There’s really no other character in the video game industry that has been disrespected throughout the years more than Mega Man. It’s been forever since the Mega Man franchise has a hit a new high with fans and while collections are nice for nostalgia, it’s not what fans have been looking for.
Not to mention, Capcom hasn’t done some favorable things for the iconic character with his disgraceful representation in Street Fighter x Tekken, but did kind of make it up for getting him in Super Smash Bros. Even the original creator, Keji Inafune, couldn’t do his creation justice after creating a “spiritual successor” with Mighty Number 9 and created a game that barely even resembles anything about Mega Man.
Thankfully, though, Inafune’s blunder definitely inspired Capcom to give Mega Man a true return to form with Mega Man 11 and they did quite a good job doing so. Right from pressing start, it really feels like playing a classic Mega Man game. Players are sent to stop Dr. Wily once again in after he sends out eight robot masters to wreak havoc in the world. While it sounds like Capcom just put out a carbon copy of the basics of Mega Man again, and don’t get me wrong they mostly did, they did put a little bit of love and to bring fans a different experience.
Capcom actually gave cut scenes that brings players closer into the relationship of Dr. Wily and Dr. Light and come with full voice acted dialogue for all of the characters. While the voice-acting is a little cheesy and kind of dumb, it’s nice to see that Capcom wants to try to do more than just the same old stuff.
Mega Man also comes equipped with more than just his Mega Buster this time around, as Mega Man 11 has a new gameplay mechanic known as the Double Gear System. This new addition allows players to either make their blasts more powerful or slow down time to slip by enemy fire or have a better chance at jumping on moving platforms. However, this new mechanic feels like it is constantly required for areas and even makes some areas unwinnable without using. I constantly found myself battling against using it because it didn’t really feel like a Mega Man mechanic and it took away from my overall experience heavily.
Double Gear did make facing the robot masters more fun, though, as they have implemented the system for their own unique moves. Instead of robot masters fighting you with the same repetitive moves that Mega Man acquires after defeating them, they will actually activate special moves that can turn the tide of battle. It honestly makes these fights a little less predictable and brings a fresh sense of challenge with each fight.
All of the masters themselves actually felt pretty unique as well and came with not only interesting abilities that players will use to weaken other masters, but with interesting personalities and settings that are truly made beautiful by the game’s 2.5D graphics. Whether you’re in the lush winter wonderland of Tundra Man, the colorful carnival style of Bounce Man’s stage, or the darkened sewer styled stage of Acid Man, players will be fascinated by each of their worlds. It also has a cartoony look to it that feels so right with Mega Man.
Now with all of this in mind, it has to be said that while Capcom really tried not to reinvent the wheel with Mega Man 11, they definitely just copied off their own material. It’s nice to see classic characters, like Roll and Auto, make an appearance and have some surprisingly nostalgic moments, but it frankly feels kind of cheap. I get that having nostalgic moments for a fan base that’s been craving a strong return is important, but it’s a little too on the nose at time and it makes the game feel like a total cash grab.
But even with that said, Mega Man 11 still delivers not only the look and tone of a Mega Man game, but on the feel. The series has always known to be a challenge for gamers and after playing it, I can definitely say that it surely frustrated the hell out of me. But I only mean this in a good way as with each death it only made me want to try harder to succeed and when I did, all that came was a sweet and satisfying sigh of relief.
Honestly, maybe that’s the best way to describe Mega Man 11 as it is truly delivers on what’s been promised. The biggest Mega Man fans will find themselves falling in love with the series again and those experiencing it for the first time could something new to enjoy. Hopefully, we can see more for the series in the future and Capcom can start looking at new kinds of adventures for the blue bomber. So for those filled with tenseness and anxious feelings of whether or not Mega Man has truly returned, you can now take your own sigh of relief.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Mega Man 11 is now available at video game retailers everywhere.
-Tom Moore
