Microsoft
recently announced that there are currently 350,000 subscribers on Xbox
Live! These members are playing games such as Mechassault and Tom
Clancys Ghost Recon, against a wide array of competitors all over
United States. I was given the honor to review one of the newest
additions to the Xbox Live! collection, Capcoms Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO,
and playing this game only made me realize one thing: I get my butt
kicked easily by 349,999 other gamers.
Thats
right, fellas, you heard right. Despite being a multi-platform game that
spans through the Playstation 2, and Gamecube, its the debut of Capcom
vs. SNK 2 on the Xbox that makes the biggest bang for the buck because
of the two words fighting-genre lovers have been eagerly anticipating:
Online capability.
Now if
you dont know what Capcom or SNK are, then I suggest returning to the
wonder that is the moss growing in your shelter. Ten years ago, what
seemed to be a competition between the two greatest fighting-genre
companies, Capcom and SNK, became reality when their characters clashed
forces on the ill-fated NeoGeo Pocket Color. Gamers got to live out
their fantasies of who would reign victorious in battles such as Ryu vs.
Kyo, Ken vs. Terry, Chun-Li vs. Mai, and Akuma vs. Iori. This led to the
console appearance of Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight on the Dreamcast
and the Playstation. Unfortunately, through time, all three previously
mentioned systems died and withered away, and it was time for the
next-generation big boys to come in. Capcom vs. SNK 2 was released on
Playstation 2, and later, on the Gamecube.
Capcom
vs. SNK 2 EO gathers the best fighters from both companies. On the SNK
division, classic stars from Fatal Fury, Samurai Showdown, and the King
of Fighters series. From the Capcom division, expect to see the stars
from Darkstalkers, Rival Schools, and the Street Fighter series. Sadly,
Capcom chose to exclude some of their more eclectic characters such as
Mega Man, Jin, or Strider, which are included in the Marvel vs. Capcom
series.
Capcom
vs. SNK 2 EO elects to have the same systems as it did in its
predecessor, which consists of the Free Ratio System and its Groove
System. The Free Ratio System lets the players assign a point value to a
given character, which would thereby increase the characters strength.
This means a battle could consist of a group of three characters that
split four points between them, against only one character that has all
four points, which gives the character a higher strength capacity to
compensate for the number of opponents.
The
Groove System gives a player a style of customization of their
characters. There are six grooves altogether, which are slyly named C,
A, P, S, N, and K grooves. The main emphasis on each groove is how each
players super meter is powered up, and how those super attacks can be
executed. For example, in the C groove, the characters super meter is
built up as the character attacks. The super meter can be accumulated up
to three levels, with each levels super attack resulting in a different
strength level. In the S groove, on the other hand, holding the High
Punch and the High Kick buttons together charges the super meter.
Filling up the meter gives the player the opportunity to perform a super
attack, as well as an added benefit of stronger normal attacks. Also,
not only do the grooves affect the super meter system, each groove gives
different movement abilities, such as rolling, air blocking, tactical
recovery, dashing, and counterattacking. So choosing the right groove
for each player is essential for maximizing strategies.
Now if
reading the last paragraph has left you with a blank stare, fear not.
Introduced in the Neo Geo Pocket Color and Gamecube versions, EO-ism is
implemented into the game for those who are beginners. With EO-ism, all
that is needed to execute a special move such as a projectile or an
aerial attack is the flick of the right joystick. A certain degree of
the joystick is allotted for a particular move. For example, for
characters like Ken, Ryu, and Akuma, pressing forwards on the right
joystick will perform a fireball attack, while pressing backwards will
result in a tornado kick. Also, since the Xbox controller is an analog
controller, the strength of each move is determined by how far the
joystick is tilted. The face buttons then become additional maneuvers
such as rolling, dashing, and counterattacking, depending on the
selected groove. This makes playing the game far simpler for newcomers,
and actually gives them a fighting chance against
seasoned-professionals.
Other
than the Free Ratio System, Groove System, and EO-ism, Capcom vs. SNK 2
does provide an averagearray of options. A player can choose to forgo
the Ratio System, and fight three on three, or even classic one-on-one
battles. There is a Training Mode to spruce up on your combat skills,
and a Survival Mode that carries the option of pitting your character
against all the 40+ characters in the game. The game also supplies a
Color Edit Mode in which the player is given the opportunity to change a
characters outfit color, hair color, and even skin color. And of
course, theres the standard Versus Mode in which you can prove to your
little brother Timmy once and for all whos the master of Akumas Raging
Death move.
Now to
the part weve all been waiting for: the online play. For the most part,
its flawless. Emphasis on "most" in "For the most part." The remainder
of that part is that there is lag during online play. Its not often,
but youll curse the day when you do run into it. From my previous
experiences online, the lag even began at the character select screen.
It is like watching ER with commercial breaks every two seconds. In a
fast-paced game that depends on your every action and reflexes, its
aggravating when youre about to jump-attack your opponent, and your
opponent literally watches you freeze in mid-air, changes his game plan
to counter your character with the uppercut, and then to be heckled by a
ten-year old boy. Ok, so that was only one case (I will defeat that boy
eventually), but the point is obvious: no one likes lag during online
play, and it does appear in Capcom vs. SNK 2.
Other
than the lag, the online system works effectively. The main highlight of
Capcom vs. SNK 2s online capability, is that Live! members can
challenge other members in the United States, as well as those
worldwide. This is an exhilarating addition to console gaming world, and
enhances the playability ten-fold. The Live! system tests and verifies
each members connectivity speed to ensure maximum playing performance,
but sadly, this feature is not 100% reliable. There are also multiple
options available, including the option to challenge only EO-ism
players, or exclude EO-ism players from your search list. Each members
statistics are also retained, so a challenger can view how many battles
that members won or loss. All these features provide a strong
foundation for future games to build upon.
It must
be noted that using either versions of the Xbox controllers will take
some adjusting. The original Xbox controller, while bulky, is
appropriate for arcade-style playing. The layout of the six face buttons
allows players to easily access their fighting button of choice,
although the white and black buttons may be awkward for some to use due
to their oblong shape. The S controller on the other hand, is easier for
players to hold in both hands, but the white and black buttons are
uncomfortably placed towards the bottom of the controller, rendering
them practically useless. Also, strangely, the L and R triggers cannot
be customized, which sacrifices flexibility.
On the
graphics front, the characters show their immortality by never changing,
never aging, and never going away. I suppose Capcom follows the age-old
belief, "If it works, why change it?" Capcom needs to add a facelift of
new or different depths to their characters, and without new special
abilities, coherent storylines, or even outfit changes, that day may
never come. The animated 3-D like backgrounds are a step towards a fresh
new appearance, but is still a minor one. As for the sounds, theres
nothing much to rave about. Although one problem I noticed must be
mentioned. It might be solely my copy of Capcom vs. SNK 2, but the
background music tends to disappear in the second round, leaving barren
sounds of punching and kicking to echo through the speakers. This
occurred while playing online, and on another Xbox console no less.
Hopefully this is a problem that plagues only my copy.
To conclude, if you own an Xbox Live! account (which presumably
entails owning an Xbox as well) and are not bothered by the unchanged
traditional Capcom and SNK characters, I would highly suggest investing
in Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO. Even if you own a version of it on another
platform, the online experience is definitely worth it, especially if
youre tired of kicking your neighbors butt. As for me, I dont need a
Japanese translator to understand the universal language of laughter.