It’s been exactly a year since an unusual hero saw the light of day in the world of the PAL console: Viewtiful Joe saved the world of the GameCube from insane screen actors in the action hit of the same name and, thanks to innovative gameplay and stunning comic graphics Thank you, received a distinguished man! On AC Awards. Now Cartoon Bear is making the move to PS2 – including special surprises!

The movie fan who unwittingly becomes the lead actor during a casual evening at the cinema with his friend Sylvia: a mysterious force moves him from plush armchairs to the currently running action strip. Thankfully, screen idol Captain Blue takes over Joe and teaches him essential superhero survival skills. In addition to the standard punches and kicks, throughout the 2D adventure you’ll learn how to slow down or speed up time for a limited period of time, as well as hero zoom.

Thanks to these three techniques, which shake the screen with excitingly staged beating combos and burst diverse opponents into their different parts – there are face value and the occasional health culinary virtual reward in the form of hamburgers. You use the money you earn at the end of a section for upgrades such as an extended life bar or slide attack.

Also, slow motion, mech speed and zoom are good for solving various clever puzzles. Rotor platforms, among other things, float on the ground in slow motion, as all fan blades move much more slowly. If Joe is standing on such an unusual means of transportation, you animate the rotor to spin faster through Mach speed – as a result, your alter ego constantly slides upwards. Finally, a close-up of the hero lets you see small objects better, for example, or allows you to perform a crazy acrobatic.

These skills are indispensable in episode seven: Only those who have mastered all the techniques in their sleep will survive scenes like the Haunted House, the sewer system, and the space station—not to mention stubborn bosses. Among other things, the giant bats and Joe doppelgangers want to be defeated. Fortunately, Capcom integrated the optional ‘Easy’ difficulty level of the second version of the Japanese GameCube, so that even less experienced players can see the higher levels. PS2-exclusive, however, is the presence of Devil May Cry-Hero Dante, who gets inspired to play again after completing the adventure with a stack of swords and pistols.