| System: PlayStation/PC/N64 | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Capcom | Sound: |
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| Year: 1997 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Action-adventure | Rating: |
7/10 |
The Caskett family—grandfather Barell, granddaughter Roll, and adopted grandson Rock Volnutt—explore underground ruins in search of “quantum refractors”, the world’s primary energy source. Their work as diggers brings them to Kattelox Island, where they witness a violent pirate attack.
The Bonne family, aided by a small army of robots, are after the “mother lode”, a mythical refractor said to provide unlimited energy and hidden in a nearby ruin. A race begins between the two families for a discovery that promises fame and fortune. However, no one knows the potentially catastrophic consequences of unearthing this long-lost technology…
Mega Man Legends is the second fully 3D game in the franchise, following Battle and Chase (a title from the “classic” series and otherwise unrelated).
Surprisingly, the controls feel intuitive, and the game avoids the typical camera issues that plagued many early 3D titles. Battles unfold in real time, akin to a traditional action game.
Admittedly, the controls are simple (and not particularly swift). Secondary weapons, while plentiful, are poorly implemented: limited ammo recharge options, only one secondary weapon can be carried at a time, and they’re generally less effective than the original buster. That said, this is an adventure game, and from that perspective, the characters are well-realised, sporting charming manga-style expressions, abundant dialogue, excellent voice acting, and even convincing lip-sync animations.
Actually, calling it an adventure game might be a stretch. The story is fairly thin, there are no puzzles, and the shallow characterisation is unlikely to resonate with those unfamiliar with the Mega Man universe. On the other hand, the game excels with its complete freedom of movement and the option (or rather, necessity) to revisit previous levels to acquire new items and techniques—plenty of them, as is customary.
The original Japanese title is Rockman D.A.S.H. (an acronym for Digouter’s Adventure Story in Halcyon Days). There are nearly identical versions for PC and the Nintendo 64 (the latter retitled as Mega Man 64).
Despite the relative quality of its story and the charisma of its characters, this series failed to achieve the success it aimed for.
