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great sidescrolling game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: September 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

it finally made it to playstation 2. i was kind of aggrivated that they only put this on gamecube at first, but not to worry, they are making a sequel for both consoles this time. this is one of the most original ways to take a side scrolling game into the 3-d dominated game industry.

the game takes a normal joe who's obsessed with movies and sucks him into the movie where he recieves the powers of his favorite super hero captain blue where you can slow things down and speed things up. it is really interesting how objects react such as the water levels rise and fall and propellers spin slower and faster so that a helicopter may fall out of the sky. it's a little tricky to learn these techniques at first, but they are alot of fun to use. they have an adult and a kids version and you may want to use the kids version at first to get the hang of it.

the game is difficult on adult. the levels obviously get progressively more difficult which requires you to master to superhero abilities. the bosses are interesting as well, starting of with a talking vampire bat, a rhyno, and a missile shooting shark. the game is done completely as if the pages of a comic book could move. i love cell shaded games, but this might be a downfall if you don't like such games. i have to say this is one of the best sidescrolling games released since the old castlevania and mario brothers games.

Capcom is responsible for a majority of my favorite games ever.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: May 24, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I have owned Viewtiful Joe ever since it first came out. I had it for Gamecube and still own it for PS2. I will admit the Gamecube version was slightly better concerning the controls. Still this is an excellent game to try out and even after completing it. There is still lots of replay value. VJ is a one player side scrolling game with very low animated violence. I don't believe there is anything here that can be considered obscene for children.

The game begins when the main character Joe is in the theatre with his girlfriend Silvia. She is then snatched into the movie and Joe attempts to rescue her. He's given the powers of the lead hero to save his girl.

This is still an ordinary side scroller with a really good twist. It borrows an element from Max Payne and takes it to a whole new level. Joe's powers allows you to defeat his enemies by using the movies slow motion, fast forward, and close up features to deal some serious damage. The action is over the top and sometimes hilarious. I mean enemies take uppercuts that send them off the screen. You also earn money and in between stages you buy power ups and new skills. Not a single new skill goes to waste. They can all be pulled off in the heat of battle depending on how well you manage your power gauge. Which always refills the moment you're not using your abilites.

The stages are done pretty well and this isn't one of those games where you instantly fall to your death. The bosses are tough and very exciting to fight. There's also a very good soundtrack to go with the battles.

The game is loaded with extras to increase the replay value. Secret characters are unlocked to include harder game settings. The huge plus with this is, you can begin the new game with all of your abilites. So anything you didn't purchase in your first go around, you can now. Plus the game does get harder.

The controls are very responsive and doesn't take much to learn the moves. There is no complicated control scheme for them. Such as 360 degree or half turn motions. The move list is easy to execute.

VJ is one of my favorite side scrollers. I can play this at anytime and I haven't gotten bored of it yet. Anyone who has not played this game yet is missing out.

Viewtiful Joe

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 02, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This is the greatest 2D game of this video game era. A great story plot, with great action and tough foes.

Henshin a Go-Go Baby!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 09, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This is, by far, one of the best platformers ever to hit the 'cube. It combines sleek 3-D cel-shaded graphics with a smooth 2-D environment. It's addictive, fun, and just plain crazy! It's one of the most challenging platformers in modern gaming history. I absolutely recommend this game to every single Gamecube gamer alive! The Graphics are great, the story is great, it's extremely addictive, and the music isn't bad either.

The only downside of this game is its length. I beat it in two weeks. I recommend renting it if you're a just-once gamer. You may beat it in rental time if you're a hardcore gamer, but I know that if you buy it you'll probably play it several times after you beat it.

Fantistic hybrid of 2d gaming and 3d graphics!!!!11one

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 29, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Viewtiful Joe has to be one of the best if not the best 2d games I have personally ever played. It achieves the hand drawn look using the new technique of cell shading. Not only does it look bueatiful but it plays like a dream. I have heard people having problems with slowdown and frame rate drops on the playstation 2 version, but I haven't noticed any problem. Be wary, this game is one tough cookie, even on easy.

simply... VIEWTIFUL!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: July 22, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I love cb review: only one word can describe the awsome gamplay, new 2D/3D graphics, and cool powers...VIEWTIFUL! With new 3D games taking over the world of video games and leaving classic 2D games like Super mario bros. behind, viewtiful joe returns the glory of 2D Framed games. You play in a 2D framed world as the movielover joe. The graphics are cell shaded and look viewtiful. the backrounds are crisp and colorful. but the real good thing about the game is the gameplay. you get cool powers that grant you the ability to slow down you and your surroudings, make yourself move at mach speed, and zoom in and peform awsome new moves. plus you can combine your powers to create cool combos like a slowmotion 360 barrage kick. :) although the levels are kinda hard...they are neverthis creative and fun. the enmies look like training dummies, and you usllually get a fight your boss baddies so you can use enimes attacks against them. the ps2 version also adds replay vaule by allowing you to play though the entire game with other playable characters with their own special powers. you get captain blue can hover, dante can shoot his gun, silvia has super speed, and alastor can glide and transform to his human form whenever he wants.. in each person has a diffrent story but the talk is gibberish and you have to read the subtitles if you want to understand. Now lets talk about the bad things. first off, the game is way to SHORT. it took my less the n a couple of hours for me to finish it. they could have added a alot more levels. second, you can only save the game at the save points,which means if you go through a level all the way to the boss and lose all your lives you will have to go through the whole level again. overall vj is a good game and worth buying.
well see you later and look for other i love cb reviews throughout the site. happy buying!

Viewtiful Joe (4.1 Stars)

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 7
Date: July 05, 2005
Author: Amazon User

It goes without saying that Capcom's fabled "Fantastic Five" for the GameCube didn't quite have the impact that its fan base had hoped for. Originally heralded as one of the most powerful reasons to own a Nintendo console in 2003, the highly touted lineup ultimately fell short of expectations. It all began, of course, with the heavily stylized but under-developed futuristic actioner Product Number 3; and was quickly followed by the sudden cancellation of the promising Kid Icarus wannabe, Dead Phoenix. The endless delay and lack of actual gameplay information regarding the bizarre but intriguing Killer 7 game didn't help much either, while the release of the amazing-looking Resident Evil 4 isn't going to happen until early 2005.

But all this waiting and disappointment wasn't a complete waste of time, as Studio 4's title least likely to be the masterpiece actually turned out to be just that. Originally considered to be the smallest project of Capcom's quintet, the 2D/3D hybrid known as Viewtiful Joe surprised everyone last year with its combination of original gameplay and over the top presentation. Bizarre, humorous, and retro without the rust, the entertaining superhero epic gave birth to several new catchphrases and buzzwords (Henshin A-Go-Go anyone?) while powerfully proving to naysayers that the 'little purple system that could' still had some life left in it.

Perhaps more amazing than the quality of the game itself, however, was the fact that Capcom decided to forego Viewtiful Joe's GameCube exclusivity and decided to bring it to PlayStation 2 as well. Though it was always rumored to do so not too long after the Cube version was initially released, no one really believed that the title would defect to another system until officials confirmed it for us earlier this spring. And to make matters even more interesting, the game's new development house Clover Studio would be including a PlayStation 2-exclusive character: Dante from Devil May Cry.

So here we are at the end of a summer that's been consistent with its higher quality compared to previous years, with the PlayStation 2 iteration of Viewtiful Joe remaining as one of the final titles left before the beginning of the fall season. Players who have already experienced Viewtiful Joe on the GameCube already know exactly what that means for newbie PS2 owners; but at the risk of sounding too cliched or cheesy when letting them in on the secret, let us just say this: what a way to go!

Life is Viewtiful
Our adventure begins innocently enough when film buff and all around good guy Joe spends the day at a movie theater with his girlfriend Silvia. Catching a special showing of one of their favorite old-school flicks, the pair is suddenly interrupted from their make-out session when a giant robot on the movie screen reaches out and nabs Joe's woman. Quickly sucked into the movie world himself and guided by his longtime silver screen idol Captain Blue, Joe has to master the powers of his V-Watch and become the world's greatest superhero in order to save Silvia from an unknown fate.

Now for first time gamers who have never seen Viewtiful Joe before, it will definitely be hard to pinpoint exactly what kind of game it is. And to be truthful, for those of us that have already played it, it's still a bit difficult to figure out. We suppose that at its core, though, that Viewtiful Joe is all about recapturing the same old-school magic that powered Capcom's previous 8 and 16-bit hits like Mega Man, Duck Tales, and Ghosts 'N Goblins. But instead of just taking that formula and slapping some advanced parallax and lighting effects on it, Capcom has gone an extra mile by blending traditional 2D and 3D mechanics for a unique and interesting experience.

A True Action Hero
In the beginning, Joe has the typical punch and kick attacks found in just about every fighting game and beat 'em up since the beginning of time. Relying on a simple tap-tap mechanic and easy to learn combo system, Joe's proficiency in the martial arts is almost enough to kick mucho bad guy ass with little help. But where the game really opens up and becomes unique, however, is with all the various supplemental powers and abilities that he has at his disposal. So while our hero may be able to dodge, duck, punch, and kick without a specialty in sight, using the advanced techniques will provide far more rewards.

PlayStation One fans may see some similarities between Viewtiful Joe and the system's first-generation action/platformers Pandemonium and Spider. But where those games succeeded only marginally in blending the two-dimensional control scheme with three-dimensional environments, Joe takes the practice to an all-new level. As instead of relying heavily on using the 3D backgrounds as nothing more than eye candy, Viewtiful Joe's designers have incorporated its stage depth into gameplay. The most important evidence of this are Joe's various superpowers that allow him to interact with the environment instead of just running through it. But that's just scratching the surface of what he can really do. Because what he's capable of is really quite intimidating.

And by advanced techniques, we mean it. Known as the VFX Powers, these abilities allow Joe to perform maneuvers commonly associated with controlling a DVD player. Slow, Mach Speed, and Zoom are the three primary powers in question; with each one of them providing invaluable help in areas you'd least suspect. The Slow ability, for instance, is probably the most useful and is terrific for avoiding enemy bullets, strikes, and projectiles. Even more functional, though, is Slow's effect on propellers and platforms -- as it slows them down enough to allow players to access areas they wouldn't normally be able to, or approach an area that was previously too dangerous.

The Mach Speed ability is pretty important too, as it will move propeller-powered platforms higher than they'd normally reach. Additionally, this technique also enables Joe to throw lightning quick combinations with his fists and feet (terrific against boss characters) and catch fire so that he can set enemies aflame. He can even create multiple versions of himself by going fast enough to reach previously unattainable goodie boxes. Of course, the Zoom feature is equally impressive with its ability to make Joe much bigger than his usual self and makes punches, kicks, and other attacks a lot more powerful. Moreover, Joe will also be able to perform jumping dive bombs and super dash attacks that takes out just about anything in front of him. He can even mix powers and use Slow or Mach Speed at the same time as Zoom for a myriad of different results.

Even better is that when his VFX powers are combined with his other available attacks (voomerangs, slide maneuvers, shocking pink bombs, etc) Joe can be quite a formidable opponent. In fact, using all of these abilities together is one of Joe's most appealing aspects; as user creativity, experimentation, and tenacity are all rewarded regardless of which difficulty level they're playing on. What's more, is that the proper use of these skills are the only way in which players can solve puzzles and progress to the next part of certain stages. This type of symbiotic relationship between gameplay mechanics and stage design creates a definite rhythm and harmony not seen in most other videogames; and it just goes to prove that there's a reason and purpose for everything.

You'll need that kind of mechanical accessibility too. Because above anything else, Viewtiful Joe is incredibly challenging. Easily among the most difficult games of the last couple of years (Jak II and Stuntman, we're looking at you), Clover's port will test your reflexes time and time again. Trying the game on Adult Mode your first time through is absolute suicide, and finding ways to cope with the swarms of different enemies on the higher levels is even more insane. But truthfully, it's just this type of challenge that a combat system that's this diverse and playable really needs in order to make it fun. And fun is what it is

Rock On and Power Up!
Viewtiful Joe's appeal doesn't stop there; however, as it also offers a whole lot more than just an incredibly flexible combat engine. Players will also be able to build their character so that he can become more and more powerful as the game goes on. Implementing the Shocking Pinks and Voomerangs we mentioned earlier can only be done through their purchase at the Viewtiful Shop; with other cool add-ons like health hearts, extra lives, and turbo chargers available to the financially stable player.

Being able to afford these items is all part of the strategy, though; as gamers can only earn the currency they need to pay for them by performing outlandish combos and using crazy moves on enemies. The cool thing is, that the more insane and complicated an attack may be, the more 'Viewtifuls' players will earn to spend in the shop. So not only does this add yet another layer to the great overlapping relationship in regards to the gameplay, it gives gamers better rewards for performing better on the battlefield.

But being able to perform crazy maneuvers and combinations come at a price. As players must keep their eye on their VFX gauge to make sure they can pull them off. And while most games always have some kind of special meter or magic gauge that players have to watch to prevent the abuse of special powers, Viewtiful Joe's is balanced in a way that makes sense. Plus, players are never truly crippled when their gauge runs empty -- because, while they'll transform back into Joe's average guy form rather than that of a superhero, they'll still be able to keep punching, kicking, and jumping so that they can kill foes and keep the hectic action moving along on its steady pace.

Supplementing that action quite nicely is another one of Joe's strongest aspects; it's style and visual presentation. Truthfully unlike anything else we've ever seen, the game's over-embellished black lines, bright and flashy colors, strangely designed characters, and pseudo cel-shaded look combine for one appealing amalgam of retro creativity. Of particular note are the peculiar-looking enemy creatures that range from speedy weirdoes in top hats and humanoid bat-things to mechanical rocket-powered cyborgs and creepy one-eye robots. Amazingly, Viewtiful Joe looks just as good as it plays.

Devil May Cry Baby, Yeah!
Already the star of a pair of PlayStation 2 titles with another one on the way, Devil May Cry's Dante is also about to appear in Atlus' upcoming techno-RPG Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. And with a resume like that we suppose it's no big surprise that Dante has the honor of being in Viewtiful Joe as well. In fact, he joins a whole slew of hidden bonus characters that players receive for achieving specific milestones in their conquering of the game.

Playing very similarly to fellow hidden character Alastor (which, not coincidentally, is the name of Dante's sword in Devil May Cry), Dante adds a whole new dynamic to the Viewtiful Joe adventure. Able to use both his sword and duel pistols against whatever gets in his way, the demon hunting badass from Sparda's loins is in many ways more fun to play than Joe himself. Granted, his superior long-range abilities and slightly faster sword movements make the game a little bit easier than it would be normally, but who cares? You'll need all the help you can get. Plus, Dante's a great incentive for frequent Viewtiful Joe players that want to experience the whole trip over again. Capcom has even included a easier 'Sweet Mode' difficulty setting only previously available in the Japanese GameCube's specialty release, Viewtiful Joe Revival. But be warned, this mode is best left for sissies and GameShark users only.

Imperfections A-Go-Go
Despite the game's vast challenges, terrific art style, and deep gameplay mechanics, Viewtiful Joe still has a few shortcomings that keep it from achieving perfection. Of course, the most obvious of these inadequacies are the same ones that we had with the GameCube version -- that is, the lack of several diverse and boss characters and its somewhat incoherent storyline. And while we really didn't expect those particular aspects to be addressed in this version (it is only a slightly enhanced port after all) that still doesn't change the fact that they're legitimate issues... small ones that they may be.

Additionally, as fun, unique, and addictive as Viewtiful Joe is, it doesn't really offer the kind of varied longevity that your typical Triple A titles normally do. So while our GameCube colleagues felt that the seven to ten hour completion time for each playable was more than adequate, we sort of wished that there were just a few more stages to choose from. Sure it's cool that you can play through the game multiple times on multiple difficulty settings with multiple characters, but in this day and age of massive action-based projects, seven episodes still feels a nit light.

As for the differences between the PlayStation 2 and GameCube versions technologically, there are a few -- specifically in terms of slowdown and transparency. Later levels, in particular, boast occasional chugs in the action that weren't present in Nintendo's effort. While several objects that enjoyed translucent statuses in the GCN rendition were solidified to cut down on used resources. Another little difference we noticed is that it appears the PS2 version doesn't support progressive scan like the Cube game did. Though, it is possible that pro-scan support could be in there as a hidden command that we just haven't figured out yet. Finally for you completists out there, the PlayStation 2 manual is slightly thinner and printed in Black and White, while the Cube game's manual was thicker and in full color.

Closing Comments
Despite the faults we listed above, none of them are actually severe enough to hamper what Viewtiful Joe ultimately brings to the table: which is nothing short of pure unadulterated entertainment. And while the game may not push any technological boundaries or attempt some kind of mind-numbing new game design, it does manage to accomplish its goal with a ruthless and laudable precision. That goal, by the way, is fun.

But you know what? In this day and age of menu-driven, overly complicated super-adventures that require players to memorize lists, contend with lengthy cutscenes, and weed through exploration hell, Viewtiful Joe's simplistic stab at fun is a breath of fresh air -- even if it is a full year after the original game's release. Throw in the fact that it costs less than $30 bucks and that it boasts one of the most flexible and enjoyable combat systems around, and you have yourself plenty of reasons why every PS2 owner should own one.

Great Game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: September 04, 2004
Author: Amazon User

If I could I'd give it a 4 1/2 stars, but 4 is close enough. Fun, fast paced action, cool cel-shaded graphics, and it's pretty funny to boot. Overall I recommend this to everyone. Though not quite perfect, it's very fun. 4.5/5

Great, Great and awsome

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 7
Date: November 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This is the best game I have ever played, it even beats GTA San Andreas!! You can do every things you thought you can - and its awsome!

The Best Platform Game After Crash on PS2

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: September 21, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Great Action, Funny Characters, Good grapghics, if you like Crash you'll like Viewtiful Joy!

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