Back in 2001, Capcom released a little-known gem called
“Maximo,” a game that rejuvenized the dying
action/adventure genre. Hearkening to the classic series
“Ghosts and Goblins,” “Maximo” featured a
similarly armored knight (heart-shape boxers and all) and his quest
to save the princess. Now, Maximo returns in “Maximo vs. Army
of Zin” but fails to go the extra mile in making a truly
memorable sequel.
Gameplay in “Zin” is as solid as ever. Every sword
slice, shield throw and platforming element has been refined even
further from the already stellar controls of its predecessor. New
combos and hordes of enemies make combat fun and intense. The
biggest addition is a second playable character named Grim, who can
be called upon to help Maximo. The game is still running on the
same engine as the original, preventing things from truly
changing.
Graphically, the cartoonish style fits the game perfectly. But
even in this arena, the changes between the first installment and
this one are only marginal, making the game feel dated.
Fans of the old Nintendo classic “Ghosts and
Goblins” will love to relive that style of gameplay in a 3-D
arena. However, gamers who made it through “Maximo”
will be expecting a lot more from the sequel than what is
presented. Capcom should know the difference between a good sequel
and a bad one by now (especially after all those
“Megaman” and “Street Fighter” games), but
they still released a halfhearted effort with “Maximo vs.
Army of Zin.”
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars