Mega Man X: Command Mission
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| Mega Man X: Command Mission | |
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| Developer(s) | Capcom Production Studio 3 |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom |
| Release date(s) |  July 29, 2004 September 21, 2004 November 19, 2004 |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2, GameCube |
| Media | 1 DVD-ROM / 1 Optical Disc |
Mega Man X: Command Mission, or Rockman X COMMAND MISSION (ロックマンX コマンドミッション Rokkuman Ekkusu Komando Misshon?) is a video game in the Mega Man X series of titles by Capcom. However, it differs from the original X games in that it is a turn-based, role-playing game rather than a side-scrolling action game. The story seems to have taken place after the plot in Mega Man X to Mega Man X8 and before Mega Man Zero. New Characters have been featured in this game: Spider, Massimo, Marino, and Cinnamon join the trio of X, Zero, and Axl.
The game itself sees a departure from the main Mega Man X series, abandoning many of the old conventions: side-scrolling action, the old art style, choice of which Maverick boss to fight and the appearance of Sigma (the regular foe in the series).
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[edit] Story
In 22XX AD, a new substance known as Force Metal was extracted from the debris of a small meteorite. Technology based on the metal revolutionized the field of Reploid Engineering.
Giga City, an artificial island in the middle of an ocean, was built purposely for the mining and smelting of Force Metal. Everything seemed to go well until a band of Reploids armed themselves and launched a rebellion on the island.
Its leader, Epsilon, was branded a Maverick by the Government, and dispatched a Maverick Hunter team to Giga City to liberate Giga City from Epsilon's grasp.
As X and Zero travel to the ruins, a collapsed pillar separates them. X must then fight his way to a place where he and Zero are reunited. Upon reaching Epsilon's destination, Shadow betrays the team, Epsilon's Cadre appears and knocks Zero away. X has no choice but to escape and gather a rebellion team to assist in defeating the minions of the Liberion army.
[edit] Gameplay
Mega Man X: Command Mission was designed by the same team that created the 3D, Mega Man X7 game. Graphically, it shares similarities to the game, though the style of X and Zero have changed somewhat.
The game follows a narrative that forces the player to go to the different stages in order, which abandons the stage select feature of many Mega Man X games.
The action is split between a Field Screen and a Battle Screen, with the player always in the center of the field of view and with a map of the surrounding area in the bottom-right hand corner of the screen.
Player spend their time in one of the situations described below. The hub area linked to Central Tower. From here, players transfer to the different Adventure Stages. They can visit previously completed Adventure Stages, as well as ones vital to progressing through the story.
Similar to other Mega Man X games, stages are spread around Giga City, which have to be cleared to progress through the story. Most of the time, the adventure stages are "empty", with enemies appearing randomly throughout the level as with traditional RPGs.
Throughout the game, the player may come across abandoned robots. Collecting them enables the player to deploy robots to Adventure Stages, where they can then search for money, information, data or rare items. Some robots may require special parts in order to be used.
As with many RPGs, characters or enemies can be induced to enter different states of affliction that may affect their performance during battle. Some names were changed due to the fact the characters are machines. These are as listed below:
- Virus - 5% damage is dealt to a character's health bar after every turn.
- Blind - Enemy hit probability is reduced by 25%, whilst enemy attack probability is increased by 50%.
- Freeze - Unable to move for a certain time period.
- Bind - A character's speed is halved.
- Berserk - Character becomes non-operational and attacks, friend or foe, at random.
During battles, there is an order of elemental weakness that goes as follows:
- Fire is weak to water
- Water is weak to thunder
- Thunder is weak to fire
The game features the appearance of Force Metals, special alloys from meteorites that fell from outer space. Reploids and robots equipped with Force Metals gain special abilities, however, the energy that these metals exude may have unwanted side effects.
X and his companions can equip these Force Metals, which can be made from special recipes collected from Deployment Missions. However, they can only equip a certain number of Force Metals. Exceeding the amount they can equip may lead to them becoming Maverick, which results in them attacking their partners (or themselves) randomly in battle. Finally, some Force Metals may cancel out the side-effects when equipped.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Protagonists
- Mega Man X - Main playable character that uses his trademark arm cannon, the X-Buster, as his major weapon. His Action Trigger is the Charge Shot, which is his typical charging of the X-Buster before an amplified shot.
- Spider - Bounty hunter. Playable character that uses cards as his major weapon. His Action Trigger is the Fortune Card, which unleashes a specific card attack depending on the combination of poker cards deployed.
- Steel Massimo - A playable character that uses lances as his major weapon. His Action Trigger is the Berserk Charge, which is a charge of energy released in the form of a laser whose degree of damage increases as Massimo grows levels.
- Cinnamon - A nurse Reploid. A playable character that uses her hands (with various attachments, such as drills) as her major weapon. Her Action Trigger is the Angelic Aide, which replenishes her health as well as that of her teammates.
- Marino - Stealthy ninja thief. A playable character that uses knives, daggers, swords and chakrams as her main weapon. Her Action Trigger is the Emotional Reel, which can unleash a number of attacks, most of which are close combat.
- Axl - A friend of X and Zero, and a Maverick Hunter. A playable character. He uses his guns as his major weapon. His Action Trigger is DNA Change, which allows him to use the attack of any of a few specific bosses that are among those already defeated.
- Zero - A friend of X and Axl, and a Maverick Hunter. The first (other than X), and then last, obtainable playable character. He uses swords as his major weapon. His Action Trigger is Command Arts, which is a timed combination of sword attacks.
- Chief R - Leader of the Anti-Rebellion Resistance.
- Nana - Operator of the Teleporter. Once rescued, players can go back to previously cleared stages.
- Professor Gaudile - Creator of the Force Metal Generator and also the creator of Cinnamon.
- Commander Redips - Commander of the Far Eastern Division Maverick Hunters.
[edit] Rebellion Army/ Liberion Army
- Epsilon - Leader of the Rebellion Army and one of the Four Cadre. He is the Final Boss of Chapter Nine. Marino can steal the Protect +5 and Full Specs +3 Force Metals from his first form, and the Gain Hyper and Build Hyper items from his second form.
- Ferham - The only feminine member of the Cadre. She is weak to Thunder Elemental attacks. Boss of Chapter Eight. Marino can steal the Build Hyper and Force Missiles items from her.
- Botos - A member of the Cadre. Boss of Chapter Seven. He is weak to Water Elemental attacks. Marino can steal the Super Absorber and Fire Resist items from him.
- Scarface - A boss that appears twice in Chapter Nine. He is weak to Fire Elemental attacks. Marino can steal the Ultra Thunder and Thunder Resist items from your first enouncter with him and the Tank Energy 100 item from your last encounter with him.
- Shadow - Maverick Hunter that betrayed X and Zero to the Rebellion Army. A mid-way Boss in Chapter 6. Marino can steal the Gain Hyper and Unlock Limiter items from his first form, and the Build Armor and Build Shield items from his second form.
- Wild Jango - Boss of Chapter Two. He is weak to Fire Elemental attacks. Marino can steal Protect +1 and Thunder Guard items from him.
- Dr. Psyche - Boss of Chapter Four. He has no elemental weaknesses. Marino can steal a Virus Missile and Smoke Missile from his first form, and Cure All and Tractor Net items from his second form.
- Silver Horn - Boss of Chapter Three. He is weak to Thunder Elemental attacks.
- Mach Jentra - Boss of Chapter Five. He is weak to Water Elemental attacks.
- Incentas - Boss of Chapter Six. It is against him that Spider sacrifices himself after you beat him. Whenever his turn, his strong and weak element always changes according to his color and which of his heads is facing you.
[edit] Hidden Bosses
- Duckbill Mole
- Rafflesian
- The Tails Clan. There are nine members, with their power levels ranked by the number of tails on their bodies. Ninetails, not surprisingly, is the most powerful of the group, and the one amongst these nine whose power can be duplicated.
[edit] Critical response
The differences between the Gamecube and Playstation 2 versions don't warrant much of a response from the critics, such that the reviews for both versions are 100% identical in wording and even layout [1] [2].
A common complaint is that the game is too short [3] and too linear [4], with one reviewer stating that the game was "too far on the easy side" [5].
Though reviewers liked the cel-shaded and colorful look of the game, Phil Theobald of Gamespy noted that "most of the environments tend to be rather bland and end up looking a lot alike."[4]
Generally, the battle system is praised. The concept of pressing combinations of buttons to pull of techniques or improve a technique's power is generally well received [6], which is said to be one of the game's highlights [7].
Scores tend to be exactly the same for both versions, with the overall consensus being that the game is above average but not for hardcore RPG fans.
[edit] Trivia
- The GameCube version makes use of the GBA-GameCube connector. Players can connect a GBA to the GameCube, which enables the player to use a special radar function to find secret items. A radar screen appears on the GBA screen, showing the immediate area around the player, the direction the player is facing and the location of any hidden items.
- The PlayStation 2 version includes an unlockable demo version of Mega Man X8. Furthermore, having a Command Mission save file while in Optic Sunflower's stage in Mega Man X8 will activate a warp before the boss door that will bring you to an easter egg battle against an 8-Bit Cut Man. This can also be done via a code on the title screen, without the aid of a Command Mission save file.
- The frequency of enemy encounters is higher in the GameCube version. Also, if gamers take too many turns to defeat an enemy, they experience penalties far quicker in the GameCube version than in the Playstation 2 version [8].
- The opening theme for the Japanese release is Jounetsu Setsuna by Asami Abe.
- As a pack-in, this game included the Mega Man NT Warrior TCG card 'Mega Man X'.
- All of the "Tails clan" (a group of optional superbosses) are able to use the Hadouken, the trademark fireball attack used in Capcom's Street Fighter series.
[edit] References
- ^ JP. Mega Man X Command Mission GC Review. 1UP.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ JP. Mega Man X Command Mission PS2 Review. 1UP.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ Bethany Massimilla. Mega Man X Command Mission for Gamecube Review. GameSpot. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ a b Phil Theobald. GameSpy: Mega Man X Command Mission Review. Gamespy. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ Jeremy Dunham. IGN: Mega Man X Command Mission - Review. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ Phil Theobald. Gamespy: Mega Man X Command Mission Review (2nd page). GameSpy. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ Jeremy Dunham. IGN: Mega Man X Command Mission - Review (2nd page). IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ Jeremy Dunham. IGN: Mega Man X Command Mission - Review (3rd page). IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
