Maximo is what Capcom can do if they really put their strength behind it. We've been mighty critical of Capcom over here at Netjak.com, and for good reason. Lower than mediocre games like Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter and Mega Man X7 just won't impress us. However, Capcom has done the unlikely and taken an original game called Maximo:Ghosts to Glory and actually made an amazing sequel in the form of Maximo vs. Army of Zin.
The original Maximo game, though amazing, turned many off because of its difficulty. Many ignored the tight controls, wonderful humor, great combat, and genius-designed levels because they couldn't make it to the next save spot as quickly as they wished. Maximo:Ghosts to Glory is the definitive “hardcore game”, and truly separated the men from the boys.
Maximo vs Army of Zin doesn't let up one bit. It sure might seem that way, because of the choice to play the game in “normal” or “hard” mode right at the start, and the fact that this time around, there are no collapsing surfaces in the very first level. While the people behind this game had the sensitivity to make the learning curve less steep, the game's expert skill requirements certainly shine through as the game progresses, even in the normal mode. And so the game begins.
Maximo never does find his Sophia in part one, but ended up fighting a monstrosity version of her at the end, setting up one of the coolest end-boss fights in Playstation gaming history (a fight that many people never saw, due to the difficulty of getting there). However, in part two, his dedication to find her lost soul continues. Even Death, who honors Maximo's greatness by helping him with the search and fighting alongside of him, has no idea where Sophia might be. This leads to the very logical conclusion that she is alive, if even Death cannot find her.
However, a new distraction to his quest occurs as the forbidden Army of Zin is reawakened, and begins to ravage the land with their legion of demonic robots. Maximo, a man of honor from eyebrow to toenail, decides to end their rampage while perhaps also finding clues as to the whereabouts of his lost love.
It becomes clear right from the start that Maximo has apparently learned a few new tricks in terms of hand to hand combat. In Ghosts to Glory, the fighting in this platformer was better than most beat 'em ups. In Army of Zin, Maximo is equipped with so many new techniques, combos, and attacks that it feels almost like Devil May Cry (as a matter of fact, Capcom used their license to steal one of Dante's more impressive moves and give it to Maximo). More Devil May Cry influence may be felt in Maximo's new ability to transform INTO Death and be pretty much invincible during the short time he dons the hood and scythe. The possible combos and variations are very liquid in their transition and relation to one another. Even long air combos are possible now!
These moves are to be used against the bad guys, of course, and the Army of Zin is nothing to laugh at. These demonic/robotic hybrids not only look cool, but they require the gamer's arsenal of control skill to defeat. This isn't like Megaman X7 where one button pressed over and over will defeat 90% of the villains in the game. These nasty looking creatures will come from the sky, from the water, be built up like a tank, or come in the form of some of the best looking and memorable bosses in gaming. They will utilize a wide variety of attack styles and patterns, requiring all forms of Maximo's defense, including his ever-faithful shield(his armor will also hold up...until he must literally fight in his underwear!). In Army of Zin the actual fighting is not only a joy, but exchanging blows with this game's great looking bestiary makes things even better. The combat monotony that sets in with a game such as Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance 2 won't happen here.
However, the game IS a platformer, though it will often not feel like one. There are elements of jumping, running, and collecting shiny things that sparkle through the air, fall at your feet, fly from exploding enemies, or are floating in space for inexplicable reasons(besides those floating over empty space; the reason being that you die trying to get them). Army of Zin has some of the best looking jumps in a platformer, causing adrenaline rushes and only a thirst for more. As in most platformers, there is an act of mercy built into the software allowing a near miss of a jump to lead to the hero clinging on the edge. In this case, Maximo will use his sword (or later gained hammer) to stick into a wall and spring his way over the edge. The problem with this act of mercy is that it is not always merciful. There seems to be no explanation as to why Maximo will cling to one edge and not another, where the solution to finding out usually leads to death down a bottomless pit.
Besides this, Maximo generally does whatever the gamer wants him to do, even capable of jumping in one direction and then mysteriously jumping again in another direction while still in the first jump. This is the kind of lovely cheating that a game will allow, especially if the game is as hard as Army of Zin. Mastery of Maximo's controls leads to more “koins”. If a demon-robot can be defeated with the best combos, more koins spill out of its severed skull. If the gamer can jump and run after the most out of reach secret areas, there will always be a treasure chest full of richness. These koins are used to buy armor, hints and tips, even MORE combos and attacks, health refreshment, and extra lives. This time around, saving is free, another way in which Capcom has made Army of Zin deceptively easier than the original.
Sometimes bad controls have something to do with bad graphics. This is because the gamer doesn't know where to jump, or where to attack, or what's happening, leading to immense frustration often blamed on bad controls. It can also be bad graphics, because graphics have to do with the ability to see what's on the screen. Army of Zin not only has everything in sharp, colorful detail, but falls under that sub-genre of games (not only reserved for Xbox and Gamecube) called “eye candy”. Everything is a beauty to behold. The mist, falling leaves, grass, shiny armor, groups of fireflys, the wonderful cloudy backgrounds with fading castles are all much sharper than what was already a great graphical job in part one. The only exception to this rule is the horrible looking fire effects; rumor has it that the PS2 has a had time presenting fire and this might be further evidence. There is an level in the game where everything is aflame, but the flames look almost like sheets of yellow/orange paper. It's suppose to be impossible to see the “edge” of a particular swath of flame, right Capcom? Right.
Camera also has a mighty say in how the game is controlled. There is no excuse for any 3D game of this generation not to have a camera that can be player-rotated 360 degrees. Luckily, Army of Zin has this component, as well as a nifty first person point of view. The camera isn't perfect, however, failing not often but certainly more times than it should in key places. Having to jump blind in this game is NEVER an enjoyable fate.
All of these factors make for a game that is extremely enjoyable to play. The music sounds epic, if a bit cheesy. However, that's the comical point of the developers behind the game, so it's understandable. Army of Zin is also quite cinematic, feeling much more like a cohesive story than the confusing progress and advancement expectations in Ghosts to Glory. Combine this with great sound effects and a touch of comic relief, and this game feels quite often like a humorous adventure movie.
As in Ghosts to Glory, Maximo vs. Army of Zin is for the hardcore gamer. There's quite a lot of quality and thought put behind it, and the best part is that the game's ending leads to very exciting idea of what must be in the third edition of the game. For now, those who want a true video game should pick up Maximo vs. Army of Zin, which will have to be one of the best platformers of 2004.
