#and people comparing the new cyberspace levels to previous levels in other games

[omarwolaeth]

It's such a tiny innocuous thing that really doesn't matter, but I feel like calling duel monsters a children's card game (when it's fundamentally baked into everyday life, and your social existence is judged by what you play and how you play it so very intensely, for everyone in-universe) is an absolute injustice to what it is for that universe of people.

[beevean]

Your thoughts on Zero 4? :P

So it’s safe to say that I can rank the Zero games like this: Z1 < Z4 < Z2 ≤ Z3.

Z4 was basically the X5 of the Zero series... in more ways than one, actually. No, seriously, there are a lot of funny similarities between the two if you think about it :o but more importantly: Z4 has some odd mechanics that apparently make it more divisive.

Most of these mechanics are streamlined compared to the previous games. No more elves/disks to find, you have to raise one elf almost like a Chao; no more grinding; the hub world is much smaller and condensed; all 8 bosses are selectable from the start like in the Classic and X series; no more Elemental Chips, the only elemental attacks are the EX Skills; only 3 weapons right from the start, and btw the Z Knuckle is pretty fun to use and there are some interesting puzzles with it, like stealing a light and using it to repel the Scrap Elves. The novelty, the weather system, is fairly easy to manage, and it’s just a matter of guessing which weather would benefit you and which the boss: it also massively simplifies the process of gaining EX Skills, because now you just need to play a level in the “wrong” weather, reducing the ranking system once again to bragging rights.

... and then there’s the parts mechanic that can compete with X5 in sheer obtusity lol. I had to use a guide, especially to get my beloved Double Jump and Kuuenzan <3 but yeah, at this point I’d rather find disks in the levels, it’s not like sometimes you have to grind a while until enemies decide to be merciful and spawn parts 🙄 I think you can have an easy time even if you just level up Croire the elf... but even that requires a boring amount of grinding for the higher levels :V

The levels also felt shorter for some reason, maybe because of the lack of collectibles. The gimmicks are a bit hit or miss: for example, Heat Genblem’s level was very reminescent of Mattrex’, which I didn’t particularly love, while Sol Titanian’s was more interesting, as avoiding being burned by the sun pushed you to climb fast. I found Popla Cockapetri’s level rather forgettable, while Tech Kraken’s “reach the bottom of this wrap-around made in 140 seconds” section was really cool and it’s a shame you don’t get to play it again. Mino Magnus’ level wins for the originality of its magnetism gimmick - you’d think the Megaman series would play more with the limits of being a robot!

The game looks as pretty as Z3 with some beautiful parallax use, while the soundtrack... eh? I think it’s rather uneven in quality, some tracks are less memorable (Sleeping Beast, Blackheart Beat, Nothing Beats) while others are just bangers (Esperanto, Queen of Hurt, Crash IV, Straight Ahead, Cyberspace). The Zero series has always favored “edgy” rock, but Z4 has probably the least amount of variation which makes most tracks blend together, but on their own they’re good! Special shout out to the Japanese version of Next New World for including full singing voice.

I left the plot for last because b o y. We’re not in the Resistance Base anymore, Zero, Ciel and three other operators have gone freelancers. We actually see humans for the first time! And ngl I felt their mistrust and resentment towards Zero. Usually the concept of humans being racists towards androids is used as a poorly thought parallelism with real life (coughcoughdetroitbecomehumancough), but here it’s a natural and even understandable consequence (from their limited POV) of the events of the X and Zero series.

And then halfway through the morally grey anti villain destroys Neo Arcadia to take down Weil! Twenty million people dead! And Weil wasn’t even one of them! Yay!

Sidenote, while the humans were sort of there (even Neige’s personality doesn’t go much beyond “intrepid reporter”), Craft was an interesting character, always bordering between being noble, being pragmatic, and being a coward. Also quite a tank in battles!

also rip guardians, apparently uncerimoniously killed when omega went boom

The atmosphere of the very last level is stellar. Hearing this track droning on as you see the planet in the background, knowing that it’s at stake... I’ve felt a punch in the gut comparable to the first time I entered the Omega Territory in Metroid 2. Weird comparison, I know, but no other Megaman game went for this “you’re going to die” approach.

I was tense throughout the entire level. The bosses took out a lot of energy from me and I was terrified of reaching Weil with anything less than full energy and full Sub Tanks. And I was right: this piece of shit is tough.

And then the second phase starts, and as Zero declares that he’s not a hero, he just fights for the people he believes in, and for them he’s willing to give his life, Falling Down plays, which is competing with Chaos Angel in my head for the title of Best Masterpiece On The GBA. Seriously, fuck me, I’ve listened to it quite a few times before, but hearing it in context (plus the apprehension at the thought of facing the boss) made my throat tighten. Very few moments in videogames could elict such a physical reaction from me.

And finally, after a short but grueling battle, Zero dies, for real.

I might be a little emotional.

Oh, and before you ask, Chikao Otsuka is the GOAT. “Ware wa akuma da!” indeed :P

Personally I can see why the game is so divisive, but I still can’t put it below Z1. It still benefits from many of the improvements of Z2 and Z3 and it was overall an enjoyable experience! I just think the finale overshadows everything else and the parts system needed to be reworked.

I don’t know if I’ll replay it anytime soon... Maybe I will, but I will skip the end because it got me :(