PLAYED VIA ZERO/ZX COLLECTION ON NINTENDO SWITCH
Mega Man ZX Advent Children is an interesting entry in this series. For starters, it feels more like a proper Metroidvania than ZX, utilizing the map better than it's predecessor and also having a map screen that isn't ass. While you can still do any mission in any order, you now teleport (for some) directly to the area as opposed to taking the long way around but even when you don't teleport, it still feels like more proper Metroidvania progression. As far as trying to mix the two styles together, this game does it better than ZX and i'm grateful i don't have to use the omega cringe "it's a good x but a bad y" argument for this game.
As far as the gameplay itself, it's pretty solid which is honestly expected of Inti Creates but it's a bit weird here. Like before, you have a choice between a male and female protagonist and like before, i went with the female protagonist because i'm pretty sure this is the last game in the series called Mega Man where there's a female protagonist. But whereas ZX form was the default in the last game, in this game, you don't get it until halfway in. As such, no Z-Saber access for half the game just kinda.....felt nerfed. Like it's obviously still fun to play but i was definitely missing Z-Saber access until i got it. But what truly separates this game from it's predecessor and honestly not just Mega Man but this sort of genre as whole is the copy abilities. See, in Mega Man and it's inspired games, when you beat a boss, you get an ability that pertains to that boss in some way. In Mega Man ZXA, when you beat a boss, you straight up just get to become the boss. And while half the bosses in this game are humanoids, the other half are just big monster type stuff. And you can become them and staight-up use some of their moves. And honestly, that's raw, i don't think i've played a game where you can straight-up just become the boss after beating them. That said, those forms are more suited for exploration rather than combat, which you'd use the other set of copy abilities for.
The worst part about this game is the voice acting. My God, what is this voice acting. I had the Mastered Voice setting turned on so i can hear what was intended instead of DS bit crushing and man, i never want to hear anyone complain about Xenoblade 2 English voice acting again. I'd have changed the language but Capcom decided that if you change the language in this collection, you also change the text, also each language just counts as it's own game for some reason? But this is a Zero/ZX Collection problem and not something specific to ZXA. I also have to criticize the ending of this (well both games) really. Both ZX games just kinda end and while i wouldn't say it's out of nowhere, it doesn't feel as neatly wrapped up as lists every other Inti Creates game.
ZX Advent is definitely better than ZX but this duology as a whole just feels kinda weak compared to what came before and after, even if being able to straight-up copy the bosses themselves is raw.
Mega Man ZX Advent Children is an interesting entry in this series. For starters, it feels more like a proper Metroidvania than ZX, utilizing the map better than it's predecessor and also having a map screen that isn't ass. While you can still do any mission in any order, you now teleport (for some) directly to the area as opposed to taking the long way around but even when you don't teleport, it still feels like more proper Metroidvania progression. As far as trying to mix the two styles together, this game does it better than ZX and i'm grateful i don't have to use the omega cringe "it's a good x but a bad y" argument for this game.
As far as the gameplay itself, it's pretty solid which is honestly expected of Inti Creates but it's a bit weird here. Like before, you have a choice between a male and female protagonist and like before, i went with the female protagonist because i'm pretty sure this is the last game in the series called Mega Man where there's a female protagonist. But whereas ZX form was the default in the last game, in this game, you don't get it until halfway in. As such, no Z-Saber access for half the game just kinda.....felt nerfed. Like it's obviously still fun to play but i was definitely missing Z-Saber access until i got it. But what truly separates this game from it's predecessor and honestly not just Mega Man but this sort of genre as whole is the copy abilities. See, in Mega Man and it's inspired games, when you beat a boss, you get an ability that pertains to that boss in some way. In Mega Man ZXA, when you beat a boss, you straight up just get to become the boss. And while half the bosses in this game are humanoids, the other half are just big monster type stuff. And you can become them and staight-up use some of their moves. And honestly, that's raw, i don't think i've played a game where you can straight-up just become the boss after beating them. That said, those forms are more suited for exploration rather than combat, which you'd use the other set of copy abilities for.
The worst part about this game is the voice acting. My God, what is this voice acting. I had the Mastered Voice setting turned on so i can hear what was intended instead of DS bit crushing and man, i never want to hear anyone complain about Xenoblade 2 English voice acting again. I'd have changed the language but Capcom decided that if you change the language in this collection, you also change the text, also each language just counts as it's own game for some reason? But this is a Zero/ZX Collection problem and not something specific to ZXA. I also have to criticize the ending of this (well both games) really. Both ZX games just kinda end and while i wouldn't say it's out of nowhere, it doesn't feel as neatly wrapped up as lists every other Inti Creates game.
ZX Advent is definitely better than ZX but this duology as a whole just feels kinda weak compared to what came before and after, even if being able to straight-up copy the bosses themselves is raw.