Though similar to past entries, Mega Man 5 is still a goodie to come back to now and then.
Mega Man 5 carries most of its functions over from Mega Man 4, meaning slides and charged shots are still in use. Traditionally, like nearly every Mega Man game on the NES, there are first eight robot masters to fight before entering the fortress in which a multitude of levels are to be passed before facing the final boss. It proves to be a little repetitive and unoriginal, but it's still a fun entry in the series and not nearly one of the worst.
Good: New side-mission to get a neat weapon * All new bosses * Good level designs * Some new enemies add to the challenge * Charged shots are still in effect to make things easier
Bad: A little too similar to previous games * Short and easy * "Been there, done that" boss ideas * WAY too many 1-ups
Graphics: The same cartoony, anime style used for graphics and scenery is still in effect for Mega Man 5, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a fitting design for the game series and everything looks really good. The environments are big although the levels are somewhat short in this one. Still, the graphics are faithful to its name.
Sound/Music: Practically, every sound in Mega Man 5 sounds recycled from previous games. There are some new ones, but they're not really noticable. Music in most Mega Man games is one of the main things that people look forward to when playing a game in the series, especially a classic entry. The composition is one of the higher points for MM5 with a few memorable tunes that are enjoyable to listen to, they're up-beat and keep you in the action.
Difficulty: One of the weak points of the game is the difficulty. It seems as if the developers were running out of ideas by this point thus most everything within the game were recycled ideas and repetitive in patterns and simplicity. Levels are short and boss fights aren't as memorable as in Mega Man 2 or 3. To make things even easier yet is the charged shot itself. It's not necessary in Mega Man 5, it makes it all too easy and, if the player is good enough at Mega Man in general, can simply fly right through the game in less than half an hour. Last, it shouldn't be a complaint, but for a game this easy, there sure are a lot of 1-ups.
Gameplay: Again, a familiar aspect within the Mega Man series, nothing changed. As stated earlier, the slide and charged shot are kept from Mega Man 4, but really have no use in Mega Man 5. This is one of those cases where the action may be good, maybe even the gameplay is faithful to the series, but it just isn't enough for a newer title. Don't misunderstand, this game isn't bad, but it's just too repetitive with the previous four games. There is a neat side-quest within the game; during each of the eight main levels is a hidden letter, all of which in the end spell out "MEGAMANV". Once all of the letters are found, the player gets a surprise bonus weapon that comes in rather handy during the final stages. There is an overall mixed-feeling about Mega Man 5 upon completing it, one of satisfaction and possibly enjoying a fairly-good game, but a slight roll of the eyes because it's practically a recycled idea with some sugar on top.
Control: Nothing new, jump and shoot, sometimes sliding and charging your arm cannon for a more powerful and wide-ranged blast.
Overall: It's not bad, but it's not amazing. It's good and a neat game to experience, might even keep you coming back for more later. The only problem is that it doesn't stand out much within the series and it's an unoriginal idea that's been done four times already before this. It's still a good title to have in the collection and it's fun to play every now and then.