Devloper: Capcom Publisher: Capcom Release: 10/97 Genre: Action
As the 32-bit generation progressed I’ll admit to being a bit dismayed. One by one many of my favorite series were making the move to 3d and the results were painful. Seeing once great bastions of 2d gameplay transition to ugly 3d was sad. But somehow Capcom were able to get not one but two Mega Man games by Sony in the US. Mega Man 8 was everything we had dreamed of with its lush sprite work. Mega Man X4 would continue that streak, revitalizing the series and adding another great game to the PlayStation and Saturn library.
After Sigma’s third defeat a new maverick hunting group has arisen. Dubbed the Repliforce this military group is led by the General and the Colonel and works in cooperation with the maverick hunters. This ends when the Sky Lagoon is destroyed; crushing the city below with Repliforce taking the blame. Rather than stand down they instead opt to fight for their independence and are branded mavericks in the process. Mega Man X4 is more story driven than its predecessors with numerous FMV cutscenes to advance the plot. It expands the world of the series considerably and is a welcome addition, terrible voice acting aside.
One of the biggest additions to the game is the ability to final play as Zero. Not the half-assed implementation in X3 but an entirely separate campaign. Both X and Zero follow the same general stories however there are unique bosses and routes designed around their abilities. Zero plays very differently from X, focusing on melee attacks with his Z-saber. It is not only a great contrast to X but his addition also adds replay value as well.
The series staples return with a few twists. X’s armor upgrades are extremely cool this time out. The boots allow you to air dash and float for a few seconds. The armor not only reduces damage but powers up a strong special attack as well. The best is the helmet, which reduces special weapon consumption to almost nothing. It is just as broken as it sounds. You have a choice of two buster power-ups; one that stores four powered shots or the overpowered plasma cannon. For Zero things are different. He has no new armor and does not receive boss weapons either. Instead they provide Z-saber techniques you execute with simple button combinations. It is different and can lead to some frustration but worth mastering.
The level design has also been changed. Every stage has two halves. This was probably for memory reasons but the change is still jarring. Most levels handle the transition well, creating entirely new environments to justify it. While the game as a whole is typical it does have a few neat areas. Cyber Peacock’s level challenges you to clear each area as fast as possible to access its upgrades. Jet Stingray’s level takes place entirely on a jet bike while you can actually fight Magma Dragoon using one of the Ride Armors! I know, little steps.
Mega Man X4 is probably the easiest game in the series. Capcom try to bump up the difficulty in certain ways. Heart tanks are located in conspicuous places and will require skill to attain. Energy tanks are now two instead of four as well. But once the upgrades arrive X becomes too powerful. The armor upgrade significantly reduces damage to the point you will need to go out of your way to die. The helmet upgrade allows you to use special weapons almost infinitely! If that weren’t enough the plasma cannon is so powerful you won’t need the boss weapons in most cases. Playing as Zero does present a challenge as he does not earn new armor. His Z-saber moves can be tough to utilize in combat but once mastered is grossly overpowered. Bottom line, this is not a difficult game.
Just like Mega Man 8 Mega Man X4 is an insanely beautiful game. As the X series is more “mature” it eschews the bright colors and cartoony artwork for a more serious look. The sprites are larger and feature more rendered elements that give it a harder edge look. The mavericks are exceptional and absolutely massive at times. Frozen Walrus is large but pales in comparison to the General. The anime cutscenes are a treat although they are grainy. The soundtrack is among the best in the series but the overall sound production is let down by the atrocious voice acting. This, Mega Man 8, and Resident Evil formed a trifecta of awful that showed Capcom had a lot to learn in this area.
In Closing
Mega Man X4 is my second favorite in the series and a truly fantastic game. True, it doesn’t add anything new to the series. But it perfects the formula so well and is outstanding in every area that it doesn’t matter. Capcom deserve a lot of credit for sticking with 2d at a time when 3d was the new hotness. Considering how badly the later Mega Man X7 turned out I’d say it was for the best. Anyone that slightly enjoys action games buy this game right now.
