As viewtiful as ever.

The first Viewtiful Joe did more than invent a word. It reminded a lot of gamers what good old-fashioned 2D side-scrolling was like. The sequel does what a sequel should do - it offers a few additions to the gameplay without screwing up what made the original appealing. This time around, Joe and his girlfriend find themselves inside the movies we all know and love - this time fighting the Black Emperor.

For those who didn't play the first episode, our hero, Joe, is a star of the silver screen who possesses some serious powers and he uses to them to dispatch legions of foes across dozens of screens that scroll from left to right. He can punch, kick, dodge, jump and pull a few other tricks to get to the end of a level. If you grew up playing two dimensional scrolling action games, Joe does an excellent job of bringing that spirit into the new century. The biggest difference being in the presentation, which is superb, if a bit overwhelming at times.

There is so much going on at any given moment that the screen can be filled with meters that, in addition to the action itself, makes you feel pretty crowded. I can't help but feel I'm missing something by concentrating on beating up the bad guys. Even so, Viewtiful Joe is old school in gameplay but not in visuals. The backgrounds and characters are presented in a cel-shaded style that gives the game a comic book feeling. Everything is over the top - the colors and characters leap off the screen from one moment to the next. It's a testament to the art team that the game is so visually intense and high-strung without being obnoxious.

Over the course of the game Joe attains more powers, including the ability to speed up or slow down the world around him. He can also zoom in on the action to pull off more detailed and devastating attacks. You can only use these powers until your VFX meter runs out, which happens far too quickly. It also charges back up rather quickly, so sessions with Joe tend to shift maniacally from super-intense to a feeling of anticipation that's just as exciting. New to the sequel is the option of using Joe's girlfriend, Silvia, as a playable character. She adds the wrinkle of projectile weapons and they come in pretty handy. She also adds the power of "replay," which allows you to repeat your last action three times and comes in handy for obvious reasons.

Some of the puzzles in the game are extremely obvious and some are extremely perplexing. If you like puzzles and action almost equally, this game offers a healthy mix. If you view the time spent figuring out puzzles as time that could be better spent in action, this one might be a bit frustrating at times. While some of the solutions turned out to be a bit convoluted, none of them felt frustratingly impossible.

The key to making Viewtiful Joe 2 special is that the action does more than just encourage you to pound on the buttons until all the enemies are gone. The more stylishly you can dispatch your foes, the more points you'll earn for buying new moves. You'll earn points for efficient play, obviously, but also for making the bad guys miss, using your powers as flashily as possible, etc. You'll also get a chance to pilot Joe's Six Machine, which turns the game into a shooter for a short while.

Overall, Viewtiful Joe 2 is an excellent sequel to a unique game. There are a few gameplay additions, but the core experience is consistent and is what will keep your attention, not gimmicky tweaks. Graphics and gameplay probably don't get much better in a 2D game than they are in Viewtiful Joe2. The faint of heart might long for a few more difficulty options, as the action can get hairy in a hurry. But this is still a fun, challenging game that's extremely easy on the eyes.