Amazingly fun and addictive!

User Rating: 9 | RockMan ZX DS
Just fyi, the last MegaMan games I played were MM7 and MMX, many years ago. What first intrigued me about this game when I first heard about it this past summer were the different elemental-based models and the fact that it would play somewhat like a Castlevania game (a series which I have only recently become interested in). Flash forward to today: I've just beaten the game and can definitely say I loved every minute and only wish it was longer. That's not to say the game is short. I think it's a decent length for a MegaMan game. To continue, I was very surprised to encounter an actual story, complete with twists and revelations. I was definitely not expecting that. What I was expecting was "I'm the good guy, you're the bad guy, and after I kill eight bosses, I'll come to kill you". It was so much more than that. How long have MegaMan games actually had an intriguing, engaging storyline??? I don't know, but ZX's story was awesome.

GAMEPLAY: Classic MegaMan fare. It was great. Regarding the map and the mission system, it was a little silly to be told to go somewhere having not been there before and having no idea where to begin looking for it (unless you unintentionally stumbled across it earlier), but it was never too annoying for me. My course of action was always "try to find the area first, then find a transerver to save and take the mission". It worked well, given the way the map and mission system are. As for the different models, they are colorful, detailed, and very fun to play. They each have their own element and useful properties. Personally, I found myself using the Fx model the most just because it allows for dashing up and in midair as well as the fact you wield two sabers. Coolness. Actually, you'll find you use the Fx model to find most of the entrances into new areas. Overall though, the gameplay never lets you down.

GRAPHICS: Good stuff. All the environments are very detailed and immersive. Though they don't really take advantage of the DS' capabilities nor do they appear much different from the graphics of the GBA games (I've seen some of them in action since my brother owns some of them), they still provide an enjoying visual experience. SOUND: I absolutely loved the music in this game. I had forgotten how terribly catchy MegaMan music is! None of the BGMs are really hummable, but you will definitely not get irritated by the music.

VALUE and TILT: Seeing as how this is the first MM game I've bought in at least ten years, there had to be something good about it from the get-go...and I find that to definitely be the case. This game rocks. It's not "just another MegaMan game". So overall, I give this game solid 9's because nothing's perfect or flawless, but everything's amazing. I HIGHLY recommend this game to any MM fan or to anyone that would enjoy a 2D platformer. =)