Chris-FaylorConfirming one of the industry’s most well-known secrets, Capcom today announced that both Viewtiful Joe 1 and 2 are to be released on the Playstation 2 later this year.
Viewtiful Joe will be an identical port of the Gamecube version released last fall, with the only known change being the addition of Devil May Cry's Dante as a playable character. While the port isn't being handled by Clover Studio, the crew who did the original Viewtiful Joe, Clover Studio will be overseeing it to ensure a quality job.
Viewtiful Joe 2, on the other hand, is being done by Clover Studio. Joe and his now-superheroine girlfriend Silvia return to kick ass as stylishly as they can. The original came under fire for being too difficult, and as such the team has made Viewtiful Joe 2 more accessible to casual gamers. No worries for the hardcore though, the game is said to be just as challenging. Though those statements seem rather redundant, we expect this means that easy mode will actually be easy this time around.
The sequel adds 40 new enemies to the mix. Thankfully, you won't have to fight them alone. A new co-op mode allows you and a friend to engage in the simultaneous destruction of enemies. You'll even be able to perform VFX combos with your partner, adding another layer of depth to the gameplay. The additions don’t stop there. All the old VFX powers will return, along with a new Replay power. Replay allows you to re-enact a scene three times in a row, in effect tripling the power of your actions. This power is a double-edged sword though, perform it at the wrong time and you receive three times the damage.
You won't spend the entire game on-foot, either. At times, Joe's Six Machine will transform into a racer, a cannon, a drill, or a submarine, allowing for entirely new gameplay mechanics. With environments including the jungle, underground ruins, ancient Japan, snowy mountains, and outer space, these new vehicles will definitely come in handy.
With a release planned for this winter, Viewtiful Joe 2 is looking to add even more spice to one of last year's most enjoyable titles. Meanwhile, gamers that never got to experience the joy of Viewtiful Joe will have their chance this fall. And with E3 just around the corner, you won't have to wait much longer to hear more about the upcoming sequel.