Project X Zone 2 is a fantastic crossover game that succeeds both in pleasing fans of each franchise represented, as well as fans of the tactical RPG genre.
Project X Zone 2
Developer: Capcom, Monolith Soft, Bandai Namco, Nintendo, Sega.
Price: $39.99
Platform: Nintendo 3DS (reviewed)
MonsterVine was provided with a 3DS code for review.
The first Project X Zone was a game that I thoroughly enjoyed. As a Sega kid who’s played more Capcom games than I can count, and a lover of tactical RPGs, it was practically a dream come true. Having Mega Man X, Frank West, and Ulala all in one great game really appealed to me, which set the bar pretty high for the sequel. Thankfully, Project X Zone 2 has surpassed my expectations in every way.
Uniting even more diverse characters from Capcom, Namco, and Sega (with a pinch of Nintendo characters), Project X Zone 2‘s plot revolves around the sudden appearance of enormous golden chains in numerous different worlds and time periods. These chains catch the attention of two major groups: Shinra, not the Final Fantasy VII corporation, but the Japanese task-force primarily run by Namco x Bandai‘s Reiji and Xiaomu, and Ouma, the villainous group from the first game.
These chains spark a universe-hopping adventure full of iconic heroes and villains, as Shinra and Ouma compete to find out more about the source of these mysterious chains, and their effect on the different dimensions. The narrative is impressive for a crossover game, as almost all of the character introductions feel natural, and help move the plot forward at a swift but reasonable pace. While the overall story isn’t the deepest or most thought-provoking, it’s surprisingly enjoyable for a game of this variety.
The characters introduced are all welcome additions. Though some characters don’t return, like Frank West and Arthur, the newly added characters more than make up for the loss. Alongside popular returning characters like Dante and Jin, a huge amount of new players are introduced, ranging from well-known characters like Strider and Phoenix Wright, to the lesser-known ones, like Axel Stone and Segata Sanshiro. Even Nintendo characters Chrom, Lucina, and Fiora jump into the fray. Each unit’s playstyle is completely unique, which makes finding new characters feel like even more of an incentive to keep playing.
There’s plenty of fan-service in the dialogue, both in cutscenes and after battle. X and Zero will talk about taking weapon data from fallen enemies, and Ryu will comment on Ryo learning battle techniques from reading scrolls. There’s lots of neat dialogue that calls back to each character’s series. Xiaomu is practically a pop-culture reference machine, for better or for worse. It’s somewhat off-putting to see references to Sarah Connor and midi-chlorians of all things, but the more relevant references between characters more than make up for the out of place jokes.
Project X Zone 2‘s gameplay is a mix of tactical role-playing movement, and a fighting game-like combo-based combat system. Traversing environments is done through a grid-based movement system, much like the ones seen in Fire Emblem or Shining Force. As you approach enemies during your turn, you can choose to attack them. Combat damage is influenced by your position on the grid, whether you’re behind, beside, or in front of your enemy. Enemies can also do more damage based on positioning, which makes unit placement both strategic, and essential in securing victory.
In combat mode, you use a variety of attacks in real-time to juggle an enemy mid-air, and to do as much damage as possible. Using the D-Pad and certain buttons makes units do their own unique attacks, normally taken from their own franchises. For example, Dante and Vergil’s attacks revolve around their numerous weapons and combos seen in Devil May Cry, while Ryu and Ken use a plethora of their moves from Street Fighter, ranging from Hadokens and Shoryukens to Focus Attacks. Each unit of two characters has their own unique set of moves, which work in perfect unison with one another. Ultimate attacks are also usable after the XP bar is filled through combos. These attacks have the characters activating their greatest and most powerful attacks, complimented by a short animation of the characters preparing to unleash their strongest moves. These are not only incredibly powerful, but very nicely choreographed as well.
Certain characters are also used as assists, meaning they use their own attacks alongside whatever attacks the main units perform. This turns the screen into a wild frenzy of explosions, punches, slashes and more. The combination of regular attacks, assists and ultimate attacks feels both smooth and visually pleasing.
New attacks and passive skills unlock for each unit as you progress through the story, which can be upgraded using CP. CP is obtained through battle at a reasonable pace, so you’ll be excitedly powering up your favorite characters after every chapter. Equipment and items are bought using gold, which is received in battle. Equipment is essential in making your characters as strong as possible, helping in some of the more challenging chapters.
Overall, Project X Zone 2 has a very fair difficulty curve. While the occasional chapter can be difficult to keep up with, normally due to an unusual mission objective, such as defeating an enemy with a certain unit or catching an enemy before they reach a certain area, the vast majority of time has the perfect level of challenge to it. It’s something of a confidence booster, as you’ll feel anxious when you see 40 or so enemies appear on the map, and proud when you’ve slaughtered them all with your powerful teams.
Project X Zone 2‘s visuals are fantastic. Every character looks amazing in sprite form, which is truly an accomplishment considering the vastly different art-styles that each character has. The characters appearances fit in with the game’s aesthetic, while still maintaining the unique styles that make each character who they are. The differing environments are as diverse as it gets, as you hop between more realistic areas like New York or Paris, to places like the demonic world of Makai. Each level stands out on its own, and provides a new and engaging environment to battle on. As said before, combat is beautiful to look at, as it’s as smooth as it is hectic.
Project X Zone 2‘s sound is both nostalgic and refreshing. Each unit has two to three themes associated with it, with one representing each character. These themes come from the characters’ respective franchises, meaning you’ll hear a remix of the iconic “Cornered” theme from Ace Attorney when picking a team with Phoenix on it, or a remix of “Stairs of Time” when picking a team with .hack‘s Kite on it. The tracks aren’t remixed to the point of being unrecognizable, but they’re still different enough that they feel refreshing compared to the original version. The variety of memorable themes present is astounding, and will appeal to anyone even slightly nostalgic about any of the franchises. I definitely had something of a fanboy moment when I heard “Go Straight” from Streets of Rage 2 play.
The voice work is great as well. The game uses the original Japanese voices with English text and subtitles, which works well, especially considering the amount of red tape Namco would likely have to cross to dub the characters. The Japanese voices all fit their characters without becoming too grating, which is important, since you hear each character scream in battle countless times. Overall, Project X Zone 2 has fantastic sound, as the music and voice acting are both exceptional.
The Final Word
Project X Zone 2 is a fantastic tactical RPG, and just as importantly, a phenomenal crossover game. There’s something magical about having Ryo from Shenmue battle Vile from Mega Man X, alongside Tekken‘s Jin and Kazuya Mishima, which is one of a near limitless amount of combinations that fans can look forward to. With a thoroughly enjoyable gameplay system, vibrant visuals, and a wonderfully varied soundtrack, this is worth playing for anyone who enjoys any of the franchises represented, or tactical RPGS.
MonsterVine Score: 5 out of 5 – Excellent
