Does “Maximo vs. Army of Zin” top the original “Maximo: Ghosts to Glory”?

If anyone has played the original Maximo game, you’ll know this game is very much like old NES games such as “Ghosts ‘n Goblins”. The original game, “Maximo: Ghosts to Glory” revolves around the hero Maximo battling the undead minions of the evil King Achille. The sequel, “Maximo vs. Army of Zin”, follows in the originals footsteps with Maximo fighting the evil Zin army, an army of machines driven by captured souls. Maximo is charged with finding the source of these Zin machines and stopping whoever is leading them.

“Maximo vs. Army of Zin” is a platformer game (a game where you have to jump perilously from level to level) on the Playstation 2 game console. The original Maximo game was notorious for its difficulty and the creators have toned this down to suit more casual gamers. While this game is certainly not easy, it is not as difficult as the original “Maximo: Ghosts to Glory”. This is both a blessing and a downfall. The lowered difficulty will allow for more casual gamers to become involved in the game and storyline while allowing them to have fun. However, the lowered difficulty also means this game will be easier to complete in less time. Though this game will take less time to finish, there can be many more countless hours spent mastering each level by completing specific goals such as: destroying a certain amount of enemies, collecting a specific amount of treasure or rescuing a certain number of innocents from the Army of Zin. As a reward for those brave enough to master and complete these extra objectives, the game unlocks bonus items such as galleries of original character sketches and original storyboards of the in-game movies. The controls in this game also make earning rewards much easier. They are more responsive than the first Maximo game and make the combat much more fun. Though the camera view did sometimes force you to make uncertain jumps, the controls and camera for the most part are as tight and responsive and you could want them to be.

While the graphics in “Maximo vs. Army of Zin” are a little on the cartoon side, they are still some of the most polished and clean looking visuals I have seen on the Playstation 2 in some time. The movies in this game look amazing. I was sad to find out there were only a few movies that did not use the in game graphics. If you’re looking for excessive blood and gore, you won’t find it here. “Maximo vs. Army of Zin” is rated T for teen because of its cartoon violence.

Overall, I had a very good time playing this game. This is one of those games that is easy to pick up and play but difficult to master. A couple parts were a little frustrating, but that made conquering them all the more sweet. As fun as the game was, beating it without unlocking everything only took a short time. If you plan on mastering this game or are a fan of the original, this is definitely a game you want to own. If you plan on just having fun with it or are new to the series, this game is still worth the price of a rental. Either way, you’re going to have a great time playing “Maximo vs. Army of Zin”.