Surprised they managed to make another game considering how Zero 3's ending feels perfect. This game didn't really need to exist but for being the conclusion it's a solid game. No harm done and still pretty fun although I do miss the crazy customization from Zero 3.
this game makes me a little sad. all of it's flaws are so discrete and so obvious that it could have been the best in the series, but it's not.
i'm beating a dead horse. the chip system is awful. over my first playthrough i obtained 3 recipies and completed 1 of them, for a total of 1 chip. compared to zero 3's extremely accessible chip system that rewarded an insightful player with most chips, and an experienced player with ALL chips, it pales in comparison. im sure in 2005 game guides could already be obtained on the internet for free, making it the only way you'd be able to interact with the system. it sucks and they should've kept it z3 style.
what else... the zero knuckle was lame. a lot of people liked it but i found it mediocre. the megaman formula already struggles to make every weapon important, but now you can only use specific weapons in specific levels after killing specific enemies and has specific ammo limits. okay? i just resorted to using my saber and buster, which get evolved through the ex skills, and i intimately know the arcs and hitboxes of. there's hundreds of weapons, but it really felt blegh.
i'm beating a dead horse. the chip system is awful. over my first playthrough i obtained 3 recipies and completed 1 of them, for a total of 1 chip. compared to zero 3's extremely accessible chip system that rewarded an insightful player with most chips, and an experienced player with ALL chips, it pales in comparison. im sure in 2005 game guides could already be obtained on the internet for free, making it the only way you'd be able to interact with the system. it sucks and they should've kept it z3 style.
what else... the zero knuckle was lame. a lot of people liked it but i found it mediocre. the megaman formula already struggles to make every weapon important, but now you can only use specific weapons in specific levels after killing specific enemies and has specific ammo limits. okay? i just resorted to using my saber and buster, which get evolved through the ex skills, and i intimately know the arcs and hitboxes of. there's hundreds of weapons, but it really felt blegh.
Jogo polêmico pelas mecanicas, houveram muitos downgrades por elas do jogo ao comparar ao seu antecessor, embora eu tenha achado que a mudança de elfos foi para melhor, a mecanica de parte de armadura é tenebrosa, mas aqui a história atinge seu apice e me faz gostar mais do que o zero 2 e 1, todo o resto continua mt bom apesar da mecanica de armadura e necessitar de um pouco de grinding igual ao 2 mas melhor ao 1
an... odd little game. Instead of taking a step forward from 3 it goes sideways to decent result.
Falls flat in the gameplay department but story is great
This review contains spoilers
for the rest of the MMZ games either i didn't make a review or it was a joke review. so i'll talk about everything here.
While not something i was an active fan of, mega man has always been part of my life to a lesser extent. After all, mega man is in fact one of the most iconic and popular game franchises ever. Even with that, i really only played very few games, with only X and X2 being on this list.
I got recommended of the Zero series by one of my best friends. Of course, since it would've been rude to not to try Zero 1 after they recommended it to me, and since they also tend to have a really particular vibe when it comes to media i really like, i started Zero 1 around 7 months ago. Of course, i had no experience at all with megman aside from the 2 aforementioned games, and i skipped straight up to neo arcadia unaware of how the game actually works, leading to me dropping the game, until last month.
I decided to give another try to the zero series, as even after i dropped it, it never stopped peaking my interest. This time i kept playing and actually did all the missions. And, even if it had somewhat of an unsatisfying ending, i absolutely loved Zero 1. I loved the artstyle, i loved the music, i loved the plot, the gameplay, everything. So, naturally, the next day i decided to start Zero 2.
What can i not say about Zero 2? even if its plot is somewhat blander than the rest of the franchise, i still loved it. beating it in no more than 2 days. I was speechless with not only the way capcom managed to polish the gameplay to a level i couldn't have imagined, and amplifying it by a thousand. With all of that said, i also think it has one of the best introductions i've ever seen in a videogame ever. Even if i am still yet to play the whole X series, as well as the ZX, and maybe even battle network, i am pretty sure nothing will top how i felt when first hearing departure and first playing the introductory stage. Mega Man Zero 2 was one of the best experiences i had with a game with the way it amplified everything that made me enjoy Zero 1, and i can absolutely see why it is my best friends' favorite.
However, as much as i loved Zero 2, i obviously couldn't leave it there. Leading to me playing Zero 3.
Zero 3 is probably the most fun i have ever had with a game boy advance game. The flow is absolutely incredible and i would personally describe it as a hack n slash turned into a 2D side scroller. You're constantly moving at blitzing speeds, switching weapons, and destroying enemies in an outstanding manner. Everything just clicks. The elf system has been remade into something thousands of times better than MMZ1 and MMZ2's systems. The flexibility it gives alongside the sheer power you get is awesome and i can't help but to love it. But if there is one single thing i would love to talk about regarding zero 3, that would most definitvely be the final boss
Omega Zero is simply put one of the best final bosses ever. The setting is magnificent and the facing yourself trope is honestly one of my favorite ones. It truly feels like you're fighting with everything you have. Not only to prove that you're capable of saving everyone, but to prove that you are stronger than yourself. I honestly loved Omega Zero both as a concept and as a boss fight. and it's atonishingly climatic. I love it.
MMZ3 is in my opinion, the peak of the Zero formula gameplay wise. But i can't of course not talk about MMZ4
i had some hesitation when choosing to play this game. I was obviously excited to finally watch the conclusion of the Zero saga story. I couldn't wait to see how it unraveled and came to an end. But i still had my fears that the gameplay wouldn't be able to top MMZ3, or that some elements of the plot weren't as good as in MMZ4.
However, imagine my surprise when Zero 4 not only met my expectations, but went above them. Zero 4, even if it has a somewhat gimmicky replacement of the recoil rod and boomerang shield, and a cyber elf system nowhere near as good as Zero 3's, still managed to make me have a shit ton of fun playing. And not only that, but i would also dare to say it has the best story among all 4 games. This game had me by the edge of my seat at all times. Constantly on the lookout of what might happen next. What boss will it throw me next. What will the next stage be about. I can obviously not call this the peak of the MMZ formula, but holy fuck does it come close.
Going back to the story, i honestly can't help but to love the story of the whole saga as a whole. It's so refreshing to see such a well structured story in such way that playing the games in order and being met by it is a much better reward for it than anything i could've asked for. The way the games connect, and the way characters are presented was just amazing for me. And i just can't help but to love Zero and how he's written. He might be edgy and serious, but that doesn''t mean he's inherently a bad character. The edge in zero's personality is handled in a magnificent way and i love the way zero has, not only his own sense of justice and moral code, but a flaming desire to protect those in danger. It might come off as a bit corny or cheesy. But i can only love it with how incredible it felt and merged into the narrative.
Now, to finish off, i would love to talk about the ending. Because it is the best thing to come out of Zero 4 in my eyes. MMZ4 ends in a somewhat bittersweet way. With humanity and area zero being saved, and hopes of a society where reploids and humans finally being a possibility. However, i have to say i cried HARD with Zero 4's ending. It's one of the most touching game i've played in the last months, and it's simply so well portrayed i can't do anything but to love it.
The Mega Man Zero franchise is one of the best sagas i could've ever played, and one that will forever be special to me in the years to come. And i hope it goes down in history as one of the best sagas to ever be on a franchise.
While not something i was an active fan of, mega man has always been part of my life to a lesser extent. After all, mega man is in fact one of the most iconic and popular game franchises ever. Even with that, i really only played very few games, with only X and X2 being on this list.
I got recommended of the Zero series by one of my best friends. Of course, since it would've been rude to not to try Zero 1 after they recommended it to me, and since they also tend to have a really particular vibe when it comes to media i really like, i started Zero 1 around 7 months ago. Of course, i had no experience at all with megman aside from the 2 aforementioned games, and i skipped straight up to neo arcadia unaware of how the game actually works, leading to me dropping the game, until last month.
I decided to give another try to the zero series, as even after i dropped it, it never stopped peaking my interest. This time i kept playing and actually did all the missions. And, even if it had somewhat of an unsatisfying ending, i absolutely loved Zero 1. I loved the artstyle, i loved the music, i loved the plot, the gameplay, everything. So, naturally, the next day i decided to start Zero 2.
What can i not say about Zero 2? even if its plot is somewhat blander than the rest of the franchise, i still loved it. beating it in no more than 2 days. I was speechless with not only the way capcom managed to polish the gameplay to a level i couldn't have imagined, and amplifying it by a thousand. With all of that said, i also think it has one of the best introductions i've ever seen in a videogame ever. Even if i am still yet to play the whole X series, as well as the ZX, and maybe even battle network, i am pretty sure nothing will top how i felt when first hearing departure and first playing the introductory stage. Mega Man Zero 2 was one of the best experiences i had with a game with the way it amplified everything that made me enjoy Zero 1, and i can absolutely see why it is my best friends' favorite.
However, as much as i loved Zero 2, i obviously couldn't leave it there. Leading to me playing Zero 3.
Zero 3 is probably the most fun i have ever had with a game boy advance game. The flow is absolutely incredible and i would personally describe it as a hack n slash turned into a 2D side scroller. You're constantly moving at blitzing speeds, switching weapons, and destroying enemies in an outstanding manner. Everything just clicks. The elf system has been remade into something thousands of times better than MMZ1 and MMZ2's systems. The flexibility it gives alongside the sheer power you get is awesome and i can't help but to love it. But if there is one single thing i would love to talk about regarding zero 3, that would most definitvely be the final boss
Omega Zero is simply put one of the best final bosses ever. The setting is magnificent and the facing yourself trope is honestly one of my favorite ones. It truly feels like you're fighting with everything you have. Not only to prove that you're capable of saving everyone, but to prove that you are stronger than yourself. I honestly loved Omega Zero both as a concept and as a boss fight. and it's atonishingly climatic. I love it.
MMZ3 is in my opinion, the peak of the Zero formula gameplay wise. But i can't of course not talk about MMZ4
i had some hesitation when choosing to play this game. I was obviously excited to finally watch the conclusion of the Zero saga story. I couldn't wait to see how it unraveled and came to an end. But i still had my fears that the gameplay wouldn't be able to top MMZ3, or that some elements of the plot weren't as good as in MMZ4.
However, imagine my surprise when Zero 4 not only met my expectations, but went above them. Zero 4, even if it has a somewhat gimmicky replacement of the recoil rod and boomerang shield, and a cyber elf system nowhere near as good as Zero 3's, still managed to make me have a shit ton of fun playing. And not only that, but i would also dare to say it has the best story among all 4 games. This game had me by the edge of my seat at all times. Constantly on the lookout of what might happen next. What boss will it throw me next. What will the next stage be about. I can obviously not call this the peak of the MMZ formula, but holy fuck does it come close.
Going back to the story, i honestly can't help but to love the story of the whole saga as a whole. It's so refreshing to see such a well structured story in such way that playing the games in order and being met by it is a much better reward for it than anything i could've asked for. The way the games connect, and the way characters are presented was just amazing for me. And i just can't help but to love Zero and how he's written. He might be edgy and serious, but that doesn''t mean he's inherently a bad character. The edge in zero's personality is handled in a magnificent way and i love the way zero has, not only his own sense of justice and moral code, but a flaming desire to protect those in danger. It might come off as a bit corny or cheesy. But i can only love it with how incredible it felt and merged into the narrative.
Now, to finish off, i would love to talk about the ending. Because it is the best thing to come out of Zero 4 in my eyes. MMZ4 ends in a somewhat bittersweet way. With humanity and area zero being saved, and hopes of a society where reploids and humans finally being a possibility. However, i have to say i cried HARD with Zero 4's ending. It's one of the most touching game i've played in the last months, and it's simply so well portrayed i can't do anything but to love it.
The Mega Man Zero franchise is one of the best sagas i could've ever played, and one that will forever be special to me in the years to come. And i hope it goes down in history as one of the best sagas to ever be on a franchise.
An fantastic end to an amazing series.
PC collection
E um caso estranho, por um lado, um EXTREMO downgrade em comparação a Zero 3, PORÉM, o próprio continua sendo impecável e facilmente um dos melhores jogos da franquia. No fim, a questão do Jogo é menos sobre ele ser ruim, e mais sobre ele ter vindo depois do pináculo da franquia. E o jogo que eu mais joguei da série zero, então por experiência, não é nem de perto um jogo ruim, LONGE DISSO, tanto que minha nota está alta, não se engane pelo fato de Zero 3 ser melhor
proper send off for a megaman series, you love to see it. The fuckle knuckle is an amazing and ambitious weapon in concept but it ends up being worse in every way than pretty much anything else except for the times you need it to solve a puzzle. There is also a weird bloated crafting system you can use to make yourself a suit of trash armor. overall swag game for a godspeed edgeboy
A regression from Zero 3 in every area except story. Cyber elves have been streamlined to oblivion, yet they’re as grindy again as they were in Zero 1, elemental chips just aren’t a thing anymore, the way the weather system and EX skills work is honestly kind of baffling, the Z knuckle, stealing enemy weapons ends up being just an impractical gimmick, the levels are worse, the bosses and especially the mini-bosses are worse. Although it has is a pretty baller final boss, one that kind of surprised me with it’s emotional weight.
Despite being a finale to the most story focused Mega man series, Zero 4 is a surprisingly subdued game. Partially that's due to Inti-Creates originally intending for much more bombastic Zero 3 to be the definitive ending before Capcom requested another entry. However, this restraint has a clear throughline in Zero 4's design that goes beyond developmental circumstances. In terms of scope Zero 4 is stripped back to a degree not seen since the original Zero 1. Gone is Neo Arcadia and the Guardians and Resistance who fought over it. Instead of Cyberspace, X and Omega, Zero 4 cuts its scale back to one area: the environment of Area Zero. Past Zero games alluded to the energy crisis that motivated much of the conflict but it was mostly lip-service and tangential to the actual narrative of opposing the fascistic government of Neo Arcadia. Area Zero then, a natural habitat grown out of the wreckage of the Eurasia colony from X5 is an earnest attempt to reckon with this. It is something of an encapsulation of the series wide chronology, representing its past, present and future. Whilst emblematic of the ceaseless conflict that has destroyed most of the Mega man world up until this point, its natural beauty is also reflective of the possibility of renewal. Zero 4 has a particular fixation on sunsets and dimming light in many of its backdrops, making tangible the game's promise of endings and new beginnings. The series’ revolutionary thrust of fighting against oppression has not been dulled by this constricted scope but rather heightened by it, Zero’s struggle has never felt more real to me than here in Zero 4.
I think the importance of Area Zero is reflected well in the game's structure and approach to difficulty. All of the eight stages share the same conflict of a member of the Einherjar trying to disrupt the part of Area Zero's ecosystem they were assigned to. These stages further contextualise the battle over Area Zero, showing the destructive mark of the Einherjar’s terraforming plans on its environs. Nature fused with technology is an iconographic motif that many Mega man games make ample use of but rarely with this environmentalist bent. Each stage has an easy and difficult variant dependant on the weather conditions when entered. Completing the difficult variant of the stage nets you its respective einherjar's ex ability. This is much more accessible than getting an A rank or S rank and it encourages adapting to Area Zero's environment instead of uprooting it like your adversaries. That these stage have deadlier hazards than usual and de-emphasise speeding through them alongside ex abilities being separated from rank means that you're further encouraged to engage with these stages as places I feel.
Unfortunately, the gameplay loop outside eights feels less considered. In lieu of cyber chips and elves, all upgrades are gated behind an extensive crafting system where every enemy in the game has a unique drop and rare materials are secreted throughout stages. Likewise, the cyber elves system has been simplified into a cyber elf system that functions similarly to a branching skill tree that you invest scrap parts into. In theory, I like the intent behind these as they reinforce the relationship between Zero and Area Zero and its human settlement. As you gain the trust of the settlers some of them will offer you recipes as does the cyber elf you raise and learning the stages layouts rewards you with materials for crafting. The crux of the issue is how opaque and grindy the system ends up being. Only a few npcs offer recipes and thus the vast majority of recipes are not revealed in game and experimenting with different combinations is punished as resources get used up regardless of success. I wasn't the biggest fan of the cyber elves system from previous entries but at the very least you usually got a variety of elves to try out and in the case of Zero 3 the system acquired a pleasing generosity. With Zero 4 however, unless you're perusing guides its likely that you'll reach the final stages with barely any extra abilities. That meanness is especially felt after Zero 3 made it so easy to kit out Zero however you want.
Although not originally planned, there is little that is extraneous about Zero 4 to me. It is a thoughtful and deliberative send off to a series that surprised me with how complete it was. It is not my favourite Zero game but it’s the purest distillation of this series’ special qualities.
I think the importance of Area Zero is reflected well in the game's structure and approach to difficulty. All of the eight stages share the same conflict of a member of the Einherjar trying to disrupt the part of Area Zero's ecosystem they were assigned to. These stages further contextualise the battle over Area Zero, showing the destructive mark of the Einherjar’s terraforming plans on its environs. Nature fused with technology is an iconographic motif that many Mega man games make ample use of but rarely with this environmentalist bent. Each stage has an easy and difficult variant dependant on the weather conditions when entered. Completing the difficult variant of the stage nets you its respective einherjar's ex ability. This is much more accessible than getting an A rank or S rank and it encourages adapting to Area Zero's environment instead of uprooting it like your adversaries. That these stage have deadlier hazards than usual and de-emphasise speeding through them alongside ex abilities being separated from rank means that you're further encouraged to engage with these stages as places I feel.
Unfortunately, the gameplay loop outside eights feels less considered. In lieu of cyber chips and elves, all upgrades are gated behind an extensive crafting system where every enemy in the game has a unique drop and rare materials are secreted throughout stages. Likewise, the cyber elves system has been simplified into a cyber elf system that functions similarly to a branching skill tree that you invest scrap parts into. In theory, I like the intent behind these as they reinforce the relationship between Zero and Area Zero and its human settlement. As you gain the trust of the settlers some of them will offer you recipes as does the cyber elf you raise and learning the stages layouts rewards you with materials for crafting. The crux of the issue is how opaque and grindy the system ends up being. Only a few npcs offer recipes and thus the vast majority of recipes are not revealed in game and experimenting with different combinations is punished as resources get used up regardless of success. I wasn't the biggest fan of the cyber elves system from previous entries but at the very least you usually got a variety of elves to try out and in the case of Zero 3 the system acquired a pleasing generosity. With Zero 4 however, unless you're perusing guides its likely that you'll reach the final stages with barely any extra abilities. That meanness is especially felt after Zero 3 made it so easy to kit out Zero however you want.
Although not originally planned, there is little that is extraneous about Zero 4 to me. It is a thoughtful and deliberative send off to a series that surprised me with how complete it was. It is not my favourite Zero game but it’s the purest distillation of this series’ special qualities.
Strangely, this 4th game is the most beginner friendly of the games, which is weird since Mega Man Zero is the one of the Only mega man series where there is a chronological story, with this game being the final chapter of this story. It’s very much easy, and very fun, but it does make a few changes from zero 3 that make it not as good as zero 3. It feels as if these changes were made for the sake of changing the game, and being different. While these changes don’t make the game as good as 3, I still really enjoyed the final chapter of the Zero series.
Encerramento foda. Meu jogo favorito (com exceção de umineko) junto de MMZ3. Essa franquia dá o final que o Zero merece, durante a franquia X inteira ele morre várias vezes, porém aqui ele tem um final digno do melhor personagem de toda a franquia Mega Man, durante toda a franquia ele sempre se questiona pelo oque está lutando e aqui, lutando ao lado de Ciel ele consegue no final achar a resposta, simplesmente maravilhoso.
"I never cared about justice, and I don't recall ever calling myself a hero... I have always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate... If an enemy appears in front of me, I will destroy it! Ciel... Believe in me!"
-Zero, in your last words.
"I never cared about justice, and I don't recall ever calling myself a hero... I have always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate... If an enemy appears in front of me, I will destroy it! Ciel... Believe in me!"
-Zero, in your last words.
bro I'm gonna fucking cry that ending is so good yet honestly pretty fucking sad to me, zero my boy you make me wanna cry tears of joy and sadness
Okay, so. I’ll get out of the way that it simplifies things a bit much, and that does lessen how I feel on it versus 2 and 3. And the OST is notably a tad off, some tracks are just not good. Others still totally hit. I did an EX skill run this time, and something clicked that previously had not. The weather system dares to ask, what if X6’s nightmare system actually functioned, and had a reward to it, whilst providing a fun way of using the weapon chain in a game you don’t really need it in. Similarly, I think this can make up for the loss of the recoil rod and a lot of 3 and 2’s customizability, as it’s far easier to get a Zero loaded up on Z skills that you can chain together. Didn’t really think much of the system until this run, and it really improved how I feel on the game. It turned from something I thought was pretty great to something I fucking loved. Again, I don’t love the simplified Elf system or how it handled parts, and the knuckle, while cool, is situational, but yeah. I like the game a lot. Finale is still utterly perfect and the story is once again, really good. It’s the only time Mega Man really contributed to a narrative-based series, (as ZX was canned before tying up its loose ends), and it’s great for it. I just can’t make myself do anything but love this game in spite of its faults; my experience was so purely good.
A middling end to a middling franchise. While Zero 3 made a show of being one of the best 2D platforming Mega Man titles, Zero 4 slid back into the mediocrity of the first two titles. When Zero 1 failed to deliver on anything outside of music and aesthetics, and Zero 2 was just, a slightly better and improved version of that–Zero 3 was a complete departure into higher quality gameplay, level design, and a much improved customization system, of which Zero 4 sadly completely abandoned in favor of (of all things), a crafting system for its upgrades. I don’t even have the language to explain how bad of a call that was. It feels like Inti must’ve felt forced to make Zero 4 have some big mechanical difference from Zero 3, but it just ends up kicking the legs out from under what should have been a knock-out finale.
It’s a shame too, since Zero 4 features unequivocally the best plot out of any of these games–in-part helped by the English localization not sucking complete ass this time–with the compelling narrative between Neige and Craft, star crossed human/reploid lovers. Honestly, I’d rather play a game with Neige as the main character since she isn’t the charismatic space vacuum that Zero is.
On a final note, Zero sucks. He’s a bad character and always has been. Everything cool about him has been slowly drained away since X1 for the sole purpose of making him even cooler-er than he was in X1, and it’s been pathetic the whole time. I’m glad he’s dead. Rip bozo and all that.
It’s a shame too, since Zero 4 features unequivocally the best plot out of any of these games–in-part helped by the English localization not sucking complete ass this time–with the compelling narrative between Neige and Craft, star crossed human/reploid lovers. Honestly, I’d rather play a game with Neige as the main character since she isn’t the charismatic space vacuum that Zero is.
On a final note, Zero sucks. He’s a bad character and always has been. Everything cool about him has been slowly drained away since X1 for the sole purpose of making him even cooler-er than he was in X1, and it’s been pathetic the whole time. I’m glad he’s dead. Rip bozo and all that.
Falling Down is IMAX
Might be a contender for one of the worst sequels I've ever played. Everything from the super grindy (but super limiting) Elves system to the utter DOGSHIT way Parts are handled make Zero 4 an unpleasant experience from beginning to end. Only thing I kinda liked were how EX skills and the Knuckle weapon is a neat idea in THEORY (in execution its one of the most gimmicky weapons in a MegaMan game). An utter regression in every single way from the absolutely superb Zero 3.
4/10.
4/10.
well, it went out with a bang.
Most of systems-level changes are for the worse and the knuckle's a disappointment, but they did not skimp on the anime schmaltz for this one. Imagine thinking Zero is cool because of the Sequelitis moment with Vile rather than because of this game.
Too ambitious for its own good
Played it in the Zero Collection on DS (via 3DS backwards compatibility), stopped at the Castle stages. Unfortunately, really mediocre. Story is very good, but everything else left a lot to be desired. The gameplay was changed for the worse, the level design can be extremely frustrating, and the music is annoying. Really disappointed.
great game, awful final boss, great ending.
The closing chapter of the series, I played this one right after MMZ3, and it didn't disappoint. The way the levels were divided up in this game was way more balanced than MMZ3 in my opinion. The power knuckle was very fun to use, there is a great amount of weapons you can steal from enemies which allows you to experiment a lot. And also getting overpowered never was as easy as it was in this game. So yeah if you wanna have it easy in this game, you will have it easy, but if you wanna play it hard... It becomes REALLY hard... Like hard mode junk armor no subtanks is quite literally insane. The 8 bosses in this game felt like the least abusable in the entire series as well and being allowed to fight them in any order felt great as well.
This was straight up my favorite MMZ experience so far but maybe overtime MMZ3 will grow on me more. It's up to time.
This was straight up my favorite MMZ experience so far but maybe overtime MMZ3 will grow on me more. It's up to time.
Mega Man Zero 4 is worse than Zero 3, despite the fact that they were improving with each release. However, despite what it may seem, I consider that as a positive aspect of this game, I'm glad as Inti Creates instead of going the easy way and choose only repeat the same formula of MMZ3, better choose to maintain the philosophy of the Zero series, which is to experiment with a variety of concepts and mechanics, of course, not always have a good execution (as the forms of Zero 2 or the level up system), but at least it was something that distinguished them from a common Mega Man game.
Picking up from the conclusion of Zero's arc seen in MMZ3, we see that now Zero and Ciel are dedicated to helping people by traveling in a caravan. The story begins when we help a group of humans who are fleeing from Neo Arcadia and Weil in search of a fresh start in a place called Area Zero, a place that is particularly peculiar as it oozes with something lost in a totally artificial world: nature. From there, the story unfolds in a very interesting way where we are introduced to two new characters and being honest, it ends up being a very good story, perhaps at the same level or better than MMZ3, in that aspect it does not disappoint. The only bad thing is that now Mega Man X6 is totally canon.
Anyway, speaking of gameplay, Mega Man Zero 4 is very experimental in terms of new mechanics implemented. It literally ditches everything learned in MMZ3 in pursuit of distinguishing itself from it and bringing us a fresher experience, and this is both for better and for worse.
For starters, I really liked how there was a sort of bestiary in MMZ3 and the way the Cyber-Elves worked. Here a lot of things change, but I'll start talking about the new stuff. Mega Man Zero 4 introduces the Zero Knuckle, which is a new weapon that we can use to take the weapon away from any regular enemy, which is pretty cool, but it's very underutilized and left as a very secondary mechanic, when this had the potential to be a main mechanic. The other new thing is an armor piece crafting system, which is also a mechanic with huge potential but is poorly executed as it requires a lot of trial and error or failing that, a guide as most of the recipes are not given to you to know. It's a shame to be honest, as these two new mechanics were meant to be a lot more than just two secondary things and that's it. But well, speaking of changes, the Cyber-Elf system now works differently by only having one during the entire game, but it has the advantage of being able to offer three different effects depending on their level. What I don't like is that it feels a bit restrictive compared to the Cyber-Elf system seen in MMZ3, however, it is far superior to the one seen in MMZ1/MMZ2. And finally, a change that I consider for the better, is that now the EX-Skills are obtained if you decide to pass the level with unfavorable weather, instead of requiring you to always get A/S rank.
Inti Creates really wasn't going to settle for just making the above changes, they wanted to go further by giving a new approach to levels. The levels now usually have some sort of gimmick, which isn't something that bothers me and actually turns out to be something that gives the game variety, anyway each level has two forms by being able to switch between two weather states, which I liked when revisiting the levels, this is one aspect that makes them more interesting. The boss designs are the ones I like the most in the Zero saga. Also, in my opinion, I think the boss battles are more interesting this time around, since now it's not just about selecting the elemental chip and attacking the enemy with a charged attack and leaving him inactive for the entire battle, but now there are no elemental chips and it's more about learning how to fight the boss.
Speaking of the music and graphics, these have a slight evolution, as the use of colors is very good, and this complements very well with the fact that now many scenarios are based on natural environments. On the music side, I don't know if it's my imagination, but the instruments sound a little different, and in general, I really like the tone of them. I also think that the music now accompanies better the scenes of the story, for example, songs like Ciel d'aube transmit a lot...
But here's my top 5 of Mega Man Zero 4 songs:
1. Esperanto (My favorite song of the Zero series, once and for all I say).
2. Straight Ahead
3. Deep Blue
4. Caravan -Hope for Freedom
5. Max Heat
Finally, I just want to mention how I really like how in this game Zero is perceived as a more, you could say, "mature" character. Seeing Zero like this after what happened in MMZ3 is something that I think is great, and seeing how this story ends makes him simply become one of my favorite characters, even though in terms of design I like X more and he will always be my favorite, even so, I think Zero is quite better overall.
Conclusion
Mega Man Zero 4 is a strange game, it's a game with a lot of potential that it never takes advantage of properly, but despite its imperfections it has a very special place in my heart, either because it's the conclusion of the whole Mega Man story, because of its gameplay that remains great as always, or because of other things more.
Yes, I have a lot of mixed feelings with this game, maybe if they had had more time to develop this game we would have in front of us a masterpiece, but Capcom being Capcom only thought about getting easy money from the franchise. All in all, I think it's a worthy last installment for the Zero saga and a worthy conclusion to the Mega Man story as a whole.
Picking up from the conclusion of Zero's arc seen in MMZ3, we see that now Zero and Ciel are dedicated to helping people by traveling in a caravan. The story begins when we help a group of humans who are fleeing from Neo Arcadia and Weil in search of a fresh start in a place called Area Zero, a place that is particularly peculiar as it oozes with something lost in a totally artificial world: nature. From there, the story unfolds in a very interesting way where we are introduced to two new characters and being honest, it ends up being a very good story, perhaps at the same level or better than MMZ3, in that aspect it does not disappoint. The only bad thing is that now Mega Man X6 is totally canon.
Anyway, speaking of gameplay, Mega Man Zero 4 is very experimental in terms of new mechanics implemented. It literally ditches everything learned in MMZ3 in pursuit of distinguishing itself from it and bringing us a fresher experience, and this is both for better and for worse.
For starters, I really liked how there was a sort of bestiary in MMZ3 and the way the Cyber-Elves worked. Here a lot of things change, but I'll start talking about the new stuff. Mega Man Zero 4 introduces the Zero Knuckle, which is a new weapon that we can use to take the weapon away from any regular enemy, which is pretty cool, but it's very underutilized and left as a very secondary mechanic, when this had the potential to be a main mechanic. The other new thing is an armor piece crafting system, which is also a mechanic with huge potential but is poorly executed as it requires a lot of trial and error or failing that, a guide as most of the recipes are not given to you to know. It's a shame to be honest, as these two new mechanics were meant to be a lot more than just two secondary things and that's it. But well, speaking of changes, the Cyber-Elf system now works differently by only having one during the entire game, but it has the advantage of being able to offer three different effects depending on their level. What I don't like is that it feels a bit restrictive compared to the Cyber-Elf system seen in MMZ3, however, it is far superior to the one seen in MMZ1/MMZ2. And finally, a change that I consider for the better, is that now the EX-Skills are obtained if you decide to pass the level with unfavorable weather, instead of requiring you to always get A/S rank.
Inti Creates really wasn't going to settle for just making the above changes, they wanted to go further by giving a new approach to levels. The levels now usually have some sort of gimmick, which isn't something that bothers me and actually turns out to be something that gives the game variety, anyway each level has two forms by being able to switch between two weather states, which I liked when revisiting the levels, this is one aspect that makes them more interesting. The boss designs are the ones I like the most in the Zero saga. Also, in my opinion, I think the boss battles are more interesting this time around, since now it's not just about selecting the elemental chip and attacking the enemy with a charged attack and leaving him inactive for the entire battle, but now there are no elemental chips and it's more about learning how to fight the boss.
Speaking of the music and graphics, these have a slight evolution, as the use of colors is very good, and this complements very well with the fact that now many scenarios are based on natural environments. On the music side, I don't know if it's my imagination, but the instruments sound a little different, and in general, I really like the tone of them. I also think that the music now accompanies better the scenes of the story, for example, songs like Ciel d'aube transmit a lot...
But here's my top 5 of Mega Man Zero 4 songs:
1. Esperanto (My favorite song of the Zero series, once and for all I say).
2. Straight Ahead
3. Deep Blue
4. Caravan -Hope for Freedom
5. Max Heat
Finally, I just want to mention how I really like how in this game Zero is perceived as a more, you could say, "mature" character. Seeing Zero like this after what happened in MMZ3 is something that I think is great, and seeing how this story ends makes him simply become one of my favorite characters, even though in terms of design I like X more and he will always be my favorite, even so, I think Zero is quite better overall.
Conclusion
Mega Man Zero 4 is a strange game, it's a game with a lot of potential that it never takes advantage of properly, but despite its imperfections it has a very special place in my heart, either because it's the conclusion of the whole Mega Man story, because of its gameplay that remains great as always, or because of other things more.
Yes, I have a lot of mixed feelings with this game, maybe if they had had more time to develop this game we would have in front of us a masterpiece, but Capcom being Capcom only thought about getting easy money from the franchise. All in all, I think it's a worthy last installment for the Zero saga and a worthy conclusion to the Mega Man story as a whole.
Shoutout to Mega Man Zero for being the one series in the franchise to have an actual conclusion.
The game takes a few steps back in terms of gameplay. I liked the concept of the Zero knuckle, and stealing the weapons of your enemies is actually pretty fun. However, the crafting system tied into this sucks. I had no interest in searching for recipes so I looked up everything online. Also, can I just point out how fucked up it is to remove chips from the game?
Let's talk about weather. This is basically just a glorified difficulty selector, but there really is no point in choosing the easier weather. I liked this system because it allowed bad players like me to finally access the powerful EX skills, but I understand the criticism from hardcore Zero fans who liked being rewarded for their S-ranks.
Level design is jank in some spots but that's to be expected at this point. What I did not expect was Craft, who turned out to be the hardest boss in the entire Zero series for me. You try fighting him without any subtanks, chips, or elves.
All and all, Zero 4 is not as good as Zero 3, but it's still a fitting end to Zero's character.
The game takes a few steps back in terms of gameplay. I liked the concept of the Zero knuckle, and stealing the weapons of your enemies is actually pretty fun. However, the crafting system tied into this sucks. I had no interest in searching for recipes so I looked up everything online. Also, can I just point out how fucked up it is to remove chips from the game?
Let's talk about weather. This is basically just a glorified difficulty selector, but there really is no point in choosing the easier weather. I liked this system because it allowed bad players like me to finally access the powerful EX skills, but I understand the criticism from hardcore Zero fans who liked being rewarded for their S-ranks.
Level design is jank in some spots but that's to be expected at this point. What I did not expect was Craft, who turned out to be the hardest boss in the entire Zero series for me. You try fighting him without any subtanks, chips, or elves.
All and all, Zero 4 is not as good as Zero 3, but it's still a fitting end to Zero's character.
gotta replay to be completely sure
Foi uma decisão ousada fazer o último jogo da série o mais diferente da franquia, mas depois de três jogos bem parecidos, uma mudança na fórmula de Mega Man Zero foi um pouco de ar fresco, apesar de nem todas as mudanças que este jogo trouxe serem positivas.
A única arma alternativa deste jogo é a Zero Knuckle, que permite que você roube armas dos outros inimigos que encontra nas fases. É uma ideia boa, e permite uma variedade muito maior em como enfrentar chefes e inimigos mas... nenhuma das armas do jogo conseguem ser boas o suficiente para eu considerar usá-las no lugar do Z saber e do Buster, então eu praticamente só usei a Knuckle para cumprir Puzzles.
Os chips elementais estão ausentes pela primeira vez, porém os chefes ainda conservam suas fraquezas e resistências, o que é um incentivo maior a utilizar as Ex skills elementais que você adquire conseguindo altos ranks nas missões que, assim como MMZ3, eu fiz o possível para ter todas. Outra nova possibilidade é o sistema de clima, onde você pode jogar cada fase em uma versão fácil ou difícil, porém perdendo a chance de conseguir a ex skill do chefe da fase caso escolha a primeira opção.
O sistema de Cyber Elf foi inteiro retrabalhado: Agora você apenas tem uma elf principal, e conforme ela vai subindo de nível, você vai escolhendo habilidades novas. Por causa disso, o sistema de elf é muito menos personalizável e muito menos interessante que em seu anterior.
Os body chips agora não são mais itens escondidos nas fases: Você precisa construí-los utilizando chips que consegue ao vencer inimigos. Apesar de este jogo ter uma imensa quantidade de combinações possíveis e receitas de chips, ele também retorna com o grinding massante para conseguir as peças que você quer, algo que nunca foi divertido de se ter presente na série MMZ.
MMZ4 é um amontoado de ideias e mecânicas novas, algumas que funcionam bem, outras não, porém em um jogo com um level design ainda consistente, como é característico da série, e portanto, dificilmente seria uma má experiência.
A única arma alternativa deste jogo é a Zero Knuckle, que permite que você roube armas dos outros inimigos que encontra nas fases. É uma ideia boa, e permite uma variedade muito maior em como enfrentar chefes e inimigos mas... nenhuma das armas do jogo conseguem ser boas o suficiente para eu considerar usá-las no lugar do Z saber e do Buster, então eu praticamente só usei a Knuckle para cumprir Puzzles.
Os chips elementais estão ausentes pela primeira vez, porém os chefes ainda conservam suas fraquezas e resistências, o que é um incentivo maior a utilizar as Ex skills elementais que você adquire conseguindo altos ranks nas missões que, assim como MMZ3, eu fiz o possível para ter todas. Outra nova possibilidade é o sistema de clima, onde você pode jogar cada fase em uma versão fácil ou difícil, porém perdendo a chance de conseguir a ex skill do chefe da fase caso escolha a primeira opção.
O sistema de Cyber Elf foi inteiro retrabalhado: Agora você apenas tem uma elf principal, e conforme ela vai subindo de nível, você vai escolhendo habilidades novas. Por causa disso, o sistema de elf é muito menos personalizável e muito menos interessante que em seu anterior.
Os body chips agora não são mais itens escondidos nas fases: Você precisa construí-los utilizando chips que consegue ao vencer inimigos. Apesar de este jogo ter uma imensa quantidade de combinações possíveis e receitas de chips, ele também retorna com o grinding massante para conseguir as peças que você quer, algo que nunca foi divertido de se ter presente na série MMZ.
MMZ4 é um amontoado de ideias e mecânicas novas, algumas que funcionam bem, outras não, porém em um jogo com um level design ainda consistente, como é característico da série, e portanto, dificilmente seria uma má experiência.
... ... ... Megaman Zero 4... to live or die...? Hmm ..... ...
This is probably the MMZ game I have the most conflicted feelings over. 4 tries to set itself apart from previous entries a lot, and most of the time I just don't think it works out well.
The parts system is complicated enough to require a guide, the EX skills now have their elements tied directly to them which takes out a lot of potential application, the Elf system got completely reworked, and the Shield and Rod both got removed in place of... the pretty useless Z Knuckle. One new system I do think is cool though is the weather system, adding effectively a "hard mode" to the levels, which, even if it's not much, is appreciated for the bit of extra challenge. While I can respect the desire to stand out, I think this aspect of Zero 4 doesn't do it too many favors overall.
The level design of 4 is good, I'd say. It's better than 3's probably and more consistent than 1, but some levels I find to be pretty bland (Deep Sea, Hibernation Chamber, second half of Magnetic Field) though they're still enjoyable because you're playing as Zero of course it's fun. Bosses in Z4 are very not consistent however, sometimes they're the best the series has to offer like Fenri Lunaedge or Sol Titantion, and then other times you're fighting Mino Magnus or Heat Gemblem.
I don't really know how to wrap things up here, Zero 4 is still a Zero game so it's great but I just don't enjoy it as much as I do some of the previous games.
This is probably the MMZ game I have the most conflicted feelings over. 4 tries to set itself apart from previous entries a lot, and most of the time I just don't think it works out well.
The parts system is complicated enough to require a guide, the EX skills now have their elements tied directly to them which takes out a lot of potential application, the Elf system got completely reworked, and the Shield and Rod both got removed in place of... the pretty useless Z Knuckle. One new system I do think is cool though is the weather system, adding effectively a "hard mode" to the levels, which, even if it's not much, is appreciated for the bit of extra challenge. While I can respect the desire to stand out, I think this aspect of Zero 4 doesn't do it too many favors overall.
The level design of 4 is good, I'd say. It's better than 3's probably and more consistent than 1, but some levels I find to be pretty bland (Deep Sea, Hibernation Chamber, second half of Magnetic Field) though they're still enjoyable because you're playing as Zero of course it's fun. Bosses in Z4 are very not consistent however, sometimes they're the best the series has to offer like Fenri Lunaedge or Sol Titantion, and then other times you're fighting Mino Magnus or Heat Gemblem.
I don't really know how to wrap things up here, Zero 4 is still a Zero game so it's great but I just don't enjoy it as much as I do some of the previous games.