I very, very much want to get excited for this game, but the original series has been on a downward spiral since 5... I can't think of a single other franchise that always starts a new series off strong and then steadily makes it worse through each progressive sequel. I'd be happily proven wrong though...a Megaman title done right is worth its weight in chinchillas
X8 is easily the best of the second half of the series, and a huge improvement after the abortion that was X7, but it's still well below X1-4 for me. The level design is a bit bland in general and the gimmick levels are annoying in particular. Generally, lack of strong level design, low production values, and annoying gimmicks that don't enhance the gameplay have been the scourge of X games since 5. X8 isn't an exception to that, but the gimmicks are finally a bit less painful. It's still poor fare next to the expertly put together first four games of the series, and even less interesting with the much better Zero series being around at the same time. Have to strongly disagree here. Megaman 6 was a bit of a downward dip, but 7 featured some of the most solid and engaging level design in the original series, and the most interesting/useful bosses and weapons since Megaman 2. Megaman 8 didn't quite have the traditional feel to the level design, but it had good bosses and weapons, more fast-paced and intense action than the previous games in the series, and fantastic production values. 8 especially shines on the Saturn, with more enemies and richer color. The PS1 version is a bit drab by comparison.
I don't despise 7, the graphics are probably the best in the series art-wise, but the control felt off and slightly clunky in comparison to earlier titles. 8 struck me as having rather uninspired level design. The production values were good, but they seemed determined to use those cashmonies to create a really grating visual/voice presentation. The decline of the original series wasn't anywhere as bad as what happened after X4 though. The later X series is a chaotic travesty of nature... Overall, I'd probably rate the originals in order thusly: 2,3,4,5,1,7,8,6
Mine goes 7 8 5 4 2 3 6 1. The controls in 7 felt fine to me, and it fixed a long standing weakness of the previous four games--lackluster weapons. I don't think I've ever gotten as much use out of the boss weapons in a Megaman game since the Metal Blade. The grating audio experience in 8 is due to the bad US dub and not the original game. Apart from the voicing, the sound wasn't nearly as irritating as the weird sound effects in 7. Incidentally, which platform did you play 8 on? I'm totally with you on the later X games though.
I like the list flamepanther put together......... 7 is my favorite cuz of its new visuals and lots of fun unlockable powerups. Plus the introduction of Bass added a nice twist to the recurring story line of dr wily made bad robots. x3 is probably my favorite out of the x's. It had so many upgrades. Plus the story was good and you got to play as zero. The rest of the x's past 4 just had goofy gimmicks, and the story should have stopped with x5, with zero fulfilling his destiny of going maverick. But I think my all time favorite megaman game was Legends 2. Too bad it never got the press it deserved
Psst. Buddy. It's not "10" as in the number. It's the letter X because the character's name is X. Just the same as Megaman Zero isn't "0" it's the character's name.
I don't think he was suggesting the "X" in Megaman X means "ten". More like, since 10 can also be written as "X", a tenth game in the original series would be an appropriate place to connect the series.
I recall this argument from somewhere.... I originally owned the game on PSX, but most of my progress on it was from playing it as part of the PS2 collection. I'm not sure which version they ported from, but my hazy memory didn't recall any differences from copy I owned. It's not a terrible game in my book, just...lackluster. And that metal blade has to be the best damn weapon in all of Megamandom
I believe that one's technically considered a spin off. It's a great game to be sure, but it's not part of the numbered series.
I think every megaman game is canon, cept for maybe battle and chase. They all have at least a little story, no matter how generic and spent.
I know all this. I meant that it would be clever to save the X(letter) tie-in for the 10th game, because X(roman numeral) is also the roman numeral for 10.
Soccer isn't canon, but that's about it. If you consider the nods to it in ZX, even battle and Chase may be canon. Inafune even went out of his way to write the post X5 games into the Zero series canon even though they weren't developed by him. Seems like he's cool like that. Though I hear he did previously have work halted on Megaman 9 because he didn't want it done by anyone but himself. That might be a good idea. He doesn't want just another 8 robot masters, he wants to make a real work of art. Given where the story left off. Wily is building Zero Protoman is Dying Duo claims Bass is doing a heel face turn claiming he senses a "heart of justice" in Bass. Seems like the series is building up to something big, and Inafune won't let it be made by anyone but himself. Yeah and Sorry for the X mixup. I have met many many people who still think that it's pronounced "Megaman Ten" and also think the Zero series is a prequel. Then again these are the same people who think Megaman actually looks like the MM1 boxart.... I suppose I take that like TF fans take people who call Beast Wars "that show where they made Optimus Prime a monkey."
I didnt know protoman was dying! Was that covered in Megaman & Bass? I only ever played the japanese rom
Nope. It was covered it Megaman 2: Power Fighters. It was originally a Japan only Arcade game set after the end of Megaman 8. It ties up loose ends with Duo, Zero, and Protoman. It's included in the Megaman Anniversary collection. Every Megaman fan should have this collection, and it's out for most everything last gen, so if you've got a PS2, Wii, Gamecube, or Xbox you can get it. Totally worth it.
Oh. I have both collections. I guess i never really payed attention to the endings of the power battles lol I am a diehard megaman completionist. I have actual copies of every megaman game up excluding the battle network and zero games which i only have the first in the series. Even megaman soccer lol Which really should have been on the collection disc
Yeah, that would partly explain your impression of it. I own the game on PSX and Saturn, in both English and Japanese, and I would say it's fair to call the PSX versions "lackluster". It's missing some things that were in the Saturn game, including an extra boss fight against Cut Man, and has much less vibrant graphics. The PSX verison of the game wasn't able to have as many enemies per screen, which reduces the challenge level noticeably, and makes the levels seem more dull. It especially makes a difference in Tengu Man's stage, which I suspect might be one reason it was given an entirely different BGM in each version. The more exciting music in the Saturn version reflects a more challenging stage. The Saturn version is definitely the one to have. Unfortunately, the anniversary collection only includes the inferior PSX version, likely because it was easier to port from. IMO nobody has really played the game if all they've played is the PSX version, and sadly that includes most people who have played any version at all.
