Alex5101
10-13-2008, 10:03 AM
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/alex51011/alex51011reviewsas3.png
Mega Man 9
Sitting, bored, tired, and craving some old-school gaming; I turn on my Xbox and then I remember. Mega Man 9 is out! So, without waiting a second I load up the marketplace and download the game. I boot it up, laughing at the presentation in it’s classically old style and revel in the opening music. Up to this point, nostalgia surrounds me in a warm embrace.
Then I played the game. I only have one thing to say before I begin breaking this game down to the very smallest of pixels: OH MY GOD THIS GAME IS HARDER THEN BALLS. Ok, perhaps that’s not the most eloquent language, or even that appropriate; but it is ever so true. The reader also needs to know that I’ve never played a Mega Man game in my life, so I never really knew how hard this was going to be. Boy, was I in for a surprise.
Moving along onto the actual reviewing; the game has a classic old feel which is seen through the story. The story is corny, but ever so nostalgic. Dr. Wily has once again hatched a devious plan, but this time he’s taken over 8 of Dr. Light’s robots and made everyone thing Dr. Light is going on a path of evil while Dr. Wily has “seen the light” and changed his ways. Obviously that’s just a bunch of bull, as Dr. Light would never do something that devious. So Mega Man valiantly tells Dr. Light that he’ll deal with it and goes out upon his ninth adventure to date.
http://www.wiiloaded.com/gallery/upload/full/1841/612.jpg
Scissors, my enemy since kindergarden
Now, first things first, Mega Man games aren’t quite heralded for their stories, but suffice to say it; for an new/old game its got its own little charm. Even if the story is bland, it’s really meant to be like that. You get a perfect sense of nostalgia and the remembrance of how once upon a time story took the backseat to gameplay. Whether or not you think this is good really determines whether or not old-school gaming is for you. I for one enjoy the silly story, at least they put some kind of story with it.
There’s something else you need to know; this game is old/new. What does that mean, well, the game could pass for an older game as the graphics are all 2D and reminiscent of the old NES games. This was obviously done on purpose but it makes the graphics much less stellar compared to other games these days. But this isn’t really an issue, it’s for nostalgic purposes. The colors are much more vibrant in this and the lines are sharper and less pixelated so there are some slight modifications done to the game. It’s enjoyable, for me at least, and I can’t see why someone wouldn’t like them. To put it simply, if you’re interested in this game then the visuals won’t matter to you.
The heart of every game is it’s gameplay, and with Mega Man 9 it’ll make you, or break you. This game is harder then any game out there on the modern market. Mega Man 9 is going back to the genre of gaming where it’s like they don’t want you to win. You’ll find yourself a sailor when you play this game, cursing profanities every two minutes. Unless you’re Jesus you won’t beat any boss on your first run through, it’s going back to the age of mastering each tile one by one. This may be frustrating to those casual gamers who are used to being spoon fed by games, if you’re one of those gamers then get ready to have the contents of said spoon whipped at your face.
http://www.wiiloaded.com/gallery/upload/full/1841/613.jpg
Why is it that THEY can shoot through objects?!
Down to the technical aspects of the gameplay, it’s quite simply, you run, jump, and shoot. That’s it. With the exception of added weaponry from defeating bosses, I won’t get into said weaponry to allow you to discover the awesome new weapons…if you get that far that is. Also, many of the levels alter your jumping ability, for instance Splash Woman’s underwater level allows you to jump incredibly high (word to the wise, begin with Splash Woman, she’s undoubtedly the easiest). The gameplay simply works, it’s implemented perfectly and it’s super fun even though it’s one of the hardest games on Xbox Live Arcade.
As you may have realized by now, there aren’t really that many controls, you just run with the analog stick and have two buttons, one for jumping and one for shooting. That’s it, and that’s all that is needed. Other then clicking select to swap through special weapons, you won’t be utilizing many different buttons with this gem. One thing I should mention, I myself only use the analog stick, some may want to use the D-pad but I strongly advise you don't. As most people here know that the D-pad isn't quite stellar on the 360. I use the analog stick and I haven't had any problems.
Ah, the music, such a beautiful thing 8-bit music is. While some may not like 8-bit music, there’s just something about it that is so satisfying to hear. The little beeps and boops are perfectly placed and arranged. It just doesn’t get any better, either the music should be orchestrated, or 8-bit. That’s how I see it at least. Now, there’s not much other then the music, there’s the little beeps of the gun and sounds when you die, but it’s just the general sounds of an old-school game.
http://www.wiiloaded.com/gallery/upload/full/1841/614.jpg
For some reason I don't think he's happy to see me...
You’re probably wondering…if this game is so hard, then what’s the value? Am I really going to come back to this game? Well, yes. The game is hard, but there’s something about it that makes you want to play more and more, not to mention there are 50 some challenges to complete that vary from simple tasks to mind boggling epic feats of gaming. Beat Mega Man 9 without dying? Who are they kidding…but, with such challenges you’ll want to get as many as possible. Plus with the announcement of downloadable content you’ll be coming back to this game for a long time. But, a scary thought is, apparently the downloadable content is mostly things that make the game tougher, and this game…tougher?! That’s a scary thought on it’s own.
In the end, Mega Man 9 is a game that really reconnects with the old-school games. While it may be mind-bendingly hard, it’s still so satisfying. Trust me, you’ll be jumping with joy when you beat that first boss, only to realize they get harder from there on. Oh well, at least you got a new weapon…when you get to that point, that new weapon really doesn’t seem all that comforting. Oh well, to all of you who have bought this game…GOOD LUCK!
Story-6.5/10
-Old and simple, a classic old school feel, not bad, but outdated
Visuals-7/10
-Classic old school look, brilliant to some, not so much to others
Gameplay-9.5/10
-Engaging, addicting, hard, and fun as hell
Controls-9/10
-The controls are tight, even with the analog stick
Sound-9/10
-8-Bit music at it's finest, gotta love it
Replay Value-10/10
-Downloadable content, insane achievements and challenges, you'll be coming back for more
Overall-9/10
(Not an Average)
Reviewers Note: This review was originally posted on another site that I'm a News Editor and mod on, as so my name in my Review area has an extra 1 in the name. Most of you probably didn't even notice that, but encase you did just thought I'd clear that up! I hope you enjoyed this review and I'll be submitting more soon!
-Alex5101
Mega Man 9
Sitting, bored, tired, and craving some old-school gaming; I turn on my Xbox and then I remember. Mega Man 9 is out! So, without waiting a second I load up the marketplace and download the game. I boot it up, laughing at the presentation in it’s classically old style and revel in the opening music. Up to this point, nostalgia surrounds me in a warm embrace.
Then I played the game. I only have one thing to say before I begin breaking this game down to the very smallest of pixels: OH MY GOD THIS GAME IS HARDER THEN BALLS. Ok, perhaps that’s not the most eloquent language, or even that appropriate; but it is ever so true. The reader also needs to know that I’ve never played a Mega Man game in my life, so I never really knew how hard this was going to be. Boy, was I in for a surprise.
Moving along onto the actual reviewing; the game has a classic old feel which is seen through the story. The story is corny, but ever so nostalgic. Dr. Wily has once again hatched a devious plan, but this time he’s taken over 8 of Dr. Light’s robots and made everyone thing Dr. Light is going on a path of evil while Dr. Wily has “seen the light” and changed his ways. Obviously that’s just a bunch of bull, as Dr. Light would never do something that devious. So Mega Man valiantly tells Dr. Light that he’ll deal with it and goes out upon his ninth adventure to date.
http://www.wiiloaded.com/gallery/upload/full/1841/612.jpg
Scissors, my enemy since kindergarden
Now, first things first, Mega Man games aren’t quite heralded for their stories, but suffice to say it; for an new/old game its got its own little charm. Even if the story is bland, it’s really meant to be like that. You get a perfect sense of nostalgia and the remembrance of how once upon a time story took the backseat to gameplay. Whether or not you think this is good really determines whether or not old-school gaming is for you. I for one enjoy the silly story, at least they put some kind of story with it.
There’s something else you need to know; this game is old/new. What does that mean, well, the game could pass for an older game as the graphics are all 2D and reminiscent of the old NES games. This was obviously done on purpose but it makes the graphics much less stellar compared to other games these days. But this isn’t really an issue, it’s for nostalgic purposes. The colors are much more vibrant in this and the lines are sharper and less pixelated so there are some slight modifications done to the game. It’s enjoyable, for me at least, and I can’t see why someone wouldn’t like them. To put it simply, if you’re interested in this game then the visuals won’t matter to you.
The heart of every game is it’s gameplay, and with Mega Man 9 it’ll make you, or break you. This game is harder then any game out there on the modern market. Mega Man 9 is going back to the genre of gaming where it’s like they don’t want you to win. You’ll find yourself a sailor when you play this game, cursing profanities every two minutes. Unless you’re Jesus you won’t beat any boss on your first run through, it’s going back to the age of mastering each tile one by one. This may be frustrating to those casual gamers who are used to being spoon fed by games, if you’re one of those gamers then get ready to have the contents of said spoon whipped at your face.
http://www.wiiloaded.com/gallery/upload/full/1841/613.jpg
Why is it that THEY can shoot through objects?!
Down to the technical aspects of the gameplay, it’s quite simply, you run, jump, and shoot. That’s it. With the exception of added weaponry from defeating bosses, I won’t get into said weaponry to allow you to discover the awesome new weapons…if you get that far that is. Also, many of the levels alter your jumping ability, for instance Splash Woman’s underwater level allows you to jump incredibly high (word to the wise, begin with Splash Woman, she’s undoubtedly the easiest). The gameplay simply works, it’s implemented perfectly and it’s super fun even though it’s one of the hardest games on Xbox Live Arcade.
As you may have realized by now, there aren’t really that many controls, you just run with the analog stick and have two buttons, one for jumping and one for shooting. That’s it, and that’s all that is needed. Other then clicking select to swap through special weapons, you won’t be utilizing many different buttons with this gem. One thing I should mention, I myself only use the analog stick, some may want to use the D-pad but I strongly advise you don't. As most people here know that the D-pad isn't quite stellar on the 360. I use the analog stick and I haven't had any problems.
Ah, the music, such a beautiful thing 8-bit music is. While some may not like 8-bit music, there’s just something about it that is so satisfying to hear. The little beeps and boops are perfectly placed and arranged. It just doesn’t get any better, either the music should be orchestrated, or 8-bit. That’s how I see it at least. Now, there’s not much other then the music, there’s the little beeps of the gun and sounds when you die, but it’s just the general sounds of an old-school game.
http://www.wiiloaded.com/gallery/upload/full/1841/614.jpg
For some reason I don't think he's happy to see me...
You’re probably wondering…if this game is so hard, then what’s the value? Am I really going to come back to this game? Well, yes. The game is hard, but there’s something about it that makes you want to play more and more, not to mention there are 50 some challenges to complete that vary from simple tasks to mind boggling epic feats of gaming. Beat Mega Man 9 without dying? Who are they kidding…but, with such challenges you’ll want to get as many as possible. Plus with the announcement of downloadable content you’ll be coming back to this game for a long time. But, a scary thought is, apparently the downloadable content is mostly things that make the game tougher, and this game…tougher?! That’s a scary thought on it’s own.
In the end, Mega Man 9 is a game that really reconnects with the old-school games. While it may be mind-bendingly hard, it’s still so satisfying. Trust me, you’ll be jumping with joy when you beat that first boss, only to realize they get harder from there on. Oh well, at least you got a new weapon…when you get to that point, that new weapon really doesn’t seem all that comforting. Oh well, to all of you who have bought this game…GOOD LUCK!
Story-6.5/10
-Old and simple, a classic old school feel, not bad, but outdated
Visuals-7/10
-Classic old school look, brilliant to some, not so much to others
Gameplay-9.5/10
-Engaging, addicting, hard, and fun as hell
Controls-9/10
-The controls are tight, even with the analog stick
Sound-9/10
-8-Bit music at it's finest, gotta love it
Replay Value-10/10
-Downloadable content, insane achievements and challenges, you'll be coming back for more
Overall-9/10
(Not an Average)
Reviewers Note: This review was originally posted on another site that I'm a News Editor and mod on, as so my name in my Review area has an extra 1 in the name. Most of you probably didn't even notice that, but encase you did just thought I'd clear that up! I hope you enjoyed this review and I'll be submitting more soon!
-Alex5101