Oh, this is a treat. By now, some of you may have heard of, or tasted the fame that is Marvel Vs. Capcom. Originally a CPS2-type game, it stands as a famous entry in the Capcom Versus series, shadowing both Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom and Capcom Vs. SNK. This series has a total of 6 games under its belt, and it's still popular today with the more recent entry debuting this year. Let's go through time to see how it became one of the big ones in the fighting game world.
1996: X-Men vs. Street Fighter
The year 1996 was a good year for Capcom. Around this time, they tried their hand with making Marvel-licensed games, and succeeded already with 2 games that released before this time, those being X-Men: Children of the Atom, and Marvel Super Heroes. The first instance that something big would come from it was the fact that Akuma, a Street Fighter character, was a secret character in X-Men: Children of the Atom, accessible by code. The combo system, which was kind of complexed in that game, was more simplified came the release of Marvel Super Heroes. Once more, there was a hidden one there, but this one due to leftover code, most likely. The character in question was Anita, who usually accompanied Donovan, and hails from the Darkstalkers series. However, unlike Akuma, she was incomplete, with a few attacks sometimes using his sprite, and that she features no name on the lifebar, no ending, and uses Thanos' portrait if somehow selected.
While Children of the Atom was published overseas to the US under Acclaim, that, and any title succeeding this would retain the Capcom label. After those two were released and played out, it was time to mix things up a little. This would mark the official premier of Marvel's universe matching up against Capcom's own Street Fighter universe. In this year, they released a coin-op arcade title X-men Vs. Street Fighter, which took elements from the two Marvel games, and blended it with tag team gameplay and Street Fighter flair. The sprites on X-Men's side used their Children of the Atom style, while Street Fighter's sprites were taken from Street Fighter Alpha, a game released around the same time. In addition Cammy White would appear in Shadaloo-style clothing as a playable character on the Street Fighter roster, before her appearance in Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold, and it's successor Street Fighter Alpha 3. Super moves were retained from both, while Infinity Counter of Marvel Super Heroes was replaced by Variable Counter, which uses a super bar and wears down a player's guard, but has their partner attack. Variable Combination
is basically 2 Hyper Combos in one and uses 2 meters. Another pro is that if the player doesn't obtain damage during this, the character they use switch with their backup character. Lastly, the game would usually end when the boss, in this case Apocalypse, is defeated, however, an extra battle occurs against your partner, and you control the character who finishes Apocalypse off.
They were released the following year for Sega Saturn, and the year after for Sony PlayStation, though the tag feature for the 1998 release was canned, due to memory issues. Only the Arcade and PSX port ever saw daylight in the US.
1997: Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter
Reprising what was done, and seeing how much of a hit it was in the arcades (yet only decent to negative in the PSX port), Capcom tried again with Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter. This time around, the majority of the X-Men cast was swapped out in favor of more characters from the Marvel universe in general, essentially resulting in using sprites from Marvel Super Heroes. All the same, Capcom also had a few shifts on their side, dropping Charlie and Cammy for Dan and Sakura. The system was also tweaked a little, but was essentially similar to the previous game. Apocalypse returned as the main villain, but he wasn't alone. Alongside him was a mechanical-enhanced version of Akuma, dubbed Cyber-Akuma, made by Apocalypse, and is the final boss of the game. Featuring a variation of the Raging Demon, Shining Goku Shock, this move is one reason why everyone hated fighting him, for it works on ground and in mid air. There are also secret characters which are more so palette swaps of others, such as U.S. Agent and Shadow. For the first time, and perhaps the only time in the series, the game featured a neutral character Norimaro as a Japan exclusive character, representing neither side. Modeled after a Japanese comedian, his attacks are perceived just as ridiculous as his sprite movements. Unless someone emulated, or got the Japan-region copy and system, Norimaro was never introduced officially on US soil.
Like it's predecessor, the game was released for Sega Saturn in 1998 for Japan, while released for Sony PlayStation in 1999 for Japan, US, and the PAL regions. The Arcade was also widely released. While it retained the positive reviews of the previous titles, the PSX port received mixed reviews, gaining better fanfare than the PSX Port of X-Men vs. Street Fighter.
1998: Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
Succeeding this was the release of Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes. Published by Capcom and Virgin Interactive, there were many changes that took place this time. Roster wise, the Capcom side became more mixed, bringing in characters from series such as Darkstalkers, Mega Man, and Cyberbots. The Marvel side saw some changes too, with War Machine debuting in a Capcom vs. title. There were also 4 pallete swap characters. However, mechanics this time were altered. As opposed to the off-screen partner assisting the point character in a fight, a randomly chosen assist character instead fills that role, but for only a certain number of times. Switching is still possible, but only after one gets knocked out, which tags the other member in automatically, or when they use the new feature Duo Team Attack, which has both members attack their opponent, making devastation combos and damage. Afterwards, the summoned partner is now the point character.
The Assist Character was a role that was similar to Rival Schools: United By Fate, a game released a year before, around the same time as Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter in the arcades. X-men villain Onslaught appears as the antagonist, which has two forms the player must defeat. However, he can also be a secret character to use when all others are unlocked. As cheap as he is, the player gets access to both forms once saved to the VMU. While he also summons in-game characters, he uses Sentinel as a special move, which would make him an NPC, but never the less, a character premiering in the series. Moreover, in lieu of Ken and Akuma being absent, Ryu had a different playstyle, where he takes on the attributes and movesets of those two upon certain button combinations.
It hit arcades in early 1998 for both Japan and US. Console-wise, It was released on both the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Dreamcast, the successor to Sega Saturn. Moreover, the release was for all available regions, US seeing the Dreamcast copy in 1999, and PSX in 2000. However, as before, the PSX version, called Marvel vs. Capcom EX Edition in Japan, dealt with sacrifices due to memory limitations. However, it had it's exclusives. While the tag feature was nearly absent in its entiretly, a crossover mode was set, in which a character the first player chooses becomes the partner of the opposing player. To add, an art gallery and ending collection were added, and upon beating Onslaught with him, Mega Man had access to Magnetic Shockwave, which was teased in his ending.
Again, praised highly in the arcades, it was matched with the Dreamcast release's superb reviews as well. PlayStation's, however, still retained their rather lackluster score like the other two, that is to say it was mixed to negative.
2000: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
Featuring 3-on-3 battles, a bigger character roster, simplified controls, and a jazzy soundtrack, the sequel Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes was the big one. The fourth member of the MvC series, it was released around the same time Capcom vs. SNK began their run in the Capcom vs. series. Using the NAOMI arcade platform, it was the only game to use 3d polygon imagery at the time, though retained the usage of character sprites. While it supposedly has a story of its own, this game does not have character specific endings like the others, and regardless of the members of your team, everyone gets the same ending.
Using 4 attack buttons, the last 2 are for the character assist. there are in total 57 characters to choose from, making one of, if not THE largest cast in the MVC series, in which 56 are playable. The assist feature also saw some changes, as there was 3 types you can choose from, labeled Alpha Type (α), Beta Type (ß), and Gamma Type (Γ), and the moves assigned are predetermined via the developers. Switching out had no limit, and like before, those tagged out can recover their health, but only for the amount left by the red area in their life bar. Aside from the usual Hyper Combos, players can use them all at once, but takes away most if not all of the Super Meter in order to pull it off. While majority of the characters are from well known series, there were a few originals this time around, starting with the main character Ruby Heart, SonSon (who's a relative of another Capcom character with the same name), and Abyss, also exclusive as the main antagonist. Returning characters consists of most of those who appeared in the MVC series up to that point, with the inclusion of those that never made it before (examples are characters as Iron Man and Cable on the Marvel side, while two of Capcom's debuts are Servbot and Dan.)
The game was high in demand, but limited in release in 2002. As they were released for arcades, they also saw a Dreamcast release the same year it debuted. In 2002, there were limited ports for Sony PlayStation 2, with the port to Microsoft Xbox the following year, mainly due to Capcom losing the Marvel license. For the first time, Sony gained a good review for their port of the game, while it was merely decent for Xbox, even with it being backwards compatible with its successor, Microsoft Xbox 360. Due to bugs and software slowdown in that version, their port lost to Sony's, but they still fell under in comparison to Dreamcast's port, said to be the most faithful due to their similarities to the NAOMI system. It saw a re-release as a downloadable for Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade, and Sony PlayStation 3's PlayStation Network in 2009, both of which getting generally good praise. With the downloadable release came changes. The attract movie was dropped, all characters were initially available, it supported online play, and the sprites had filters. I say this was done to get people hyped for the next chapter...
2011: Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds & Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
It was ten painful years for MvC fans before the next chapter was made. At last, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds emerged as a title straight to consoles. Not much changed from the previous game and retained the 3-on-3 format, but some characters were excluded, with others debuting, such as Albert Wesker and Dante on Capcom's side, while Marvel featured the likes of Super Skrull and Deadpool, among others. Furthermore, every character appeared in 3D form, featuring rendering similar to the young Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars. In addition, Level 3 Hyper Combos had special animations to them, stopping an opponent during its animation if connected. Other features included X-Factor, which increases damage, speed, and regenerates health. Due to the last bit, I thought of it as similar to the Blood Heat mode of unrelated novel fighter Melty Blood: Act Cadenza.
The antagonists this time around was revealed to be the joint partnership of Doctor Doom and Wesker, with the final bad guy being the oversized planet destroyer, Galactus. Plenty of character tweaks were made since MvC2 to prevent any broken characters. However, as usual, there were ways around this with some of them, and it takes a real expert to find them out. The 2-button Light and Hard Punch was canned for a 3-button set up, making it akin to that of TvC. Music was also revamped, as it went back to having character specific themes, made more modern and techno-like. Assists carried on like the last game, and before selecting your team, two things happen: for starters, you can choose to have normal, or simplified controls, though choosing the latter limits your moveset. You can also have set reserve units, basically teams you frequently study and fight well with. For fan service, character endings return, even one for Galactus should you end the game after losing to him.
Released for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, it was hailed as a great title overall. DLC included different costumes as well as 2 characters: Shuma-Gorath returning from MvC2, as well as Jill Valentine, though she features a new look and moveset to complement her Resident Evil 5 appearance. More DLC were confirmed, but due to the tsunami that took place in Japan, they went with plan B: much like how they did it for the Street Fighter IV series, the said DLC were released as another standalone debuting this month: Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, which wil be a rerelease for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and next year will be a launch title for PlayStation Vita, Sony's new handheld. This features even more character tweaks and the debut of more characters, like Hawkeye and Rocket Raccon for Marvel, and Vergil and Phoenix Wright for Capcom.
Even with its flaws and gains, Marvel vs. Capcom is a name to respect and fear in terms of competition. Whether you're a causal player, or a die-hard pro, any player is welcome to play, but it may not be to everyone's liking. Still, as a series overall, a 9 of 10. Even with its few flops back in the early days, Marvel vs. Capcom will seemingly become a timeless series.
Showing posts with label Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Series. Show all posts
06 November, 2011
04 April, 2011
Game Review II: "Melty Blood" series
Melty Blood is a game not too many people may be familiar with. That's because it's seen in America so few times, as Japan exclusive company Type-Moon haven't released it under English distribution, at least not officially. The eroge visual novel, Tsukihime, serves as the base of the Melty Blood story. The story centers on the character Shiki Tohno, a boy who seems ordinary, but is anything but. Here's why: originally, his identity is Shiki Nanaya, born as the member of a demon-slaying clan of assassins. The Tohnos, on the other hand, are a family associated with demon blood. The Nanaya clan were soon destroyed by not only the Tohnos, but also the Kishimas, a branch of the Tohno family. The head of the Tohno family soon adopted Shiki, being the only survivor of the attack. Shik's name was identical to SHIKI, the son of the Tohno elder.
For the now-adopted Shiki Tohno, his problems didn't end there. The Tohnos had this thing called the "inversion impulse", a trigger that causes those of the demon blood to lose rationality with only the mindset to kill. SHIKI inverted without caution, bearing his blade at his sister, Akiha. At the risk of his own life, Shiki shielded her, which led to him being stabbed. This caused a scar on his body, among other symptoms. SHIKI was also supposedly slain by the Tohno elder, yet they were both very much alive. Locking up SHIKI, the Tohnos sent Shiki to live with the distant relatives, the Arimas, for the 8 years prior to Tsukihime's events. During Tsukihime, the story takes off after Shiki's return to the Tohno family, in addition to accidentally slaying into pieces a girl, later revealed as the True Ancestor vampire: Arcueid Brunestud.
Melty Blood, the spinoff to the aforementioned Tsukihime, originally started off as a lighter, non-adult version of the novel. Taking place one year after Tsukihime, the fighting novel has a wide cast of characters in total: a mix of the people of the original story and sequel, as well as a few original faces, with Sion Eltnam Atlasia serving as a main heroine who, depending on the story route, fights alongside Shiki, or against him. After being released on the PC, Melty Blood gained a few expansions. Melty Blood: Re-ACT serves as the expansion that succeeds Melty Blood's main story, which includes the towering Giant Akiha as a non-playable character. Re-ACT drops the Story Mode seen in the original, while expanding the stories of individual characters in the Arcade Mode. While the original had doppleganger characters with the same movesets (Moveset of Shiki Tohno = Moveset of Shiki Nanaya), Re-ACT made tweaks, so despite how similar they are, there are noticeable differences in gameplay. Melty Blood: Re-Act Final Tuned is the final expansion of this specific title, bearing a control scheme similar to the succeeding Melty Blood: Act Cadenza, with the inclusion of 4 colors for each character.
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza is another expansion, and the first of the series to see a Playstation 2 port. Emphasized more on the fighting engine, the Story Mode aspect was eliminated. Aoko Aozaki was made playable through some revamping of her moveset, originally a boss character of the previous title. In addition to this, Kouma Kishima was also added, a character that was a member of Shiki's past as a Nanaya. This title saw 2 versions. Version A was an arcade port that first featured the two characters. The PS2 port, Version B, included the early form of Neco-Arc Chaos, a short character who resembled Neco-Arc, but fought in the mix of the movesets of Neco-Arc, Mech-Hisui and Nrvnqsr (Nero) Chaos. This character can only be selectable by pressing the (D) button on Nrvnqsr before selecting him. The Len doppleganger, White Len, was still made unavailable. With the fact that the Atlasia crest was still seen in the title (Version A had this) Version B is considered a variant of Ver. A. When Version B hit the PC, White Len was finally made available, albeit weaker. The logo saw a change as well, featuring silhouettes of both Len characters. The game included as well a giant boss, Neco-Arc Chaos Black G666.
Melty Blood: Actress Again is the third game, and perhaps the one with the biggest changes, with 2 new characters, an extra variant of Akiha, and the inclusion of Ryougi Shiki, a character from another Type-Moon work: Kara no Kyoukai, whose world is parallel to Tsukihime's. PS2 saw its official release. Unverified is the supposed arcade version, Melty Blood: Actress Again Current Code. And it's highly uncertain if there is, or will be, an official PC/Games for Windows release of the game.
As of now, this is the final grade as to the Melty Blood series:
While it's not as famous as the works of games made by Aksys Games, it plays something of the like. To get this game, you have to get it imported, because it's too soon to be playable on US game consoles.
For the now-adopted Shiki Tohno, his problems didn't end there. The Tohnos had this thing called the "inversion impulse", a trigger that causes those of the demon blood to lose rationality with only the mindset to kill. SHIKI inverted without caution, bearing his blade at his sister, Akiha. At the risk of his own life, Shiki shielded her, which led to him being stabbed. This caused a scar on his body, among other symptoms. SHIKI was also supposedly slain by the Tohno elder, yet they were both very much alive. Locking up SHIKI, the Tohnos sent Shiki to live with the distant relatives, the Arimas, for the 8 years prior to Tsukihime's events. During Tsukihime, the story takes off after Shiki's return to the Tohno family, in addition to accidentally slaying into pieces a girl, later revealed as the True Ancestor vampire: Arcueid Brunestud.
Melty Blood, the spinoff to the aforementioned Tsukihime, originally started off as a lighter, non-adult version of the novel. Taking place one year after Tsukihime, the fighting novel has a wide cast of characters in total: a mix of the people of the original story and sequel, as well as a few original faces, with Sion Eltnam Atlasia serving as a main heroine who, depending on the story route, fights alongside Shiki, or against him. After being released on the PC, Melty Blood gained a few expansions. Melty Blood: Re-ACT serves as the expansion that succeeds Melty Blood's main story, which includes the towering Giant Akiha as a non-playable character. Re-ACT drops the Story Mode seen in the original, while expanding the stories of individual characters in the Arcade Mode. While the original had doppleganger characters with the same movesets (Moveset of Shiki Tohno = Moveset of Shiki Nanaya), Re-ACT made tweaks, so despite how similar they are, there are noticeable differences in gameplay. Melty Blood: Re-Act Final Tuned is the final expansion of this specific title, bearing a control scheme similar to the succeeding Melty Blood: Act Cadenza, with the inclusion of 4 colors for each character.
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza is another expansion, and the first of the series to see a Playstation 2 port. Emphasized more on the fighting engine, the Story Mode aspect was eliminated. Aoko Aozaki was made playable through some revamping of her moveset, originally a boss character of the previous title. In addition to this, Kouma Kishima was also added, a character that was a member of Shiki's past as a Nanaya. This title saw 2 versions. Version A was an arcade port that first featured the two characters. The PS2 port, Version B, included the early form of Neco-Arc Chaos, a short character who resembled Neco-Arc, but fought in the mix of the movesets of Neco-Arc, Mech-Hisui and Nrvnqsr (Nero) Chaos. This character can only be selectable by pressing the (D) button on Nrvnqsr before selecting him. The Len doppleganger, White Len, was still made unavailable. With the fact that the Atlasia crest was still seen in the title (Version A had this) Version B is considered a variant of Ver. A. When Version B hit the PC, White Len was finally made available, albeit weaker. The logo saw a change as well, featuring silhouettes of both Len characters. The game included as well a giant boss, Neco-Arc Chaos Black G666.
Melty Blood: Actress Again is the third game, and perhaps the one with the biggest changes, with 2 new characters, an extra variant of Akiha, and the inclusion of Ryougi Shiki, a character from another Type-Moon work: Kara no Kyoukai, whose world is parallel to Tsukihime's. PS2 saw its official release. Unverified is the supposed arcade version, Melty Blood: Actress Again Current Code. And it's highly uncertain if there is, or will be, an official PC/Games for Windows release of the game.
As of now, this is the final grade as to the Melty Blood series:
- Melty Blood: 6
- Melty Blood Re-ACT: 6.5
- Melty Blood Re-ACT Final Tuned: 6.5
- Melty Blood Act Cadenza: 7
- Melty Blood Actress Again: 8
While it's not as famous as the works of games made by Aksys Games, it plays something of the like. To get this game, you have to get it imported, because it's too soon to be playable on US game consoles.
31 March, 2011
Game Review I: "Mega Man X" series
After making 20 anime reviews in my blog, I thought it was time to give games the spotlight, and to do so, my first ever game review is about a favorite series of mine. Capcom released the first game of this name in the 90's, so it's somewhat old, but still a treasure to me. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my review of the series Mega Man X. It will be kinda long, so bear with me.
At first glance, those that have played the original Mega Man games in the past may notice some differences, but still have a familiar setting with MMX, the sequel to the original. For the most part, it plays the same, albeit a few changes in mechanics. MMX introduced the function of dashing and wall-kicking, which became more or less a staple in nearly all titles in this series. While we do see transmissions of Dr. Light, and silhouettes of Wily throughout the series, the game deals with a generally new cast: new heroes, new adversaries, new breed, new world. In the year 21XX, a century after the events of the original Mega Man, Light's unique creation, called Mega Man "X", wakes up after being found by Dr. Cain. Using his design, Cain gave rise to a special kind of machine, called Reploids. Much like how X was, these Reploids had the ability to feel, think, act, and move like that of humans. Based on X, Reploids had been given a will of their own, capable of independent thought.
It's with this that it takes a drastic turn, and these mass-produced Reploids soon committed crimes, bringing harm to other Reploids, and even humans. Such actions gave rise to the term "Maverick" and it's from this uprising that the Maverick Hunters were made. The Hunters had a simple objective: to quell any and all Maverick breakouts, and keep damages to a minimum. Cain's signature Reploid, Sigma (Σ), was to be the most advance Reploid, incapable of becoming Maverick. For some time, he was the spearhead of the Maverick Hunters, up until his first run-in with Zero. After battling him, he has somehow become Maverick himself, and as the first sign of his reign on terror, he drove out all human occupants of a small island and seized control of it.
By this time, a newly revised Zero is ready to stand on the front lines. He is given the leader position of Unit #17, the unit X is ultimately joined to after deciding that he would fight.The bond between the two grow, but the troubles they deal with grow even faster. Throughout their battles, X, Zero, and fellow Hunter Axl, make a name for themselves as feared and respected Maverick Hunters. Sigma is a staple villain in the series, though there are others that are over him sometimes. Throughout the course of it, how he managed to become Maverick is more elaborated, and elements regarding the birth of X and Zero, the possible future of the hunters, and the mystery behind Zero, are also explained, albeit not thoroughly.
Mega Man X would be the first game of the series, taking off right after the aforementioned plot.This game introduces the gimmicks not seen in the original MM games, as well as machines new to the universe, such as Ride Armors: mechs that have destructive power, but breaks once it takes too much damage. The Armor System is also introduced, as a way to enhance X's abilities. He starts with basically weak strength in this title, so his is incapable of Charge shots from his X-Buster, any damage done is considerably strong, and he lacks the dashing function. Fear not though, the armor is a right away equip item, so as soon as you have it, the tide is in your favor.
E-Tanks from the MM series are remade into what they call Sub-Tanks: items that remain with you upon pickup. Much like the E-Tanks before it, you can use these to replenish lost energy, but it isn't disposable like the other. In fact they're quite rechargeable, so should you pick up a health item and your health meter's full, it'll be sent to the Sub-Tank for later use. the Weapon Tank works the same way. The gameplay provided is a step above the original's. So games in the MMX series are significantly harder, or so I'm told.
Alright, on to the games themselves. We have 8 main games in the series, with the addition of 2 Game Boy exclusive ones, a remake, and a RPG which is perhaps not canon, but that's still unverified. The first one would be Mega Man X, which kicked off in 1994 as the first MM game in general on the Super Nintendo. Through gameplay, one was capable of using the well known Street Fighter ability, Hadouken, under certain conditions. This coexisted alongside the classic series, as the classic series Mega Man 6 was still vaguely selling on the original Nintendo. The sequel to this was Mega Man X2, released on the same time period as Mega Man 7. Like the game before it, it introduced the other ability, Shoryuken, as an ability for X, but conditions had to be met, and it's a tad difficult to obtain. At this time, Game Boy was also gave some attention with the game Rockman X: Cyber Mission, known in America as Mega Man Xtreme. Nothing new came to this game, as it was just a Game Boy title with bosses from the first two MMX games.The last Super Nintendo title was Mega Man X3, released roughly less than a year later, and Mega Man Xtreme 2, known as Rockman X2: Soul Eraser, following it.
With X3 and Xtreme 2, it gave the second protagonist, Zero, some attention, as before these two games, the people couldn't control him. Having Zero playable opened possibilities, and soon, he was selectable for every following release. Another character, Iris, was introduced, and the game was set to be in a time period before the release of X4. Another noteworthy point is that for the first time, they had an intro animation in Japan pairing with JPop songs. X3 was the first to do this with the use of Kotono Shibuya's "One More Time" and "I'm Believer" as the games respective intro and ending themes. As it was the last of the SNES, this game saw attention of the 32-bit consoles as well: Sega Saturn, and Sony Playstation.
The succeeding title, Mega Man X4, was released in 1997 for both the Saturn and Playstation, with the Japanese versions of this having themes to the game. It was at this time that people can select either X or Zero, but they were to stick with that selected character throughout the whole game. More animation scenes were included in this title, and was the first MMX game to contain voice acting. However, that was perhaps the cause of criticism by many fans. The voice acting was hard to bear, more so on Zero's part in the English release. The line "What am I fighting for?" was said in the scene where the character Iris dies in Zero's arms. While a touching scene by itself, the line in particular was the opening to a lot of ridicule.
Gameplay wise, the graphics were touched up greatly. It also had its share of difficulty. With the inclusion of that, the Armor System was revised again, this time with the buster parts being adjustable. Like some of the others, X4 had specified animations for attacks that were highly effective against bosses. Zero had his share of abilities, but were used differently because he couldn't use his buster, in favor of the now standard Z-saber. Also, by certain cheats, the Black Zero power up, and the Ultimate Armor for X would be obtain, boasting in power. While Black Zero plays the same way, Ultimate Armor had the abilities of X's Fourth Armor, including the unlimited use of Nova Strike: an invincible dash that destroys easily any opponent with the exception of bosses. Also, this is where it shows the unseen battle of Sigma and Zero's first encounter.
The title following this was Mega Man X5, which was perhaps the most memorable out of the MMX series in general. Gameplay was kept similar from X4, but with a number of changes. For the fist time, you can choose how difficult the game is, with a training mode added as well. Accompanying these was the inclusion of items to be equipped on X or Zero, obtained when you beat a foe on a higher level. When creating the item, you can also expand your weapon or life energy. Zero's Buster became usable again, but unlike X's, it couldn't be charged, and he has to be on the ground to use it. Like X4, it also had it's mid-boss, this case being the mercenary Dynamo. There was also a prominent threat interfering with the two hunters: the Sigma Virus. From the first stage, it scattered across the planet, affecting Reploids that come in contact with it. The hunters can also come in contact with this virus. Once enough of it fills them, it either harms or helps them, depending on the player. Lastly, who you choose, and how you play the game will affect what ending you head towards, but you can still choose what character you wish to use for each mission.
The armor system chaged once again, as it is no longer equipped right away. The armor parts are made into programs that become available upon clearing (or failing) a mission. Next to this, all 4 parts have to be obtained for the armor to be used. In this instance a total of 4 armors are possible for X to have: The Fourth Armor from X4, the Gaea Armor: a slow, but powerful armor capable of destroying certain bricks and invulnerable to spikes, the Falcon Armor: capable of flight for a limited time, and the Ultimate Armor, now integrated into the game with a possible way of getting it, though still accessible by cheat, should the user wish to have it right away. Zero's Black Body can also be accessible.
Mega Man X6 is the last title seen on the PSX line as an MMX game. The events, gameplay, and graphics, take right after X5's with the inclusion of Japanese voice acting in the initial PSX release. Following X5, Zero is nowhere to be found, thought of as dead after the battle with Sigma. Perhaps this was the only time X could use Zero's Z-Saber on the field, despite it being a single slash. The armor system was kept the same as from X5, this time being the Blade and Shadow armor, with the Falcon Armor having weaker abilities. Like the 2 games before it, it was possible to get Ultimate Armor and Black Zero through cheats, while not necessarily part of the game, body and headshot sprites were made for them. The stage interfering elements came back, though because of the threat being the Nightmare Virus, it varied what effect would appear, yet it can be marked which area has changed. Should you select the one in red, the stage becomes significantly harder, despite still having the difficulty option. Next to this is the inclusion of a second area, which you face either Nightmare Zero: A phantom of sorts with the abilities of Zero from X5, though enhanced, High Max: a Reploid investigation leader you encounter on the first stage, and Dynamo, returning from X5 with the goal of obtaining Nightmare Souls. As well, you can rescue Reploids, something I didn't mention was possible in X5. In X6, however, you must find them before the Nightmare does. Failure to do so will turn them against you, with the possibility of you killing the Reploid once affected. There's also the matter of finding out the whereabouts of Zero. Should you find him after Nightmare Zero's defeat, he becomes playable with a few changes in his play style.
We jump to the Playstation 2 with the release of Mega Man X7. This time around, a new Reploid enters the scene: the DNA-changing Axl, who deserts the vigilante organization Red Alert after questioning the meothods used to retire Mavericks. At good timing as well, because X retires himself from the frontlines, questioning the actions of not only the Maverick Hunters, but more so his own. Zero is still initially playable, but the interface this time changed a great deal. As they render the series into 3D, the game had the unique feature of shifting from 2D to 3D controls, with added elements to it. Such elements includes a lock on feature for Axl and X (who is later playable), and the extending of Zero's hit abilities, capable to reaching a 7-hit combo with his saber. Another nice addition was Zero's weapons. Going beyong just a Z-saber, with new boss alilities, he gains new weapons that work well with them. In addition, a tag system was established, allowing you to alternate between the two hunters you select. Armors became a right away equip item once again, the only armor available being Glide Armor. While not being significantly great, it gave X the ability to glide in the air after a jump. In addition Axl could hover, as well as copy Reploid data, transforming into the Reploid to get past enemies. Zero, with the addition of added weaponry, can use double jump and an initial ability. While Sigma remains an initial enemy, Red Alert's leader, Red, provides the 8 enemies to face this time. Voice acting returns as well, with this game having the option of using English or Japanese, though default voice in game play is English for the US release. Despite intention, players found the third dimensional aspect poor in execution.
Mega Man X: Command Mission hit as the spinoff of the series for the PS2, and for the first time since Mega Man X, on a Nintendo platform, the Gamecube. Command Mission, or CM was a game composed with elements of an RPG, really changing the playing field in the world of MMX. That said, Sigma, for the first time, was not the villain of this game, having not appeared once in CM, as the game takes off a century later, within the year 22XX. Armors were accessible as the game's Hyper Mode, and the weaknesses were done by elements Fire, Water, and Electric., done in a certain matter, while still following the signature Rock-Scissors-Paper format of the regular games. New voice acting was done for all 3 hunters, with the inclusion of entirely new faces. The system was standard for RPGs: there was an EXP system where as a character gains strength upon leveling up, an equip system that enhanced abilities pending on what Force Metal and weapon was used, and items that could be used in and outside of battle. Accompanying these is the FME generator, available on both games as a means of refining different Force Metal. The games has some exclusives as well: the PS2 version featuring the trial for Mega Man X8, and the GC version having a Treasure Radar to unlock exclusive figurines. Other features like the Sky Room, Deployment Center, and a cutscene viewer is available to try. The battle system follows a standard turn-based format, each character having unique ways of attacking and signature "Action Triggers" for heavier damage. Out of battle, one can interact with civilian Reploids, and allies for hints, items, etc. This game was given average reviews, but I still feel it's slightly above it.
Mega Man X8 is the final MMX entry thus far, and as of right now the concluding title in the MMX timeline officially. X8 returns to the infamous 2D format with the visuals of 3D elements, though the 3D gameplay of X7 was not included. Vile, prominent midboss of the first 3 X games returns with an new look, still serving mainstay adversary, Sigma (who is voice by Dave Pettitt, who did Epsilon in CM.) As well, two navigators are introduced as well: Layer, a specialist in analyzing Boss abilities, and Palette, who is nifty for finding hidden items. These two can be selected as navigators alongside the returning Alia. The armor system changed once more, in perhaps its most unique form. Physically, it's only one armor, called the Neutral Armor, but it can be equipped with Parts of the Icarus and Hermes Armors, each varying in abilities. As a bonus, Black Zero returns as well as the inclusion of a different palette of Axl with enhanced abilities. As to add further changes, the Ultimate Armor is reintroduced in a style similar to Neutral. The characters has not drastic, but significant, changes in design. Alia, Layer, and Palette, once purchased from the Dev. Lab, can be used as playable characters, though this removes the navigation feature once any one of them are selected. As such, the three navigators can't do certain abilities their respective counterparts (X, Zero, Axl) are capable of. They also can't interact with bosses. As different voice actors fill the roles of the other characters, the three what voiced the Hunters in CM reprise their roles in X8. IT gained mixed reviews, but were fairly positive.
Despite X8 being the last chronologically in the MMX series, the final game was a remake of the original MMX, called Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X. Those familiar with the Super Nintendo game may notice a few differences, yet it was easily adaptable as the only official MMX game released as a PSP UMD. The boss lineup was the same as the first, with a slight difference in weakness order. The stages were remade in a fashion that resembled the normal, but with the elements seen in X8. As well, there was voice acting in this as well, with X, Zero, and Vile having their roles reprised from X8. Certain story elements made minor changes from the first game, such as added dialogue, and changes
to others. The music score was heavily remixed, though kept the same air of the original score, albeit the beat for some being a bit heavier than before. The abilities of X, such as the armors, and the hidden Hadouken power up, remained as is with little tampering.
I know it was too long a review but here's the breakdown of the line up over all from me:
Mega Man X (SNES): 8.25
Mega Man X2 (SNES): 8
Mega Man Xtreme (Game Boy Color): 6.5
Mega Man X3 (SNES, Saturn, Playstation): 8.25
Mega Man Xtreme 2 (Game Boy Color): 7.75
Mega Man X4 (Saturn, Playstation): 7
Mega Man X5 (Playstation): 8.5
Mega Man X6 (Playstation): 7.75
Mega Man X7 (Playstation 2, PC [Asia Only]): 6
Mega Man X: Command Mission (Playstation 2, Gamecube): 8
Mega Man X8 (Playatation 2, Windows) 8
Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X (Playstation Protable): 8.5
Frankly, that's my take on them. All fairly good, minus some flops from some. I forgot to mention this, but much like how all the classic games were, the first 6 MMX games are available as part of the game Mega Man X Collection. While it lacks in collection features, it does have content from the six games as it was, even though you can use the save feature for the first 3 games. Anyway, hopefully, the next reviews won't be as long, as I'll most likely condense future reviews like this. Anyway, until next time.
At first glance, those that have played the original Mega Man games in the past may notice some differences, but still have a familiar setting with MMX, the sequel to the original. For the most part, it plays the same, albeit a few changes in mechanics. MMX introduced the function of dashing and wall-kicking, which became more or less a staple in nearly all titles in this series. While we do see transmissions of Dr. Light, and silhouettes of Wily throughout the series, the game deals with a generally new cast: new heroes, new adversaries, new breed, new world. In the year 21XX, a century after the events of the original Mega Man, Light's unique creation, called Mega Man "X", wakes up after being found by Dr. Cain. Using his design, Cain gave rise to a special kind of machine, called Reploids. Much like how X was, these Reploids had the ability to feel, think, act, and move like that of humans. Based on X, Reploids had been given a will of their own, capable of independent thought.
It's with this that it takes a drastic turn, and these mass-produced Reploids soon committed crimes, bringing harm to other Reploids, and even humans. Such actions gave rise to the term "Maverick" and it's from this uprising that the Maverick Hunters were made. The Hunters had a simple objective: to quell any and all Maverick breakouts, and keep damages to a minimum. Cain's signature Reploid, Sigma (Σ), was to be the most advance Reploid, incapable of becoming Maverick. For some time, he was the spearhead of the Maverick Hunters, up until his first run-in with Zero. After battling him, he has somehow become Maverick himself, and as the first sign of his reign on terror, he drove out all human occupants of a small island and seized control of it.
By this time, a newly revised Zero is ready to stand on the front lines. He is given the leader position of Unit #17, the unit X is ultimately joined to after deciding that he would fight.The bond between the two grow, but the troubles they deal with grow even faster. Throughout their battles, X, Zero, and fellow Hunter Axl, make a name for themselves as feared and respected Maverick Hunters. Sigma is a staple villain in the series, though there are others that are over him sometimes. Throughout the course of it, how he managed to become Maverick is more elaborated, and elements regarding the birth of X and Zero, the possible future of the hunters, and the mystery behind Zero, are also explained, albeit not thoroughly.
Mega Man X would be the first game of the series, taking off right after the aforementioned plot.This game introduces the gimmicks not seen in the original MM games, as well as machines new to the universe, such as Ride Armors: mechs that have destructive power, but breaks once it takes too much damage. The Armor System is also introduced, as a way to enhance X's abilities. He starts with basically weak strength in this title, so his is incapable of Charge shots from his X-Buster, any damage done is considerably strong, and he lacks the dashing function. Fear not though, the armor is a right away equip item, so as soon as you have it, the tide is in your favor.
E-Tanks from the MM series are remade into what they call Sub-Tanks: items that remain with you upon pickup. Much like the E-Tanks before it, you can use these to replenish lost energy, but it isn't disposable like the other. In fact they're quite rechargeable, so should you pick up a health item and your health meter's full, it'll be sent to the Sub-Tank for later use. the Weapon Tank works the same way. The gameplay provided is a step above the original's. So games in the MMX series are significantly harder, or so I'm told.
Alright, on to the games themselves. We have 8 main games in the series, with the addition of 2 Game Boy exclusive ones, a remake, and a RPG which is perhaps not canon, but that's still unverified. The first one would be Mega Man X, which kicked off in 1994 as the first MM game in general on the Super Nintendo. Through gameplay, one was capable of using the well known Street Fighter ability, Hadouken, under certain conditions. This coexisted alongside the classic series, as the classic series Mega Man 6 was still vaguely selling on the original Nintendo. The sequel to this was Mega Man X2, released on the same time period as Mega Man 7. Like the game before it, it introduced the other ability, Shoryuken, as an ability for X, but conditions had to be met, and it's a tad difficult to obtain. At this time, Game Boy was also gave some attention with the game Rockman X: Cyber Mission, known in America as Mega Man Xtreme. Nothing new came to this game, as it was just a Game Boy title with bosses from the first two MMX games.The last Super Nintendo title was Mega Man X3, released roughly less than a year later, and Mega Man Xtreme 2, known as Rockman X2: Soul Eraser, following it.
With X3 and Xtreme 2, it gave the second protagonist, Zero, some attention, as before these two games, the people couldn't control him. Having Zero playable opened possibilities, and soon, he was selectable for every following release. Another character, Iris, was introduced, and the game was set to be in a time period before the release of X4. Another noteworthy point is that for the first time, they had an intro animation in Japan pairing with JPop songs. X3 was the first to do this with the use of Kotono Shibuya's "One More Time" and "I'm Believer" as the games respective intro and ending themes. As it was the last of the SNES, this game saw attention of the 32-bit consoles as well: Sega Saturn, and Sony Playstation.
The succeeding title, Mega Man X4, was released in 1997 for both the Saturn and Playstation, with the Japanese versions of this having themes to the game. It was at this time that people can select either X or Zero, but they were to stick with that selected character throughout the whole game. More animation scenes were included in this title, and was the first MMX game to contain voice acting. However, that was perhaps the cause of criticism by many fans. The voice acting was hard to bear, more so on Zero's part in the English release. The line "What am I fighting for?" was said in the scene where the character Iris dies in Zero's arms. While a touching scene by itself, the line in particular was the opening to a lot of ridicule.
Gameplay wise, the graphics were touched up greatly. It also had its share of difficulty. With the inclusion of that, the Armor System was revised again, this time with the buster parts being adjustable. Like some of the others, X4 had specified animations for attacks that were highly effective against bosses. Zero had his share of abilities, but were used differently because he couldn't use his buster, in favor of the now standard Z-saber. Also, by certain cheats, the Black Zero power up, and the Ultimate Armor for X would be obtain, boasting in power. While Black Zero plays the same way, Ultimate Armor had the abilities of X's Fourth Armor, including the unlimited use of Nova Strike: an invincible dash that destroys easily any opponent with the exception of bosses. Also, this is where it shows the unseen battle of Sigma and Zero's first encounter.
The title following this was Mega Man X5, which was perhaps the most memorable out of the MMX series in general. Gameplay was kept similar from X4, but with a number of changes. For the fist time, you can choose how difficult the game is, with a training mode added as well. Accompanying these was the inclusion of items to be equipped on X or Zero, obtained when you beat a foe on a higher level. When creating the item, you can also expand your weapon or life energy. Zero's Buster became usable again, but unlike X's, it couldn't be charged, and he has to be on the ground to use it. Like X4, it also had it's mid-boss, this case being the mercenary Dynamo. There was also a prominent threat interfering with the two hunters: the Sigma Virus. From the first stage, it scattered across the planet, affecting Reploids that come in contact with it. The hunters can also come in contact with this virus. Once enough of it fills them, it either harms or helps them, depending on the player. Lastly, who you choose, and how you play the game will affect what ending you head towards, but you can still choose what character you wish to use for each mission.
The armor system chaged once again, as it is no longer equipped right away. The armor parts are made into programs that become available upon clearing (or failing) a mission. Next to this, all 4 parts have to be obtained for the armor to be used. In this instance a total of 4 armors are possible for X to have: The Fourth Armor from X4, the Gaea Armor: a slow, but powerful armor capable of destroying certain bricks and invulnerable to spikes, the Falcon Armor: capable of flight for a limited time, and the Ultimate Armor, now integrated into the game with a possible way of getting it, though still accessible by cheat, should the user wish to have it right away. Zero's Black Body can also be accessible.
Mega Man X6 is the last title seen on the PSX line as an MMX game. The events, gameplay, and graphics, take right after X5's with the inclusion of Japanese voice acting in the initial PSX release. Following X5, Zero is nowhere to be found, thought of as dead after the battle with Sigma. Perhaps this was the only time X could use Zero's Z-Saber on the field, despite it being a single slash. The armor system was kept the same as from X5, this time being the Blade and Shadow armor, with the Falcon Armor having weaker abilities. Like the 2 games before it, it was possible to get Ultimate Armor and Black Zero through cheats, while not necessarily part of the game, body and headshot sprites were made for them. The stage interfering elements came back, though because of the threat being the Nightmare Virus, it varied what effect would appear, yet it can be marked which area has changed. Should you select the one in red, the stage becomes significantly harder, despite still having the difficulty option. Next to this is the inclusion of a second area, which you face either Nightmare Zero: A phantom of sorts with the abilities of Zero from X5, though enhanced, High Max: a Reploid investigation leader you encounter on the first stage, and Dynamo, returning from X5 with the goal of obtaining Nightmare Souls. As well, you can rescue Reploids, something I didn't mention was possible in X5. In X6, however, you must find them before the Nightmare does. Failure to do so will turn them against you, with the possibility of you killing the Reploid once affected. There's also the matter of finding out the whereabouts of Zero. Should you find him after Nightmare Zero's defeat, he becomes playable with a few changes in his play style.
We jump to the Playstation 2 with the release of Mega Man X7. This time around, a new Reploid enters the scene: the DNA-changing Axl, who deserts the vigilante organization Red Alert after questioning the meothods used to retire Mavericks. At good timing as well, because X retires himself from the frontlines, questioning the actions of not only the Maverick Hunters, but more so his own. Zero is still initially playable, but the interface this time changed a great deal. As they render the series into 3D, the game had the unique feature of shifting from 2D to 3D controls, with added elements to it. Such elements includes a lock on feature for Axl and X (who is later playable), and the extending of Zero's hit abilities, capable to reaching a 7-hit combo with his saber. Another nice addition was Zero's weapons. Going beyong just a Z-saber, with new boss alilities, he gains new weapons that work well with them. In addition, a tag system was established, allowing you to alternate between the two hunters you select. Armors became a right away equip item once again, the only armor available being Glide Armor. While not being significantly great, it gave X the ability to glide in the air after a jump. In addition Axl could hover, as well as copy Reploid data, transforming into the Reploid to get past enemies. Zero, with the addition of added weaponry, can use double jump and an initial ability. While Sigma remains an initial enemy, Red Alert's leader, Red, provides the 8 enemies to face this time. Voice acting returns as well, with this game having the option of using English or Japanese, though default voice in game play is English for the US release. Despite intention, players found the third dimensional aspect poor in execution.
Mega Man X: Command Mission hit as the spinoff of the series for the PS2, and for the first time since Mega Man X, on a Nintendo platform, the Gamecube. Command Mission, or CM was a game composed with elements of an RPG, really changing the playing field in the world of MMX. That said, Sigma, for the first time, was not the villain of this game, having not appeared once in CM, as the game takes off a century later, within the year 22XX. Armors were accessible as the game's Hyper Mode, and the weaknesses were done by elements Fire, Water, and Electric., done in a certain matter, while still following the signature Rock-Scissors-Paper format of the regular games. New voice acting was done for all 3 hunters, with the inclusion of entirely new faces. The system was standard for RPGs: there was an EXP system where as a character gains strength upon leveling up, an equip system that enhanced abilities pending on what Force Metal and weapon was used, and items that could be used in and outside of battle. Accompanying these is the FME generator, available on both games as a means of refining different Force Metal. The games has some exclusives as well: the PS2 version featuring the trial for Mega Man X8, and the GC version having a Treasure Radar to unlock exclusive figurines. Other features like the Sky Room, Deployment Center, and a cutscene viewer is available to try. The battle system follows a standard turn-based format, each character having unique ways of attacking and signature "Action Triggers" for heavier damage. Out of battle, one can interact with civilian Reploids, and allies for hints, items, etc. This game was given average reviews, but I still feel it's slightly above it.
Mega Man X8 is the final MMX entry thus far, and as of right now the concluding title in the MMX timeline officially. X8 returns to the infamous 2D format with the visuals of 3D elements, though the 3D gameplay of X7 was not included. Vile, prominent midboss of the first 3 X games returns with an new look, still serving mainstay adversary, Sigma (who is voice by Dave Pettitt, who did Epsilon in CM.) As well, two navigators are introduced as well: Layer, a specialist in analyzing Boss abilities, and Palette, who is nifty for finding hidden items. These two can be selected as navigators alongside the returning Alia. The armor system changed once more, in perhaps its most unique form. Physically, it's only one armor, called the Neutral Armor, but it can be equipped with Parts of the Icarus and Hermes Armors, each varying in abilities. As a bonus, Black Zero returns as well as the inclusion of a different palette of Axl with enhanced abilities. As to add further changes, the Ultimate Armor is reintroduced in a style similar to Neutral. The characters has not drastic, but significant, changes in design. Alia, Layer, and Palette, once purchased from the Dev. Lab, can be used as playable characters, though this removes the navigation feature once any one of them are selected. As such, the three navigators can't do certain abilities their respective counterparts (X, Zero, Axl) are capable of. They also can't interact with bosses. As different voice actors fill the roles of the other characters, the three what voiced the Hunters in CM reprise their roles in X8. IT gained mixed reviews, but were fairly positive.
Despite X8 being the last chronologically in the MMX series, the final game was a remake of the original MMX, called Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X. Those familiar with the Super Nintendo game may notice a few differences, yet it was easily adaptable as the only official MMX game released as a PSP UMD. The boss lineup was the same as the first, with a slight difference in weakness order. The stages were remade in a fashion that resembled the normal, but with the elements seen in X8. As well, there was voice acting in this as well, with X, Zero, and Vile having their roles reprised from X8. Certain story elements made minor changes from the first game, such as added dialogue, and changes
to others. The music score was heavily remixed, though kept the same air of the original score, albeit the beat for some being a bit heavier than before. The abilities of X, such as the armors, and the hidden Hadouken power up, remained as is with little tampering.
I know it was too long a review but here's the breakdown of the line up over all from me:
Mega Man X (SNES): 8.25
Mega Man X2 (SNES): 8
Mega Man Xtreme (Game Boy Color): 6.5
Mega Man X3 (SNES, Saturn, Playstation): 8.25
Mega Man Xtreme 2 (Game Boy Color): 7.75
Mega Man X4 (Saturn, Playstation): 7
Mega Man X5 (Playstation): 8.5
Mega Man X6 (Playstation): 7.75
Mega Man X7 (Playstation 2, PC [Asia Only]): 6
Mega Man X: Command Mission (Playstation 2, Gamecube): 8
Mega Man X8 (Playatation 2, Windows) 8
Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X (Playstation Protable): 8.5
Frankly, that's my take on them. All fairly good, minus some flops from some. I forgot to mention this, but much like how all the classic games were, the first 6 MMX games are available as part of the game Mega Man X Collection. While it lacks in collection features, it does have content from the six games as it was, even though you can use the save feature for the first 3 games. Anyway, hopefully, the next reviews won't be as long, as I'll most likely condense future reviews like this. Anyway, until next time.
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