Comes close to the greatness of 9
Mega Man 10 comes close. I wanted this game to be as great as Mega Man 9. However, I could not get over one aspect of Mega Man 10, the lack of good music. Think about which Mega Man titles have the best music. Mega Man 2 and 9 are two of the highest rated Mega Man titles, and they share the common aspect of catchy music. In Mega Man 10, the themes sound like they are going somewhere, but ultimately do nothing for my ears. I will get to that point in a second.
For now, the gameplay is just as solid as its predecessor. Gamers that have played Mega Man 9 and past entries in the franchise know what to expect from the level designs and controls. The game is the same platforming fun that Mega Man 9 was with various themes in the stages to choose from. Some of the stages feature different branches to get through. For instance, in Pump Man's level, Mega Man could either go the overland route or go underneath and into the water, in which case the level will play like the Bubble Man stage gamers so fondly remember from Mega Man 2.
The legendary difficulty of the franchise remains true in this sequel. But even if someone is not a Mega Man expert, the shop from Mega Man 9 remains, which really makes things easier. One could theoretically stock up on e-tanks and other helpful items before taking on the next stage, which makes it almost impossible to lose on the regular stages. Mega Man 10 also offers you the choice of going through an "easy mode" which basically does what it says. One example of the affect of easy mode is the addition of extra bridges through the stages so it becomes impossible to fall. I would not recommend playing through easy mode, as it makes the game almost too easy. If I'm having trouble, I would rather go to the shop with my screws and prepare for the next stage rather than change the difficulty.
With that in mind, it is a shame the music in Mega Man 10 does not live up to expectations. I cannot get over how disappointing the music is in Mega Man 10. Maybe I am exaggerating slightly. Maybe I was so impressed with Mega Man 9's music, that I just expected m ore. In contrast to Mega Man's 9 melodic themes that literally sticks in the mind forever, Mega Man 10's music sounded awfully generic. Listen to Chill Man's theme, then listen to any song from Mega Man 9, and you will understand what I am feeling (I hope). Maybe I am exaggerating though like I said.
Galaxy Man's theme annihilates Chill Man's generic sound. In any case, all other aspects of Mega Man 10 remain solid, despite the poor music. So I would not necessarily discount the game because of that. I still enjoyed playing. If you love Mega Man, then get this game. Just beware of the music.
