I finally game in today and picked up Viewtiful Joe 2, and King of Fighters: Maximum Impact. Viewtiful Joe 2 cost me $40, and KoF: MI was $35, pretty much why I picked them both up from EB. I wasn't sure on KoF:MI, because normally 2D to 3D conversions suck ass big time, and I had read both good and bad things about the game. However I was pleasantly surprised with it.
The first thing I noticed with Maximum Impact is the sheer speed of it, it's right up there with it's 2D counterpart, well more of less. I am seriously not kidding, it's the fastest goddamn 3D fighter I have ever played, and I love it for that. I've always wanted a 3D fighter that played at a 2D pace, but until now nothing has really done it right. If this game had a little more work done on it and polish, it would be a wicked fighter. Because it's KoF, all your favourite characters are here, with all their trademark moves and you can pull of some utterly ridiculous combos and juggles in the game, even bouncing opponents off of walls in the process.
Though one thing that is fairly obvious, the game being the way that it is, it's very open to button mashing, though this isn't too bad as it does allow people of any skill to play, and this game would make a great 2 player outing. One other thing to note is that the way the game plays, being very fast, I found it a bit of a strain to use the Dual Shock controller. After playing though story mode just once, my thumb really ached after it, though any arcade sick would make a great difference.
If you have ever played a KoF game you know the deal, this is pretty much the same deal but just in 3D, I know it's hard to believe. The controls are fairly solid in the game, though I did find that getting up after being knocked down is hard at times, there doesn't really seem to be a back roll or anything, you just get up which leaves you open to your opponent smacking you again. It quite a clean looking game as well, just he 3D arenas look a bit plain, they kind of reminded me of Fighting Vipers.
What I would love to see happen, is that Capcom, or SNK work with someone has already produced a 3D fighter like Namco or Techmo and produce a seriously fast 3D fighter. Maybe Street Fighter vs Tekken, it could seriously work if it was produced like Maximum Impact is, just with more polish and some reworked gameplay mechanics.
In the end, for $35 if your a KoF fan, or just looking for a fun 3D fighter to have a bash with a friend it defiantly worth a look.
I'll talk about Viewtiful Joe 2 tomorrow.
