Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001

"Who said there is no replay value???"

To be honest, it was difficult for me to give this game a score of 10, and it will be just as difficult for me to justify this score, but here it goes...

Graphics -9- The graphics are a gigantic leap over other 2D fighters. Only some series such as Tekken and Virtua Fighter have developed better graphics... rightfully so considering that these use 3D engines. I have actually lost games to the computer because I am looking at the terrific character movements instead of trying to compete (admittedly looking at Chun-Li or Mai...)

Sound -6- The music here is terrific. I sincerely LOVE the ending credits song. I could listen to the song at the end of the game in my car or on the radio. The music during the game and intro is mediocre, but acceptable. The announcer, however, makes me want to open up my wrists and take a toaster into the bathtub. YES, he IS that bad. The announcer on the game makes me think that he didn't speak ANY english. It feels that he was trying to read the words off of que cards and had NO idea what they meant. Okay, perhaps a score of 6 is too low for only the announcer being bad, but I don't care... I'm not changing it!

Gameplay -10- Wonderful. I can't say enough about the controls for this game. Completely customizable. Immediately responsive. The controls are so crisp and responsive that timing is often more important than strategy. Not to say that strategy doesn't matter in this game... IT DOES! This is a major reason that I truly enjoy this game. It has a lot more depth than previous fighters I have played.

Replay Value -10- I have spent the last 4 months trying to finish the ALL SURVIVAL mode. It was heartbreaking when I defeated 47 of 48 characters. On this mode, the goal is to defeat EVERY character in the game without losing a single round, and there are NO continues. It's ridiculously difficult without cheating and amazingly addictive. I finally finished it tonight, which is what inspired me to write this review. The reward is not very worthwhile (I get unlimited points to create my own groove -- look at a FAQ if you don't understand the groove system) However, the simple fact that I DID IT made me so happy that it was plenty reward in itself.

RECAP - Okay, if you are familiar with the street fighters, King of Fighters, Samurai Showdown, then you already get a feeling of this game. The best aspect of this game is surprisingly not it's gameplay, but it's depth. If you are familiar with the SNK series, then you can apply those rules that are familiar to those games. If you are familiar with Capcom style, then you can use THOSE rules! It is obvious that a LOT of time was spent working out the details to make all of these components compatible. Capcom vs. SNK 1 was a great introduction to the idea. This second installment adds even more depth, more unlockable features, and a LOT of more characters! Buy it if you love fighters and can get into the depth and features of this game. If that's not for you, it still makes a great rental for parties (even better if you are drinking!)

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/26/02, Updated 10/26/02