System: Playstation 2
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Clover Studios

Earlier this year I discovered that Resident Evil creator, Shinji Mikami, and Clover Studios (Viewtiful Joe, Phoenix Wright) were collaborating on a PS2 title. It was only when I saw the E3 footage of GOD HAND that I knew this game would be something special. GOD HAND is a beat-em up that takes a very humorous approach to storytelling while taking its gameplay very seriously. So what do you get when you mix some of the best beat-em up gameplay mechanics, over-the-top fighting moves, and a story that obviously parodies the popular manga Fist of the North Star? You get the only PS2 game that offers laugh out loud, ass-kicking bliss with a tiny hint of Japanese style perversion.

Heaven forbid that someone expect a Final Fantasy-eqsue story in a beat-em up. GOD HAND is more liken to a parody and doesn’t take itself seriously. GOD HAND’s story is about a man named Jean who got has arm dismembered by thugs while attempting to rescue a damsel in distress. Shortly afterwards Jean comes into possession of the Godhand, a powerful weapon that can make a human either a god or a demon. The problem arises when Jean makes too much trouble by defeating demons with his Godhand. Now the demons want the Godhand for themselves and they will do whatever it takes to get it. This includes foes such as demons, magic wielding vixens, robots, wrestling gorillas, sentai midgets (think Power Rangers) and even a fat, cigar-smoking Akuma wannabe who just happens to have a Latin accent and is named Elvis. Trust me, it all comes together to make a game story unlike any other available.

I always state that gameplay is king over anything else in a game. That being the case, GOD HAND is easily the king of this current wave of beat-em ups we’ve seen in the past year or two. After wading though crap like Final Fight: Streetwise and Beatdown: Fist of Vengeance, it almost seemed like beat-em ups were a dead genre for sure. Thankfully, Clover Studios knows how to make videogame combat stylish and fresh. GOD HAND seems to take it’s gameplay mechanics directly from 3D fighting games, 2D fighting games, old school beat-em ups, and even a bit of Viewtiful Joe.

The main appeal of GOD HAND is that you can create your own combos from a list of over 100 fighting moves. There are punches, kicks, unblockables, guard crushes, air launchers (juggle setups), knock backs, and more to choose from. Some are available by defeating enemies, others by purchase at the game’s General Store. At the General Store, Jean can use the money he earns to buy status increases, new fighting techniques, and new God Reels. God Reels are the extremely over-the-top attacks that Jean can pull off on enemies if he has God Reel icons saved up. God Reel attacks range from things like stomping an enemy into a fiery mud hole, knocking them into outer space, going into a hyper kick frenzy, or slo-mo kicking your opponent in the groin and many more.

One other thing that Jean can do to deal out massive damage is unleash his God Hand. Once unleashed, Jean is invincible and free to go into a fast-paced, unblockable combo frenzy until it wears off. Having a good combo assigned beforehand is vital to not wasting this move, though the GOD HAND unleash is built up by successfully attacking enemies or finding girlie magazines.

So, with all those techniques and maneuvers at his disposal how can GOD HAND possibly be a challenge? God Hand is a challenge because it ramps the difficulty level up on gamers dynamically. The better you are at beating enemies, the harder the game makes itself. Sounds absurd, but it works just in that manner. As you successfully defeat enemies without taking alot of damage Gene’s level rises. When Jean levels up so do his enemies. They attack harder, get enraged more often, and will do more damage. If Jean should start to take a beating, he loses his levels and the difficulty ramps back down. Dynamic!

So how does Jean avoid getting his butt handed to him on a platter? He has a few defensive techniques to aid in his well-being since he can’t block attacks. The right analog stick is used for evasive actions. Tapping back on the stick causes Jean to backflip away from damage, forward causes him to duck or sway, and left or right is for sidestepping. These techniques along with well-placed attacks will eventually stun an enemy. An enemy can only be grappled by you when stunned. Gene’s grapple attacks are a mixture of wrestling and hyper attacks.

When enemies start blocking attacks, you can crush their guard using the move assigned to down and square. This leaves them open to any attack you wish to use and the damage dealt will be critical. At other times you will be grappled by an enemy. At that time you will need to QUICKLY follow the input instructions on the screen to escape or reverse that attack. If you mess up you will be sorry. Best believe this is a beat-em up that requires a lot of skill and patience. Devil May Cry 3 isn’t the only game that can make gamers beg for mercy.

On the graphical front, GOD HAND becomes a mixed bag. One good point is that the character models are actually very good for a PS2 game. In-game cut scenes use the real-time graphics as well. All the models look as good as the models from other higher profile games like Resident Evil 4, Onimusha 4, and Final Fantasy X. Even more to GOD HAND’s credit are the fluid animations of the character movements. In no other beat-em up will you find fighting techniques looking so smooth in execution.

Now for the bad news, the backgrounds and environments. They just look too bland and generic. There’s no life to them at all. Sure this is a post-apocalyptic setting, but it can still be more “atmospheric”. And I won’t even bother to get into the issue of GOD HAND’s clipping problems. Let’s just say some walls shouldn’t go transparent if you have hidden secrets in a game.

A game like God Hand needs to have solid voice-acting and audio and it does. Granted, this game’s voice-acting isn’t the best ever record but every character comes across as authentic as possible. Each and every character’s voice is dripping with the personality that one would expect from this type of quirky game. Whether they are shouting obscenities, taunts, or talking some kind of weird jibber jabber each character is cool in their own way. The sounds of punches and kicks making impact are also well done in GOD HAND. You will lay the smackdown, or get it laid on you, with crisp hard-hitting sound effects. A mixture of different genres of music like rock and techno is always playing in the background to keep you pumped up for the next confrontation.

GOD HAND is just the kick in the pants that the beat-em up genre needed. Good beat-em ups have become too far and few in-between these days. GOD HAND mixes enough of the right elements into the tried and true formula and comes out a winner in my book. It’s tough as nails and many casual gamers will likely be turned off by that. But the true fans of this genre and the diehard fighting game fans will eat this game up. A beat-em up that requires skill instead of mindless button mashing is something I have never encountered until now. GOD HAND has decent reply value which is something else this genre rarely offers. Clover Studios, Shinji Mikami, and Capcom hit the mark, HARD! Do not miss out on the ultra violent, comical fun of GOD HAND.