Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X (PSP - 1st completion)
The first of the two Mega Man remakes for the Sony PSP (my review of 2006's Mega Man: Powered Up here), Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X is a 2006 released remake of the original early 1994 game Mega Man X for the 16-bit Super Nintendo. I loved the original game and still own the cartridge. The last I played and reviewed it was about a decade ago on the Gamecube version of Mega Man X Collection, before I joined Livejournal. My review will mainly concentrate on the remake aspects of the game. I first beat it as X on hard difficulty and then on normal difficulty as Vile, in about less than 10 hours of gametime with all items and upgrades found.
In the 22nd century (21XX) and approximately 100 years after the original Mega Man series, a human archaeologist named Dr. Cain discovers the ruins of a robotics research facility that had once been operated by the legendary robot designer Dr. Thomas Light. Among the ruins, Cain finds a large capsule which contains a highly advanced robot with human-level intelligence and emotions, and even free will, the likes of which the world has never seen before. Light had wished to instill within his creation reasonable sanity, good nature, and an understanding of the more controversial aspects of human morality. The robot was buried while running a 30-year diagnostic program to ensure these features. Cain spends the next several months studying the robot, who is named Mega Man X, or simply "X". Cain decides to duplicate X and, within several months, completes the first "replicate android" or "Reploid", a robot who can think, feel, learn, and grow exactly like a human. Within the year, the design is standardized and Reploids are mass-produced. However, with the free will given to a Reploid comes the possibility of criminal activity; such rogue Reploids are branded as "Mavericks" by law-abiding citizens. As the public outcry against the few Maverick incidents becomes too great to deny, the government steps in, and under the advice of Dr. Cain, forms an elite military police organization called the "Maverick Hunters". The Hunters are to capture or disable any Reploids that pose a threat to humans, provide damage control at Maverick uprisings, help with disaster recovery, and perform other tasks as needed. To lead this group, Cain designs a very advanced Reploid, thought to be immune to whatever defect causes Mavericks. This robot, named Sigma, heads the Hunters for some time before ultimately becoming a Maverick himself, alongside the vast majority of the other Hunters. Sigma seizes control of a small island, driving out all human occupants. Claiming that the humans are inferior and that they are limiting the growth and potential of Reploids, he calls for his followers to begin a massive extinction effort. X, guilt-ridden at having helped design such a dangerous race, joins forces with the only other remaining Hunter, Zero, in order to stop Sigma at any cost. While on a mission involving a Maverick attack on a highway, X encounters Vile, a mercenary Maverick working for Sigma who pilots a mechanized tank called "Ride Armor". Unable to defeat Vile, X is saved at a critical moment by Zero, forcing Vile to retreat. Zero then offers encouragement to the less combat-savvy X after the battle. X proceeds to track down and exterminate eight of Sigma's most powerful Mavericks.
To see Part 1 of the entire game as X, go here or below:
Click to viewFinishing off X and all of Vile's playthrough in Part 2, go here or below:
Graphics/Art-8
+ A pretty good recreation from the original game, using 3D polygons. It's more colourful and the animation is more fluid.
+ Some animated FMV has been added in and look very good (uncompressed), even when connected to my 4K TV.
+ The level design is mostly the same but there are some deviances. Sigma's fortress was especially changed and I'd argue works better than the original game.
- The original 2D sprite-based graphics has more charm.
- While the graphics are technically bigger in this remake, the original game's 4:3 aspect ratio was less crowded and had more space on-screen. Things feel so much more cramped in this widescreen version.
- I prefer the original art style of the characters and enemies over this newer one. The original made them look more mature while the remake makes them a little more cartoony.
Sound/Music-8
+ Pretty good remixes of the first game's incredible soundtrack.
+ Good sound effects. Voice acting is hit or miss. X seems to scream out a lot...
- With the exception of Sigma's fortress stages when playing as Vile, all the other Maverick stages don't use their respective tracks. Why?
- Remixes aren't as good as the original 16-bit version, which had more energy. Some of the new songs are okay.
Music samples:
Opening Stage - Central Highway
Vile's Stage Theme
Zero Theme
Game Start X / Vile
Launch Octopus Stage
Chill Penguin Stage
Flame Mammoth Stage
Boomerang Kuwanger Stage
Sting Chameleon Stage
Spark Mandrill Stage
Storm Eagle Stage
Armored Armadillo Stage
Stage Clear X / Vile
Dr. Light Capsule
Sigma Stage Select
Sigma Palace Stage 1
Sigma Palace Stage 2
Sigma Battle
Sigma Final Battle
Control-8
+ Controls are similar to the SNES version so very easy to get into.
- Wall dashing is more difficult in this version, making some boss battles trickier to stay alive and can be frustrating.
- Vile's controls aren't as intuitive as X's (you can't dash) but the stages are rebuilt to accommodate his shortfalls.
Gameplay-9
+ The classic gameplay of the original Mega Man X is still intact. You take control of the protagonist X, and, after completing an introductory stage, you're presented with a stage selection screen that depicts eight boss characters. Each stage is littered with various enemies and hazards and ends with a boss battle against its respective Maverick. Defeating a Maverick allows X to use that Maverick's signature weapon. You may attempt these eight levels in any order, using weapons gained in one level to overcome challenges in the others.
+ The password system is replaced with a file save system for your memory card duo. It will retain any number of the eight stages cleared and all power-ups, including counting how many Hearts and Sub-Tanks you've collected.
+ Completing some stages will subtly affect the landscape of others. For example, clearing Storm Eagle's aircraft carrier stage will cause electrical outages in Spark Mandrill's power plant stage.
+ X's abilities are mostly unchanged from the original game. Armor part capsules can be found in several stages which display a holographic message from Dr. Light when approached. Each capsule upgrades one of X's body parts-his legs, armor, helmet, or X-Buster-granting him improved firepower and defense, as well as new abilities, like a dash upgrade. Their locations are changed from the original game, making for a different gameplay experience. You can also collect hidden "Heart Tanks" that extend X's maximum life energy and "Sub-Tanks" that can store extra energy for later use. Like the hidden capsules, some of their original locations have either changed or slightly altered from the original game.
+ When certain conditions are met, a secret capsule can be unlocked which gives X the ability to perform the "Hadouken", an attack used by characters from Capcom's Street Fighter series!
- In certain stages, X can hop inside Ride Armors to fight enemies. Ride Armors are bipedal tanks capable of powerful punches. They are severely downgraded in Maverick Hunter X in that you have a limited amount of time to pilot them and getting hit will cause it to break down even faster. It's even worse when you are playing as Vile and have to pilot a Ride Armor to get hidden upgrades.
- Playing as Vile can be frustrating and adds a new level of challenge to this version. He lacks the versatility and speed of X.
Fun/Story/Misc-9
+ The story is much more fleshed out than the original with more dialogue, including pre-battle dialogue with each Maverick.
+ The game is fun and it's nice to have some extra stuff put in, but I find the original to be the better playing game. Can't beat nostalgia!
+ Beating the game will unlock the Day of Sigma anime short, which lasts around 20 minutes and sets up the prologue.
- Outside of playing as Vile, there isn't much other content in this game.
To see the Day of Sigma OVA, go here or below:
Total: 42/50 (Grade Level: B)
The Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X is likely long gone but the Wikipedia article is here as part of the original game's article.
Next Game: Beyond Good & Evil HD (PS3 - PSN)
Currently playing: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (DS)
