Topic: Mega Man 4 Review Mini

[Halbred]

Refining the formula.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewmini/34043/mega-man-4-review-mini

This is it, folks: the game fans generally point to as thebeginning of the original Mega Man series’ downfall. It’s certainly difficultto see the direct parallels between this genuinely good Mega Man game and theatrocity that is Mega Man 8, but Mega Man 4 definitely feels different, at agut level, than its direct predecessors. Maybe it’s the longer stages or theaddition of the chargeable Mega Buster, but Mega Man 4 marks a sort of turningpoint in the series. I’ve waxed nostalgic on this before in my review of MegaMan 10, which felt more like homage to the gimmicky second half of the NESseries than the tougher first half.

Yes, Mega Man 4 introduces the chargeable Mega Buster, butdon’t get too excited. It’s not as powerful as it becomes in the next game, andthere’s little strategic reason to use it over normal peashooter shots in mostsituations. Mega Man 4’s biggest contribution to the series is significantlylonger stages replete with unique segments. For example, in Pharaoh Man’sstage, you initially fight through quicksand. In Bright Man’s stage, you cruiseon the backs of robotic grasshoppers AND change the lighting by shootingdifferent enemies. Drill Man’s stage has platforms made visible when Mega Manhits switches, Toad Man’s stage is filled with flowing water that restrictsyour movement, and Dive Man’s stage—while underwater—features a constantly changingwater level that influences your ability to jump over spikes and obstacles. Alot of really good level design is present here, some of which may encourageyour use of restore points.

Hey, Mega Man! You forgot your helmet!

The bosses are more ridiculous than they’ve ever been, theresult of Capcom asking fans to design all eight for the game’s development. Asa result, Mega Man 4 features such oddities as Skull Man and Toad Man.Interestingly, using the correct weapon against a given Robot Master is nolonger an automatic win; you still have to know what you’re doing because the givendamage isn’t as great anymore. Other bits of innovation in Mega Man 4 includethe addition of “Flip-Top Eddie,” a little robot that gives Mega Man a randomitem once in a stage, and two hidden items you must find. The only realdisappointment is that the final “castle” stages aresurprisingly easy, as are the bosses of those stages. Even Dr. Wily, who has threeforms this time, goes down with little effort. I think the toughest part of thegame is dealing with the Robot Masters, who have highly damaging attacks andgood resistance to even the weapons they’re weak against.

Shake it, Toad Man. Shake it like a Polaroid picture.

So while there’s nothing inherently wrong with Mega Man 4,and it’s certainly not my favorite, that doesn’t mean it’s not a good game,because it totally is. It’s just a little different.