CAPCOM Digital Collection – Review
CAPCOM Digital Collection is a bundle disc with 8 remastered classic and/or popular games. The games on the disc were already available on Xbox live and PSN, but the collection pack was released exclusively for the Xbox 360. Are these games really the classic games they claim to be?
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix:
Street Fighter II is back and in a brand new coat, the game looks classic yet beautifully animated. The sceneries on the background are still there and look well made. The sounds remind us of the old game (but then with better tunes). When it came to updating the appearance and sfx of the game there isn’t much to complain about. Gameplaywise there are a lot more options than the old game had. We get to choose the classic gameplay, the newly updated gameplay and even the fighting speed. It’s never bad to have choices in a game. There is one major flaw and it has nothing to do with the game, the D-pad of the Xbox controller is horrible to play an old school fighter with and the stick isn’t much better either. If you want to nail down those special moves and combo’s i’d do some long practise runs if I were you, at least before you decide to get your ass kicked online. (and you will, believe me) Still if you’re a fan of the series or even played the old Street Fighter II game(s), you will certainly enjoy yourself.
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix:
As with Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix this old school games has been given an updated appearance and the option of online competitive play. The game is a puzzle game which presents you with 4 different ways of playing the game. The first 2 ways of playing the game are nearly identical and require you to combine blocks of the same color and these blocks can be removed when you receive an orb of the same color and combine it with the previously stacked blocks. The 3rd way of playing is a simple 3 in a row, horizontally, vertically and diagonal. When you combine 3 blocks of the same color this way they will be removed. The last way of playing is probably the slowest and least interesting way. The game has already placed blocks for you in advance and rows beneath those blocks will scroll up (with other blocks, duh!). You are then given the chance to rotate the blocks in a 2×2 square. Like the first way of playing you will have to combine blocks with the randomly placed orbs between them. For all the different modes of playing the game character choice is an important factor. When you remove blocks on your screen you will add blocks to your opponents screen. The way you add blocks to your opponents screen is decided by the pattern your characters has. (Shown in the select screen) If you’re a fan of games like tetris or bejeweled games this game will surely be fun to play.
Final Fight Double Impact:
Probably one of the most famous side scrolling beat-em-up games ever made. The game still works like the old game does but received a co-op function and got an update in appearance. You are able to choose how the game looks (classic, smooth, …) and are even to choose to make it seem like you’re playing on an arcade cabinet. You will have to run through several stages to unlock your characters’ ending sequence. After all these years it is still a fun game to play and now you’re finally offered to invite a friend to play with you.
Even though the game is called Final Fight Double Impact, CAPCOM also added another game inside this game, namely Magic Sword. Another old school side scrolling beat-em-up game (yes I know these terms of what genre game are getting way too long!), same as with Final Fight they added a co-op function. The game is so enjoyable to play but double as chaotic aswell. Half the time you don’t even know where you are or what you’re doing or even if you’re dead. Still you’re having a great time because at the end of your playthrough you probably massacred an entire species of monsters. Prepare yourself for a screen filled with the attacks of you, your mercenary and your enemies’ attacks.
1942: Joint Strike:
This old school top down shooter has been given (another) new look and is a very enjoyable game in a genre that is getting less popular. The gameplay is fairly easy to get you started, you are able to choose out of 3 different airplanes each with their own strong and weak points. During your missions you get presented with several types of upgrades, (spread shot, laser, etc) health packs and bombs. The game may not look that hard but don’t let yourself get fooled, even on the easiest difficulty you will hardly have any lives left after finishing the game alone of with a friend. To get straight to the point, the game is a must play if you’re in to this type of games.
Bionic Commando Rearmed 2:
A gigantic makeover for the classic Bionic Commando game. Bionic Commando Rearmed is probably te game CAPCOM put the most work in to when updating the appearance and music of the game, it simply looks top notch for a remastered NES game. The game is basically a platforming game with some puzzle elements. Your character can shoot, grapple and climb with his extendable bionic arm and you can also equip a ‘bionic’ skill. These bionic skills have to be unlocked with upgrades you are able to find throughout the levels. Simply put the game will provide you with enough action and platforming fun to last you several hours before actually beating the game. Also the game will provide you with enough replay value if you’re interested in upgrading every weapon and bionic skill. (And if you don’t feel like playing alone, yet again you can play the game co-op.) You are also able to play the challenge room option, this means you will have to climb and grapple your way through several courses. And believe me these courses are not to be taken lightly.
Storywise you will get bits and pieces of information when completing the levels, oh, and be prepared for cheesy one-liners… and a lot of them!…
Flock!:
Probably one of the most… original ideas I have seen when it comes to games, and the design is very enjoyable aswell. You are a small UFO who has to collect different types of animals and lead them to the mothership, namely the Motherflocker. The game isn’t that easy as it sounds, leading the animals is quite hard and you will have trouble keeping your gathered herd under control. When you finally have your animals under control the game will throw a lot of obstacles at you to keep you occupied for quite a long time and even want to hurl things at your ‘flock’. Your UFO is able to either lift objects of push them down. You might think: ‘oh hey, only 2 functions, that’ll be easy’. Well you’re WRONG. You will probably kill quite a lot of your animals when using the wrong beam and you will probably even kill animals because you just felt like paying back the game. The game provides you with a single and multiplayer campaign. Both are different, so trying out both will provide you with a decent amount of game time. You are also able to create and share your own levels. It’s a fun function but that’s it.
Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3:
This game is a scrolling top down shooter, I wouldn’t know any other name to call it. You are able to choose between 3 characters to fight of terrorists and free the world of evil. (sounds fancy doesn’t it?) During the game you will find several weapon upgrades, grenades and specials. The controls take a few minutes getting used to because you walk with your left stick and shoot with your right stick. It’s basically 1942: Joint strike but on foot and you get to decide (at least for a little bit) on where you want to go. It won’t take that long to play through the game but you probably won’t even get to the end. The game is hard but you will still play it over and over again just for fun. The enjoyable part of this game is that you’re able to play it with 2 friends. The downside of playing with your friends is that your live total will be shared. When playing the game you will certainly enjoy the ramboish cartoonish style.
Rocketmen: Axis of Evil + ‘It came from Uranus’ expansion pack:
Rocketmen: Axis of Evil is a space adventure game which plays like Wolf of the battlefield: Commando 3, but has tons more options. At the beginning of your adventure you are able to create a character with a few options to choose. You can choose the name, race, class and colors of your character. During the 13 levels (with the expansion back included) you will earn experience and different types of currency. With the earned experience you are able to upgrade different aspects of your character like speed, health, evasion, etc… With the currency you are able to upgrade your armor, weapon power ups and buy items which can help you during the levels. You are able to replay levels you already completed to earn medal or simply farm experience and currency. The only bad part about this game is that you can’t run around freely and your environment will scroll further when you reach the edges of your screen, this will cause you to miss areas or miss dropped currency or power ups which are barely out of reach. Rocketmen allows you to share your fun with 3 friends which can also upgrade their characters. Playing with your friends will add to the competition by grabbing the most currency or earning the most experience.
The game’s comic book style cutscenes might annoy you at first but will finally grow on you and you will enjoy seeing the story unfold about ridding the universe of those evil martians.
Conclusion:
CAPCOM made quite a decent choice bundling these games together. All of them are arcadish and most offer replay value in their own seperate ways. If you don’t own most of these downloadable games by now, it is quite a decent attribute to your collection. Most of these games are games you might now play for days at a time but you will certainly pick them up later again, which is rare with games nowadays. I personally have to say that I hope CAPCOM will make another bundle with their most famous old school games.
CAPCOM Digital Collection - Review,
No Comments