|
|
|
|
|
System:
Nintendo DS
Genre:
Action Adventure
ESRB Rating:
E
Release Date:
1- 2005
Action Adventure
ESRB Rating:
E
Release Date:
1- 2005
Publisher:
Capcom
Developer:
Clover Studio
Capcom
Developer:
Clover Studio
CUBE128
Published:2- 2005
User Views: 1342
User Replies: 0
Is Joe's first handheld crusade a viewtiful thing?
The Xbox 360 has finally hit stores, and both the PlayStation3 and Nintendo Revolution are only a few months into the future. With our current generation consoles soon being replaced, not many new series are bound to shine, but we can always look back at the ones that did. One of these shining stars that debuted during the current generation of consoles is the Viewtiful Joe series from Capcom. Although our beloved action hero has already added three games to the Gamecube and Playstation 2’s libraries, he has now moved on and embarked on a dual-screened journey on Nintendo’s latest majestic, Nintendo DS, with the all-new Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble!.
When Capcom first announced development of Viewtiful Joe for the DS, many inquired about how the series could continue and expand upon its sterling console editions on such a limited system. The hardware didn’t seem powerful enough to smoothly support the title, especially with games like Meteos and Kirby: Canvas Curse being suggested as the DS’s landmark titles at the time. How would Capcom implement comparable graphics and a slew of VFX powers without compromising the length, value, or graphical presentation of the game? Read on.
Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble! is an all-new VJ title that follows a new story. During the filming of the Captain Blue movie in Movieland, a theme park modeled after hit action movies, a mysterious army known as the Madow snatches the movie’s film. As Viewtiful Joe you embark on a quest with your younger sister and aspiring actress Jasmine through Movieland in search of the stolen film.
When it comes to depth, Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble! is no Mario Kart DS: no multi-player, online, or various single-player modes, but it’s no pushover either. It only offers a compelling and moderately deep single-player story. You won’t plow through these levels in a few hours; you may complete the game in roughly 12 hours depending on how skilled you are and how easily you can solve these puzzles.
The first thing that separates the DS installment of the Viewtiful Joe series from its predecessors is a stronger focus on different elements of gameplay. Unlike the past VJ titles, Double Trouble! focuses on using your powers to solve puzzles more than fighting enemies. Combat is still a large part of the game, and you will be challenged to defeat enemies here and there. Many fans of the past titles may find this great or disappointing if they were looking forward to a deeper focus on combat, but the stronger focus on puzzles adds great depth to the game and makes it feel more complete; I feel this is what the first and second incarnations were missing.
Double Trouble! emulates the past editions in the series almost perfectly when it comes to the graphical presentation; it's both stylish and creative. This game looks great and continues to use the 2-D comic art style just like the past incarnations. Joe’s VFX powers look great; the slow-mo effect couldn’t get any smoother. The environments are as creative as ever, you will find yourself towering over the set of a miniature city and leaping from a merry-go-round to a ferris wheel in a carnival housed in a blanket of snow. The courses are not only creative but very drawn out, so much so that you may only complete one level in a single sitting, especially with colossal boss battles before the conclusion of each course.
While exploring these vast levels, you will be challenged by not only mind-bending puzzles but also enemies. Following its past incarnations, there's no way to better rid yourself of these foes than by utilizing your V-watch's VFX powers. Double Trouble! offers the now classic slow-motion, but Capcom’s Clover Studio has come up with some new powers as well, some more creative than others.
The first new addition is the scratch ability. Using scratch allows Joe to bombard his foes with everything from baseballs to frying pans by the player stroking the touch screen repeatedly upon stunning an enemy or enemies. As previously stated, Double Trouble! has a much stronger focus on puzzle solving, and so the scratch ability can also be used to scratch boulders off the screen or break a tank of water to solve a puzzle and proceed in content.
As well as the scratch ability, Clover included the slide ability. As you play Double Trouble!, the bottom screen houses the action while the top closes up on Joe or indicates the key to a puzzle, whether it be a switch or a dial of sort. Using slide allows you to switch the top screen with the bottom by a simple vertical stoke of the stylus. This power can be used to flip a switch to solve a puzzle or to defeat foes, when slide is used on Joe’s encounters with enemies, Joe’s hands and feet are more powerful and increase in size, allowing you to unleash a siege of attacks and deal major damage.
Lastly is the inclusion of one of the most impressive ideas I have seen in a videogame yet, the split ability. Using split allows you to split the top portion of the screen and slide it towards or away from you using the stylus. This ability can not be used in combat but to solve puzzles. One example of how this innovation can be used is to get past the wall to a proceeding room. By splitting the top of the screen you are now able to drag half of the wall towards you allowing you to jump into the room with very little effort.
You may be asking yourself how you will play a game that requires the use of the d pad, X, Y, A, B, buttons, and the use of the stylus with out trouble. This is not as big of a problem as it may seem; it may take getting used to, but I found myself tucking the stylus into my index finger while playing the game, and I experienced little trouble using the brilliant VFX powers in the midst of combat and rushing to solve a puzzle. Every once in a while I slid the screen by accident while trying to use split very quickly, I feel the controls could have been tighter.
The Viewtiful Joe series always delivered impressive sound tracks for players to enjoy while completing a course. Double Trouble!, along with almost identical graphics, doesn’t fail continuing aspects of the past series installments here either. Each tune complements its corresponding course nicely, although some courses implement similar music. This installment implements some easily forgettable tunes and then some tunes that may inspire you to reenact some of Joe’s comedic antics.
| Depth |
8.0
|
|
|
|
| Double Trouble! seems a bit shallow, as it only offers a single-player story, but it’s a great and lengthy story that can always be played again on other difficulty settings. |
| Gameplay |
9.0
|
|
|
|
| Although with these new VFX abilities comes some sluggish controls that take getting used to, Double Trouble! is still really fun, and the focus on puzzles over combat adds a fresh new take on the series for fans of the previous incarnations. |
| Graphics |
9.0
|
|
|
|
| Exciting and lively colors help emulate the previous games almost exactly. These graphics are very impressive but nothing new. |
| Replay Value |
8.0
|
|
|
|
| Not much replay value in this title: Nothing in particular will push you to play through it twice. |
| Sound |
8.5
|
|
|
|
| There are some great tunes and some less memorable ones as well, all in all though this game sports great sound quality. |
| Overall |
8.5
|
|
|
|
| In the end, this is not a must-own Nintendo DS title, unless you extremely enjoyed the past titles. Although it is definitely very impressive and shows how far the DS can be push technologically, there is no reason to choose this title over other DS hits like Mario Kart DS and Nintendogs; but you should definitely check this title out. |
| Post Comment Game
|