As everyone who reads this thing knows (all none of you,) much of my last few weeks/months have, by and large, SUCKED. I am still panicking about my missing roommates, I lost money in a scam (and I just learned that the police have more or less given up on pursuing any potential crime, so I guess it's time to find a good lawyer for the civil lawsuit,) I'm depressed about being always single, and so on. But as much as my life sucked, the world occasionally does something that nonetheless makes me happy. For example, two weeks ago, Capcom released Megaman 9.
Megaman 9 is a sequel of one of the most sequelized series of the last 20 years. There were six games for the original NES, one (and a half) for the Super Nintendo, and one for the Playstation. And that's just the original series! There were eight games in the X spin-off series, two and a half for the Legends series (ironically, the only 3D series,) and four spin-offs that produced another 20 or so games. Also, there were two arcade-based fighting games and even a soccer game.
But despite all the sequels, most people think that of all the 30 or so games, the entire series peaked at around games...2 or 3. Oh, there are individual popular games, but many of the later series and the later games of the original series are considered to be formulaic at best, lazy at worst. New characters and options were though to be prioritized over balanced game play. So as the series stagnated and Capcom worried that the series' profitability was failing, they tried something new; they tried something old.
Megaman 9 was intended to go back to the roots, when the series was at its most celebrated. The graphics are intentionally as simplistic as the original Megaman 2, there are no elaborate cut scenes or tons of secrets to explore, and even Megaman staples like the abilities to slide and charge your attacks were removed. Instead of releasing the game in stores, it was downloadable for every of the current three systems. And the game's only $10, about a fifth of what the original Nintendo games cost, but since it cost about 1% of what a modern, triple AAA game with state-of-the-art graphics costs, it's probably a good deal for them.
But enough about the business side, what about my stance of the game. After all, one of my first posts was about me and my deep love of the series, which more than any series inspired me to be a game designer. So I was wary, despite of course getting the game on day one.
And I LOVE it. After playing it for weeks now, I beat the game three times and am working through the game's achievements (which we'll get to later.) Now, as a huge Megaman fan, I loved many of the later games, even the ones often derided by others. But playing this one helped me realize just how polished some of the peak games were. It also is easily the hardest game in the series, at least since the original, but it's fair enough to earn it. Case in point, some of my first experiences with levels was one of utter horror-spikes everywhere, enemies that dropped you into pits if you get hit once, and the horror that is the spinning platforms of Tornadoman. But after playing through it a few times, I feel like an expert. The game teaches you, and you will learn. Even the boss fights are perfect. Without the right weapon (this game, like nearly every Megaman game, has a series of weapons you earn from defeating bosses and a cycle of weaknesses, so each of the eight main bosses has a weakness to another bosses' weapon,) a boss fight is always hard enough that it's nearly impossible to beat it flawlessly, but it can fairly be defeated with some luck and enough skill.
This game captured my love of the series all over again. Every level felt like a gift, every challenge an inspiration. This is a game I will play again repeatedly and study. This is a game that, if you understand it well enough, will make you a better designer.
And the game is not all about nostalgia and pure game design. There are some concessions to new features. In time, you can download new characters and features, and while there are complaints that you have to pay for something as minimal as harder difficulties, the basic concept is welcome. The other addition are achievements for tasks as simple as beating the game once to complex one likes beating it under a certain amount of time, killing all types of enemies, defeating bosses using only your default weapon, or even beating the game without ever dying or taking damage!
Oh, there are some complaints. While the graphics are deliberately primitive, the music doesn't even live up to the standards of the old games. They're fine technically, but none are as catchy as the classics like Airman, Flashman, and the first Dr. Wily's Castle music from Megaman 2, which was so good lyrics were added to it and turned it into a Japan-wide phenomenon, complete with full orchestras or rock concerts (just search okkusenman on youtube. Trust me.) Second, there are some later additions tot he series that I did like. The slide and charged weapon are largely unnecessary here, but they still feel iconic to me. I even wish Bass, Megaman's rival who wasn't introduced until Megaman 7, showed up. If nothing else, I love his music, which brings us back to the first point.
The only other issue is, well, incredibly stupid. In Megaman 2, which is the game this is most modeled after, when you select a level, there is a brief introduction showing that level's boss around a starscape. If you press a certain button, there is an easter egg where the stars turn into little birds. In Megaman 9, you get the boss intro and the starscape, but no easter egg! Why? Why disappoint my fingers every time it instinctively makes birds?
So if we’re still doing this thing, I’d definitely give the game an A+. If you like action games, platformers in general, anything from the NES era, and especially anything Megaman-related, this is a must buy.
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