Maximo Vs. Army of Zin

The original Maximo took a brave stab at bringing the classic 2D run 'n' jump gameplay of Capcom's spooktacular Ghouls 'n' Ghosts series into the modern age. It garnered fantastic reviews, but if you ask me, critics were overly kind to its faults--all that pinpoint platforming didn't translate well to the third dimension, the difficulty curve spiked erratically, and some levels were just plain dull. So, you'd think that Army ofZin would address all of these quibbles and perfect the formula, right? Wrong. Zin is actually a small step back for the franchise. Uninspired visuals provide the first clue that something is amiss: Nearly all of the stages bore with drab colors and lifeless backgrounds, and odd bouts of choppiness slow down the action. Plus, the characters look extremely simplistic and blocky, especially in close-up cut-scenes. Gameplay is much the same as in the first game-- you run around thwacking enemies, collecting goodies, and rescuing damsels in distress. Most levels are linear treks from point A to point B, so the occasional creative diversion really stands out: More stages akin to those in which you fight alongside A.I. comrades or bring down an iron airship would have infused some much-needed freshness. As it stands, you're basically beating up the same five enemies over and over, collecting money to buy a handful of new moves, and repeatedly dying during incredibly frustrating jumping bits. (Hey Capcom, what happened to toning down the platforming?) Rent it and get your fill.

Call me nutty, but I thought sequels were supposed to improve on the games that preceded them: you know, offer souped-up weapons, tweaked gameplay, new moves, yada, yada, yada. Army ofZin just doesn't do the job. Killing enemies--mostly a motley crew of brain-dead robots--doesn't require any figuring out like in the prequel (one of that game's most endearing points). The levels aren't as interesting, either (although they sprawl toward the end and pack plenty of secrets), and you're forced to replay previous stages just to build up your arsenal of attacks for the trickier later levels and bosses. The game does keep up the original's compelling pace, with enemies swarming you nearly every step of the way. I never got bored--I just never got all that excited, either.

I think Shane and Crispin forget just how annoying and numerous the tricky jumping bits were in the original Maximo. Zin's platforming bits represent a huge improvement--they're challenging but not sadistic. And while I agree combat could've used more strategy (you'll forget you even have a block move), the new attacks and weapons you can earn kept me happily mashing buttons. Zin is old school in many ways, and it lacks a feature or gimmick that really stands out, but this is a solid entry to the genre that action-platform fans will definitely find worth checking out.