbow 'V', which is basically as close to perfect as possible. The game takes into account the time, and joe's health status as well.
The beauty of VJ is in the moment of the rhythm, when you get into 'the zone', and simply pull off amazing combos by reacting instinctively to your enemies' whereabouts.
The controls are great, and joe is incredibly flexible and reactive meaning chaining together moves is a joy.
Your reward for scoring big is access to more moves of course! How about a bomb that joe can kick about; hold down sloooow motion, and watch it impact on goons with 10x the emphasis, breaking them into pieces, and reducing them to a metal frame, then perhaps a jump and a diagonal 'red hot kick' to finish it off.
Hopefully the upcoming bayonetta will carry the essence of joe's viewtiful extreme fighting, and continue this exciting and cathartic sub genre of action games.