Mega Man X6 (PlayStation)

The Mega Man series has one of the most loyal followings of fans. Without their devout support, Capcom would have trouble finding ample justification for not only producing sequel after sequel, but also for keeping the majority of Mega Man games in 2D and not messing around with the proven platform-shooter-style formula. The latest game in the Mega Man saga, Mega Man X6, attempts to diversify this formula by integrating various features--such as the nightmare and power-up gameplay systems--and indeed, Mega Man fans will probably enjoy these features, as they successfully extend the longevity of the game. But ultimately, these features are unable to hide the fact that the Mega Man series is really starting to show its age.

Mega Man X6 begins shortly after the previous game. The space colony has crashed into the planet, and Zero--the plasma-sword-equipped crimson hero of the Mega Man X series--has just been destroyed. Sifting through the debris is a scientist named Gate, who stumbles upon a special piece of technology at the site and then retreats to his lab. Moments later, the scientist is shown in his laboratory conducting experiments when all of a sudden, he goes mad and begins talking about creating a perfect world for reploids. Mavericks--the animal-like robot enemies found in previous games--start appearing around the world, causing Mega Man to take action and find out what's going on. With the exception of the explanation of various gameplay mechanics, Mega Man's narrative is largely irrelevant and uninteresting. The dialogue that occurs between Mega Man and the mavericks is ridiculous and uninteresting--even the game seems to lose its bearing on the main plot, as you'll hear very little from Gate and his sidekick Isoc as you progress through individual levels. This game is quite different from Mega Man X5, which relied heavily on its storyline to drive the game.

But as far as gameplay goes, you won't find too many differences between X5 and X6. When it comes time to enter one of the maverick stages, you'll have the option of choosing between just the regular version of Mega Man X--Mega Man X equipped with falcon armor or, depending on where you are in the game, another character. The difference between the original and armored version of Mega Man is that the armored version has the ability to perform both ground and air dashes from the get-go, whereas the regular Mega Man has to find various power-ups located in different levels to gain these abilities. Of course, this leads to the question of why you would want to play as him if he lacks these skills at the beginning of the game. The answer is that the regular version of Mega Man can equip new suits of armor that give him added abilities, but the extra effort it takes to seek out the parts for those suits of armor and the fact that the falcon version of Mega Man is already well-equipped to handle most maverick battles will make it difficult for some to go that route.

Mega Man and his cohorts can perform a variety of moves, ranging from the classic buster-blast attack to a number of different plasma-sword slashes, and like in previous Mega Man games, you gain special weapons whenever you successfully defeat one of the mavericks. Basically, if you've played even just one of the older Mega Man games, then you should be able to jump right in. However, it's worth noting that control can be an issue at times, as Mega Man X's dash feature can be sensitive, making it incredibly difficult to maneuver through areas that require precise movements. With the exception of perhaps one or two areas, the default level designs are fairly straightforward and don't require you to perform ridiculous acrobatic acts, but the nightmare versions of these levels are a different story.