It seems like a long time has passed since we first saw a glimpse of a new hero from Capcom called Joe. People generally did not know what to make of it. Was it some sort of super deformed Power Ranger game? Was it just some bizarre sub level of a real game? I saw that Capcom was promising something unique and all I knew was that it was supposed to provide 2D beat 'em up action from a name I have long trusted with 2D ass kicking over the years. I was really looking forward to Viewtiful Joe and loved every second of the Pre-Viewtiful Joe demo which was included on the Nintendo Gamecube Demo Disc which was released a few months back. When all is said and done, I am really pleased with the end result.

I feel a little bad in saying this, but I would be surprised if Viewtiful Joe actually becomes a mainstream success in the US. The gameplay is essentially 2D, the dude looks like a fucked up Power Ranger and it well, it IS on the Gamecube after all. With any luck, though, gamers will see through the quirky look, pick up a Cube for the steal of a price at $99 and snag system exclusives like Viewtiful Joe. While you are at the store, pick up Super Monkey Ball 2. It's cheap now, damnit!

Viewtiful Joe is about, well, a guy named Joe. Joe likes movies. Joe likes his girlfriend, Silvia and Joe likes a superhero named Captain Blue. Long story short, the bad guys jump out of the movie screen, kidnap Silvia and Joe's adventure begins. Like any classic style beat 'em up, story is pretty much nill while the action is high.

Before I get to the action, however, I want to talk about the style of the game. Capcom really put a lot of work into making Viewtiful Joe something special. I dare anyone out there to say that Viewtiful Joe isn't visually interesting. The game sets the tone straight from the opening Capcom logo screen, and the whole intro was one of the most enjoyable sequences I have seen in years. Everything about this game just smacks of style and Capcom's R&D Studio 4 really took a lot of time to make sure of it. I will admit that I am generally a sucker for a game that can pull off a unique look such as this. It is a good way to make me notice a title.

The graphics in Viewtiful Joe are extremely noticeable. The cell shaded look is used masterfully throughout the game with vibrant, fluid characters on top of equally colorful backdrops. The animation is silky smooth as you would expect and special effects permeate the entire package. One of the little touches I love about this title are when you are not in 'Viewtiful' Mode. When you are plain old normal Joe, you see everything through a heavy film grain, complete with the little flecks of debris and fibers that come along to perfect the look. I know the film grain technique has been used before in games such as Silent Hill 2, but it does provide a really interesting style when you are regular Joe. Not only does the film grain pop up, but the world around you dulls a little bit until it is time to be 'Viewtiful' again. It's the little things that really make this game click for me.

Character design is also pretty decent overall. As I have already mentioned, Joe is an amalgam of a few different popular Japanese hero icons and we can see influences from all over. The enemies are also all pretty unique and sometimes a little disturbing such as the tu-tu wearing killer robots. The end result is a motley crew of fun bad guys to kick the hell out of. The only complaint is that there is a lot of repetition of the bad guys. Although I do think there is enough variation, you do see a lot of repeat performances of bosses and sub bosses all throughout the game. Some people are not going to care for that.

The core of the Viewtiful Joe experience is definitely the gameplay though. It is probably the most actual 'fun' I have had playing a game this year so far. Capcom took simple 2D mechanics and threw a sweet twist into the mix to make Viewtiful Joe something really worth playing over and over again just for the fun of it. If any game has a chance of beating out Streets of Rage 2 as my most played beat 'em up, it is probably going to be Viewtiful Joe.

You start the game as plain Joe. Joe can punch, kick, jump, jump and kick, you get the idea. Thankfully, soon enough into the first level you become 'Viewtiful' and gain access to your first power: Slow-mo. Slow-mo gives you the ability to slow down time which also gives your attacks a lot of extra 'umph.' In addition to the basic offensive uses, slow-mo has a ton of additional uses. A basic play mechanic of the game is avoiding an attack from an enemy, then hitting Slow-Mo while counter attacking. This causes you to launch your enemies into each one another, into breakable objects as well as starting combos by attacking additional baddies. Slow-mo also comes into play during the game's numerous puzzle elements. For example, you have to get past a Slot Machine early in the game. The wheels are spinning really really fast... what do you think you should do? Of course the puzzles get a little tougher then that, but you get the idea. Slow-mo can also be employed to help Joe dodge bullets and other projectiles in super slick style.

The next power you receive is Mach Speed. The power is pretty self explanatory. With Mach Speed active, Viewtiful Joe moves at a high rate of speed and throws out super speedy combos, so fast that Joe and his enemies can ignite into flames. The last power can be used in conjunction with the other two or alone, and that is Zoom In. Zooming in brings the action up close and gives Joe different attacks such as a 360 degree spinning kick and jumping charge attacks that plow through enemies and even walls. Combining Zoom with Slow-mo can really rack up the combo points when used properly in a crowded room.

If that wasn't enough, in between levels, you get the chance to buy power ups which will aid you in your quest. Extra health, lives, continues are standard fair but thankfully there is more. Additional moves and powers can be bought to augment your already useful arsenal. Some of the higher up abilities include an ability which effects your power bar by speeding up the recovery of your VFX power. This tends to be a pretty useful thing to have around. Picking out which items to save your money for can really help you out early in the game since all items are available from the start.

Viewtiful Joe does have some problems though that are sure to send gamers away screaming. The game could certainly use a couple more chances to save. Some of the levels can be grueling at first and just when you think you will get to save and breath a bit, you can't. The game also has some well crafted difficulty that a lot of people are not used to anymore. To many, this is not a hinderance, but I don't want anyone to think this is a cakewalk just because it is a shorter length beat 'em up game. I am not even going to list the length as a bad thing since I have already stated time and time again that every game does not have to be an 80 hour epic. Viewtiful Joe remains playable after your first time through due to its high fun factor and extra bonuses for completing the game with higher rankings. People that do not like that style of replayability should either just rent or steer clear.

Viewtiful Joe is a breath of fresh air for me this year. The look is perfect, the gameplay is tremendously fun and I am happy to say that Capcom delivered on one of my most anticipated games of this year. I was chomping at the bit after playing the Pre-Viewtiful Joe demo and I am not disappointed in any real measurable way. Realistically, Joe's chances of success are challenged with its non traditional looks and Gamecube exclusivity, but with the recent price drop I am hoping that people will discover this gem of a disc and enjoy in the fun. It is just nice to see an excellent exclusive for the Cube that does not have the Nintendo logo on the label.