Mega Man 10 Turn-Based Review
There are only so many times you can fall down the exact same hole before a sense of rage fills your body. This has always been a foundation of Mega Man I found hilarious – the fact that watching someone play is just as entertaining as playing it yourself. I pride myself on being one of the few Mega Man masters, someone who has beat every numbered entry in the series and can buster-only most of them. Mega Man 9 was easily my favorite game of 2008 and in the series, as well. I’ve played it to a point of being able to no death speed-run it with just my trusted arm cannon … something I’m not sure if I should be proud or ashamed of. Charis on the other hand had never played a Mega Man before 9. She spends most of her time dying hilarious deaths and suffering from my mockery. Mega Man 10 changed this formula a little bit, and the end product falls short of Mega Man 9. It’s still great in its own way, though.
Shawn: I was a bit underwhelmed when I first started playing Mega Man 10. Outside of the awesome title screen, I just felt like it was missing something. This mostly came from the fact that I absolutely love Mega Man 9, and was holding it to that standard. It’s quite similar to how most people consider Mega Man 2 the best game in the series, and think that 3-8 were missing what made it so great. I generally agree with this, and it’s the same reason that Mega Man 10 suffers in the end. MM 10 more closely resembles MM3 and 4 in almost every way, from level design to music. The levels have multiple paths, feel a bit easier, and the music is deeper and more atmospheric. It comes down to just being another sequel and this makes it feel like the opposite of MM9 in many ways.
Charis Erin: I loved Mega Man 9. Well, loved watching it. That’s one thing that I appreciate about 10; I don’t have to watch it anymore. The normal mode is a little easier than 9, and the inclusion of an easy mode can let anyone have a chance in beating the game. Sure at some points it feels as if they help you too much, but I can’t complain. It’s great to practice building confidence with, and soon enough even players with little skill can try out the normal mode and not die three seconds in.
Shawn: I appreciate them implementing it, but it feels like an insult to people like me who have always put forth the effort to be able to beat them. Now anybody that can pick up a controller can handle it and it just feels… hollow. I actually played through it on easy mode after I beat normal, and I have nothing but hatred for it. I think it’s a perfect example of what has happened to gaming over the years. If people have any trouble at progressing, they cry about it. Difficulty doesn’t exist, because it causes many reviewers and players to show the game in a negative light. Normal even feels a bit easy (except for Wily 2… UGH). For those looking for specifics, the game still has excellent level ideas and layouts. From breaking ice blocks with jumps, to avoiding high-speed cars, great effort and detail went into every idea they could come up with. I suppose it’s just appreciated less because I would only put three or four of these stages on a Mega Man 9 level. The rest do feel slightly uninspired.
Charis Erin: I guess more of that inspiration went into music. Sure, at first I compared it to almost all previous games (even though I haven’t played them, I know a lot of the music by heart), but after a while, it just grows on you. Obviously some are better than others, but you can’t help but hum along with the level. One theme in particular that I always sing along with is the Solar Man theme. The selection theme is a lot better compared to MM9 as well. This creativity can be found throughout the game, with both enemies and specific boss fights. You’ll even find a few references to some of the older bosses, which is great for veteran players. There’s really something for everyone.
Shawn: I can’t agree on the music. For those that don’t know, we ran a little voting on the songs, and for the most part all of the Mega Man 9 songs won with just a few of the 10 tunes holding up. The Mega Man 9 songs pumped you up; they were catchy and kept you more on your toes. The Mega Man 10 music actually has to grow on you. I think this is by design, and the more I listen the more I like it, but it really isn’t comparable. I don’t mean to mention Mega Man 9 so much, I just have a hard time not, because Mega Man 10 is inferior in most ways. However, inferior doesn’t mean bad… it just means “a little less awesome”.
Conclusion?
I just want to re-iterate the fact that any Mega Man fan needs to own this game. It’s not likely to be your favorite in the series, but it’s still an excellent game that is recommended to anybody who misses the 8-bit glory days and “real” action-platformers. With the inclusion of easy mode, we can now even recommend this game to anybody. Mega Man 10 continues some of the excellent level design seen in 9, has good boss fights, and some creative ideas. For those looking for something that evolves from Mega Man 9, you’re likely to be let down, but for someone who goes into it just looking for a great game? You’ll be more than pleased.
