Either it's just a pure coincidence, or a sign of something certainly foreboding that the company this game got outsourced to (Minakuchi Engineering) just... disappeared off the face of the earth, right after X3 got released. Like, not even an official announcement of the company going defunct, or bankrupt. Did a murder happen we're not aware of? The game wasn't THAT mediocre, was it?
Unfortunately, maybe it was. Whilst X3 uses the same gameplay framework as the previous two games, thus retaining a solid sense of control... everything else surrounding this framework - everything new, that is - really just doesn't hold a candle to what the previous entries had to offer. The level design is some real by the numbers shit, coupled with visuals that I struggle to remember anything about. The only exception is the snow level, which had the one song that doesn't over-rely on the electric guitar sound (though the song that plays at Dr. Cain's Lab was a pretty alright use of it), and its visuals stuck out to me amongst all the uninspired futuristic theming that permeates the rest of the game. The bosses are no fun to fight at all, some of which take too long even with their weakness, and my god, don't even get me started on the final boss, that one can fuck offffffffff.
Even as X3 attempts to introduce some interesting new concepts into the series, it handles them in such an unexciting in-the-background way, it makes you wonder why they even bothered. Do you want the ability to summon Zero as a playable character? Oh boy, do I! Sadly, Zero has never learned how to open a door, so as soon as you reach a boss, or even a mini-boss, he has to dip out and cannot be summoned again until the next stage, presumably due to his humilation at the hands of a door.
And apparently he's got the most powerful charge move in the game too. But if I'm only allowed to engage regular fodder with him, do you think it's surprising that I've never actually seen this move with my own eyes? Because what's the point? X is already more than capable of handling the mooks by himself. The bosses are like, the one case scenario where it'd actually help to have Zero around, but the game won't let you fight bosses with him. So, as a result, Zero just sits there, in the menu, literally never, ever used.
And then there's X3 attempting to expand on the variety of ridable mechs you can utilize, up to 4 different types, and it's like... whoooo, this one hits harder, and this one can be utilized underwater, this one flies, and... every single one of them, I could only find use under very situational scenarios, mainly just to grab some collectibles. Then I never use them again. I guess they're helpful if you're looking for some extra defense, but if that means having to spend a large majority of the game riding around in these huge clunky beasts, I think I'd rather just risk it and stick with X.
I've played both the SNES & PS1 port of X3. If I were to give a recommendation, I'd say stick to SNES. The PS1 port does have some pretty neat FMV animations, I especially enjoyed that every boss intro was replaced with unique cinematics. However, the game is identical to the SNES counterpart otherwise, with not a single visual improvement, and a CD audio soundtrack that's even weaker than the already kinda weak SNES OST. Plus, there's loading screens. I think you could just check the FMV's out on YouTube. Maybe even just check the whole game out on YouTube. I just realized that might be a better idea than having to play it in any form. I mean, again, it's not THAT horrible, but it is one of those games where the lack of soul is almost infuriating to behold. Sometimes it's okay, and then you have to fight the bosses, and it's... not. It's not even okay. Ah well, at least Mega Man X4 gets things back on track. Briefly.
On a final note, I'm still thinking about the baffling bombshell that X3's ending narration just drops on the player. Like, it just outright spoils that someone's going to get killed in a later game, while simultaneously providing no context or explanation for why such a thing would happen at all. Why did they do that??? Was the writer trying to hint at something else? Wait, maybe a murder DID happen at Minakuchi Engineering.....
Unfortunately, maybe it was. Whilst X3 uses the same gameplay framework as the previous two games, thus retaining a solid sense of control... everything else surrounding this framework - everything new, that is - really just doesn't hold a candle to what the previous entries had to offer. The level design is some real by the numbers shit, coupled with visuals that I struggle to remember anything about. The only exception is the snow level, which had the one song that doesn't over-rely on the electric guitar sound (though the song that plays at Dr. Cain's Lab was a pretty alright use of it), and its visuals stuck out to me amongst all the uninspired futuristic theming that permeates the rest of the game. The bosses are no fun to fight at all, some of which take too long even with their weakness, and my god, don't even get me started on the final boss, that one can fuck offffffffff.
Even as X3 attempts to introduce some interesting new concepts into the series, it handles them in such an unexciting in-the-background way, it makes you wonder why they even bothered. Do you want the ability to summon Zero as a playable character? Oh boy, do I! Sadly, Zero has never learned how to open a door, so as soon as you reach a boss, or even a mini-boss, he has to dip out and cannot be summoned again until the next stage, presumably due to his humilation at the hands of a door.
And apparently he's got the most powerful charge move in the game too. But if I'm only allowed to engage regular fodder with him, do you think it's surprising that I've never actually seen this move with my own eyes? Because what's the point? X is already more than capable of handling the mooks by himself. The bosses are like, the one case scenario where it'd actually help to have Zero around, but the game won't let you fight bosses with him. So, as a result, Zero just sits there, in the menu, literally never, ever used.
And then there's X3 attempting to expand on the variety of ridable mechs you can utilize, up to 4 different types, and it's like... whoooo, this one hits harder, and this one can be utilized underwater, this one flies, and... every single one of them, I could only find use under very situational scenarios, mainly just to grab some collectibles. Then I never use them again. I guess they're helpful if you're looking for some extra defense, but if that means having to spend a large majority of the game riding around in these huge clunky beasts, I think I'd rather just risk it and stick with X.
I've played both the SNES & PS1 port of X3. If I were to give a recommendation, I'd say stick to SNES. The PS1 port does have some pretty neat FMV animations, I especially enjoyed that every boss intro was replaced with unique cinematics. However, the game is identical to the SNES counterpart otherwise, with not a single visual improvement, and a CD audio soundtrack that's even weaker than the already kinda weak SNES OST. Plus, there's loading screens. I think you could just check the FMV's out on YouTube. Maybe even just check the whole game out on YouTube. I just realized that might be a better idea than having to play it in any form. I mean, again, it's not THAT horrible, but it is one of those games where the lack of soul is almost infuriating to behold. Sometimes it's okay, and then you have to fight the bosses, and it's... not. It's not even okay. Ah well, at least Mega Man X4 gets things back on track. Briefly.
On a final note, I'm still thinking about the baffling bombshell that X3's ending narration just drops on the player. Like, it just outright spoils that someone's going to get killed in a later game, while simultaneously providing no context or explanation for why such a thing would happen at all. Why did they do that??? Was the writer trying to hint at something else? Wait, maybe a murder DID happen at Minakuchi Engineering.....