A Mega return.
It is hard to believe that it has been 30 years since I took a chance on a game with the worst box art imaginable for my NES. Mega Man is one of the most prolific game characters of all-time, and he is finally getting a proper return with Mega Man 11. One of the original creators left Capcom and crafted his own take on what Mega Man might look like today, and it was met with its fair share of criticism. Now Capcom is delivering an official return of the Blue Bomber and it continues their streak of the Capcom we used to know. I have once again beaten the eight master robots, and man it feels good.
Let’s start with the familiar. Mega Man 11 contains eight robot masters, all featuring themes such as fire, electricity, and my favorite bouncy balls. Defeating each one gives Mega Man a new ability that is more effective against one of the other masters. The formula is tried and true and works well here. Each master has a unique stage that features enemies and obstacles themed around the boss. Once all are defeated players move onto the final stage with a series of bosses and finally the finale. Capcom has been very careful in recreating the same themes players like myself have fallen in love with over three decades.
MSRP: $29.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch
Price I’d Pay: $29.99
Now let’s talk about the new features. The Double Gear system is something I was concerned about going in. Messing with the formula can be dangerous. This system gives Mega Man two additional buffs on his existing abilities. One powers up whatever weapon he has equipped, while the other slows down time. They are both set on a cool down process. I love the dynamic game play these introduce. Being able to use them to escape certain death, or simply powering up an ability to do more damage or obtain more range is a blast. I loved the effects they had on the master robot powers.
Dr. Light also has plenty of upgrades for Mega Man that can be purchased with bolts collected in each stage. These are able to be toggled on and off in the menus. They can auto-charge my Mega Buster, or cause enemies to drop more health pellets. My favorite one restores energy to Master weapons even when I didn’t have it equipped. There are also energy tanks and weapons tanks to carry and bonus items that can save Mega Man from falls or stepping on spikes. The latter are a limited resource.
I also love that this game is tailored to any player. The casual mode is extremely forgiving. Falling in puts always brings players back and stepping on spikes is not instant death. On the flip side there is also an insane mode where one hit kills Mega Man, but his Mega Buster is pretty much OP. There are plenty of challenges and Achievements hidden throughout the game including a gallery of all the enemies, bosses, and more. The game is packed with ways to play it and I simply adore that.
The visuals and presentation of Mega Man 11 mix both new and old. The art style features plenty of familiar enemy designs but with a very colorful coat of paint. The levels are well-designed featuring all kinds of new types of obstacles. The music sounds great and I loved the retro-themed intro for each robot master. The classic music also helps. I am not the biggest fan of Mega Man’s new look, but I got used to it after a while.
Mega Man 11 is exactly what I wanted from a new Mega Man game in 2018. The robot masters are fun and interesting. The stage designs are absolutely stellar, and the accessibility is incredible. Anyone can play this game and have a good time. There are so many ways to enjoy Mega Man in 2018. Capcom is on a roll lately and this gets me even more excited for the return of DMC and Resident Evil. Keep it going Capcom, now get to work on Mega Man 12.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
