Ch1NaTown
2017
Gameplay is very basic for Platinum's standards, but enjoyable enough if you can excuse a really rough difficulty curve due to the leveling system (if you just go for the main missions of the game without doing any side content, you're bound to get stuck in a story segment with hordes of enemies 10-20 levels above you).
The plot is a mess, full of interesting ideas but integrated (if even that) in the storytelling in the wort way possible. Most of the interesting concepts this game proposes are told as exposition dumps instead of dialogue and character interactions, and overall this entire experience feels like the brain child of a amazingly creative person with close to no idea how to write a compeling story.
The soundtrack is great, but the sound design leaves a lot to be desired, with songs randomly ramping up on basic overworld progression instead of situations where said incerease in intensity would be yearned.
OBS: For anyone saying that this game has multiple ending, thats BS and you know it. This game just puts staff roll credits between every major "chapter" of the game, and you don't really have a choice of which ending you're getting until the very end.
The plot is a mess, full of interesting ideas but integrated (if even that) in the storytelling in the wort way possible. Most of the interesting concepts this game proposes are told as exposition dumps instead of dialogue and character interactions, and overall this entire experience feels like the brain child of a amazingly creative person with close to no idea how to write a compeling story.
The soundtrack is great, but the sound design leaves a lot to be desired, with songs randomly ramping up on basic overworld progression instead of situations where said incerease in intensity would be yearned.
OBS: For anyone saying that this game has multiple ending, thats BS and you know it. This game just puts staff roll credits between every major "chapter" of the game, and you don't really have a choice of which ending you're getting until the very end.
2022
Absolutely amazing storytelling, integrated perfectly with the main gameplay loop.
2021
Amazingly fun fast paced combat, with very open-ended progression and a greatly designed explorable world.
A few combat scenarios can be awkward however, and the storytelling leaves a lot to be desired.
A few combat scenarios can be awkward however, and the storytelling leaves a lot to be desired.
Amazing controls and stunning presentation.
Despite what others may say, this game has a very forgiving checkpoint system up until the last stage, and most if not all stages of the game are greatly designed (with the exception of the game's 3rd stage).
The only issue I found with it was that the game's bosses are absolutely frustrating in design, and are both too fast and aggressive for how heavy Batman controls and too spongey for how repetitive the battles get.
Despite what others may say, this game has a very forgiving checkpoint system up until the last stage, and most if not all stages of the game are greatly designed (with the exception of the game's 3rd stage).
The only issue I found with it was that the game's bosses are absolutely frustrating in design, and are both too fast and aggressive for how heavy Batman controls and too spongey for how repetitive the battles get.
(100% Achieved on the main game, DLC stages still not completed)
A fantastic game and one of the best 3D platformers I've ever played. Level design is fantastic, your movement options amazing and the physics extremely exploitable.
I love this game, but it REALLY seems to lose its edge towards the end with the last few stages being somewhat awkwardly designed and/or conceptualized.
The storytelling is still fanfic level of badness, so I suggest skipping it all.
A fantastic game and one of the best 3D platformers I've ever played. Level design is fantastic, your movement options amazing and the physics extremely exploitable.
I love this game, but it REALLY seems to lose its edge towards the end with the last few stages being somewhat awkwardly designed and/or conceptualized.
The storytelling is still fanfic level of badness, so I suggest skipping it all.
1987
(Dropped at Wily 2)
I'm not entirely sure anybody on the dev team playtested this tbh. And if they did, they probably weren't that much into video games to begin with. This feels like a emulation of what the devs thought "kids these days" would like, rather than what they themselves thought would be fun.
This game feels hollow, and whatever "fun" you can have with it feels more accidental from the developer's part than anything else.
I'm not entirely sure anybody on the dev team playtested this tbh. And if they did, they probably weren't that much into video games to begin with. This feels like a emulation of what the devs thought "kids these days" would like, rather than what they themselves thought would be fun.
This game feels hollow, and whatever "fun" you can have with it feels more accidental from the developer's part than anything else.
1989
(Dropped at Wily 3)
The real first mega man, a definite improvement over the 1987 one and, with the exception of the final stretch of the game, a very solid one. It still suffers from a LOT of outdated design decisions, and iffy enemy placements at points, but boss design for the most part is a blast, and stages tend to be on the fun side more often than not.
Replaying this game I have found a new amount of respect for its design and honestly, I might come back to it sometime in the future.
Still wouldn't recommend it to anyone, but honestly, THIS is a solid start to a series.
...the Wily Fortress stages can go SUCK MY ASS tho.
The real first mega man, a definite improvement over the 1987 one and, with the exception of the final stretch of the game, a very solid one. It still suffers from a LOT of outdated design decisions, and iffy enemy placements at points, but boss design for the most part is a blast, and stages tend to be on the fun side more often than not.
Replaying this game I have found a new amount of respect for its design and honestly, I might come back to it sometime in the future.
Still wouldn't recommend it to anyone, but honestly, THIS is a solid start to a series.
...the Wily Fortress stages can go SUCK MY ASS tho.
My honest favorite of the series so far. Stages are thematically varied and have actual gimmicks to them, enemy design is engaging, boss design is great as always and I feel like limiting what Copen can and can't do really goes miles into making the gameplay more engaging.
If you enjoy the Gunvolt series for how over the top broken you are then this definitely isn't the game for you, but if that was the ONE thing you disliked about it, like me, then this game is a god send.
Something to me still feels off, like most of Inti's stuff, some sense of identity is missing that I can't exactly put my finger into right now, but overall, a great game that really puts to show Inti's greatest strengths when it comes to game design as a whole.
If you enjoy the Gunvolt series for how over the top broken you are then this definitely isn't the game for you, but if that was the ONE thing you disliked about it, like me, then this game is a god send.
Something to me still feels off, like most of Inti's stuff, some sense of identity is missing that I can't exactly put my finger into right now, but overall, a great game that really puts to show Inti's greatest strengths when it comes to game design as a whole.
A great game marred by the trademark issues of its series.
I absolutely love how BiS implements its map design, it has fewers areas than previous games yes, but they're so expansive and so full of optional areas to expore. At times (specially during the mid game portion of the game), BiS feels more like a metroidvania or a classic zelda game than just your straight forward RPG.
Sadly, BiS is hurt by the same issues other games in the M&L series also suffer from, constant nagging partner characters who feel the need to tutorial you on every single new thing that shows up for minutes on end. It gets real annoying real fast.
Its overall a great game with great level design, great battle design, beautiful artstyle, funny and charming writting, only hurt by the need to mash through dialogue every so often when the game feels the need to treat you like this is the first game you've ever played.
I absolutely love how BiS implements its map design, it has fewers areas than previous games yes, but they're so expansive and so full of optional areas to expore. At times (specially during the mid game portion of the game), BiS feels more like a metroidvania or a classic zelda game than just your straight forward RPG.
Sadly, BiS is hurt by the same issues other games in the M&L series also suffer from, constant nagging partner characters who feel the need to tutorial you on every single new thing that shows up for minutes on end. It gets real annoying real fast.
Its overall a great game with great level design, great battle design, beautiful artstyle, funny and charming writting, only hurt by the need to mash through dialogue every so often when the game feels the need to treat you like this is the first game you've ever played.
2002
I commend the developers for trying out new things with the Mega Man formula, but they sure as hell did not have the finess or forethought necessary to pull them out.
The core gameplay loop and controls of Mega Man Zero is stellar, combat feels impactful and responsive, and the level design isn't too shabby either, but all adjacent systems and mechanics are some of the worst in the franchise.
If this game did not have the life system that it does, the level system that it does, the insanely grindy E-Crystal requirements for cyber elves that it does, and wasn't stuck in such a small screen it could've been one of my favorites, but all of these systems really drag down the experience as a whole.
The core gameplay loop and controls of Mega Man Zero is stellar, combat feels impactful and responsive, and the level design isn't too shabby either, but all adjacent systems and mechanics are some of the worst in the franchise.
If this game did not have the life system that it does, the level system that it does, the insanely grindy E-Crystal requirements for cyber elves that it does, and wasn't stuck in such a small screen it could've been one of my favorites, but all of these systems really drag down the experience as a whole.
1992
How did they manage to make a second Mega Man 3 who's also laggy as all hell. This game is borderline unplayable at times due to the constant slowdown.
1991
Ignoring the blatant disregard the composer had for the project when configuring the music (comfirmed btw, dude apologized publicly about it).
This game isn't much worse than base Mega Man 2, i know it isn't even close to being the same game, but weirdly enough, much of the same issues still apply.
It's a very fun game with some nonsensical enemy placement at times, and bonus point to MMII over MM2 for not having absolute garbage for final stages.
Would definitely recommend as a time waster if you don't mind playing on mute.
This game isn't much worse than base Mega Man 2, i know it isn't even close to being the same game, but weirdly enough, much of the same issues still apply.
It's a very fun game with some nonsensical enemy placement at times, and bonus point to MMII over MM2 for not having absolute garbage for final stages.
Would definitely recommend as a time waster if you don't mind playing on mute.
Definitely has its charm, but I'm not sure what this game wants to be at times.
Party customization is undermined by forced party members and sections of the story where you can't even add different Pokémon to your group.
The storytelling is "charming" but barebones, and the difficulty of the game spikes super randomly at times, where for most of the time the game offers no resistance to you (super easy) and then out of nowhere you get one shot by some random enemy in a dungeon you were revisiting.
What I'm trying to say is that, the difficulty isn't a draw, the gameplay isn't a draw, the story isn't a draw, then wtf is the draw of the game? It feels like all of these aspects of the game keep stepping on each other's toes.
There's potential for greatness here, but the game feels way too directionless to me.
Party customization is undermined by forced party members and sections of the story where you can't even add different Pokémon to your group.
The storytelling is "charming" but barebones, and the difficulty of the game spikes super randomly at times, where for most of the time the game offers no resistance to you (super easy) and then out of nowhere you get one shot by some random enemy in a dungeon you were revisiting.
What I'm trying to say is that, the difficulty isn't a draw, the gameplay isn't a draw, the story isn't a draw, then wtf is the draw of the game? It feels like all of these aspects of the game keep stepping on each other's toes.
There's potential for greatness here, but the game feels way too directionless to me.
Seriously one of my top 5 Zeldas and Gameboy games in general.
This is a great Zelda game with great gameplay, amazing dungeons and only hindered by some very annoying quality of life issues.
This is a great Zelda game with great gameplay, amazing dungeons and only hindered by some very annoying quality of life issues.
1991
Even though this is by far my favorite of the classic series, it's very clear that this game still have that air of mediocrity that permeates MM5 and MM6 at parts.
Half of this game is fantastic, the best the NES has to offer in action platformers, the other half is stuff like ToadMan, you can barely qualify it as a boss.
I'll still defend MM4 for all its flaws though, because albeit not consistent in its quality, its lows are less low than 5 and 6's lows, and a lot of the level design set pieces of the game show genuine effort put into them.
MM4 more than any other classic Mega Man exemplifies the heights that the development team could reach if not for the strict deadlines imposed by Capcom at the time.
Half of this game is fantastic, the best the NES has to offer in action platformers, the other half is stuff like ToadMan, you can barely qualify it as a boss.
I'll still defend MM4 for all its flaws though, because albeit not consistent in its quality, its lows are less low than 5 and 6's lows, and a lot of the level design set pieces of the game show genuine effort put into them.
MM4 more than any other classic Mega Man exemplifies the heights that the development team could reach if not for the strict deadlines imposed by Capcom at the time.