I really like Mega Man X games
Following X3's underperformance in expanding the formula, X4 brough the series to new places. This game did away with the abundance of useless collectables and cryptic item placements from the previous game, opting for a more polished experience beginning to end. The new art style, deeper story progression, and animated cutscenes gave X4 plenty to set it apart from its predecessors, but were not used as a substitute for great gameplay.
The excellent core gameplay loop of the series is done justice in X4, and the addition of Zero's campaign added a substantial amount of variety and content. It's amazing how different the two campaigns feel despite being fundamentally the same; each encounter feels different playing as X vs Zero, and the story has key differences as well, essentially making this two games in one. Mega Man X4 is a game worth playing and replaying.
I'll admit towards being underwhelmed with the game on an artistic level; I preferred the level and enemy designs of previous games in the series. The story, while well-told, is incomprehensibly stupid. The only plot elements I like are the game not expecting us to be surprised by Sigma's appearance, and I legitimately didn't see SPOILER's betrayal coming at all, but the rest is nonsense. Also, I didn't find the hilariously bad voice acting as charming here as I did in Mega Man 8, mostly because the cutscenes of that game were shorter and the tone of the game was lighter. Every voice actor in X4 is miscast and every line is delivered as if the VA were falling asleep. I can't get though SPOILER's death without cringing. It's soul-crushing and not for the reason the developers intended.
Also, the armor upgrade in Storm Owl's lair can f*ck all the way off. It's the worst item placement in any Mega Man game and getting it is always the worst part of the playthrough.
I may recommend skipping X4's cutscenes, but I don't recommend skipping X4. This is a solid entry in the Blue Bomber's legacy, and a great game in its own right. Play it if you haven't already.
Following X3's underperformance in expanding the formula, X4 brough the series to new places. This game did away with the abundance of useless collectables and cryptic item placements from the previous game, opting for a more polished experience beginning to end. The new art style, deeper story progression, and animated cutscenes gave X4 plenty to set it apart from its predecessors, but were not used as a substitute for great gameplay.
The excellent core gameplay loop of the series is done justice in X4, and the addition of Zero's campaign added a substantial amount of variety and content. It's amazing how different the two campaigns feel despite being fundamentally the same; each encounter feels different playing as X vs Zero, and the story has key differences as well, essentially making this two games in one. Mega Man X4 is a game worth playing and replaying.
I'll admit towards being underwhelmed with the game on an artistic level; I preferred the level and enemy designs of previous games in the series. The story, while well-told, is incomprehensibly stupid. The only plot elements I like are the game not expecting us to be surprised by Sigma's appearance, and I legitimately didn't see SPOILER's betrayal coming at all, but the rest is nonsense. Also, I didn't find the hilariously bad voice acting as charming here as I did in Mega Man 8, mostly because the cutscenes of that game were shorter and the tone of the game was lighter. Every voice actor in X4 is miscast and every line is delivered as if the VA were falling asleep. I can't get though SPOILER's death without cringing. It's soul-crushing and not for the reason the developers intended.
Also, the armor upgrade in Storm Owl's lair can f*ck all the way off. It's the worst item placement in any Mega Man game and getting it is always the worst part of the playthrough.
I may recommend skipping X4's cutscenes, but I don't recommend skipping X4. This is a solid entry in the Blue Bomber's legacy, and a great game in its own right. Play it if you haven't already.