Mega Man X2

Mega Man X2
X returns for twice as much insanity!
Protagonist(s): X Genre(s): Action Platformer Platform(s): Super Nintendo Entertainment System Release Date: December 16, 1994 Developer(s): Capcom Publisher(s): Capcom Series: Mega Man X Predecessor: Mega Man X Successor: Mega Man X3 Mega Man Xtreme (chronologically)

Mega Man X2, known as Rockman X2 (ロックマンX2) in Japan, is a video game developed by Capcom for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The game was released in Japan on December 16, 1994 and in North America and PAL regions in 1995. It is the direct sequel to Mega Man X. The game was later rereleased as part of the Mega Man X Collection for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube in 2006, as well as the Mega Man X Legacy Collection for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam in 2018.

Plot

It has been six months since the destruction of Sigma and his Mavericks, but the Mavericks haven't been completely eliminated. A group of Mavericks was located in an abandoned production factory. The Maverick Hunters are mobilized, under X's command, to destroy the Mavericks in the factory, but the plot thickens. A new Maverick uprising begins to develop under a group of Mavericks that identify themselves as the X-Hunters, and X is faced with a new wave of Mavericks to face. Dr. Cain tells X that he has no choice and must once again stop the chaos that was developing. However, the X-Hunters also had the pieces of Zero, X's former partner that had sacrificed himself in the previous game for the safety of X. X manages to collect them before they could reconstruct him and program him against X. He also manages to defeat the Mavericks and penetrate the X-Hunters' fortress at the North Pole, defeating Violen, Agile, and Serges, until a resurrected Sigma reveals himself. X finds Sigma with a copy of Zero that he constructed, but the real Zero (having just been repaired by Dr. Cain) blasts him away with his buster. X then fights Sigma and once again defeats him, restoring peace and order for a second time.

Why It Rocks

1. More content than its predecessor. This means that people who wanted more content in the next Mega Man X game would really praise the content that was added, only if they would like it obliviously.
2. Redefined combat and gameplay. For example, X now has the ability to dash by default instead of having to find the Dr. Light capsule with the leg parts.
3. Much more detailed and vibrant graphics. Especially for Mega Man X, SNES, and even 1994 standards. Compared to Mega Man Soccer, Mega Man X2 is the icon of 1994 Mega Man games that have awesome graphics.
4. The game incorporates the Cx4 in-cartridge enhancement chip, which allowed for some 3D wireframe effects, making the game look like it tried to be 3D, even before Doom was ported into the SNES, or the PlayStation came out a few months later.
5. In addition to the Ride Armor, X can ride a hovercycle.
6. Multiple endings depending if X obtains Zero's parts or not.
7. When specific conditions are met a special capsule is unlocked in one of the game's last stages, allowing X to perform the "Shoryuken" from Street Fighter II, as a one-hit kill attack, similar to the Hadouken in the first game.
8. Multiple upgrades hidden throughout all the stages.
9. Awesome soundtrack. There is a lot of great music, with the highlights being Flame Stag, Magna Centipede and the absolutely legendary Counter-Hunter stage 1.
10. Hunting down the X Hunters is a fun challenge, and requires some good thinking, like reaching Serges in Crystal Snail's stage with the Kangaroo Armor.
11. A lot of details were added to the stages, like how the midboss, Raider Killer of Magma Centipede powers up everytime a crosshair reticle locks onto X before his fight.
12. Great Boss Fights, for example looking at how Morph Moth bursts from his cocoon halfway during the fight, or how Overdrive Ostrich dashes into the dunes in the background.
13. Good Weaknesses. For example, Silk Shot destroys Magma Centipede's tail so he cannot paralyze X and the shrapnel can hit him when he is on the ceiling, or how Spin Wheel destroys Bubble Crab's shield and hits him multiple times. Magnet Mine blows off Crystal Snail's shell and you can kick the shell around, and arcs upwards to hit Agile's second form easily.

Bad Qualities

1. The fight with Violen is a poorly designed fight, with his weakness being Bubble Splash requiring you to get right next to him when you should be fighting him from a distance. His mace attacks are poorly telegraphed and deal large amounts of damage, and disappointingly, the rematch against Violen in X Hunter Stage 1 only has random appearing blocks, which feels lazy. Compare to Serges and Agile who got totally new fights in the X Hunter stages.
2. The camera can pan in some awkward angles, which can be disorientating, these are most apparent in X Hunter Stage 1.
3. X Hunter Stage 2 is notorious for tight crammed corridors over beds of spikes, and waiting for rising platforms can prove tedious. It also feels very short as a stage compared to Violen's and Agile's stages.
4. The final stage reuses Magma Centipede's stage, thematically this makes sense, but a new tileset should have been used, like the final stages in X1 and X3.
5. Weapons, unfortunately are more utility based than functional like in X1, meaning players might not use them as much. Crystal Hunter is only used to freeze enemies for secrets and jumping over pits, while it's charged form slows down time, but also yourself, lagging the game out. Spin Wheel similarly is used to break certain blocks most of the time. Speed Burner's charge shot is required for maneuverability but not damage output.

Comments

Loading comments...

[[Category:Games reviewed by SomecallmeJohnny