This game contains elements from the Mega Man X series and the Mega Man Zero series. The game introduces a new open-ended gameplay environment and the ability to select the protagonist's gender, a first in the series. The player's character, Vent or Aile, is on a 2-dimensional overlay map with sprites where he or she engages enemies to finish the mission. When Vent and Aile receive a Biometal, they are able to change form, gaining various abilities, such as the charge moves, or charging their weapon with an element of that Biometal; for example, Biometal H will charge the weapon with electricity. While in a special form, using the form-specific abilities use up weapon energy. When Vent and Aile receive the other half of the Biometal, they are able to perform a different special ability.
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Something that should last two, maybe three hours, ends up lasting seven because the game developers either hate the players or disregard their free time.
Even the dialogue and the distance you have to travel for mundane things within the ship are a huge time sink. The sub tank in the fire stage is one of the biggest absurdities I've seen in a game of this style. I literally gave up trying to get the last sub tank after that one because it is a even bigger waste of your time.
The game having three different items to collect also makes the rare HP healing items too scarce. The implementation of currency in this game is simply bizarre and very unnecessary. With the amount of useless space this game has, it would have been easier to include armor upgrades there instead of the bizarre system of final strike on bosses.
And I say all this sadly, because I really wanted to like this game. It has a wonderful visual style (better than whatever the fuck they were trying on Megaman Zero), the armors themselves have great designs (although I'm annoyed they baited and switched with X's armor), and the gameplay itself is the enjoyable Megaman X gameplay as always. I honestly hope they've fixed at least some of this in ZX.
Furthermore, if you're going to make a horrendous map like this, it's better to do it like in the classic series and X. You select a stage and that's it. Better than a half-assed attempt of a Metroidvania. Furthermore, this lives system, reminiscent of the old Mega Man system, doesn't even make sense in a game trying to be a faux-metroidvania
Anyway, the formula of selecting a stage and it being just the right size has been repeated for over 20 games for a very simple reason: IT JUST WORKS, DAMMIT!