Mega-Man X6

The Mega Man video games have always resonated with an audience that began enjoying these titles at the start of the console era. In Mega Man X6, there’s a continuation of the classic franchise to be enjoyed, but we are not sure if this is a Mega Man game that is bound to resonate with every audience.

Capcom has always managed to remain in the mix with new Mega Man releases regularly, and fans are always happy to oblige with a purchase. This is why a title like Mega Man X6 was able to come out with so many new ideas at the time. For a game made in 2002, the team at Capcom decided to go all out with their new ideas for the series and it shows with some mixed results.

Story and Setting

The story behind Mega Man X6 takes place shortly after the events of the last Mega Man game where we saw the space colony crashing into a planet, and the crimson hero has been defeated. In this narrative, Mega Man tries to fight off an incoming invasion of robot animal enemies coming into the fray. The story in this game is surely not its strongest suit as there are many convoluted elements making appearances throughout. For example, the exact reason behind the invasion is not really made clear from the start.

For some, the story might be appealing as the game highlights some of the more philosophical elements that underlie in X’s existence. Even though he arguably has unlimited free will, he is still a slave at the end of the day. It develops Mega Man X as a character in a way that is far more thorough than previous games. While this may be great to hear, it is also quite difficult to reach that point of interest with this game because the dialogue is best described as a mosh pit of gibberish.

Gameplay

Trodding through a largely uninteresting campaign, and we’ve got some gameplay to discuss. In Mega Man X6, there are some changes made that improve upon X5 with new moves and other perks worth checking out. However, it is nothing that is truly game defining where you’ll be rushing to play this one. Still, it might be worth your time considering that any Mega Man game being played today is probably worth visiting for some nostalgic purposes. You’ll probably enjoy this if you’re familiar with a more recent game like Shovel Knight, or a classic like Metroid.

Graphics

In terms of graphical fidelity, Mega Man X is a game that manages to push the limits of what we had previously seen with Mega Man games. In this title, there’s some stellar sprite work on display, solidifying the fact that Capcom really wanted this game to be a memorable entry. Yet, we can’t help but see this game as one step forward and two steps back. Sometimes, it felt like there was too much going on in the screen, making it difficult to keep up.

Pros

• Campaign has a lot of depth
• Classic combat gameplay

Cons

• Campaign can be hard to get into
• On-screen action could be toned down a bit