6 jewels that Capcom has forgotten

Capcom is one of the Japanese publishers in the best shape, and even during the chaos that the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 generation brought to Japanese developers, the company was able to adapt with fresh sagas like Dead Rising either lost planetat the same time that resident Evil and Street Fighter they maintained the success and quality that was expected of the games. In recent years its sales have done nothing but rise and maintains a good balance between novelties (exoprimal, pragmata), sequels, remasters and remakes.

However, even with this level of production, Capcom cannot satisfy all gamers. With over 40 years of success, there are still some games that deserve a second chance, titles that have not been remastered or reissued on current platforms. the saga dino crisis is a good example, and there are many who want it to be the next target to receive an update on RE Engine. But there are many, many more games, which deserve at least a remastering on consoles and PCand we do not lose hope after seeing the relaunch of killer7 a few years ago or the return of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective this june. In this forgotten gems report we have focused mainly on games after 2000.

Maximum

One of the essentials in this type of article is Maximuma 3D platform action game based on the universe of Ghost n Goblins that premiere in Japan in December 2001 and a few months later in USA. was therefore one of the first games in the PlayStation 2 catalog and it had nothing to envy to other adventures of the time; enjoyed enough success to receive a sequel, maximum vs. Army of Zin in 2003, and a third game was prepared that was eventually cancelled.

True, it did not have the repercussion of *text muted* may cry either god of warbut we are surprised that no one at Capcom has thought of, to our knowledge, a remastered collection of games. Maximum was one of those rare occasions in which a saga born in 2D knew how to reinvent itself in 3D without losing on the way gameplay classic arcade of the original saga. Who would not like to defeat dozens of enemies with our sword, combos, special attacks, avoiding being in their underpants?

What did we say in your analysis?: “Maximum It has a great game system and although it uses a very simple dynamic to jump and attack- it does not get tiring due to the number of items and different situations that we will find ourselves with. []. A return to a classic game style from other times that with the extension of the market has been lost”.

Haunting Ground

survival horror is synonymous with Capcom, although not all of its horror games have enjoyed the same preferential treatment as resident Evil. Surely many are thinking about how interesting it would be to see the saga Clock Tower again, but one of the games that would be relatively easy to see on modern systems with minimal remastering would be Haunting Ground (2005)which can precisely be considered a spiritual successor of Clock Tower 3, released three years earlier: Fiona is a defenseless protagonist who flees from danger and hides from her pursuers, only protected by a faithful Hewie dog who attacks or helps us inspect the areas. Panic is one of the mechanics of your gameplaycausing the player to lose some control in the most tense situations.

Today it is considered one of those Capcom cult classics, but as with other games that we talk about in this report, at the time the reception was somewhat lukewarm. I liked the setting and some of its themes, which were fresh in the face of so many zombies, but the public was somewhat tired of this type of gameplay and the industry only had eyes for competition from the same house: resident evil 4which came to revolutionize the survival horror and action in third person. we believe now Haunting Ground You can better find your niche in the market.

What did we say in your analysis?: “Haunting Ground It is a horror game that will not be able to satisfy all the fans of the genre, given its approach focused on fleeing from enemies and hiding until the danger passes to the detriment of riddling any living bug. []. The title, therefore, does not have much action as most video games conceive it, but within what it offers it is an option with nuances and fresh additions that make it a very good bet for all those who are looking for other types of experiences within the genre”.

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure (2007) It is considered one of the best games in the Wii catalog, but few people talk about it., and the blame is partly due to the fact that it has not had a relaunch other than in the Wii U eShop, a console that did not catch on in the market. Inspired by classic point and click adventure games, he took advantage of the console’s motion control to guide Zack through puzzles until he reached a treasure. In this case Zack&Wiki s was praised by critics but Capcom considered it a commercial failure, nullifying any possibility of sequels.

In this case, the relaunch requires something more than the usual increase in resolution, the control would have to be modified depending on the platforms on which it was launched, but it is not an insurmountable obstacle and it is a real shame that this is another of Capcom’s “lost” games.

What did we say in your analysis?: “Charming sensation of being in front of a classic game, one of those old graphic adventures that many of us remember, carefree and with humor as the main character, together with much more current elements, such as its application of puzzle elements and mini-games to pose the challenges and enigmas to the player […]. A product full of personality and hook but that, precisely for this reason, can repel certain users due to its colorful aesthetic and full of joy”.

Viewtiful Joe

It is incomprehensible that of all the sagas of the last 20 years, Capcom forgets to Viewtiful Joe (2003), which received a direct sequel and two more games, Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble and Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble! Hideki Kamiya himself, director of the original, has shown interest in making a third game, and We are surprised that Capcom does not test the interest in the license with remasters. “okami 2, scalebound, Viewtiful Joe 3, Dante vs. Bayonetta, *text muted* may cry 0… I would like to do it all! Please write to Capcom,” said the creative.

This hilarious beat em up with 2D gameplay is a tribute to the superhero series and tokusatsuguy Kamen Rider and ultraman, which plays with the VFX Power, actions that speed up or slow down time to gain advantages in combat or solve some of its puzzles. Although the success was modest, it expanded from GameCube to PlayStation 2 and had a presence on PSP or Nintendo DS, manga and anime. Joe and Silvia had everything on their face, but with the dissolution of Clover Studio there was no one left at Capcom to defend the saga, and their characters have only survived in cameos from Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

Kamiya is currently preparing Project G.G. at Platinum Games, closing of the “trilogy of heroes” which includes Viewtiful Joe and The Wonderful 101.

What did we say in your analysis?: “A totally original game, which is not satisfied with just being so, but rather contributes gameplay polished to perfectiona dream graphic section and almost unlimited fun […] One of those games that will be remembered for a long time, and that every self-respecting fan who enjoys video games should have on their shelf. Don’t disappoint anyone. Word”.

Shadow of Rome

Normally when we think of Capcom we have in mind Street Fighter, resident Evil, Monster Hunter or any of the games with Japanese aesthetics, but Shadow of Rome (2005) is one of those rarities in the company catalog that deserves a second chance. It was designed as an experiment by the company to reach a Western audience that was not normally interested in the more well-known series, and was even planned as part of a series. Its sequel was canceled due to the poor attention it received and Capcom’s course was headed. to Dead Rising-.

Its story takes us to the time of the murder of Julius Caesar and has us fight in the arena of the coliseum, combining the brutal combat of gladiators with chariot races and even some sections of stealth through locations in Rome. It is a subject little exploited in video games and Shadow of Rome It convinced the critics, although it was on the verge of taking full advantage of its potential. Despite this, it still has a legion of fans who ask for the relaunch of one of Capcom’s most atypical productions for PlayStation 2.

What did we say in your analysis?: “Shadow of Rome It could have become one of the best PlayStation 2 games with a longer development and desEsports Extrastime. It had it all: good graphics, music, context, etc. The ideas that the game shows are really interesting, and it shows that Inafune and his team know western games. and try to take items from them. The problem is that its expression in the game is somewhat defective, and it fails to hit the mark in many situations.”

God Hand

Clover Studio’s legacy was short but intense. if we have mentioned Viewtiful Joe and okami This is rescued with various remasters- it could not be missing God Hand (2006), that swan song by Shinji Mikami at Capcom. whenever we talk about this brawler we refer to it as a badass and violent game reduced by the doses of humor- that it was far from perfect, but it exudes something that has been lost in many releases today: a personality What makes you love or hate it.

God Hand It will probably need a remake or sequel to polish the control or add spectacularity to a game with clear budget limitations, but we believe that today it could have its place. Let us not forget that the action of Yakuza It also had a dark period in the West and today it is one of Sega’s most successful and valued sagas. why not rescue God Hand from his lethargy? In Gamelab 2015, Mikami himself said he was interested in resuming dino crisis and God Handmaking the latter an role-playing game based on that universe.

What did we say in your analysis?: “Taking into account the limitations imposed by the gender to which God Hand adheres to and to which he decides to remain faithful in multiple aspects, the formula composed by Clover is intense and action packed with very classic gameplay that manages to contribute its point of freshness due to Gene’s hitting system. Its design, playable and audiovisual, may make this a title that is not very suitable for a certain sector of the public, but those who are looking for a ‘me against the neighborhood’ are going to have a very good option in this game”.

and many more

It has been difficult to select a handful of forgotten jewels from Capcom and we have left in the inkwell quite a few imperfect or little-known rarities that deserved to make this cut. Chaos Legion, Auto Modelista, Asuras Wrath, Power Stone or the highly demanded Rival Schoolsare games/sagas that should be available on modern systems as a good representation of game history. a company that has always been at the forefront of fun and, which in several cases, has led the way for the entire industry.