Like its predecessor, Viewtiful Joe 2 slaps conformity in the face and unleashes a storm of unrelenting action drenched in the same brand of funky chic. It's fun. It's fast. It's pretty. And yes, it's damn hard. Fans of the original will find exactly what they're looking for.
Maybe a little too much of what they're looking for. VJ2 looks and plays so much like the first, in fact, that someone looking at it in passing may mistake if for the original. But there are differences; some superficial while others fundamental, so playing through VJ2 offers a different experience from the first.