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Summary

Mega Man 9 is a peculiar story. Capcom cooked it up last year from an old, perhaps forgotten, recipe. But Mega Man 9 is not an old game re-released. No, it dewy alright. MM9 has got new stages, weapons, bosses and stories, but while the content is brand new, it follows the old formula that I grew incredible fond of back in my childhood.

Because of this, MM9 is a pleasure to play. It is perhaps one of the most challenging games in the series, which makes every single stage victory a rewarding one.

Although this game adheres strictly to the tested recipe (as it should), Capcom has decided to add a few new ingredients. This includes an item shop where Mega Man can purchase some handy power-ups as well as a time attack mode, where you can compete with other players about speedwalking through the stages. Also, Capcom has included a saving function in replacement of the original password table.

I know some people might be annoyed by the old-fashioned graphics and sound, so if are put off by crude graphics, you should skip this game. But if have nostalgia in your heart (or if you are open to the olden days of videogames), this is a bargain. Personally, I love the dated look (I am a nostalgic) and I am truely impressed on how accurately Capcom has managed to recreate the old school feel in this brand new title.

Bottomline, Mega Man 9 is a challenging and entertaining new platformer made from the good old ingredients. Best 10 bucks I have spent in a long time.

Summary

First off I would like to start this review off by saying I have beaten all 9 of the original Mega Man games and this game ranks up their with the best of them. In my opinion I have always loved Mega Man 2 and 3 the best since it was before they started to water down the franchise with the later titles but that is for another story. But playing through this game has made me want to be a kid again where there was no worries or anything, but the main reason I wish I was a kid after playing this is because I use to be able to play games like this all the time and I was really good at them. But now at the age of 24 with a wife and child and another on the way I feel like I have lost touch with my gaming skills and this game showed me that my gaming skills have gone south really quick. When I was a kid Mega Man games were hard but not as hard as this game felt to me, the littlest jumps I had to make in this game was hard for me, but I know when I was a kid I was able to do this with my eyes closed. But after I finally beat the game this past weekend, it gave me a little self satisfaction that I could still beat a game that is hard. Most games now days are super easy and cause no frustration on my part, but this game tested my nerves for the first time since Ninja Gaiden on the original Xbox. For all of you old school gamers out there that have been playing since the NES days should do themselves a favor and buy this game for whatever system you own. The gameplay is amazing and the music is even better, I still have the music stuck in my head. So if you are ready for a challenge or haven't played a Mega Man game since the 2nd or 3rd one this game is a must of for all people, well except for the casual players out there cause this game will kick your butt in every way possible.

Summary

Nostalgia sells and that's not surprising. The world we're living in isn't a very good one. There's global warming, natural disasters, super viruses, constant war and American Idol. With that in mind, it's no surprise that people want to go back to a simpler time when air didn't give you cancer. But no matter how much 'Mega Man 9' and its fans want it to be, this isn't the 1980s and you're at just as much risk of getting mugged as ever.

Capcom revisits the origins of the Mega Man franchise in this series and completely abandons the superior X series and the superior potential of the PS3 to make an 8-bit follow up to a series that had been working hard to evolve with the years and branch out in new directions. Way to go Capcom for ruining everything you'd been working towards for years… Again.

The opening cinematic, done in the same 8-bit style as the rest of the game, tells us the story so far. Dr Wily, a man who looks a little bit like Einstein, has given up his plans for world domination and is starting fresh. Then some robots start going haywire and causing havoc. "Not I!" says Dr Wily and proceeds to point the finger at Dr Light, a man who looks a little bit like Santa Claus, and prove that he's the one trying to take over the world now - An odd direction to take your career in after dedicating your life to stopping such shenanigans. Although in Dr Light's case, it's dedicating the lives of your artificial children to stopping such shenanigans.

Mega Man, unsurprisingly, doesn't buy this plot twist any more than I do and decides the best way to prove his creator, Dr Light, innocent is to go out and destroy all the robot masters causing the trouble. His adventures take him from fortresses in the sky to quaint gardens where he destroys every scrap of evidence he can find in order to prove Dr Light is innocent.

Game play in 'Mega Man 9' is very simple. You push one button to jump, you push another button to shoot and all the other buttons do nothing. You can move using the analogue stick but movement is so stiff you might as well just use the D-Pad. I guess that's the only way to get the real nostalgic feeling that this game is going for. You can move left and right and the up and down buttons only come into play when you're climbing ladders. This is 2D platforming at its oldest and rawest. You can jump and shoot at the same time and if you want to shoot above you or at an angle, you're out of luck because Mega Man's apparently incapable of lifting his arms above his shoulders – something of a design flaw, if you ask me.

The game is quite difficult by nature and that's not all due to the limited controls. Many of my contemporaries have said that the game's difficulty calls for the player to rely on skill and this makes it all the more satisfying but the only skill required is memorising patterns and the only way to learn the patterns is trial and error. However you only get a few lives to start with and when you lose them all you have to start again. But there's so few check points you're generally doing that anyway and by the time you do actually reach the boss you could probably get through the level with your eyes closed.

So I guess it's a good thing each level isn't too long because if it was I might lose interest even faster than I did.

But of course I often comment on the lack of challenge in modern video games and 'Mega Man 9' offers a pleasant release from games that I can play with my eyes closed the moment I finish the tutorial. So I suppose this is a good thing, except it's not the right kind of challenge. Levels aren't so much challenging as they are frustrating and some monsters are just plain cheap. Not to mention weird. One that seems to fit both bills is flying scissors you encounter in the garden stage.

I thought 'Mega Man 9' was a novelty; an experiment that would be forgotten in due time but apparently Capcom is making a Mega Man 10 in 8-bit style.

The fact that 'Mega Man 9' was made in 8-bit style really doesn't bother me. But I have to wonder why you'd even bother making a game in 8-bit style for the PS3. That's what flash games are for and they're generally free. In fact, 'Mega Man 9' raises that question a lot.

Exactly what did Capcom decide was so offensive about charge shots, dashes and decent graphics? Mega Man came out in 1987. We've had more than twenty years to improve on the formula and make what was a good game even better. What do we gain by undoing every step of the evolution process? I really wanted to like this game but it only highlights the way nostalgia absolutely blinds some people.

The graphics are out-dated, the music sucks, the game play is sub-par, the story is practically non existent and not one character seems to develop in an example of woe-ful writing. The only thing this game has going for it is its difficulty and the fact that you can play as Proto Man. Of course you've got to pay an extra four dollars on an already over priced game for that privilege. I'm sorry but "That's how it's supposed to be!" Just isn't an excuse for making a game like this today and charging for it. This isn't a 1987 game, this is a 2008 game. You can't just ignore twenty-one years of gaming evolution and expect me to be impressed.

Come back to me when Mega Man can lift his arm above his shoulder again and you've hired an actual writer to develop the game's plot. Hell, I'll do it!

Summary

Capcom made an incredible decision when they decided to return to Megaman's roots. For years all I could see was the Megaman franchise becoming an overdone blob, releasing way too many games that all were trying out different things. Finally, though, they realized why Megaman became famous.They went all-out with this game, coming back to the awesome 8-bit graphics and classic NES tunes we all love. I've played about three our four Megaman games in my past so I wouldn't say I'm a hardcore Megafan, but I would say the series has impacted my love for gaming. That being said, Megaman 9 reminded me all over why I love to game.

Down to the basics. The story goes that the good guy Dr. Light has been framed for making 8 new evil robot masters, even though we all know the evil Dr. Wily is behind it all. So our Blue Bomber decides to set out and prove his master's innocence by going through 8 stages for each robot master. The 8 new robot masters are also awesome, each being very unique as always (for the most part). Every stage screams out classic 80's and 90's platforming, from bottomless pits to baddies that can knock you into a pit of spikes. Capcom definitely did not decide to tone down the difficulty of this game compared to the rest of the series, bringing back lots of easy ways to die if you don't know what you're doing. You will definitely not be breezing through this game on your first try, or even on your second or third.

The gameplay all remains the same, from Megaman's jump to the frequency of his arm cannon. This game could have honestly been made in 1989 and you would have no idea. This is exactly why Megaman 9 is such a huge success, and why it's one of my favorite PSN games.

While some spoiled gamers may say this is going a step back, I say this is simply staying in step with what gamers already know and love. Why fix something if it's not broke?

Summary

The first 8 games on the franchise are mostly great, with some exeptions. More than 10 years latter, Capcom decided to revive the franchise in the 8 bit style of the first 6 games, and does so with great results.

GRAPHICS:
The game style mimics the old school feel of the past games with a beautiful art design and vivid colors. 5/5

SOUND:
The music and the sound design in the game is also 8 bit, and sounds just as great as the past games. Most of the tunes are incredibly catchy and well made. 5/5

GAMEPLAY:
The game is a 2D plataformer. You play as Mega Man, having to beat 8 robot masters and defeat dr. Wily. There is a bit of story in the game but is completely forgetable. The game is mostly inspired by Mega Man 2, as Mega Man can't slide or use the charge shot. This only enchances the difficulty in the game. If you though the previous games were hard, then you will pull your hair in this one. It is insanely hard. Most stages are coverd with bottomless bits and spikes, and since your moves are limited, you will die a lot. I have to say, that at times it is too hard, being really frustrating in some points, specially in the Wily levels and Jewel Man stage. Talking about the bosses, they are actually quite well made and their weapons are all interesting. Playing the gam really feels like playing an old Mega Man game, being as fun as those. Jumping and shooting is really sharp, but, as the old games, it is incredibly short, as the good Mega Man player will take about 2 hours in the most, but there is a lot of replayability for the fun factor alone. The shop from MM 7 past is also here, and you can buy extra lives and energy tanks, and it is really helpfull. One thing I hate about this game however is that if you make into the 3 Wily stage and want to take a break or go to the store, you can't, in that you will have to play though the first stages, which is an 8 bit tradition that shouldn't have been caried over. It is really cheap and frustrating. 4/5

OVERALL:
Mega Man 9 is a worth rebirth of the series, and one that any player that likes the series or challenge should try out, but be aware: you will be frustrated.

The good:
-Great 8 bit graphics and music
-Well made level design and bosses
-Very challenging...
-Just really fun to play

The bad:
-...but at times too hard
-AND I MEAN REEEAAALLLY HARD!
-Really cheap in the final levels