| System: Super Nintendo | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Capcom | Sound: |
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| Year: 1993 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Action-platformer | Rating: |
9/10 |
Through technological advances and Dr. Light’s upgrades, Rock first became Mega Man … and then Mega Man evolved into X.
X was supposedly the first robot endowed with free will and consciousness, which raises a few issues. Chief among them: what if he became aware of the plasma cannon grafted to his arm, blew a few fuses, and decided to go on a citywide rampage?
A thorough diagnostic was therefore necessary to ensure he wouldn’t violate the first law of robotics (dear to Asimov): robots must not harm humans. We’re happy to let them make choices, as long as they’re the right ones.
However, Dr. Light was too old to complete this work, and finding no one trustworthy to pass the torch to, he decided to seal his dangerous creation in a capsule and bury it, crossing his fingers that it wouldn’t end up in the wrong hands.
Say what you will, Dr. Wily at least showed some form of logic. In his own way…
Anyway, much later, Dr. Cain unearthed the capsule, studied X, and, in a burst of humanitarian optimism, used him as a model to design a new generation of robots. These “Reploids” (replicant androids) were gifted with free will, consciousness, and a dazzling array of irresistible war-grade weapons.
Which turned out to be just rotten luck. Despite the good doctors’ precautions, a handful of Reploids eventually realised their superiority over humans and decided to wipe us out. These turncoats, who embraced the “dark side”, were called Mavericks, and in contrast, their human-protecting counterparts were branded fools Maverick Hunters.
What follows is war. Last we heard, the leader of the Maverick Hunters, a certain Sigma, suddenly defected to the enemy. Someone called Zero took his place, assisted by X (the hero of this tragedy).
You got all that? Fair warning—it only gets worse with every instalment. The jargon, too.
In Mega Man X and its sequels, the bosses’ names no longer end in “Man”. Instead, they’ve been given animal shapes and names. Also, the recurring final antagonist is no longer Wily but Sigma. However, there are still eight bosses, each vulnerable to another’s weapon.
The way of controlling the character differs slightly from the classic series: X can no longer slide (instead, he’ll learn to propel himself using thrusters under his boots, like Bass did) and he can climb walls. These two modifications greatly energise the gameplay. Additionally, the levels are scattered with capsules and other collectibles that permanently enhance your character (bigger health bar, higher durability, new abilities…). Compared to the classic series, the player feels a greater sense of progression, and even overwhelming power by the end, when all improvements have been obtained (notably, the ability to charge all secondary weapons!).
As for the atmosphere, the burlesque has definitely disappeared in favour of a warlike, pre-apocalyptic mood. Let’s be clear, we’re no longer here to chase a megalomaniac mad scientist, but to save the world (threatened by a … megalomaniac mad robot). By the way, they’ve figured out how to instil dramatic tension: just kill off a main character at the end. Of course, the effect wears off a bit when you resurrect said character in the next episode.
Campy storyline aside (and hey, at least it has one), this episode marks for me the franchise’s pinnacle. It’s a gold standard for action-platformers, thanks to its speed, precise controls, varied and inventive mechanics, and, as ever, those epic one-on-one boss fights with “human-sized” opponents. I particularly enjoyed the interferences that occur in other levels after defeating a boss (for example, eliminate Launch Octopus and Sting Chameleon’s domain will be flooded). You’ll also want to revisit earlier levels to uncover all the hidden items.
Suggested order:
Chill Penguin > Spark Mandrill > Armored Armadillo > Launch Octopus > Boomer Kuwanger > Sting Chameleon > Storm Eagle > Flame Mammoth
