Hey, it’s the next one of these! I’ve already played through the whole Classic Mega Man series here, so now it’s time for the X series. You can also find a full list of the whole X series here in case you just want to scroll through a Youtube playlist for some reason. And lastly, here’s a riff of the prequel OVA, The Day of Sigma:
The NeXt Generation - Let’s Play Mega Man X1
Now, every robot has a chance of saying, “I’m more than just a robot. Die, Wily.”
Long ago, there was a genius roboticist named Dr. Thomas Light. His expertise in the field had helped populate the world with advanced robots who helped people in their every day lives. But at the end of the day, they were mere machines, bound to the will of humanity. But recently, a scientist named Dr. Cain made a discovery: Dr. Light had created something even more advanced than the robots of that time period. A new type of robot who could think for himself, who Dr. Light had named X. Although X could not be finished before Light’s passing, all he had needed was time to ensure that he wouldn’t become a threat. But that time had passed, and Cain could unseal X from his capsule. Indeed, X was far more advanced than any robot the world had seen before. By using Light’s notes, Cain was able to mass-produce more of these robots, which came to be known as “Replica Androids,” or “Reploids” for short. These Reploids integrated quickly into society, and seemed to be a greater boon than their predecessors. However, a problem soon arose: the ability to think freely came with the danger of turning against humans. Although robots had been used as tools against the world before, now they could go maverick and become a threat without a human master. A group of Reploids were banded together for the purpose of combating the threat of Mavericks, but even these Maverick Hunters are susceptible to going Maverick themselves. Sigma, formerly a Reploid Commander, has begun a rebellion against humanity. With eight other powerful Mavericks by his side, the casualties could be immense. Even without their superiors, the Maverick Hunters must muster the strength to stop Sigma’s rebellion. And amongst their ranks is the original Reploid, X, a mere Class-B Hunter who must nonetheless prove he’s not going to be left in the dust.
It’s finally time for Mega Man X! Although the Classic series did eventually move to the Super Nintendo, the X series got the console first. And as far as reputation goes, X1 is incredibly popular. And for good reason: it’s got solid level and boss designs, it looks amazing, and the soundtrack breathes even further life into each stage. Yes, X1 is most certainly a classic, which is a good note going into this game.
… the bad news is, it’s one of the best games in the series. A series with seven other games after it. That’s… not usually where you want the best entry to be. Ah well, let’s not worry about that yet! Let’s just enjoy X1 while we have it.
Episode List
Part 1: Highway to the Vile Zone
Part 3: Arm-adillo, Watch it Fight
Zero-Sum Game - Let’s Play Mega Man X2
Don’t be so down, X, you’ve already got a fan clu- oh wait those guys hate you personally.
X may have defeated Sigma, but there’s still work to be done to clean up the remnants of his rebellion. Thankfully, that’s just a factory raid away from being finished! … Or at least it would be, if there weren’t another shadowy organization lurking just around the corner. And this group seems to have a particular interest in X’s deceased friend…
Welcome to Mega Man X2! X1 did well, and we know from the Classic games that Capcom is no stranger to a long series, so this was more or less inevitable. So how does X2 fare against its predecessor? Well, this game is far more polarizing than the universally-loved X1, so you can probably guess the answer is, “less good.” And when compared to the advancement from Mega Man 1 to 2, X2 doesn’t really do anything incredibly new or exciting after X1. Personally, though, I’m pretty fond of it even if it isn’t quite as good as the first game. It stands up well enough on its own, which is more than what some of the actually bad games in the series can say.
Episode List
Part 1: Maverick Hunter X Hunters
Part 3: At a Snail’s Framerate
Part 4: Desert Yellow Overdrive
Part 6: Down to the Wire Sponge
Topple the Dopple - Let’s Play Mega Man X3
Everyone loves Dr. Doppler, a lovely Reploid who cured the Maverick Virus! 5 seconds later We regret to inform you Dr. Doppler has gone Maverick.
It seems the threat of Mavericks is over and done with! A Reploid scientist by the name of Dr. Doppler has figured out a way to suppress Maverick abnormalities, thus ensuring the safety of Reploids and Humans alike. Everyone was so overjoyed that they decided to found Dopple Town, which promises to be a perfect utopia. One problem: Mavericks have not been dealt with, and now there are a whole lot of them rampaging around Dopple Town under the command of Dr. Doppler himself. Well, damn. With a new threat in play, X and Zero move out to suppress the threat of Doppler’s minions, before they get too out of hand.
Welcome to Mega Man X3! Hey, you know how Mega Man X2 didn’t have enough time to bake, and was kinda so-so compared to X1? Well, here we go again! X3 did not have that long of a development time after X2, but it shows… differently than it did in X2. Where X2 was a bit too short for its own good, X3 can feel a little drawn out in places without enough substance to make it feel worthwhile. And one of its major mechanics, the ability to play as Zero, wound up being too restrictive to be fun. So good news if you were disappointed by that: this LP uses a hack designed to make it easier and more worthwhile to play as Zero! So while X3 still isn’t my favorite X game, we at least have this. And it does make things much more enjoyable.
Episode List
Part 8: Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo
Part 9: Zero Gets Something Stuck in His Crawfish
Hold up, just what are we fighting for, anyway?
A recent Maverick attack has been blamed on a Reploid army by the name of Repliforce. But Repliforce has not only denied these allegations, but take them as a grave insult. They have decided to revolt and establish their own settlement away from the humans who would so quickly label them as enemies. Which, of course, has labelled them as enemies of mankind. X and Zero have no choice but to regard Repliforce as Mavericks, and battle against the insurrection.
Welcome to Mega Man X4! We’re leaving the Super Nintendo behind for the Sony Playstation this generation, which means a bit of an overhaul for the X series. The jump may not be as big as the Classic series’ shift tov16-bit, but it’s not insignificant. And joining us for this new style is Zero, who’s feasibly playable without a hack this time around! In fact, X and Zero have distinct playstyles and slightly differing perspectives on the game’s storyline. Add that to some solid level design and bosses, and you have a good first impression for the PSX’s X games. Savor it while you can.