Innovation sometimes comes from the most unlikely source.
NOTE: this review was written years ago by me, so don't be alarmed when I make mention about things like the "upcoming third game" in the series. Enjoy!
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Mega Man has seen many spin-off games, much like Nintendo's mustachioed plumber. The difference is that Mario has had more successful spin-off games, likely because Mario is a more recognizable character from one of the biggest developers in the world. The games weren't half-bad, either. Gamers who have played any Mega Man spin-off would likely end up wanting to play another traditional side-scroller. They're what made Mega Man great, after all.
But Capcom doesn't quit. Once again, the Blue Bomber is granted another spin-off game, this one a (second) RPG--and a damn good one, too. Mega Man Battle Network 2 is one of those gems that only the hardcore fans will appreciate, even on the Game Boy Advance, a system that lines Nintendo's pockets with gold many times over. Being a devout Mega Man fan myself, I realize that Mega Man just isn't as huge as he used to be, but this innovative RPG should not be ignored.
After defeating the evil WWW organization, Lan Hikari prepares for summer vacation at the end of the school year (but he still has to do homework during vacation...what kind of school is this?). Not much time passes before the rise of another net crime organization--called "Gospel"--causes trouble on the Net and plots world domination. Naturally, it's up to Lan, his friends, and (of course) MegaMan.EXE to stop Gospel's evil plan.
Like any good sequel, MMBN 2 improves on the first game. First on the list of changes/improvements is the ability to use items in between battles. Now, there are healing items (you don't recover hit points after battle anymore) and other useful tools to aid you in your quest. Second, the number of Chips you can hold during battle has been reduced to 10, and the "Add" command has a different function. Now, you must give up your selected Chips in order to gain more Chips. Third, MMBN 2 introduces "Styles," which are special abilities that grant MegaMan.EXE new powers depending on your play style. There are many more changes in MMBN 2, but they're subtle ones and not worth the space to mention them. Rest assured, these changes make the gameplay better--that's what a sequel is supposed to do. However, Capcom should consider including a mini-map for the next game; the cyberworld is pretty large, and sometimes it's a pain to navigate the same maze-like areas over and over again (and you will).
The battle system is a major part of any RPG, and it is here where MMBN2 gets most of its praise. The battle system combines strategy, reflexes, and timing all in one nice package. Combat is in real-time (a la Star Ocean: the Second Story); characters move around on a 6x3-panel battlefield, with MegaMan.EXE occupying the first three columns, while the enemies (called viruses) have the rest. MegaMan.EXE still has his trusty Mega Buster, but you're encouraged to use Chips. At the beginning of each turn, you can select up to five Chips, which are randomly selected from your folder (which holds up to 30 Chips). Often, you will have to consider the Chips' abilities/elements/code/etc., and the order in which you select Chips, because part of the strategy comes from using the right Chips in the right situations. Blindly inserting random Chips is just asking for trouble. Like a good Magic: The Gathering deck, you have to spend some time making a killer folder. There are tons of Chip combos to be made, out of 250 Chips total. Most of the Chips consist of virus abilities; by deleting viruses, you can acquire their technique (sound familiar?). Your "Busting Level" determines what you'll be rewarded with at the end of a battle. The quicker you delete viruses, the higher the Busting Level, thus increasing your chances of acquiring a virus' technique. MMBN2's battle system is made more interesting when obstacles and terrain are thrown into the mix: grass, lava, rocks, holes...the terrain chips in particular add more strategy, since terrain have special properties which can affect the outcome of a battle quickly (either in your favour or otherwise).
All of the combat takes place in the cyberworld, leaving MegaMan.EXE with the task of playing "anti-virus." When players take control of Lan, the tasks that need to be done usually involve puzzle solving and/or item fetching. Switching between characters requires "jacking" in/out of electronic equipment (PCs, toasters, etc.). It's fun to just wander around in new areas, looking for possible things to jack into!
Visually, MMBN 2 doesn't disappoint; I especially like the Chip art (check out the art for the Navi Chips). There's some great animation to be found-Capcom almost always has well-animated 2D games. Aurally, Mega Man games have always sounded good, with each song being as catchy as the last (it's hard not to hum the Flash Man theme from Mega Man 2). MMBN 2 has a few songs that will invade your brain and stay in there for quite a while, so turn the volume down if you don't want that to happen!
More and more RPGs lately have been packing more replay value, something that the genre in general is notorious for lacking. MMBN 2 has loads of replay value-there's a 2-player battle mode, where the winner can win Chips to add to their collection. But that's just the tip of the iceberg; there's still plenty (and I mean plenty) to be done well after you've finished the game. MMBN 2 easily packs the most replay value of any RPG, thus far!
Mega Man Battle Network 2 is the second game in the spin-off series that's truly a success for Capcom (aside from the Mega Man X games, if you count them). And with a third game on the way, they're no doubt going to keep churning out games until it's no longer popular among die-hard Capcom fans. Let's just hope they don't tarnish the series like they have with the two Mega Man side-scroller series (let's just say six is not a good number for Capcom). A few years ago, the thought of a Mega Man RPG never crossed my mind, but I'm more than glad Capcom went and did something like this. Now, what are the chances of a Metroid-style Mega Man game?