Viewtiful Joe is a Capcom 2D action peak. B-movie cinema, VFX powers and bold design. Short but staggeringly intense, a PS2 classic.
Your verdict
Category
Action1 player12+
Description
A Clover Studio and Capcom action game released in 2004, the Western edition of Viewtiful Joe by Hideki Kamiya (Devil May Cry, Bayonetta). Joe, young movie fan turned stylized superhero, traverses six levels to save his girlfriend Silvia. Innovative VFX mechanics (slow-motion, mach speed, zoom) to solve puzzles and combats. Spectacular cel-shaded comic-book aesthetics, both action and puzzle gameplay. Cult masterpiece.
Viewtiful Joe review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
A flamboyant tribute to superhero cinema, the game blends razor-sharp cel-shading, saturated colours and film-reel effects into a jubilant tokusatsu style. Slow-downs and speed-ups warp the image into a non-stop spectacle. This graphic audacity, unique and electric, keeps its freshness intact.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
A 2.5D beat 'em up of unheard-of cinematic style, where the hero triggers action-movie special effects — slow motion, zoom, fast-forward — to floor his enemies and solve puzzles. This brilliant idea delivers unique sensations and a stylish release. Colourful, snappy and zany, an adventure of crazy inventiveness that looks like nothing else.
The Western release of Viewtiful Joe, a 2.5D action game by Hideki Kamiya and Clover, with comic-book art direction and time-manipulation powers, become cult for its style and challenge. Still findable, its desirability rests on this strong visual identity and the prestige of a major creator rather than scarcity. A prime piece for fans of stylish, demanding action of the PS2 era.
Memorable bosses
Colorful and built for spectacle, the bosses of this stylized beat'em up are undone by manipulating time: slow-motion to dodge, Mach Speed to strike. From the shark Gran Bruce to the fiery Fire Leo, each demands marrying reflexes with cinematic powers. Their over-the-top comic-book design and theatrical staging make these duels as funny as they are hard-hitting.
Is Viewtiful Joe still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2004 on PS2, Clover Studio's project signed Hideki Kamiya reinvents the scrolling brawler with a TV superhero art direction of wild audacity. The VFX powers, which let you slow down, speed up or zoom the action to solve puzzles and combos, found a system as original as it is deep. The vivid cel shading, the parodic humour and the formidable difficulty forge a unique identity. The demanding style puts off casual players. A singular and cult gem, recommended for fans of inventive two dimensional action and of old school challenge that rewards mastery.
