Customer Reviews

Mega Man Zero

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Coming at last, the latest installment of the Megaman series is a simply awesome game. The graphics are excellent, especially in the later missions, and animations are wondrous.

You play as Zero, the ace Maverick hunter from the Megaman X series. Sealing himself away in a capsule to eliminate his berserk tendensies, he awakens 103 years later, to find that the Reploids - a race of sentient robots that Zero is a forebear of - are being hunted down by Neo Arcaria, and thier leader.

New weapons like a extendable, 8-directional spear, and a shield that deflects energy attacks complement Zero's traditional sword and buster pistol.

The game, however, is hard. Very, very hard. Using a continue system, you can find yourself giving away lives like candy at boss fights and certain missions.

New additions to the Megaman gameplay formula include the ability to enhance your weapons with a Elemental Arttribute, the 'Cyber Elves' - English Name pending - a series of strange almost spirit-like beings that you accumulate and can use to heal, extend your maximum health, half all damage, or become immune to spikes - which, by the way are still like before with their instant-death fun. Also, the normal health bar that bosses traditionally have now can have extra 'layers'...esentially giving them twice to three times as much health as you would expect!

Most chilling of all is the unexpected leader of Neo Arcardia and the mastermind behind the Reploid massacres...and why he does it...

And the great conundrum remains...what happended to 'X', Zero's rival, partner, and friend? Is he still alive, or did the sands of time finnally catch up to him?

This game is not for casual players, as hard as it is, but the game as a whole make up for it spectacularly. I reccomend this game to any veterans of the Megaman X series, one looking for a challenge, and anyone else who wishes to unravel the secrets of Neo Arcardia.

Mega Man Zero is, simply put, one of the best Mega Man games to come out in years. With a fresh, new look, fun gameplay, and extremely crisp animation, I'm anxiously hoping they will make a sequel!

Mega Man Zero takes place in the year 22XX, presumably within a century after the X series ended. It stars Zero, an android, who was Mega Man X's comrade in arms back then. Zero was reactivated by a human scientist, named Ciel, who needed his legendary powers to defeat a new threat. That threat comes in the form of Neo Arcadia, an oppressive government regime that has ordered the destruction of all Reploids, worker androids based X and Zero. The identity of the mysterious leader of Neo Arcadia provides a very surprising and fascinating plot twist for those who have followed the X series.

The gameplay is fast and furious. If you ever played as Zero in the X games, you'll have a general idea of what to except. Zero is equipped with a gun and a sword to begin with, although you will find the latter far more useful. Eventually two other weapons can be earned and each of them can be joined with the Elemental powers won by defeating the bosses. The game controls perfectly and Zero's animations are incredibly smooth, even when compared to the PSX games. They really nailed the graphics in this game. The music and sound is less memorable.

The game is hampered by a couple negative points worthy of mention.

First, the game presents you with the Cyber Elf system. Through this system, you can upgrade Zero, give him energy tanks, and in general make the game a lot easier. The problem with this system is that to use Cyber Elves, you not only have to find them in the levels, but also gather up enough energy for them to reach their full potential. With some taking upwards of 1200 points, you'll find yourself standing in the Underground Lab stage hitting those spider robots for hours. This is just bad design. If a player wants the item granted by the Cyber Elf, it is already at their option to use it or not. If they want to use it, don't put this artifical hurdle in their way. If they want an item bad enough, they are going to sit there and gather the energy to do it, so why not just let them have it?

The second point is the difficulty. The game has a slightly wacky difficulty level in that it is harder in the beginning than it is towards the end. That's because when you use the aforementioned Cyber Elf system, you will gain items that make things a lot easier. Until then, the first two or three bosses are going to be very difficult. Indeed, the whole concept of giving Zero one life to get through a level and limited continues is just harsh and will easily frustrate the casual gamer. In the future, Capcom should bring back the original lives and unlimited continues premise. At least, after you beat it, you can start over again with all of your weapons and upgrades. The bosses, once you have the means of defeating them, are a joy to fight again, mostly because they are so original in both design and attack strategy.

Even with these problems, Mega Man Zero is still an awesome game. Capcom really outdid themselves with this one, creating a game that easily rivals the past two Playstation Mega Man titles. If you are looking for a fine Game Boy Advance game you won't defeat in a couple hours, try this one. I would recommend this to side-scroller fans and especially those who are looking for another game like it after having beaten Metroid Fusion for the fourth time.

THE GOOD:
Use zero in a new and inovative levels. Zero has been given a great new look that makes him look younger and more like an anime character, infact everyone you meet gives you that anime feel. Respect...Get a high rank and your fellow resitance members will give you respect and praise you, even enemies will back down, do bad and well.....Lets just say you won't get the respect zero deserves.Intorduction of cyber elves (there kind of like net navis from megaman battle net work)they kind of work like hearts (those things that increased your life) but they have many uses and some can even be leveled up. Great battle effects when you beat an enemy with the saber you will more then likely see that enemy be sliced in two. A great story line will help explain the megaman saga. And lastly think the bosses from the past megaman games were to easy well even the most basic bosses will have more than one life bar (it's not to hard for us veteren megaman players but it will give rookies a run for their money).
THE BAD:
The game is pretty short ( beat the game in under 5 hours but I've been playing megaman games for a long time and I didn't get every cyber fairy so I guess that could extend game time alot). Only 2 different weapons (sword and gun) but you have 3 different elemental properties to amp up the sword (fire, ice, electric).

SUMMARY:
Another great addition to the megaman series and in my opinion better than the megaman battle network series. I hope capcom continues to put this anime flare in their megaman and hopefully zero games.

If you liked any of the Mega Man X games, this is a must buy.

Zero, MegaMan's partner in the past X games, is the protagonist in this action side scroller. Although he cannot absorb boss attacks like his popular blue counterpart, he still has a wide range of attacks, including a sword, pistol, and throwable shield.

Graphically, this game is on par with the X games from the super nes, which is pretty damned good for any game boy advance game

Do not believe that this is an extremely hard game. It is only hard if you want it to be. Within the game are powerups called cyberelves, and if you are patient and upgrade them enough, they will eventually make the game much easier for you by giving you advantages such as cover fire, extended health, etc. In fact, this game can be OBSCENELY easy if you use all of the cyber elves!

Mega Man Zero is the third Mega Man game released for the Game Boy Advance, and like the other two, it's a departure from the roots of the series--only less so. The previously released Mega Man Battle Network games are role-playing games rather than the sorts of platform shooting games that Capcom's famous blue hero is best known for. Meanwhile, this latest game doesn't even feature Mega Man at all. However, Mega Man Zero is a platformer through and through, and fans of the series will be instantly at ease with the game and its new features. And they're likely to be struck not just by Mega Man Zero's great graphics and design, but also by its challenge. Mega Man Zero takes place far in the future of the Mega Man X storyline, when characters Zero and X have come to be known as legendary reploids. X is nowhere to be seen and is believed to have turned evil and to be up to all sorts of evil affairs. Zero, on the other hand, is found abandoned and nonoperational in a mine by a young scientist named Ciel, who awakens the famous reploid in an attempt to save the world from all its problems. From here, you take control of Zero to protect Ciel in the initial stage of the game. The game follows the traditional formula of nearly every Mega Man game that has come before it. From the beginning, you'll have the usual mega buster cannon to shoot foes as well as your z-saber as your primary weapons. Later in the game you'll also wield new weapons, such as the triple rod and the shield boomerang. What sets Mega Man Zero apart from previous Mega Man games is that now you can level up your weapons simply by using them during the game. For instance, the mega buster starts out being able to shoot only in three-shot bursts, but after a few levels, you'll be able to shoot four shots at a time, as well as charge up your weapon for a more devastating blast. While the weapons are easy enough to get a handle on, the controls require a bit more practice. You press the A button to jump, press the B button to attack with your primary weapon, press and hold the right shoulder button and B to use the secondary weapon, and press the L button to dash. Because Mega Man games, this one included, tend to always require a firm grasp of just about every move at your disposal, getting used to the control scheme is a little problematic at first, particularly the secondary-weapon command.
As you fight your way through the game, you'll find a brand-new addition to the series in the form of the "cyber elf" system. Throughout each and every level, Zero will find these cyber elves by eliminating enemies, or he'll find them tucked away in hidden areas. Upon successfully besting the level and returning to base, you can then take a look at what your newly found cyber elf can do for you. There are more than 70 different elves to collect and bring to life, each with different abilities, such as slowing down enemies, damaging boss characters, and refilling Zero's health. To make matters a little more interesting, after you put an elf to use, it disappears. This requires you to think carefully about using some of the more powerful ones that you'll come across. Longtime fans of Mega Man games are undoubtedly familiar with the method of picking which level to proceed to next by selecting its boss character from a central screen. Mega Man Zero adjusts this system by putting you back at base in between missions, where you can move around and speak to other members of the resistance, select a new mission, or save your game by speaking to Ciel. The actual levels in the game are a little different from the typical side-scrolling or vertical-scrolling Mega Man level, although they're still rooted in that style. In one case, you make your way through a level like you normally would, fighting a boss at the end, but afterward you have to escort an injured ally back to the beginning of the level. Other levels are timed, and some are slower paced. No matter how you look at it, there is a great deal of variety to the missions in the game. Mega Man Zero also happens to be one of the most difficult games to come around for the system in a while. It's so hard, in fact, that those unfamiliar with the series may find themselves completely unable to get very far in the game at all. Mega Man Zero requires you to be on your toes at all times and, most importantly, to be able to recognize patterns in enemy movement easily and use them to your advantage. In addition to the sheer difficulty of the game, Zero also has only one life at a time, so if you die during a level, you'll be forced to use a continue. Fortunately, extra continues can be stockpiled by killing various enemies. However, extra time spent in a level will lower your rating for that level, so you'll have to put on a real show to get the highest score. The game is surely difficult, but nevertheless, it's still one of the better platformers yet to grace the small screen.
The Mega Man series once was known for its beautiful 2D graphics, and this game is a reminder of why. Zero is very detailed and fluidly animated, and every one of his moves is hand-drawn to perfection. The game's levels and enemies are also quite detailed, especially the huge boss characters, which can sometimes take up half of the screen and have multiple death animations depending on the weapon you use to defeat them. In a day and age when 2D bitmapped graphics have all but become a lost art, this game shows that drawing every detail by hand still pays off. Simply put, this is one of the best-looking Game Boy Advance games out there. In addition to having beautiful graphics, the game also sounds great. The musical accompaniment hearkens back to the days of the SNES, when the Mega Man X games were popular. Anyone who has played a modern Mega Man game before will fall in love with the new songs in Mega Man Zero.
Overall, Mega Man Zero is an impressive action game that definitely isn't for everyone. Younger or more casual players may find the game way too hard and may be better off with something less difficult. However, fans of the series or experienced gamers should not hesitate to pick this one up. While the Game Boy Advance still doesn't have a traditional Mega Man game starring Mega Man himself, Mega Man Zero will definitely provide you with more than enough challenge to keep you busy until then.

Mega Man Zero is, in my opinion, an excellent game. It expands on the story of a favorite Mega Man sidekick, Zero. This game has a plot that features an evil X, it is continuously changing, and lots of cool enemies and bosses are in the game. Along Zero's journey, you will encounter bosses such as:
- X's Four Guardians
- a giant elephant
- a monkey that makes miniature clones of itself
I really liked this game and the way that it still keeps several elements of the classic Megaman games. I strongly recommend this product to any fan of the Mega Man series who enjoys a good challenge.

Mega Man fans have had it tough over the last few years, with the obvious decline of the original Mega Man series and the once great Mega Man X series (although Mega Man X Command Mission was one of the more recent brighter spots).

To me, Mega Man Zero is an attempt by Capcom to resurrect the classic Mega Man X gameplay that was lost soon after Mega Man X4. After X4, the series began to seriously suffer as it seemed Capcom just made sequels just for the sake of making them.

Mega Man Zero is a many ways a sucess, but at the same time is not. On the plus side, I was very pleased with the inclusion of many RPG-like elements that the game employs, such as the leveling up of weapons and how crystals act as experence points for the cyber-elves. The addition of an elemental damage system is also another high point (even if it makes some battles pathetically easy). In lacing the game with RPG elements (like they did in Mega Man Legends), Capcom has added a whole new layer to the gameplay.

The inclusion of different weapons was also nice, as you could change your weapon on the fly to adjust for certain situations. The fact you no longer gain abilties from enemy bosses isn't such a problem due to this.

Unfourtately, Mega Man Zero falls short in many categores. The fact you cannot revist many of the games locations once they are completed is very troubling - if you miss a cyber-elf in a non-revisitable area you are out of luck (and your going to have to play it again). This means you must know where everthing is and thus takes bite out the exploration factor that Mega Man games are known for.

While the RPG-like cyber-elf system is a very nice change, but many of the elves crystal requirements are simply too large. You'll easily double your playing time trying to get them all to the higest level (unless you cheat - and you shouldn't - as cheating is wrong! lol). Some of the elves are also too powerful (the one that removes all the spikes from the game is so cheap it isn't even funny).

Mega Man Zero also ditches the tired and true "stage" system that is used in practically every other Mega Man game. While this too is nice change, the fact many places aren't accessible later in the game and many of the places look nearly identicle (and very drab looking as well), it proves that the tired and true stage method is much better.

Storywise, the game is really nothing special. Even with the use of many story screen stillshots and the useage of more dialogue than one would usually find in a Mega Man game, one will find Capcom did more with less in the past Mega Man X games.

Mega Man Zero is a good addition to the Mega Man universe, but one has to wonder how many sequels Capcom will have to make before this series starts to crumble and wither like the other series (especially when your pumping out a sequel every year). Will the Mega Man Zero series survive Capcom's habit of smashing their game series with "the sequel shovel"? Only time will tell.

Whn I first glanced at the cover art for MMZ, I was worried that Capcom screwed up yet another Mega Man game (cough, MMX7, cough). I saw Zero's new look and began to wonder if Capcom gave Zero the treatment he deserved. Thankfully, all of my doubts faded away as I began to play the most difficult Mega Man game since MMX3. One striking difference is that the tried-and-true method of beating a boss with a particular weapon is gone... somewhat. Instead of beating a boss with a particular weapon, MMZ uses elemental chips where virtually every boss has a weakness to one of the 3 types. In the beginning, the game's 1 life per continue concept will be hard to grow accustomed to, but don't fret. Once you have upgraded the Z-Saber enough to charge it and obtained the appropriate elemental chip, the bosses are a breeze to beat. Especially copy-X. I was expecting a long, protracted battle, but copy-X was a total wimp. To the newbie or casual gamer, if you have not played and beaten MM1 & MMX1-3 I highly doubt you'll be capable of beating this game. To anyone who is tired of today's average games (Great graphics and sound but non-existent substance or challenge), play this game. This game really separates the gaming elite from the wanna-be's.

This game is the best! Use the new Cyber-Elf system to create the strongest character. Unfourtunatly the game is pretty short and you do not recieve special powers for defeating bosses. But you can get different types of elements which allow you to take on bosses with great ease. There are also weapons which allow you to attack in 8 different directions, keeping the destruction level to max. I strongly recomend this game to anyone who is a mega man fan or who just got into the game. But what if there is no paper or pen to copy the password... wait there is no password instead a new save feature is included to keep the game flowing smooth. And once you conquer the final boss you can play again with the same Cyber-Elfs! See if you can find them all!!

Although this game maybe hard the first time playing, but if you MAX your current weapons and used cyber elves to boost your ability; Add more points to your life gauge and after numerous tries on bosses and its stages, this game will be EASY. The graphics are good. I like the new version of Zero, he looks so cool!!! Sounds are good. This is one of the games you must have for your GBA. One of the best Megaman games ever created.