Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 & 2

[Xero]

Well, as happy as I can be with MMXLC.  It's far from a perfect release and the ports all pretty much have SOME kind of issues that I'll take the original release over, but yeah, for "this is what you get" it's probably the best release over all so far (and actually, I think X5 might just be better than the original release given it has almost no load times and a fixed translation with no known other issues/changes/cuts vs the original release).

X6 is not a good game, but by god it's better than X7 and X8 by a mile.  I will never play X7 or X8 again because they're such #####ty games.  I'd begrudgingly play X6 again if only because it's still an X game, just a bad one.

I'll give you X7, that's for sure.  But I still like X8 despite it flaws.  As for X5, they STILL need to make Alia's interruptions optional.

[TheRedPriest]

Oh, for sure.  X5 could use some improvements, but my point was that while it retains some flaws it had on release, it got some fixes that improve it without having NEW flaws or removing content it was originally released with in the US.

To wit, it still has new opening and ending scores that replace the original Japanese opening and endings.  That might be debatable if adding them in would be an improvement though (if not a more accurate release).  But apart from that, you get into actual game design choices, which weren't localization/release edits.  Such as making Alia's comm calls optional/skippable as in X6 or the general level design or awful cannon/shuttle concept.  That would be more in the lines of a remake/re imaging.

[Xero]

Speaking of X5/X6, what is the optimal way to split the life/weapon upgrades between X & Zero so they are equal.  It triggers me when X has a huge life bar while Zero has nothing.  I wanna try to make them equal.

[TheRedPriest]

I couldn't say, as I either played all X or all Zero BECAUSE it was bull##### if you alternated between the two you deliberately weakened yourself because you split the life upgrades between 2 characters.  You should have been able to collect all 8 with each character.  Just add that to the list of poor design choices X5 made.

[NovaMan XP]

I usually only play as one character in X5 and 6 so they get all possible upgrades, though in X5 Zero can't get every Heart Tank so he gets less health than X could regardless. And considering how the Life Ups and Energy Ups aren't completed until you clear two stages, you'd have to plan ahead which character you want getting it... so playing as both just complicates things. Just make a separate file where you play as Zero only.

As bad as X6 was, it at least made it possible for Zero to get everything. Well, everything but one injured Reploid. But that Reploid gives you the Jumper part, so getting it as X won't screw over Zero's health or energy.

[Teelio]

I had a problem in X2 trying to reach the X-Hunter in Bubble Crab's stage where his door wouldn't open, but I assume that was because the bottom door (the normal route) was already opened. Has that happened before in the original release? Never obtained that last Zero part...

The first four games were as entertaining as always. Also note how they cut out the General's "heil" salute in the intro animation in X4.... Seems like the code input to unlock the Ultimate Armor and Black Zero in X4 didn't work, unless the sequence is different than it was on PS1?

X5 was okay. What are the mathematics involved with destroying the colony with only the Enigma gun? Seems possible, but never managed to bring it down with my other playthroughs.... Even failed to stop it once before despite obtaining all the parts for the shuttle launch. Imagine it's just a randomized percentage?

Biggest issues with X6 was the general story, the excessive amounts of Nightmare squid-looking assholes, and that spotlight "Nightmare effect". Turtloid's and Yammark's stages are dreadful because of it...

Nothing to declare about X7 that hasn't already been pointed out.

Aaaand still working on X8. Only taken down the Sunflower and Mantis bosses. Don't have a solid opinion, as this is my second overall take at it.

That's all I've got.

[Xero]

I had a problem in X2 trying to reach the X-Hunter in Bubble Crab's stage where his door wouldn't open, but I assume that was because the bottom door (the normal route) was already opened. Has that happened before in the original release? Never obtained that last Zero part...

The first four games were as entertaining as always. Also note how they cut out the General's "heil" salute in the intro animation in X4.... Seems like the code input to unlock the Ultimate Armor and Black Zero in X4 didn't work, unless the sequence is different than it was on PS1?

X5 was okay. What are the mathematics involved with destroying the colony with only the Enigma gun? Seems possible, but never managed to bring it down with my other playthroughs.... Even failed to stop it once before despite obtaining all the parts for the shuttle launch. Imagine it's just a randomized percentage?

Biggest issues with X6 was the general story, the excessive amounts of Nightmare squid-looking assholes, and that spotlight "Nightmare effect". Turtloid's and Yammark's stages are dreadful because of it...

Nothing to declare about X7 that hasn't already been pointed out.

Aaaand still working on X8. Only taken down the Sunflower and Mantis bosses. Don't have a solid opinion, as this is my second overall take at it.

That's all I've got.

You have to defeat the Sea Canthleer in the stage before you reach that area where the X-hunter would be otherwise he won't show up.  Usually what I do is use a charged Sonic Slicer while under it to destroy it quickly, then when you get to the area it should trigger the encounter.

As for X5, it's bull##### RNG.  You can do everything correctly and still have the colony crash.  Likewise you can do jack ##### and destroy the colony with the laser.

[NovaMan XP]

Yep, I got all the parts and still failed to destroy the colony. But reloading and trying it again usually lets you succeed.

I've had the Enigma work a few times before, but it's super rare. Once I even fired it immediately as soon as I beat the Intro Stage and it worked! It was pretty funny/annoying because I was actually trying to do an X only/Maverick Zero run and then of course it failed at failing.

Posted on: July 31, 2018, 03:18:44 PM

So now I've beaten every game except X3 and 4, playing X3 now. Then after I beat X4 I'll replay it again as Zero and then play through X5-8 as Zero.

I forgot how much of a drag X3 is compared to X1 and 2. There are some things I like about it, but it has an X6 feel in terms of stage design. Kinda obnoxious enemy placement, etc. Obviously its nowhere near X6's crap, but its kinda meh.

[Xero]

For X3, I start with Blizzard Buffalo, then go after Neon Tiger, that way I'll have the weapons to permanently get rid of Bit/Byte/Vile should I encounter them. 

[NovaMan XP]

Usually I encounter Bit after beating Blizzard Buffalo and Toxic Seahorse, so I always have Frost Shield ready for Bit. Then I beat Tunnel Rhino and I'm ready for Byte. Since you have to seek out Vile yourself, I just wait until I have the Ray Splasher, but I might sometimes also delay it long enough to get the full Third Armor if I'm playing like crap.

I also forgot how broken the Z-Saber is, took out Kaiser Sigma in two hits.

Beat X4 as X as well, love that game. Now I'm playing through as Zero but going about it a different way. I fought Slash Beast first, then Jet Stingray and Magma Dragoon. Now I just beat Cyber Peacock and Frost Walrus. Might go after Storm Owl next.

[Xero]

I usually make Volt Catfish my 3rd boss so I can access Vile.

[NovaMan XP]

I actually only leanred about Vile's teleporter location in Catfish's stage in this last playthrough since I usually went to it in Crush Crawfish's Stage, since you're likely to accidentally find it.

I never looked for it in Blizzars Buffalo's Stage either, but I might next time.

Also, I just accidentally blew up the Eurasia Colony with the Enigma, without beating a Maverick, because lolX5.

[Xero]

That happened to me only once on the PSX version of X5.  I was like LOL OK Then.

Anyways I beat X1 & X2 and now went back to X8 and got everything in Bamboo Pandamonium's stage.  Going to semi-grind for metals to get the Sigma Blade then do Troia Base to get Metal Generator so I can get metals while doing nothing.

God damn the ride armor music in X8 is #####ing beautiful.

[Mikero]

Once I get Metal Generator, I'm either taking a book or some tape and leaving my switch on (and plugged in of course) so I can rack up metals while I'm either at work or somewhere.  That's how I got all my metals on the PS2. 

Out of the loop question: Why do you need a book or tape to do that?

I'm fine with leaving X6 as it is. It's a tableau of how hard a developer can fail at something they'd previously been known for being good at. One could argue it's no longer a game meant to be played for fun, but to study as some kind of a historical piece.

As an installation, Megaman X6 is something to behold. It's time as the pinnacle of post-modernist game design was short, however, due to it being overshadowed by Megaman X7... Which some critics believe was a hollow attempt to cash-in on the "what is game design" trend rather than an actual attempt at artistic expression.

[Xero]

So I don't have to press left on the controller for 8 hours. 

[TheRedPriest]

It's the same way to get infinite lives in Contra 3.

[Mikero]

Oh, gotcha. Didn't realize a button press was needed.

[TheRedPriest]

You just have to be moving, even if it's running into the wall and going nowhere.

[saldite]

Are y'all experiencing input lag like others are reporting?

I was actually coming here to see if anyone else was noticing it since I just got my JP X carts in the mail, but it's happening across the board for me in LC1 and XLC1 for X1-3. I thought I had just gotten #####tier at these games over time, but there is definitely some noticeable input lag for the NES and SNES games on the Switch versions compared to original hardware, and inputs are eaten on occasion, as well. PS1 and beyond games don't seem to have this issue (or at least not as badly).

[Fatso]

Input drops are part of the base game sometimes, for example there is one frame during the wall kick animation that will eat shot inputs, and X3 will drop any shot or jump input the frame after releasing a d-pad direction. Most likely more noticeable due to additional input delay from the collection (which is significant for the SNES games) making you more likely to hit those scenarios.

[NovaMan XP]

I don't think its too bad, only times I had an input fail was in X1 and X7, though X7's fail may have just been from it being crap in general... both cases I was trying to dash jump and I just ended doing a regular jump and falling to my death.

But other than that it felt fine.

[Xero]

If there are any I can't tell.  Plays like the originals to me.  I've had no input lag.

At least on the switch version.  I'll have to check the PS4 version. 

Now doing Optic Sunflower's stage. 

For anyone else playing X8, does anyone know if the Cutman fight will always happen or do you need to put in the code for it to activate cause that's what I did.

[NovaMan XP]

Without the code, he only pops up when you get top ranks on every training section in the level, and only then. After fighting him once I didn't encounter him again until I got top ranks again. If you put in the code he pops up everytime you get to the end.

[Xero]

Ok.  Cause the only other way it would have worked was to have a Command Mission game save.  Since Command Mission isn't on the Switch/PS4/Xbone, I figured they would have to retool the game a bit.

Was that also true from the original version?

Anyways, got metal Generator, left my game on overnight and woke up to 200000 metals.  Bought everything I could just short of the navigators.  Only Pitch Black is left.

[NovaMan XP]

I don't recall if it was like that on PS2, but it was like that on PC.

Would be nice if we got Command Mission too though...

[Mikero]

Input drops are part of the base game sometimes, for example there is one frame during the wall kick animation that will eat shot inputs, and X3 will drop any shot or jump input the frame after releasing a d-pad direction. Most likely more noticeable due to additional input delay from the collection (which is significant for the SNES games) making you more likely to hit those scenarios.

Yeah, for sure.

For this specific case, I saw a chart that showed the SNES cart of X1 having roughly 70ms input lag whereas the collection jumps drastically to ~120ms on Switch. There's a lot of tests done on it. I'll still be getting the Switch version but it's at least a little disappointing.

The PS4 version does not seem to have anything near this level of slowdown (outside of slowdowns that were just in the original game).

[Xero]

Purchased Alia & Layer, fully upgraded Alia, and mostly upgraded Layer.

I guess I'll get Pallete eventually, but she is worst girl.

[TheRedPriest]

Well, she's an Axl clone, that's strike 1.  Her forehead is gigantic, strike 2.  Her hair is floating wing things.  Strike 3.  Is it any wonder she's awful?

[Xero]

I never really liked her.  What human or reploid thought it was a good idea to build her like that?  At least whoever built Alia & Layer have good taste.

[NovaMan XP]

Dynamo knows how bad X6 is.

[Xero]

As crazy as the localization of X6 was, there were some gems.  Mainly this, and the ZELLLLLO JUSDIE.

Still, it couldn't hurt to clean up the script upon a re-release.

[NovaMan XP]

Zello is not pleased.

Though, while X5 had typo fixes and such, its script is still pretty bad too. Especially the dialogue before the X vs Zero fight. Or Sigma with his "hee hee hee the strongest Reploid, you are" nonsense.

[Xero]

Finished X8 & X3.  Going to start on X4 X's story.

Fun fact:  The voice actress for X and Mega Man is the CEO of a Japanese real estate business company. 

[Mikero]

To be fair with that black armor he does look like a knockoff of Zero, much in the same way dollar stores will have Chinese action figures of Special Man and RobertCop. So "Zello" makes some sense.

[Xero]

Remember that one time where Zero was a dog?

Arf!  I wan't one!

[NovaMan XP]

To be fair with that black armor he does look like a knockoff of Zero, much in the same way dollar stores will have Chinese action figures of Special Man and RobertCop. So "Zello" makes some sense.

Heh, it also probably doesn't help that his mugshot is reversed, so he has a backwards Z on his shoulderpad.

[Mikero]

Haha I didn't even notice that!

[Xero]

Almost done with X's story in X4.  Will do Zero's next. 

I think for X5 and X6 I'm going to only focus on X and max his abilities.

[TheRedPriest]

Good luck maxing out someone's abilities that are limitless.

[Vinchenz Rock]

o hai. I'm still alive.

I haven't beaten a couple of these games before but I ended up going through all of them and getting all 52 medals across both collections. Had a ton of fun, though obviously the second half was more frustrating than fun at times.

Never played X8 before so I was disappointed after beating a couple mavericks; the gameplay was fixed from X7 and was almost as tight as the 2D games before it but good lord the level design was just ass. Levels in Mega Man are at their worst when they're just full of pits or spikes. And some of the more gimmicky stages were just not fun (though after I figured out how Dynasty was supposed to work I cleared it very quickly.)

It's disappointing because I've had people tell me that it's just as good as the older X games. Guess I should have gone into it with no expectations. The final boss itself was neat, I guess.

Heck, I actually had less frustrations playing through X7. In fact, I kind of enjoyed it. The cyber level was the worst and the level design in general I'd describe as a "wet fart" but rescuing all of the reploids I found was easier than in X6 and the level design rarely had insta-kill sections (outside of air space part 1). Some end bosses were frustrating but like, I found it to be about as good as X6 at the least?

I barely play X7 before but according to some friends of mine, the loading time was horrendous on the original PS2 version, and they're lightning fast here. If I had to suffer through long loading times it definitely wouldn't have been a good time so maybe that was enough for me to be able to enjoy X7.

So yeah, it's kind of funny but, on a pure "fun" level, I think I might have enjoyed X7 more than X8? Just weird considering how I always had them in my mind prior to actually playing through them.

I'm definitely not against seeing a new X9 though. After all that I'm still hankering for more; X's original gameplay loop is too good to be lost (though of course, there's been indie games that strive to replicate the experience and have come real close).

Oh and X Challenge is fun! I liked it. While a bunch of challenges being the same across two games is a bummer it's still a neat new thing which at this point I'm willing to take.

[TheRedPriest]

X8, almost as tight as the 2D games before it

It was not, not by a mile.

but good lord the level design was just ass.

Yes, yes it was.  And you're giving ass a bad name by comparing it to X8's stage design.

It's disappointing because I've had people tell me that it's just as good as the older X games.

ANYONE who says X8 is "as good as the old games" is literally full of #####.  X8 is better than X7.  That's it.  And that's a very VERY low bar.  If not for X7, X8 would be the single worst X game by a country mile.  Even with X5 and X6's strong faults taken into account.

Oh and X Challenge is fun! I liked it. While a bunch of challenges being the same across two games is a bummer it's still a neat new thing which at this point I'm willing to take.

I hated X Challenge.  It's just not fun.  The bosses are just #####ing bullet sponges.  It's nothing more than a dodge for 30 minutes while you shoot #####.  It's not fun at all.  AND it's painfully obvious how lazy they were making it.

[Xero]

So after completing X5 & X6 with an X only run, I've gained a newfound appreciation for both.  It's stupid the split up the upgrades forcing you to share them, but if you play as one character it becomes a much better experience. 

It's still a hot mess, but it becomes somewhat tolerable.

[TheRedPriest]

It was always a bad idea to let you switch characters between stages.  It just made it that much harder to balance a playthrough.  The fact it forced you to split the life ups and what not was also a huge screw up.  X4 did it right.  Pick X or Zero.  Stages were easier because of Zero's movement differences, but enemies were harder because Zero had to get up close to attack.  I liked the balance.

[Xero]

Still not going to touch X7 though.  I just can't bring myself to do it. 

[TheRedPriest]

If you can play X8, you can play X7.

[Xero]

No.  X8 and X7 are two completely different games.

I had fun with X8.  The stupid kind of fun where you are ridiculously overpowered and slaughter everything.

There was no fun to be had with X7.  Everything was a nightmarish slog of a chore.   

[NovaMan XP]

I honestly didn't mind replaying X7, even though I was really not looking forward to it. Its awful, yeah, but it's not even close to being the worst game I've ever played.

It's still the worst X game, but it isn't nearly as bad as I remembered.

[Xero]

But can you finish it?  100% it? 

[NovaMan XP]

I did, actually.

Beat it with all three, fully upgraded. Even saved every Reploid during one playthrough.

...though that may be proof of my insanity...

[Xero]

I think you might be clinically insane.  Go see Dr.Wily for that.