Mega Man is a synonymous name in video gaming, a brand that extends over 30 years with a incredible range of games and a fan base that continues to grow. So what better way to celebrate the history of this Blue-Bomber than for Capcom to release the MegaMan X Legacy Collection.
The release of MMXLC 1 and 2 packs the original 8 Mega-Man X games into two releases. 1-4 in pack 1 and 5-8 in the latter. The initial boot up screens of both games pumps the nostalgia up to 11, with the gorgeous typical Mega Man art plastered all over the background and the gorgeous backing music. The next logical step is to take a step back to where it all belongs, Mega Man X.
Straight off the bat, I'll state something. This isn't a step-by-step review of each of the games in the X packages. This comes down to 2 reasons. 1 - You've already played the Mega Man X series and you're looking for a review of this next-gen repackage. 2 - You're new to the series and it's best for you to experience the game fresh, without a bias view of the series. I have my favourite from my original playthrough of the series and I have my favourite from these two collections (which will be revealed in due time) and as such, I don't want to influence any new starters. The best way to experience these two bundles is to start at the beginning and work through all the way to the end of 8.
The familiar music trickles out my speaker and begins to build into the spectacular title music of the original Mega Man X while the screen blossoms out into the title screen. A wash of nostalgia waves over as the game begins and the first level fills my TV. Obviously, with a bit of a controller change from the original system, there's a slight almost difficulty to learning how to play again, but after 10 minutes or so of clunky-ness, it begins to feel natural. I have to admit this is a common theme until we join the series later on as it moved onto the original PS1 at X5, where the controller scheme feels a bit off.
In summary as we go through each game remains the same for the early titles, 1 thru 4. a very well put together port, with replicated graphics and audio, but looking very clean and smooth. Whilst this isn't a re-make in any form, it's lovely shine up for each title and as such the best version of the titles to date.
As we move into the PlayStation age, it's a similar story. However there are a couple of pros and cons to the ports within the collection. Obviously the controller scheme now suits each game due to the matching schemes within the previous titles, but there seems to be a slight occasional stutter within a few of the latter series entries. Hopefully this is a fault of my own personal download/console and not an wider problem.
As per all the original games, this will sink you in for hours, with every game being a challenge and a pleasure to play. For a port of a mixture of titles from a variety of consoles to this generation, it's everything you could want. If you’re a Mega Man fan, it's well worth buying both collections. If you’re a new starter, try the first collection and make your own mind up if you want the other set. Personally, I think you will.