It's a new year, & a new battle network game. The issues of the last game have been completely worked out here.
User Rating: 8 | Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Protoman GBA
Here's the latest Battle Network game, & I really have to say it's a much better improvement over the fourth installment in the series. First of all, the annoying tournament system has been completely removed, allowing you to get all souls in one playthrough. Also, you don't have to worry about missing something in just one of the playthroughs, & being permanently screwed over. Darkchips can be placed in your folder, instead of appearing when Megaman is worried, & taunting you with the powerful chip that will permanently cost you one hit point. Even though the story is pretty typical "bad guy wants to destroy the world" thing, it does have more impact on the gameplay this time around. Intro: If you're not aware of how the Battle Network series works, it breaks down as in the year 20XX, technology has become so advanced, that everyone carries a handheld device known as a PET. PETs can be used for various functions, including a phone & receiving E-mail. Most importantly, PET's carry a human like program known as a net navi, which perform many tasks for their operator. Everything is connected to the internet, though this advancement in technology has caused a rise of cyber crimes & new breed of viruses. To combat these problems, people equip their navis with weapon data ranging from swords, cannons, flamethrowers, & many other things, known as Battle Chips to enter cyberworld & "delete" these viruses. Though navis can also be used to commit crimes, which happens very often. Gameplay: In the real world, you'll play as a young boy named Lan, who will talk to people, go to shops & explore areas, looking for places where you can "jack in". Once you jack in to an electronic device, control switches to Megaman. As Megaman, you'll explore cyberspace chatting with other navis & programs. Though here, you'll also be faced with battling off viruses that roam freely around the cyberworld. When you encounter a battle with a virus, you'll then enter a battle field. The normal layout of the battle area is formed of Megaman's side & the opposing viruses' (or navi's) side. each side is made of a 3x3 area of panels. In battle, you'll have a window that shows a random generated lists of battle chips. After choosing your chips (a maximum of up to five), the battle will begins. You'll move from each panel, as you attempt to hit your opponent, & deplete their hit points. While you battle, a gauge at the top of the screen will begin to fill. If press L or R, you can return to your battle chip menu, for more chips. Though if you run out of chips before it refills, you still have Megaman's default weapon, the Megabuster. Despite it's weak, it does a good job of lowering enemy hit points, until you can acquire more chips. After you've defeated your opponent, you'll receive a ranking of how well you defeated your enemy, & possibly more battle chips, which will allow you to form an even more powerful folder for deleting viruses & navis. Graphics: While they're pretty much the same thing we've seen in the previous games they do manage to fit the game well Sound: Same as with the graphics, it's all pretty much remixed from the previous games, though the tunes are pretty catchy & work pretty well together. What's New: The main feature that pushes this game is the Liberation Mission system. In this mode, you'll enter a board like area filled with dark panels. Your objective is to "liberate" a path through these panels, & defeat the navi who is controlling the area. Though Megaman won't be alone. As you progress through the game, you'll gain teammates who all have their own special skills that will be very helpful in the mission, from Magnet Man's Barrier technique that will protect the team from being attacked while on the field, to Searchman's ability to liberate panels far away & remove traps meant to delay your progress. Although using these abilities take Order Points, which have to refilled by either finding more on the field, or getting them from a roulette style bonus panel, which means you'll have to take some thought before using these moves. Also, in a Liberation Mission, you'll have to finish the battle within three turns, which is based on your custom gauge at the top of the screen. When it fills, you'll have a chance to get more battle chips, but if you can liberate a panel within one turn, all other panels surrounding the navi will be liberated as well. Chaos Unisons add upon the concept of the Soul Unison ability that was introduced in Battle Network 4. Unlike a normal Soul Unison, Chaos Unisons allow you to fuse with Dark Chips. Once fused, you can use the power of darkchips without the huge punishment of permanently losing 1 hit point, performed as your charged attack. This provides a less costly way to use the power of darkchips, but it still has it's cons. If you don't time the charge attack correctly, you'll loose control of the Chaos power, & Megaman's Darksoul will join your enemy, firing a fury of battle chips & buster shots at you. Being only destroyable by certain battle chips that inflict damage, but don't have a hit percentage displayed on them or by defeating the main enemy. Overall: This is a pretty solid game, but you may want to rent it & judge for yourself to see if this is your kind of thing.
