Gamer's Perspective

Capcom creates another solid entry into its Maximo franchise with Maximo vs Army of Zin. In this newest installment into the series that was inspired by Capcom's classic Ghosts & Goblins titles, we follow Maximo and Grim on a quest to find Maximo's beloved Sophia who was lost after his battle with Achilles in his first outing on the PS2. Their search is abruptly interrupted by mechanical monstersdropping from the sky, destroying villagers and slaughtering townsfolk and so his quest begins.

Maximo AoZ is a great title, it's obvious that Capcom has put a lot of time and energy in creating a word in which one can get lost for hours just looking at all the graphic details. Each board is alive with swaying lamps, signs trees and other forms of overgrown vegetation not to mention being littered with a variety of things like destroyed stage coaches, enflamed covered bridges and decrepit tombstones. Levels range from forests, gorges, swamps and countless other motifs all adding to the eerie mood in which this game plays out. Character and enemy animations are fluid and crisp and the CG movie breaks are well done in regards to both visuals and voicework. Musically Maximo AoZ is well done, each level has a unique piece that does well to add to the dark mood set by the graphics, while it can't hold a candle to classic darker soundtracks like Castlevania Symphony of the Night it is solidly done none-the-less.

Structure wise Maximo AoZ really shines, you move from board to board via a level select screen, there is no longer a level hub a la Maximo Ghosts to Glory. This is a nice change as it gives the gamer a much needed rest between each stage without having to worry about losing life moving from one stage to another. Each level can be hurried through or one can take the time to rescue villagers, find hidden treasures or collect all of the level's coins it's really up to whomever is playing. At the end of each level everthing you have collected is compaired to how many possible items can be found, so you are always encouraged to play through the level again and again until all the possible items are found and since the levels are not particularly long it never feels like a chore to do so.

Maximo Aoz's Gameplay is simple yet great. Controls are very basic yet mastery of each board really requires skill, it harkens back to the days of classic action games such as Ninja Gaiden and Mega Man. This time around Maximo can earn a variety of moves and abilities through the purchase of such skills from rescued villagers adding new ways in which to slice and dice the Clockwork Army. Enemy are both intelligent and crafty as the do a pretty good job of teaming up getting their licks in from behind as others attack you from the front. Even with the occasional stab in the back the camera
is spot on as it never fails to give you the best possible angle for battle and exploration.

A review would not be complete without mention of some negatives, of which honestly there is only one. The problem is difficulty, but not in the way you may be thinking. Maximo GtG was generally given good reviews by the gaming press, yet many complained about the difficulty (which personally I found the difficulty to be quite resonable) and unfortunately Capcom listened as they have definately made the game much easier. Extra lives are easy to come by and each levels entourage of enemies are much easier to dispatch. It is too bad really since Maximo's first outing was a breath of fresh air in regards to todays casual-gamer-friendly atmosphere. But I don't want you to think that this means it is an easy game, as it it still much more difficult than most games on the market.

With this minor complaint aside Maximo vs Army of Zin is a great addition to any gamer's library. Do yourself a favor and support Capcom's creation of a quality game and pick it up today.

My Final Score is a 9.2

Jeremy Mravlja Gamer's Perspective