24th May 2008, 5:47 PM
(This post was last modified: 24th May 2008, 7:38 PM by A Black Falcon.)
Yeah, it's basically a newer Ghosts 'n Goblins game, except that it doesn't actually use the Ghosts & Goblins series name, even though it is also from Capcom; it is very clearly closely related, though, in name ("Ghosts to Glory"), gameplay, and theme. The game was developed by Capcom Digital Studios, an American branch of Capcom. The studio made Maximo: Ghosts to Glory and its sequel, Maximo vs. Army of Zin, before a prospective third Maximo game was cancelled because of the poor sales of the second one, and then a while later the studio was shut down. Too bad. :(
Anyone who has a PS2 should buy the game! It's quite cheap ($10 at most, often less), and though it's quite hard, it's great fun. And it's nowhere NEAR as hard as the classic Ghosts 'n Goblins games; while there are no difficulty levels to choose between, the game does have in-level checkpoints, saving between levels, etc, quite unlike the three original games in the series (Ghosts 'n Goblins, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts). It does punish you -- when you get game over you start the level you are at over (so in-level checkpoints last only as long as your lives do), and game over also requires you to spend tokens to continue unless you reset the system and load from your last save. You get tokens by collecting items (getting 50 of the spririt things gives you one token), and each time you get game over, it requires more tokens than the last time to continue. Since you can save between levels, though, it seems that the best option often would be resetting, even though you would lose whatever stuff you had gotten since your last save...
Oh yeah, and when you save, it costs 100 coins. Make sure to have enough cash. :)
I've only gotten to the first area (levels 2-5 area, of 16 total), but the level designs are great. Once you beat level one, you get to an area where you can save and access the next few levels. You can do those in any order, before fighting a boss and then moving on to the next area. There are five areas, each with a different graphical theme -- I'm only in the first one, the graveyard. Level one really evokes level 1 of SGnG, for instance, with land that raises or falls as you near it (I love the way it does that... cool stuff. :)), familiar enemies like the towers that throw skulls, a double jump system where you have limited control in the air except for the second jump, levels of armor where each time one health bar runs out you lose a layer until at the last he's in his boxer shorts, etc. Then there are the areas with hands that come out of the ground and grab you where if you don't jump constantly you will take damage, chest mimics which attack you when you try to open them, and more. Of course you do have health bars this time, unlike the originals where one hit lost you a layer or armor, and the second hit killed you... they aren't being quite as cruel as the old ones. That's okay, the old games were perhaps inordinately hard. This game is just a lot of fun... still hard, but not so hard that it makes it not fun, like the old games were. And you can save.
The graphics aren't the best ever technically (I keep thinking that this could have probably been done on N64, with some minor cuts... just like what I think when I play most Dreamcast games...), but artistically it's great, and the level designs and art styles are really well done. It looks fantastic on artistic merit. :)
*checks Wikipedia* Huh, so the game was originally planned for the N64, before it was moved to the PS2. I was right, I guess. :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximo:_Ghosts_to_Glory
Oh yes, the controls and combat... there is no auto lock on. You have two different kinds of attacks, jump, and block, as well as some special moves, but you can't lock on to enemies. You also need to time your attacks well... drop your shield at the wrong time and you WILL be hit. It takes some practice to get used to the close combat system, but fights can usually be won, I've found, by just staying away and attacking from the sides, or longer range... Some enemies have shields too, or weapons with longer ranges than your sword. You won't beat them by just mashing attack, instead you need to pay attention, attack from the sides or when their guard is down, block, leap backwards... when holding shield you can't move, but you can rotate around, and backward jumps can also get you away quickly. You also need to pay attention to dodge enemy projectiles or time attacks right so that you hit fast-moving enemies like the ghosts or birds... the combat system makes you think, which is great. It can get boring when all you have to do is mash attack to win every fight. It makes it harder, of course, but more interesting.
Oh yeah, and the slam attack -- double jump and then press triangle (vertical swing attack button) -- is extremely important. It's how you activate checkpoints, it's how you get as many spirits as possible out of gravestones that have them in them, and it's a good finishing move for downed enemies...
As for those special abilities, you can only have three at a time. They go in your belt. Get more than three and you'll lose one you have (or simply can't pick it up, I'm not sure). There are also items you can buy from specific pillars; they cost money, and once you've gotten an item it's gone for the rest of your time in the level (or perhaps permanently), so be careful when you choose to buy items like full heals!
The music so far has been great too, and each track fits the theme well... only seen the graveyard area so far, and the music is pretty good. Nice adventuring-in-a-dangerous-place stuff.
The camera is okay. It's mostly an auto-camera, with OoT-style center the camera behind your character and immobile first-person buttons. The auto-camera is not placed well in a few parts, though, which can occasionally be frustrating when you want to make a jump but can't see forward. It's a minor point overall though.
The main complaint most people have about the game is the difficulty level. And yeah, it is hard. It took me a while to beat the first level... though that it took me a while to figure out how to use the checkpoints was definitely part of that. :) But really, it isn't as hard as the incredibly frustrating old games, and it is hugely fun. So it's hard... not every game has to be easy. It wouldn't be quite the same if you could just run through everything... the game is hard, but fun so even if you are dying you want to try over until you get it right. It's just a great game.
I don't have it, but supposedly the second Maximo, Army of Zin, is quite a bit easier. You can save anytime and it doesn't cost any money, the levels are just a linear sequence instead of having overworld areas where you can choose from several different levels, you can have as many special abilities as you can carry all at once, etc. Some say combat is also simpler, but I'd have to play it to see. It does add difficulty levels, and on Hard I'd imagine it would be difficult. I'll definitely be getting it sooner or later, that's for sure.
Anyone who has a PS2 should buy the game! It's quite cheap ($10 at most, often less), and though it's quite hard, it's great fun. And it's nowhere NEAR as hard as the classic Ghosts 'n Goblins games; while there are no difficulty levels to choose between, the game does have in-level checkpoints, saving between levels, etc, quite unlike the three original games in the series (Ghosts 'n Goblins, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts). It does punish you -- when you get game over you start the level you are at over (so in-level checkpoints last only as long as your lives do), and game over also requires you to spend tokens to continue unless you reset the system and load from your last save. You get tokens by collecting items (getting 50 of the spririt things gives you one token), and each time you get game over, it requires more tokens than the last time to continue. Since you can save between levels, though, it seems that the best option often would be resetting, even though you would lose whatever stuff you had gotten since your last save...
Oh yeah, and when you save, it costs 100 coins. Make sure to have enough cash. :)
I've only gotten to the first area (levels 2-5 area, of 16 total), but the level designs are great. Once you beat level one, you get to an area where you can save and access the next few levels. You can do those in any order, before fighting a boss and then moving on to the next area. There are five areas, each with a different graphical theme -- I'm only in the first one, the graveyard. Level one really evokes level 1 of SGnG, for instance, with land that raises or falls as you near it (I love the way it does that... cool stuff. :)), familiar enemies like the towers that throw skulls, a double jump system where you have limited control in the air except for the second jump, levels of armor where each time one health bar runs out you lose a layer until at the last he's in his boxer shorts, etc. Then there are the areas with hands that come out of the ground and grab you where if you don't jump constantly you will take damage, chest mimics which attack you when you try to open them, and more. Of course you do have health bars this time, unlike the originals where one hit lost you a layer or armor, and the second hit killed you... they aren't being quite as cruel as the old ones. That's okay, the old games were perhaps inordinately hard. This game is just a lot of fun... still hard, but not so hard that it makes it not fun, like the old games were. And you can save.
The graphics aren't the best ever technically (I keep thinking that this could have probably been done on N64, with some minor cuts... just like what I think when I play most Dreamcast games...), but artistically it's great, and the level designs and art styles are really well done. It looks fantastic on artistic merit. :)
*checks Wikipedia* Huh, so the game was originally planned for the N64, before it was moved to the PS2. I was right, I guess. :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximo:_Ghosts_to_Glory
Oh yes, the controls and combat... there is no auto lock on. You have two different kinds of attacks, jump, and block, as well as some special moves, but you can't lock on to enemies. You also need to time your attacks well... drop your shield at the wrong time and you WILL be hit. It takes some practice to get used to the close combat system, but fights can usually be won, I've found, by just staying away and attacking from the sides, or longer range... Some enemies have shields too, or weapons with longer ranges than your sword. You won't beat them by just mashing attack, instead you need to pay attention, attack from the sides or when their guard is down, block, leap backwards... when holding shield you can't move, but you can rotate around, and backward jumps can also get you away quickly. You also need to pay attention to dodge enemy projectiles or time attacks right so that you hit fast-moving enemies like the ghosts or birds... the combat system makes you think, which is great. It can get boring when all you have to do is mash attack to win every fight. It makes it harder, of course, but more interesting.
Oh yeah, and the slam attack -- double jump and then press triangle (vertical swing attack button) -- is extremely important. It's how you activate checkpoints, it's how you get as many spirits as possible out of gravestones that have them in them, and it's a good finishing move for downed enemies...
As for those special abilities, you can only have three at a time. They go in your belt. Get more than three and you'll lose one you have (or simply can't pick it up, I'm not sure). There are also items you can buy from specific pillars; they cost money, and once you've gotten an item it's gone for the rest of your time in the level (or perhaps permanently), so be careful when you choose to buy items like full heals!
The music so far has been great too, and each track fits the theme well... only seen the graveyard area so far, and the music is pretty good. Nice adventuring-in-a-dangerous-place stuff.
The camera is okay. It's mostly an auto-camera, with OoT-style center the camera behind your character and immobile first-person buttons. The auto-camera is not placed well in a few parts, though, which can occasionally be frustrating when you want to make a jump but can't see forward. It's a minor point overall though.
The main complaint most people have about the game is the difficulty level. And yeah, it is hard. It took me a while to beat the first level... though that it took me a while to figure out how to use the checkpoints was definitely part of that. :) But really, it isn't as hard as the incredibly frustrating old games, and it is hugely fun. So it's hard... not every game has to be easy. It wouldn't be quite the same if you could just run through everything... the game is hard, but fun so even if you are dying you want to try over until you get it right. It's just a great game.
I don't have it, but supposedly the second Maximo, Army of Zin, is quite a bit easier. You can save anytime and it doesn't cost any money, the levels are just a linear sequence instead of having overworld areas where you can choose from several different levels, you can have as many special abilities as you can carry all at once, etc. Some say combat is also simpler, but I'd have to play it to see. It does add difficulty levels, and on Hard I'd imagine it would be difficult. I'll definitely be getting it sooner or later, that's for sure.
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