It's 2013! I figured that I should do a review for a legendary game with a legendary history, and I think I found it. As you all know, Megaman is notorious for it's tight gameplay and difficulty. I suppose people started losing interest with the game sequels always being the same but slightly different, so Capcom took Megaman, threw it in a time machine, and you guessed it, boom, Megaman X.


Gameplay:

Before we start, let's just give a roll call of the 8 bosses you must face before the final boss, AKA, the Mavericks.

Chill Penguin - Power: Shotgun Ice

Storm Eagle - Power: Storm Tornado

Spark Mandrill - Power: Electric Spark (Yes, the same Spark Mandrill that traveled around with Vile when they introduced him in the cartoon.)

Flame Mammoth - Power: Fire Wave

Armored Armadillo - Power: Rolling Shield

Launch Octopus - Power: Homing Torpedo

Boomer Kuwanger (Name means 'Boomerang Stag Beetle') - Power: Boomerang Cutter

Sting Chameleon - Power: Chameleon Sting


Like Megaman, you have your traditional side-scrolling platforming shooter, only this game features two new abilities: Walljumping and dashing. Now, while this doesn't seem like a big change, it adds new ways to traverse obstacles, to move around and just play. So, I'm going to focus on the stuff you can do, rather than the gameplay, since you can pick it up and go. Instead of being Megaman, you are Megaman X, in a futuristic world where the Mavericks, renegade robots led by Sigma are at war with the humans. X is part of the Maverick Hunters, a group of humans and robots fighting the Mavericks. Along with X, Zero, another robot, helps X multiple times in his fight with the Maverick Hunters. Megaman X feels so fluent and fun to play, making it one of my most favorite SNES games. The game feels more fast paced and every second counts as you go through 8 stages (And a final area and intro stage) as you shoot up Mavericks. At the start of your adventure, you'll notice you have a puny life meter in comparison to other Megaman games. This can be increased by Heart Tanks, one can be found in each level. As well as the Heart Tanks, you can get armor enhancements left by the late Dr. Light to improve X's abilities. The helmet can seek out hidden secrets, such as armor enhancements, Heart Tanks, and other goodies. The chest armor halves the damage you take. Even if you're not going for 100%, you want this. The boots, which are required to beat the game, give you the dash ability that can be performed by double tapping the D-Pad, or pressing the dash button. There's also a mighty weapon called the X Buster, but you receive this at the final area to keep. You can actually get it before then, but let me tell you how this works. In Spark Mandrill's stage, (I should also mention, all the bosses have actual names besides just 'Man' at the end of them. But wait... Spark MANdrill?) mid way, you see some peculiar blocks unlike the walls above you. Freeze the enemy ahead with Chill Penguin's power and do a dash jump off of it and start walljumping off the blocks, and they'll start to break. DO NOT FALL, or you will have to leave the stage and come back. Continue climbing up until you reach a pod, here you get the X Buster. It shoots a super-charged shot, along with amplifying powers to work just like their previous users did. There's also a secret special move, but getting this is much more tedious. Different versions of the game have different requirements. For this version, you must go to Armor Armadillo's stage with all four Sub Tanks completely filled, and reach the spot where you get it five times or more. I'm not joking. Many lives will be wasted, but there is a enemy here that drops lives frequently if you choose not to ride the cart at the start. (If you've played the NES Megaman games, you might recognize this familiar enemy.) You'll know if you go to the place where the energy ball and see it at the end of the stage if you do a well-timed dash jump on the final cart ride. Once the pod there finally appears, Dr. Light will be garbed as a very familiar Capcom character and give you his signature move: The Hadoken. That's right. To perform this move, you do it exactly like Street Fighter, which is up, up-down, down, then fire. You must also be on the ground and have full energy to perform it. I never got the combo down, so I just wildly mash the buttons until success, but when you pull it off, it makes the most hilarious sound ever. And this weapon isn't just for show. This can KO any enemy in one hit. Which is great, until you realize you can't get hit. But since of its sound effect, you may find yourself using it just to hear it rather than taking out bad guys. Our heroes, throwing fireballs for no reason. This game also takes logic into a place that no one could possibly imagine. All the Maverick's weaknesses do something more than just doing more damage. Say you use Boomer Kuwanger's power on Launch Octopus, it will cut off its tentacles, making the fight much easier. There are other things like this, but I won't go into any more detail. Now, let's wrap this up.


Graphics: 10

This game really takes advantage of the 16-bit's capability, and made some outstanding graphical behemoths much like they did on the NES' 8-bit limitation. With a much wider color palette and much more room, Megaman X has some of the most vibrant environments ever made on the SNES.


Sound: 10

This game has one of the greatest soundtracks ever made in gaming history. Capcom always seems to wring me in with its catchy memorable beats, Boomer Kuwanger's theme being a personal favorite, sorry, a top favorite masterpiece. This game's music is amazing, and stands up well. That just shows a great game when one separate thing is great now, and great for eternity.


Addictiveness: 7

Though Megaman never caught me on the factor of me wanting to play it again, let alone showing off to my friends, this game made me really want to come back to play it one day, out of pure fun. And that seems to be the case, as I'm doing this review.


Story: 9

As I've mentioned, the story starts in the future as someone excavates X and Zero created by Dr. Light to save the world from the Mavericks, forming the Maverick Hunters. Though there isn't much focused storyline, this is pretty much all you got to go by. This and some dialogue pending to the plot at the end of the game, along with some messages from Dr. Light from the pods.


Depth: 7

Aside from the armor enhancements, nothing really seems to have any depth. Not unless you look hard enough that is. Depending on what boss you beat, will affect another boss' stage.


Ice Age: By defeating Chill Penguin, Flame Mammoth's stage will freeze over, which is required to get a Heart Tank.

Power Out: With no pilot for Storm Eagle's massive air carrier, the ship crashes into Spark Mandrill's stage, shutting off all electric traps.

Dam It: After Launch Octopus is out of commission, Sting Chameleon's forest stage is flooded. Better call some beavers to the scene!

Loose Pigeons: Though I'm not 100% sure this is correct, once Boomer Kuwanger has sung his prayers, more birds will appear at the final cart ride on Armored Armadillo's stage.


Difficulty: 9

Though the bosses are hard, they are fair, and give you the sense you're fighting one of Sigma's top commanders in real life, and after you defeat one, its very satisfying, especially using their powers to exploit another's weakness. But the final boss is ridiculously hard. It has three stages. First, you have to defeat Sigma's dog (Who reminds me of Treble) then Sigma, the light-saber wielding jedi. Both are quick and tough to beat with no real weakness, but can be easily killed with the fireball, given you perform it before getting hit. But then comes the final boss, and we sure saved the hardest part for last. This boss has very strong attacks that can drain almost all your life in mere seconds. You can use the fireball, but good luck trying to hit it with it, let alone surviving just to use it, besides, it only dos away with 1/4 of its health. This boss is so strong, it can survive the fireball. The only way to hurt this guy is with super charged buster shots, that only take one point of health away. If you die, you have to do all three bosses over again. But wait, right before the boss fights, there's a tower that has respawning enemies that you can kill using a super charge of Armored Armadillo's Rolling Shield to refill your energy, Sub Tanks, lives, and ammo. IT'S GENIUS!


OVERALL: 9.7 

Aw, I really want to give it a perfect rating! T_T If it pulled me in a little more on depth, it might has made me swoon at my feet, which is creepy. As far as Megaman games go, I say that this really pulled everyone back up from the abyss, which then caused Megaman X to become it's one series, like Megaman X2 and X3. But they don't really break the ground as much as its predecessor. Megaman X is a great milestone on gaming history. Even though Capcom seems to be milking other games like they did Megaman nowadays, I would think that if this game was the only one they made, it would be good enough a reason for them to pass on to heaven. Megaman X remains as one of the greatest games of all time from here to beyond. If you have the guts(man)to beat Sigma's final form, the credits roll giving a cast of the enemies, (and the cameo enemy) and you, as Megaman X. If you stick around on the end screen for a little bit, you'll see a bit of a foreshadow to Megaman X2. Well, I hope you liked this review and enjoyed me reviewing it. This game has some pretty shallow reviews on Vizzed and I guess wanted to tell my tale. Well, see you next review.


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That game is good I kinda like it Iam not much a fan of platformers

I have to tip my hat to you on an excellent review. Mega Man X as a series was a pretty wonderful upgrade to the Mega Man series and real innovative to the point I wish stuff was possible in the normal series.

that was a very well made review (and long) and i also strongly agree that megaman X is an awesome game. the game is cool and very fun (plus awesome)

Pretty good review you've made here!

Megaman X is a really good game. Never finished it though... Something I have pending. But I enjoyed every stage of it, It's awesome... Just like the NES titles. 

Keep the good work!

M4g1cW4rr10r : I enjoyed the review and the detail you put into it.

One issue I did have though was the huge block of text in the middle of the review. Combined with your layout it's a little tough to read. Maybe a space or two or a TAB would do some good here to break it up.

As far as the game goes, I love the X series. Great games. I just don't personally like them as much as the Classic series. I guess by the time these games came out, I was just a little burnt out on Mega Man.

M4g1cW4rr10r : I have not played this much, but i definitely enjoy the Megaman X games! You seem to have a knack for getting out good reviews!