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REVIEWS - Mega Man: Battle Network 2 ::
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| He's the fastest thing aliv- no, wait... |
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| Game Info. |
Genre
RPG |
Publisher/Developer
Capcom/Capcom |
Peripherals
(none) |
Release
6/04/02 |
Media
(none) |
Mega Man Battle Network 2
Jack-in to fun times!
September 23, 2002
Well, I haven't written anything in a millenia, but I am very excited to be getting back to all my loyal fans (...). Mega Man Battle Network 2 is probably my favorite GBA title of all time. It combines the charm and story of RPGs with the intense coolness of live action fights. And there is nothing like fighting good old Fire Man with a gun and a sword bigger than your face.
Gameplay
This section is where MMBN really shines. The beauty is that you stroll around the internet with a little character (Mega Man), and every so often you get transported into a random battle just like any other RPG. Once you are in the battle, though, it leaves all the other games behind. You get to pick certain chips to use (like swords, electricity, or giant metal birds who fire angry death bolts), then you interact in a live battle using chips you've picked to thwart enemies. Afterwards, you will win money or, even better, a new chip so you can kill enemies faster, and get better chips and so on. You are also not always net-fighting enemies, but also in the outer-world as a hyperactive roller-blading kid named Lan who skates around saving the world and bugging his mom. My personal favorite aspect is the way Mega Man changes depending on how you fight your battles. The game caters specifically to your fighting style in changing the look and feel of your character.
9.6/10
Control
The control in this game doesn't particularly stand out, but it is very smooth, and doesn't confuse even me (-Gus is a retard-). The battle controls are really the only thing worth mentioning. You get 9 spaces to move and dodge around in in the fighting arena, which makes strategy come into play. Another nice feature is that if you get stuck, you can hit the L button to get a hint from either Mega Man or Lan (whichever character is not playing at the time).
8.0/10
Graphics
The graphics in MMB2 really are a shining example of what the GBA can really do. The plethora of beautifully animated enemies and scenery really display sharp colors and crisp imaging which will almost transport you into the net world itself. As we all know, the GBA's screen is notoriously dark, but it is a problem rarely experienced in Mega Man because of the bright graphics. Also, the way that Mega Man's look changes with the more battles you fight is a wonderful and unexpected addition.
8.9/10
Sound
I thoroughly enjoyed the sound in this fine game. The music is very much a throw-back to the original Mega Man games and honestly, who doesn't love those repetitive, synthetic tunes? The different character theme songs and world tunes really spice the game up, and while in some games I would listen to something else while playing, in MMBN2, I always connect my headphone up to the GBA and jam to the in-game music.
9.2/10
Replay Value
This is another outstanding aspect of this game. Since there are over 250 battle chips and 36 different character styles, the customizibility is endless. The world is expansive, and the side quests are fun to do again and again. I am on my second time through the game, and it's still fun and new. Not to mention, to complete the game once, it took me twenty hours without unlocking all of the secret modes (of which there are thousands).
8.2/10
Overall
MMB2 is far and beyond what I and my colleagues expected from such a strange side-series in the Mega Man saga. Its quirky and unique gameplay upstages most other GBA titles, making it, in my opinion, a must-have purchase. Basically, if you don't like to have fun and go on cool butt-kickin' adventures through cyberspace, I wouldn't recommend this game. Well, there you have it. Now, buy this game and make your GBA library complete.
Final Score: 8.8/10
Review by: Rice Bear
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