Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO [Xbox]

Graphics
What can be said about Capcom VS SNK 2 that has not been said about every other 2D Capcom fighter (barring Street Fighter 3, of course). The low-res character sprites suck. They work, I'll give you that, but they still suck. We've been looking at these same sprites for God knows how many years and they're getting a little tiresome. My hope is that Capcom has secretly been working on a new 2D fighting game with graphics that will shame even the mighty Guilty Gear X2, and that these recycled games are just a way to bide them more time while they complete their opus. Yeah, right.

Not taking into consideration the characters, the only thing left to really talk about are the backgrounds. A good mix of 2D and 3D elements, the backgrounds look sharp and feature some nice animations, though I can't figure out why the final level is so, I don't know, boring. Almost completely static with no real 3D elements, you'd think that the final level would be something a little grander. You work your way up the ladder, defeating opponent after opponent, only to arrive at the most generic level I've seen in years. A little anti-climatic, don't you think?

Sound
Hadouken! Shoryuken! Tatsumakisenpukaku! Who could ever forget those classic lines? Hearing them almost brings a tear to my eye...

Capcom VS SNK 2 has all the speech samples found in the arcade and they sound arcade perfect. While that might not mean much to you, old fans will feel right at home after playing a match or two. Something's very comforting about the familiarity of the voices and phrases, and it's nice to know we can enjoy them in their full glory. The background music, which consists mainly of your typical Capcom future classic light rock, is also ported directly from the arcade. You'll either be indifferent to it, or be impossibly irritated by it. Personally, I've grown so use to it that if it isn't there, something feels off. Take that as you will.

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