Viewtiful Joe 2: Details & Artwork!

One of last year's most talked about games returns as Mikami brings Joe back for more Viewtiful action.

In fantastic news for gamers, Capcom has officially announced Viewtiful Joe 2, which has been in development since the original was completed last summer.

Perhaps more interestingly the game is headed for PS2 as well as GameCube, as Capcom faces increasing pressure to turn away from its previous GameCube-exclusive position for key titles. The last Capcom title to slip off of Nintendo's exclusive list was Killer 7, another hotly anticipated title from Capcom producer Shinji Mikami.

The release of the Viewtiful Joe 2 on PS2 as well as GameCube will open up the franchise, which was celebrated by hardcore and loved by newcomers, to a much wider audience, which has to be good news for the Tokyo publisher.

Capcom's Todd Thorson said: "Viewtiful Joe was the killer app for the GameCube in 2003, and this winter Viewtiful Joe 2 will raise the bar for excellence and innovation even higher with the second generation of the series. With new visual effects, enemies and challenges, Joe and Silvia are ready to take on an all new Viewtiful adventure."

The game's lead designer Atsushi Inaba explained to GameSpot that the move to PS2 will also see a change in design to make the game more accessible, while retaining the challenge that made the original popular with hardcore customers.

Joe returns with his girlfriend Sylvia this time around - both characters will be able to 'go viewtiful' and both will be playable from the start of the game, which Inaba-san mentioned would have a fantastic impact on the way extreme combos can be chained together, presumably with the couple fighting as a team.

Viewtiful Joe 2 is expected to hit shelves in time for Christmas - hopefully it will enjoy a successful E3 showing next month as well, so stay tuned for full hands-on details.

Adam Doree
Director, Kikizo.com