Mega Man 11 review for PS4, Xbox One, Switch

It?s been 8 years since we had a traditional Mega Man entry, and for the most part, many believed we would never see one again. Capcom hasn?t exactly neglected the Blue Bomber — he has simply been used more for cameos and product sales than new games. From a fan?s perspective, things weren?t looking good for old Mega.

Then we were given the dumpster fire known as Mighty No 9? If this didn?t serve as the perfect opportunity for Mega Man to rise from the robot graveyard, I don?t know what would?ve been. This is a character that is beloved and has had more games than most in his almost 30-year existence.

That?s not to say he hasn?t had some bombs himself. For me, I?ve always loved the character Mega Man. Since I was a kid, Mega Man 2 was one of my favorite games of all time. On the same hand, I wasn?t a big fan of most of the entries in the original numbered series. It was mostly due to the difficulty, I?m not going to lie.

Many years later, we received two legit sequels in the most fan focused way. Both Mega Man 9 and 10 were both in traditional 8 bit style, which many fans loved. I wasn?t one of them. My taste in MM games is a bit unorthodox as I?m a big fan of MM8, excluding his voice and the rest of the terrible voice over work?

The biggest reason for my love of that game was it helped evolve the series with new visuals that didn?t focus on matching the current gen of games, but updated them enough to make the game feel fresh. Along with animated cutscenes and a story, this was the direction I felt Capcom needed to go with Mega Man. So, for me, the next two in the series were a step back and despite having an adjustable difficulty level, it was a great addition but not enough for me to love them.

Flash forward to now where we have been given a true sequel from Capcom and I believe it?s the Blue Bomber’s finest yet. There is so much to enjoy in this game. The most important to note right away is the game is super accessible for fans and newcomers alike. There are many young kids out there that know and like the character that may have never been exposed to one of his original games. On top of it being available on the Nintendo Switch, I think this is the resurrection he needed.

Mega Man 11 looks and feels like a Mega Man game should. The game starts with cut scenes showing a young Dr. Light and Dr. Wily during the initial rivalry, which serves as Wily?s antics this time around. It?s also the catalyst for the new mechanics included, named the ?Double Gear System?. Not to be confused with ?Metal Gear? lol.

This new feature allows MM to choose between two kinds of power ups on the fly. One component allows time to be slowed down, which is perfect for those crazy platforming levels or even during a difficult battle. The other component, gives MM a power boost for his Buster Cannon, dealing much more damage. You must be tactful with them as they have meters that when overused, Mega short circuits and the cooldown takes longer to use again.

Another addition that I really enjoy, is more to do with the cosmetics of the game. We are always used to MM obtaining the boss weapons after completing each level and are usually distinct with color coded themes for each. Capcom has done an excellent job of evolving this by changing his design per enemy to have similar character traits tied to his helmet as well as his cannon. It?s a subtle change but made me appreciate the usage of the new power ups. When you defeat a boss, you get an in-between screen that allows you to test the new power before starting a level which I also enjoyed.

Most of my time with the game, I played on the more casual setting, so I can experience as much of the game as possible and replay on more difficult levels. On the Newcomer difficulty, the game is extremely forgiving, but if you simply want to play the game to see the all the levels with ease and plan on revisiting, It?s a good starting point.

Most would disagree with me because one of the aspects of the series fans love is the challenge. Despite the newcomer mode being easier, the platforming is still the same. Some of the most noticeable things are you get assistance from MM?s old friend Beat. You also won?t die from spikes instantly. This alone wouldn?t make me stop playing the game.

That?s the beauty of Mega Man 11. Just about anyone can play it, and the experience can be very fulfilling. Many characters return like Roll, Auto, Rush and even some enemies from previous games which I won?t spoil.

Mega Man 11 is truly a memorable experience and is one of Mega?s finest adventures and it is highly recommended. The 8 bosses are all clever in design and their levels are very appropriate as well. Even if one made me almost rage quit. (Yes, you Bounce Man!) In a year with amazing games, I can see Mega Man 11 in my top 5 of 2018.

Note: Capcom provided us with a Mega Man 11 PS4 code for review purposes.