10th February 2011, 12:21 PM
(Note: This game is almost identical on Wii and XBox 360, I only put the review here because this is the version I own. I recommend either this or the Wii version because the 360 controller d-pad is severely lacking. The Wii version won't be upscaled to HD (not that that matters for a game with NES resolution by design), takes up relatively more space on the Wii's smaller internal memory, and lacks online tracking of achievements, so the PS3 version appears to be the best.)
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Count: 10! 10 Megas! Ahahahaha!
After the runaway success of the "retro" style of Megaman 9, Capcom attempted to capture thunder once more by doing it again. The big question on my mind was simply, "could this be as fun or has this style worn out it's welcome?". I recently bought this game and have been playing it for a week. I can safely say it is a well made game.
In terms of visuals and sound, it is exactly what you would expect based on the last one. It's intentionally 8 bit graphics to match the 8 bit gameplay. The whole game is built entirely around the limitations of the NES. If the NES couldn't do it, this game won't do it either. There are a few exceptions though. The classic "sprite flicker" when too much is on the screen is eliminated. That said, too many sounds can't play at once, and so sound effects will occasionally clip the music or other sound effects. Considering eliminating the sprite flicker, I would have hoped this limitation could have been dealt with as well, but it doesn't detract from the game that much.
The gameplay is a by the numbers Megaman game. Forsaking almost all the later additions to the series (such as the slide from MM3 and the Mega Buster from MM4), Megaman controls exactly as he did in MM2. Unlike some of the later MM games, you have full choice between all 8 robot masters from the start instead of the "two tiers of 4 bosses" setup. The "bolt shop" from later MM games is present as it was in MM9. One noticeable absence is the lack of the ability to quit a level that one has already beaten. This wasn't in MM2, but it was a welcome addition in later games. If you wish to run through levels over again to gather screws and e-tanks and so on, be prepared to go the whole distance.
The level design and boss design is tough. It will take many attempts to learn patterns enough to get through levels and bosses, and even then I took a lot of damage. That said, I can safely say that once I've had more experience, I should be able to casually take out this game in an afternoon just like the old ones. There are a number of creative enemy types, such as a mouse cursor that "drag selects" a box over an area, generating icons that fly at you. There are also some interesting new stage elements, such as colored floors that completely dissolve a few seconds after you step on them, leading to tricky jumping from one section of floor to another, and running to the end of a long section of floor before it breaks away and drops you onto spikes. One notable thing is the large number of "mid-bosses" in stages. They're notably tough themselves, and I've had to use e-tanks just to get past them at times.
The "challenge mode" is a lot better designed this time around. Instead of just having you do stupid things like "beat the game 3 times in one day", there are actual challenge levels created. For example, there are 8 different levels for mastering the different robot master weapons, reminding me of the gun practice mode in Perfect Dark. You'll need to break all the targets, placed in special places and movement patterns that are aimed at whatever weapon the challenge is testing. There are levels for getting through increasingly difficult jumps, for jumping from ladders, for getting past a large collection of enemies based on different themes (and gold medals for doing those challenges without taking any damage). There are also special levels for beating all the bosses in the game, from robot masters to the Wily fortress bosses to Wily himself. These boss challenges are unlocked only after reaching them at the appropriate difficulty level in the main game. These allow you to master strategies for killing the boss so you don't have to work your way through stages just for a chance to practice killing them. You can master the boss and then take on the stage. Again, the gold medals are only for killing these bosses without taking any damage.
The previous in-game challenges have now become "achievements" (that is, while the previous one only acknowledged these in the game, now they're recognized by the main system's achievement system). These are the ridiculous challenges from before, namely beating the game in under an hour, beating the game without ever missing a shot, or without ever getting hurt. There's also one for beating every boss without your helmet on (an alternate "hair style" you can purchase at the shop, which has the effect of making you take more damage). Fortunately, the majority of these don't require any particular difficulty mode.
Ah yes, difficulty modes... This game does something only done with MM2's American release before. When you start a new game, you can select between easy and normal. In easy, enemies have simpler patterns and easier to avoid attacks, and levels are less dangerous, with things like hovering platforms above some pits, and fewer spikes. Once the game is beaten for the first time on normal, hard mode is unlocked. In this mode, the stages are largely the same as in normal, but there are a greater number of enemies and they do more damage. One example of easier enemies is Pump Man, who in normal fires 10 or so globs of water in all directions, but in easy he only fires 4, which are easily dodged. Considering the difficulty, I do recommend beating the game on easy to get a handle on things before tackling normal.
There are also the obligatory "DLC packs" released for this game, as with MM9. I bought the lot of 'em because I am a sheep. With MM9, one pack added Protoman as a playable character, and the other two added harder difficulty modes and an "endless stage" mode. This time around is very similar. MM10 is notable in that Protoman is playable from the start. The title screen even shows Megaman and Protoman side by side. Aside from a DLC pack adding an "endless stage" mode, there's one that adds Bass as a playable character. This alters the title screen with Bass next to Megaman and Protoman. Protoman's main differences are that he basically controls like the later Megaman games do, with both a "Proto Buster" and the slide. In addition when he jumps he puts his shield in front of him, which when timed right can absorb incoming attacks. This is very important because he takes twice the damage that Megaman does (due to his flawed prototype power core), so you want to avoid everything you possibly can. In spite of all his enhanced abilities, unless you learn to dodge the game will prove to be a lot harder with Protoman. Bass's appearance marks a first, in that this is the first official 8 bit sprite art for Bass (his first appearance was in the 16 bit MM7, and he was absent from MM9). He controls much as he did in Megaman and Bass. He dashes instead of slides (he won't be able to get under certain enemies and attacks like Protoman, but his inertia from the dash can boost his jumps dramatically), and while he can't shoot and run at the same time, he can fire in all directions (except directly down). His basic gun aside from being 7 directional also has the benefit of great rapid fire, but in exchange each individual shot is about 4 times weaker than Megaman's normal shots. The rapid fire can actually overwhelm shields on enemies like Sniper Joe, removing it and leaving the enemy exposed (no go on Met-als though). Protoman starts the game with the "Proto Coil" and "Proto Jet", which are basically like Rush Coil and Rush Jet, only without the robot dog, so they are similar to the "Item" items from MM2. Bass doesn't have either a jet or a coil, but he does get "Treble Boost", where he fuses with his wolf allowing him to fly around completely at will and fire a 3 directional shot (without rapid fire, but stronger than normal) as long as the energy lasts. Unlike MM9, in MM10 both alternate characters can access the store, getting their own version. Bass has access to some insane bird robot that I think was made by Dr. Wily, and Protoman has access to some "black market" version of Auto, who's pet is the long-missed Tango the Cat from MMV for Gameboy. Neither one can buy nearly as much stuff as Megaman, but it's better than nothing like Protoman had in MM9. The only disappointment here is it's not as far as it was taken in the later MMX games, where Zero not only played very differently from X, but also gained his own variations of the Maverick's powers, for use with a sword instead of a gun. The problem with Protoman and Bass is simply that once you start using robot master weapons, they're all identical. It would be interesting if, say, Bass's versions could be aimed and/or rapidly fired, but were far weaker. Instead of a water shield, for example, he could fire a water cannon.
There is an Endless Stage mode as I mentioned before for this as well as MM9. This is a level that randomly generates rooms as you go along, ostensibly "forever" for the challenge of simply seeing how far you can go. There's an online scoreboard for this (as well as some time trials) for the sake of competition. However, just this isn't exactly worth buying online. It should have, and easily could have, simply been included in both of these games from the start.
The story is a weak point that brings me to one other thing. Megaman games are not known for having amazing stories, but in the past they did at least try to move it along. I don't expect much, I just expect a little forward movement as each game comes along. The story of MM9 was cliche and pretty cartoonish, but with an underlying hint of something kinda dark going on (robots apparently are required to be shut down after 9 years of operation). That was perfectly fine for MM9, because the entire game was retro. With this being a milestone, I had really hoped for a big moment where we find out what happens to separate the eras of X and the original series, why Megaman original is no longer around by the time of X, and why Dr. Light felt the need to bury X for all those years. There have been hints towards this for a good long time. The Power Battle games show Bass coming across Wily's secret "Zero project" and commenting on how no robot with girly hair like that is going to be stronger than he is (whatever fin head), and Dr. Light commenting on researching giving robots true free will. MM7 had a rather dark moment in the end where Megaman seems to mentally break down and decide to kill Dr. Wily once and for all, breaking the First Law he was apparently programmed with, before Bass shows up and saves him. In fact, oddly ever since Megaman and Bass, Bass has been actively destroying and ruining Wily's plans, somehow having broken free of him himself. It seems that even before the reploids a few robots have actually started developing free will on their own. Heck I'd love to find out what's going on with those alien robots like Duo. I'd have liked to at least address that, but this game?
The plot is silly, and even more silly than MM9's "blackmail Dr. Light" plotline. A computer virus has been spreading around the world, the deadly ROBOENZA! (Every time I read that, I read that in the voice of Professor Farnsworth because it sounds like something off of Futurama.) It has caused most robots to simulate human flu symptoms, but some of them have gone crazy and attacked. At the start of the game, oh no! Roll has come down with the virus (complete with robo-thermometer and robo-ice pack). Even Dr. Wily has decided to come forward to help find a cure for the virus (right, ya know even Superman eventually started suspecting Lex Luther every single time he offered his "help" to a problem, Megaman is still completely idiotic about it). So Megaman goes out to defeat the crazed robots and bring back their parts to study them for a cure. Yay! As time goes on, Wily asks if Megaman is "showing any symptoms", which is forshadowing that's not at all needed when it's Dr. Wily we're talking about. Eventually, and I don't call this a spoiler because if you didn't see this coming you're an idiot, Megaman COMES DOWN WITH THE VIRUS! At this moment, Wily makes his move. He steals the antidote making machine and holds it hostage, telling the world that he created the virus (big surprise, he made a virus to take the first 6 robot masters in the first game, this is normal for him), and that if they want the cure, they'll need to turn over all the robots to him, and "THE WORLD IS MINE! *achoo*" (IRONY!).
Megaman utters this line.
Megaman: I should have known it was you Wily!
Everyone everywhere: YES YOU SHOULD HAVE!
They managed to develop JUST ENOUGH of a cure (isn't any cure software anyway? Can't they just COPY it a billion times?) for Roll, but she valiantly gives it to Megaman since she doesn't have the power to fight Wily herself. Megaman takes down Wily, who's suffering from a cold himself. Megaman, because he's an idiot, asks "Are you suffering from Roboenza?" to which Wily responds "Don't be stupid, I'm a human, not a robot". (To be fair, this is a question that Bass asks of him too, idiot.) So yeah, for poetic JUSTICE, Dr. Wily comes down with the flu and Megaman takes him to a hospital. Before he can be put in jail, he breaks out of the hospital, but, oddly, he leaves behind a big ol' pile of antidote. Could he have actually done a good deed?
So yeah, the story is hackneyed and cliched even by Megaman standards, reminding me of the stories for MM5 and 6. The whole thing is very tongue in cheek, and while it's funny in it's way, I really was hoping that the 10th game in the series would actually address the story in a somewhat more serious manner and explain a few things. The odd thing is the last thing Wily does is very odd for him. Also, it's suspicious. What if the "antidote" is just a long term virus of some other kind? However, maybe I'm asking too much of a story that was never intended to be much of anything but motivation to shoot up robots.
This all brings me to one thing. MM10 is well made. It's pretty solid. However, it was done before about a year earlier with MM9. The question is whether this was even needed. It was great with MM9 going back to the roots, but MM10 is a message saying there's no moving on PAST those roots. I'd love to see the next MM game actually be using modern graphics. MM8 looked amazing, and with HD and modern 2D effects (and a few 3D effects) MM11 could look absolutely incredible. I'd love to see a game that really ended the whole story and took it forward. Again, the story isn't complex, and the ending to the story doesn't need to be complex, it just needs to move it along. Two "tongue in cheek" stories are nice, because as silly as they are, they are JUST fitting enough that referring to these events in future games could be done in a serious manner. Whatever you may say of the gameplay of the later NES MM games, they all were trying something new. They all tried to add new gameplay elements like the Megabuster and slide as things went on. If the future of the original series is now practically refusing to move on past MM2, that's going to get very old very fast.
All in all, fun game, but leaves serious questions as to whether they're going to attempt anything new with the original character and whether just copying MM2 over and over again will just wear people out.
:mm: :mm: :mm: :mm: :mm: :mm: :mm: :mm: :mm: :mm:
Count: 10! 10 Megas! Ahahahaha!
After the runaway success of the "retro" style of Megaman 9, Capcom attempted to capture thunder once more by doing it again. The big question on my mind was simply, "could this be as fun or has this style worn out it's welcome?". I recently bought this game and have been playing it for a week. I can safely say it is a well made game.
In terms of visuals and sound, it is exactly what you would expect based on the last one. It's intentionally 8 bit graphics to match the 8 bit gameplay. The whole game is built entirely around the limitations of the NES. If the NES couldn't do it, this game won't do it either. There are a few exceptions though. The classic "sprite flicker" when too much is on the screen is eliminated. That said, too many sounds can't play at once, and so sound effects will occasionally clip the music or other sound effects. Considering eliminating the sprite flicker, I would have hoped this limitation could have been dealt with as well, but it doesn't detract from the game that much.
The gameplay is a by the numbers Megaman game. Forsaking almost all the later additions to the series (such as the slide from MM3 and the Mega Buster from MM4), Megaman controls exactly as he did in MM2. Unlike some of the later MM games, you have full choice between all 8 robot masters from the start instead of the "two tiers of 4 bosses" setup. The "bolt shop" from later MM games is present as it was in MM9. One noticeable absence is the lack of the ability to quit a level that one has already beaten. This wasn't in MM2, but it was a welcome addition in later games. If you wish to run through levels over again to gather screws and e-tanks and so on, be prepared to go the whole distance.
The level design and boss design is tough. It will take many attempts to learn patterns enough to get through levels and bosses, and even then I took a lot of damage. That said, I can safely say that once I've had more experience, I should be able to casually take out this game in an afternoon just like the old ones. There are a number of creative enemy types, such as a mouse cursor that "drag selects" a box over an area, generating icons that fly at you. There are also some interesting new stage elements, such as colored floors that completely dissolve a few seconds after you step on them, leading to tricky jumping from one section of floor to another, and running to the end of a long section of floor before it breaks away and drops you onto spikes. One notable thing is the large number of "mid-bosses" in stages. They're notably tough themselves, and I've had to use e-tanks just to get past them at times.
The "challenge mode" is a lot better designed this time around. Instead of just having you do stupid things like "beat the game 3 times in one day", there are actual challenge levels created. For example, there are 8 different levels for mastering the different robot master weapons, reminding me of the gun practice mode in Perfect Dark. You'll need to break all the targets, placed in special places and movement patterns that are aimed at whatever weapon the challenge is testing. There are levels for getting through increasingly difficult jumps, for jumping from ladders, for getting past a large collection of enemies based on different themes (and gold medals for doing those challenges without taking any damage). There are also special levels for beating all the bosses in the game, from robot masters to the Wily fortress bosses to Wily himself. These boss challenges are unlocked only after reaching them at the appropriate difficulty level in the main game. These allow you to master strategies for killing the boss so you don't have to work your way through stages just for a chance to practice killing them. You can master the boss and then take on the stage. Again, the gold medals are only for killing these bosses without taking any damage.
The previous in-game challenges have now become "achievements" (that is, while the previous one only acknowledged these in the game, now they're recognized by the main system's achievement system). These are the ridiculous challenges from before, namely beating the game in under an hour, beating the game without ever missing a shot, or without ever getting hurt. There's also one for beating every boss without your helmet on (an alternate "hair style" you can purchase at the shop, which has the effect of making you take more damage). Fortunately, the majority of these don't require any particular difficulty mode.
Ah yes, difficulty modes... This game does something only done with MM2's American release before. When you start a new game, you can select between easy and normal. In easy, enemies have simpler patterns and easier to avoid attacks, and levels are less dangerous, with things like hovering platforms above some pits, and fewer spikes. Once the game is beaten for the first time on normal, hard mode is unlocked. In this mode, the stages are largely the same as in normal, but there are a greater number of enemies and they do more damage. One example of easier enemies is Pump Man, who in normal fires 10 or so globs of water in all directions, but in easy he only fires 4, which are easily dodged. Considering the difficulty, I do recommend beating the game on easy to get a handle on things before tackling normal.
There are also the obligatory "DLC packs" released for this game, as with MM9. I bought the lot of 'em because I am a sheep. With MM9, one pack added Protoman as a playable character, and the other two added harder difficulty modes and an "endless stage" mode. This time around is very similar. MM10 is notable in that Protoman is playable from the start. The title screen even shows Megaman and Protoman side by side. Aside from a DLC pack adding an "endless stage" mode, there's one that adds Bass as a playable character. This alters the title screen with Bass next to Megaman and Protoman. Protoman's main differences are that he basically controls like the later Megaman games do, with both a "Proto Buster" and the slide. In addition when he jumps he puts his shield in front of him, which when timed right can absorb incoming attacks. This is very important because he takes twice the damage that Megaman does (due to his flawed prototype power core), so you want to avoid everything you possibly can. In spite of all his enhanced abilities, unless you learn to dodge the game will prove to be a lot harder with Protoman. Bass's appearance marks a first, in that this is the first official 8 bit sprite art for Bass (his first appearance was in the 16 bit MM7, and he was absent from MM9). He controls much as he did in Megaman and Bass. He dashes instead of slides (he won't be able to get under certain enemies and attacks like Protoman, but his inertia from the dash can boost his jumps dramatically), and while he can't shoot and run at the same time, he can fire in all directions (except directly down). His basic gun aside from being 7 directional also has the benefit of great rapid fire, but in exchange each individual shot is about 4 times weaker than Megaman's normal shots. The rapid fire can actually overwhelm shields on enemies like Sniper Joe, removing it and leaving the enemy exposed (no go on Met-als though). Protoman starts the game with the "Proto Coil" and "Proto Jet", which are basically like Rush Coil and Rush Jet, only without the robot dog, so they are similar to the "Item" items from MM2. Bass doesn't have either a jet or a coil, but he does get "Treble Boost", where he fuses with his wolf allowing him to fly around completely at will and fire a 3 directional shot (without rapid fire, but stronger than normal) as long as the energy lasts. Unlike MM9, in MM10 both alternate characters can access the store, getting their own version. Bass has access to some insane bird robot that I think was made by Dr. Wily, and Protoman has access to some "black market" version of Auto, who's pet is the long-missed Tango the Cat from MMV for Gameboy. Neither one can buy nearly as much stuff as Megaman, but it's better than nothing like Protoman had in MM9. The only disappointment here is it's not as far as it was taken in the later MMX games, where Zero not only played very differently from X, but also gained his own variations of the Maverick's powers, for use with a sword instead of a gun. The problem with Protoman and Bass is simply that once you start using robot master weapons, they're all identical. It would be interesting if, say, Bass's versions could be aimed and/or rapidly fired, but were far weaker. Instead of a water shield, for example, he could fire a water cannon.
There is an Endless Stage mode as I mentioned before for this as well as MM9. This is a level that randomly generates rooms as you go along, ostensibly "forever" for the challenge of simply seeing how far you can go. There's an online scoreboard for this (as well as some time trials) for the sake of competition. However, just this isn't exactly worth buying online. It should have, and easily could have, simply been included in both of these games from the start.
The story is a weak point that brings me to one other thing. Megaman games are not known for having amazing stories, but in the past they did at least try to move it along. I don't expect much, I just expect a little forward movement as each game comes along. The story of MM9 was cliche and pretty cartoonish, but with an underlying hint of something kinda dark going on (robots apparently are required to be shut down after 9 years of operation). That was perfectly fine for MM9, because the entire game was retro. With this being a milestone, I had really hoped for a big moment where we find out what happens to separate the eras of X and the original series, why Megaman original is no longer around by the time of X, and why Dr. Light felt the need to bury X for all those years. There have been hints towards this for a good long time. The Power Battle games show Bass coming across Wily's secret "Zero project" and commenting on how no robot with girly hair like that is going to be stronger than he is (whatever fin head), and Dr. Light commenting on researching giving robots true free will. MM7 had a rather dark moment in the end where Megaman seems to mentally break down and decide to kill Dr. Wily once and for all, breaking the First Law he was apparently programmed with, before Bass shows up and saves him. In fact, oddly ever since Megaman and Bass, Bass has been actively destroying and ruining Wily's plans, somehow having broken free of him himself. It seems that even before the reploids a few robots have actually started developing free will on their own. Heck I'd love to find out what's going on with those alien robots like Duo. I'd have liked to at least address that, but this game?
The plot is silly, and even more silly than MM9's "blackmail Dr. Light" plotline. A computer virus has been spreading around the world, the deadly ROBOENZA! (Every time I read that, I read that in the voice of Professor Farnsworth because it sounds like something off of Futurama.) It has caused most robots to simulate human flu symptoms, but some of them have gone crazy and attacked. At the start of the game, oh no! Roll has come down with the virus (complete with robo-thermometer and robo-ice pack). Even Dr. Wily has decided to come forward to help find a cure for the virus (right, ya know even Superman eventually started suspecting Lex Luther every single time he offered his "help" to a problem, Megaman is still completely idiotic about it). So Megaman goes out to defeat the crazed robots and bring back their parts to study them for a cure. Yay! As time goes on, Wily asks if Megaman is "showing any symptoms", which is forshadowing that's not at all needed when it's Dr. Wily we're talking about. Eventually, and I don't call this a spoiler because if you didn't see this coming you're an idiot, Megaman COMES DOWN WITH THE VIRUS! At this moment, Wily makes his move. He steals the antidote making machine and holds it hostage, telling the world that he created the virus (big surprise, he made a virus to take the first 6 robot masters in the first game, this is normal for him), and that if they want the cure, they'll need to turn over all the robots to him, and "THE WORLD IS MINE! *achoo*" (IRONY!).
Megaman utters this line.
Megaman: I should have known it was you Wily!
Everyone everywhere: YES YOU SHOULD HAVE!
They managed to develop JUST ENOUGH of a cure (isn't any cure software anyway? Can't they just COPY it a billion times?) for Roll, but she valiantly gives it to Megaman since she doesn't have the power to fight Wily herself. Megaman takes down Wily, who's suffering from a cold himself. Megaman, because he's an idiot, asks "Are you suffering from Roboenza?" to which Wily responds "Don't be stupid, I'm a human, not a robot". (To be fair, this is a question that Bass asks of him too, idiot.) So yeah, for poetic JUSTICE, Dr. Wily comes down with the flu and Megaman takes him to a hospital. Before he can be put in jail, he breaks out of the hospital, but, oddly, he leaves behind a big ol' pile of antidote. Could he have actually done a good deed?
So yeah, the story is hackneyed and cliched even by Megaman standards, reminding me of the stories for MM5 and 6. The whole thing is very tongue in cheek, and while it's funny in it's way, I really was hoping that the 10th game in the series would actually address the story in a somewhat more serious manner and explain a few things. The odd thing is the last thing Wily does is very odd for him. Also, it's suspicious. What if the "antidote" is just a long term virus of some other kind? However, maybe I'm asking too much of a story that was never intended to be much of anything but motivation to shoot up robots.
This all brings me to one thing. MM10 is well made. It's pretty solid. However, it was done before about a year earlier with MM9. The question is whether this was even needed. It was great with MM9 going back to the roots, but MM10 is a message saying there's no moving on PAST those roots. I'd love to see the next MM game actually be using modern graphics. MM8 looked amazing, and with HD and modern 2D effects (and a few 3D effects) MM11 could look absolutely incredible. I'd love to see a game that really ended the whole story and took it forward. Again, the story isn't complex, and the ending to the story doesn't need to be complex, it just needs to move it along. Two "tongue in cheek" stories are nice, because as silly as they are, they are JUST fitting enough that referring to these events in future games could be done in a serious manner. Whatever you may say of the gameplay of the later NES MM games, they all were trying something new. They all tried to add new gameplay elements like the Megabuster and slide as things went on. If the future of the original series is now practically refusing to move on past MM2, that's going to get very old very fast.
All in all, fun game, but leaves serious questions as to whether they're going to attempt anything new with the original character and whether just copying MM2 over and over again will just wear people out.
