"A revolution indeed."

I'll begin this review by first acknowledging that I'm a SF nut. While I enjoy KoF and Garou, my roots are in SF, mainly starting from the Zero series (I was about the only kid on earth who didn't have an NES, Super NES or Genesis... well, maybe one of about... 5). Having come with a strong root in SFIII, I was very excited about the prospect of Capcom and SNK joining forces. So when Capcom vs SNK released, I immediately bought a copy... but played the game a few precious times... The game was good, but not great. Now with Capcom vs SNK 2 I once again worked myself into a frenzy (recently having become bored with 3rd Strike), but a nagging doubt in my mind told me the game would turn out into a semi-disappointment like the first.

Luckily I was proven wrong.

Capcom vs SNK 2 is what could be generalized as a good example of a sequel. It improves on many of the past mistakes of the past games while making new things available for players to tinker with. That being said, the game is not perfect, but there is certainly enough depth here to please even the most hardcore fighters (be them Capcom or SNK fans.)

Graphics: 8.5

The graphics, while for the most part being great, still exhibit some of Capcom's typical ''ways''. First of all, the character sprites, for the most part, are excellent. The new characters are writhe with animation and true to their original selves from whatever game they had come from. The sprites are colorful and well defined and easily distinguishable from backdrops and other characters. The sprite movements are fluid and without slowdown which makes the game more intuitive than the KoF series (the choppy animation made the game hard to play at times). Little touches like special introductions between certain characters as well as a scant few new animations for the old characters, gives the game a bit of graphical flair that the original didn't have. Finally, the special effects ever so present in Capcom vs SNK are even MORE rampant than before. If you doubt me, watch Kyo's super pillar of death as it is about TWICE the size it originally was. Even such things as parries and Just Defense produce some pretty zany effects.
While the game's graphics are for the most part excellent, there are a few nagging problems which exist. Some sprites STILL look horribly out of place (although Capcom did fix Chun-li, a step in the right direction). Morrigan still looks horridly out of place against other fighters as does certain Zero characters. Even if Capcom didn't want to reanimate these individuals, even a color darkening would have made the styles blend together better. Also, the backgrounds, while nice and animated, just don't blend with the fighters like the ones in the original did. On certain levels (especially the ice stage), the characters look very out of place. My final gripe comes with the special effects. Some are so dramatic that it can become hard to understand where to block, Just Defend or Parry. I had to adjust my parry timing to parry Joe Higashi's wirlwind super so that I start parrying after the tornado hits me... However this is a marginal complaint.

Sound: 7.5

I'm caught between the excellent voices and the awful music. On the one hand, the Capcom voices are excellent (I prefer the SNK character's voices in this game than in any other). There is, simply put, a LOT of speech in this game and all of it is clear and well acted. The sound effects are also clear and convincing. I like little touches like the change in the blocking sound when your guard bar becomes very low. However, the music is a real killer. Capcom has gone the way of Marvel vs Capcom 2 and added a cheesy lounge type music (with lyrics! ARGH). To be honest, I much preferred the music in the original. And on a small note, the announcer is very annoying as he talks DURING matches now (''That's what we call, BIG DAMAGE'').

Gameplay: 9.5

All the other stuff aside, this is where a game really counts and luckily this is where Capcom vs SNK 2 SHINES. Starting with the newly revamped Groove system, the game takes this concept far beyond the scope of the original. The grooves are all original and all require their own playing styles. At the same time, Capcom has managed to balance them all (with the small exception of K groove which I find a tad on the scrubby side). Next, the free ratio mode works relatively well. Ratio 1 characters seem VERY weak now and really have to work for a victory. However some aspects of the ratio idea don't really work, after all, a character's potential is hardly measured solely on their physical strength. Luckily, Capcom has been gratious enough to offer us a 3 on 3 no ratio KoF style alternative or a single 1 on 1 SF style of play which you can choose in versus mode. It is the combination of the ratio and new grooves that makes the game truly unique. The prospects of various match-ups is simply mind boggling and new strategies are sure to arise from one groove facing another. Truly, the game looks as if it will take a long time to master.
In game, the mechanics have been tweaked. The 4 button layout has been remapped to 6 and the SNK characters have gained new moves. Unfortunately for them, scant few of the SNK character's new normal moves are worth using (mainly Rock's). On the other hand, Capcom has also been kind enough to return most of the SNKers to their former glory. Kyo now has all his Aragami chains, Kim got his low sweep hop kick back and various others. This should please many SNK fans. Finally, the addition of a guard bar rightfully takes the power away from turtles meaning the game becomes faster paced.

For the most part, Capcom vs SNK 2 is a quality piece of software. I have a few gripes (many of the matches are based on who can outpoke the opponent) but these aren't enough to sway this game from becoming the next big tournament game. I highly recommend a buy, but remember that this is a tight skill game. No Megaman's or screen filling bombs here... just old fashioned fighting gameplay.

- MC

9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/16/01, Updated 09/16/01