Mega Man X

The Good
New and improved 16 bit graphics for the first time in a Megaman title are the first signs of improvement you see on X. Character art and animation is much more detailed and streamlined, with a decidedly more animé feel to them (feeling that would eventually become fully realized on the PSX megamans), backgrounds are colorful and nicely animated, and as far as I can tell the whole game moves at the same breakneck scrolling speed while keeping everything looking nice just like in the original SNES title.

Gameplay-wise X brings some interesting twists to the already stagnant MegaMan franchise, and since this is the first one in the series it means that they are actually novel for once!! Sure, there's nothing revolutionary and the basic concept remains the same but at this point in time they were more than welcome additions. They are mostly secret items that expand Megaman's (actually Megaman X's since this is supposed to be a new Mega...) skills and grant him new powers like increasing his health, or in the way of armor upgrades (that also change his appearance) which give him the power to dash, break stuff, etc... You also have a new climbing skill from the get-go that changes the layout of the levels somewhat. In all, the new adjustments make for a definetively entertaining platform action title when coupled with the old "kill sub-bosses, get their weapons, repeat till you get to Willy... er Sigma" gameplay concept, complete with the standard soap-opera plotline with a mysterious ally/antagonist in the form of Zero (really just Protoman and Bass rolled into one with a Lightsaber thrown in) and other time-honored Megaman elements.

The Bad
Gets very repetitive after a while, and while the levels are well designed and the bosses for the most part manage to mantain some level of seriousness (instead of the "Crap-Man", "Cardboard-Man" or "Useless-Man" we had gotten used to), the whole thing ends up being to much of the same by the point you get to Sigma, quite frankly that coupled with the fact that he's insanely difficult to beat and the infamous "instant-respawning" of baddies the Megamans are known for made me just throw the game out the window. But maybe it's just me, the Megaman games are loved all over the world for some weird reason, even if after #3 they have all been pretty much worthless....

Oh, and I don't remember how the snes version sounded, but the pc version is pretty weak in that department.

The Bottom Line
Very good port of what is essentially yet another MegaMan game. Capcom added plenty of stuff to this one and managed to fine tune plenty of elements to provide the first good sequel to MegaMan in quite a while, put make no mistake. This is still a MegaMan Game, with everything good and bad that comes with it.

The Good
Mega Man X is a very good port of the SNES game which it originally was created for. The graphics and gameplay are reproduced almost identical to the SNES version. The thing that I've always liked about Mega Man X is how unique it is however. Before this game came out, most Mega Man games were essentially the same. Fight some bosses, collect their powers, and beat Dr. Wily. But this game took a whole new spin on the series.

The fact that it is set in the future is interesting in itself (which is actually further in the future, since the original games were also in the future), but the game adds a lot of unique features. One of the best features is the inclusion of body enhancements. These add on to Mega Man X's suit, and give him new abilities, such as being able to dash, or taking less damage from enemies. Also, the fact that there are many secrets to be found in the game add to the replayablity. Many items are hidden and require certain weapons or skills to find. Some even require you to beat a certain stage first, which in turn effects another stage (for example, beating Chill Pengiun's stage will freeze the lava in Flame Mammoth's stage, allowing you to collect a heart tank). The inclusion of the Capcom Pad with the game ensures that you won't have to worry about ackward keyboard controls, and actually helps to make the game feel more like the original SNES title.

The Bad
Although the graphics were ported well, they seem less impressive on the computer screen than they do on the SNES. Perhaps Capcom should have enhanced them a bit more, making the game more unique (and feel less like you are playing an emulation of the SNES version). Also, the music isn't of as high quality as the SNES version. The quality seems to have deminished when they ported the game over, which is a shame, because many of the tunes are very good, and really help to add to the mood of the game.

The Bottom Line
Despite a few minor flaws in the graphics and music department, Mega Man X is a lot of fun to play. I would recommend it, especially if you have never had the chance to try the SNES version. The gameplay is great, and with all of the secret items hidden throughout the game, you will find yourself playing for a long time.

The Good
Well, if you like good control, level and character design, graphics, replay value, password function, fun factor, and sound FX, then you'll probably dig Mega Man X! This is definately one solid platform game! Mega Man games in general have always been very quality (except for the latest garbage "Mega Man Network Transmission"; I could pull something better out of a McDonalds dumpster with my eyes closed). You can't forget the fact that you have unlimited continues, either! Now add an easily accessable password to the list, and you have remarkably low repeatition and frustration levels (both common problems in the genre).

The Bad
I believe it goes without saying that all Mega Man music is at least a little cheesy. Mega Man X is no exception; leading the pack of 16 bit glam rock super stars. The sound FX are good, but the music is always served up with a side of corn.

The Bottom Line
This is a game of high quality! Even the corny music isn't all THAT bad. This is one of the best 2D platform games ever created and should be looked back upon as a perfect example for what used to make great games great!