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Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO Review - Xbox

For years, fighting game fans have been arguing about who would win if Capcom's Ryu were ever to go up against SNK's Terry Bogard. Now, you can answer that question yourselves with Capcom VS SNK 2 EO for X-Box, and you can do it online. Rivalries often define a certain situation, offering two different approaches to the same problem, which often results in two similar products with their own distinct flavours and nuances, often making them remarkably different to the trained eye. Such is the case with Capcom VS SNK, two different styles going head to head in a glorious battle.

Gameplay

Taking characters from Capcom's revered fighting game series' and sticking them in a battle against SNK's very own stable of revered fighters is a stroke of genius. It's finally happened, after years of it merely being the fantasy of any red blooded gamer. Of course, the two different schools of fighting have a different take on the genre, with Capcom's more 'special move' friendly characters, who loves to throw fireballs, going up against SNK's more martial arts based intricacies. That's not the most glaring problem. SNK games were designed around a four button layout, Capcom games were designed around a six button layout. Of course, since Capcom took the four button route with the original, I guess they figured it was time to use their own style in the sequel, and have added medium attack to the SNK characters.

Not only are you offered an impressive choice when it comes to selecting a fighter, but you then have to choose your fighting groove. Each groove is modelled after a specific system from previous games, with each company getting three grooves each, C, A, P and S, N, K. C is the standard three tiered Street Fighter system, A, the V-ism from the Street Fighter Alpha series, while P is the original Super Street Fighter style. Not being a major fan of pervious SNK games, mainly due to unavailability, I'm not sure how their fighting systems stack up against their previous styles, but I do know that K uses the Rage Gauge lifted from the Samurai Showdown series, and is quite frightening to behold.

Not only that, but you are offered up yet another choice. EO-ism, or AC-ism. EO, as appears in the title, is, quite frankly, a piece of poo. Use the left analog stick to move, the right analog stick to perform special moves (just by pushing it in the right direction) with the analogue shoulder buttons working as punches and kicks. Press the left shoulder button for punch a little, and you'll get a soft jab. Press it hard and you'll get a vicious blow that will knock your enemy back some. The four face buttons are used for special things, like rolling, or charging up your Super meter. Quite frankly, the system is a complete dog.

What's worse is when you go up against someone online using (continued next page)