Mega Man ZX: Advent (DS)
The Mega Man series may have moved into the distant future, but it's still capable of putting up one heck of a fight.
1/31/2008 12:00 AM | 0 Comments | Page 2 of 2
What's Hot: It's a quality platform game that provides a solid challenge
What's Not: Despite its elaborate map, the game is still pretty linear
Phil Theobald
Status: I could really go for a sandwich right about now.
The map was one of the biggest faults in the previous ZX game, and although this one isn't quite as detailed as the ones that you would find in, say, the recent Castlevania adventures, it's leaps and bounds better than before. Also improved is the teleportation system. With more locations to which you can instantly warp, there is a lot less tedious backtracking through the stages (and their re-spawning enemies).
Although the game is fairly simple on its Easy setting, Normal mode provides a decent challenge. There's also an Expert mode that unlocks upon completing Normal mode. There are also a few bonuses that can be uncovered, like a somewhat dull quiz game where you must identify obscured character sprites, and the multiplayer puzzle game,
Gem Buster. The most impressive goodie is a mini-game called
Mega Man a. Here, you play through an 8-bit interpretation of a level complete with a blocky version of the main character and Nintendo-Entertainment-System-quality music and sound effects. By completing a series of tasks in the main game, you can unlock the 8-bit character model there, as well.
As is the case in most Mega Man titles, the level design features a healthy mix of diabolical enemy placement and environmental hazards. The ever-present spikes and bottomless pits return to aggravate even the most hardened platformer fan. Likewise, the catchy (if not entirely memorable) soundtrack will put you in that Mega Man mood. Just watch out for the ample voice acting in the game. There's a lot of it, but it often sounds stilted and unenthusiastic. The game does make a good argument for sprite-based graphics with its nice animation and lush backgrounds.
The Mega Man formula has been serving Capcom well for two decades, now. Although the quality of the games tend to rise and fall,
ZX Advent is a marked improvement over the previous game in the series, and it's one of the better third-party platform games on the DS. Newcomers might be a bit lost in the story, but they'll appreciate the quality gameplay as much as the most die-hard fan.
This review was based on retail version of the game purchased by Crispy Gamer.
