It’s interesting how divisive this one can be among the people who played it and the overall fanbase. Some love it, some don’t care too much about it, and some others hate it.
Originally, I was among the middle group, and it always felt somewhat weird in comparison to the other titles.
Now, upon this replay, to me, Mega Man 7 is fantastic, and it may be the Mega Man game I enjoy replaying the most. Maybe even more than Mega Man 2.
Musically speaking, it’s nothing too fancy (even with the killer tune that is the end credits song). Gameplay-wise, it’s pretty much what you would expect from the series, basically unchanged.
But, boy, this game shines with its visuals.
Yes, it’s nothing to write home about when you think about SNES graphics, and the smaller screen real estate, when compared to the previous titles for the NES, can take some getting used to it, but the art direction in this simply works. In my opinion, it’s the prettiest and most colourful of any classic Mega Man game, and its style is pretty much timeless.
The levels are super varied, with lots of fun gimmicks and enemies to face. It’s fun to look at from start to finish, and it’s even better when you get aware of every little detail that was put even to the smallest of things.
The gameplay is basically flawless, with superbly well-crafted levels, weapons that are useful and fun to use, and super fun boss battles that, even when fought against with their respective weaknesses, require you to learn an attack pattern, making each fight meaningful, even the ones on the easier side.
But where Mega Man 7 shines the most, in my opinion and experience, is in its replayability factor. The game has lots of small secrets that are fun to discover and always reward the player in some sort of way, with power-up items or secret boss fights. This encourages exploration and stage revisits that, in the end, will only make the player more experienced with it, and I think it’s amazing how a game can hand every tool to increase the player’s own ability in such an organic manner.
Also, the shop system was a godsend, and stocking bolts to buy energy refill tanks and extra lives can really affect how you face some of the final levels and bosses.
I originally played Mega Man 7 a couple of times some years ago, and I remember being obliterated by the final boss, especially when I played it through the second Mega Man Legacy Collection on Steam. Yeah, the thing is tough, remarkably infamous among the fanbase, and it is pretty much guaranteed that it will frustrate the hell out of you…
However, once you FINALLY get the hang of it, it may be one of, if not the best and most rewarding boss fight in the series.
Upon this replay, even with every energy refill item possible in my arsenal, I was a bit frightened to face this fight and, to my surprise… I’ve beaten it on my first try, without a single death!
This, to me, ultimately represents everything I pointed out above, and it’s what’s cemented Mega Man 7, now, as one of my absolute favourites in the entire franchise. Yes, some of its aspects can make it weird to get used to in the beginning, but at the moment you find even the smallest of determinations to dive into it, it will reward you with a fun, balanced and beautiful videogame experience.
Originally, I was among the middle group, and it always felt somewhat weird in comparison to the other titles.
Now, upon this replay, to me, Mega Man 7 is fantastic, and it may be the Mega Man game I enjoy replaying the most. Maybe even more than Mega Man 2.
Musically speaking, it’s nothing too fancy (even with the killer tune that is the end credits song). Gameplay-wise, it’s pretty much what you would expect from the series, basically unchanged.
But, boy, this game shines with its visuals.
Yes, it’s nothing to write home about when you think about SNES graphics, and the smaller screen real estate, when compared to the previous titles for the NES, can take some getting used to it, but the art direction in this simply works. In my opinion, it’s the prettiest and most colourful of any classic Mega Man game, and its style is pretty much timeless.
The levels are super varied, with lots of fun gimmicks and enemies to face. It’s fun to look at from start to finish, and it’s even better when you get aware of every little detail that was put even to the smallest of things.
The gameplay is basically flawless, with superbly well-crafted levels, weapons that are useful and fun to use, and super fun boss battles that, even when fought against with their respective weaknesses, require you to learn an attack pattern, making each fight meaningful, even the ones on the easier side.
But where Mega Man 7 shines the most, in my opinion and experience, is in its replayability factor. The game has lots of small secrets that are fun to discover and always reward the player in some sort of way, with power-up items or secret boss fights. This encourages exploration and stage revisits that, in the end, will only make the player more experienced with it, and I think it’s amazing how a game can hand every tool to increase the player’s own ability in such an organic manner.
Also, the shop system was a godsend, and stocking bolts to buy energy refill tanks and extra lives can really affect how you face some of the final levels and bosses.
I originally played Mega Man 7 a couple of times some years ago, and I remember being obliterated by the final boss, especially when I played it through the second Mega Man Legacy Collection on Steam. Yeah, the thing is tough, remarkably infamous among the fanbase, and it is pretty much guaranteed that it will frustrate the hell out of you…
However, once you FINALLY get the hang of it, it may be one of, if not the best and most rewarding boss fight in the series.
Upon this replay, even with every energy refill item possible in my arsenal, I was a bit frightened to face this fight and, to my surprise… I’ve beaten it on my first try, without a single death!
This, to me, ultimately represents everything I pointed out above, and it’s what’s cemented Mega Man 7, now, as one of my absolute favourites in the entire franchise. Yes, some of its aspects can make it weird to get used to in the beginning, but at the moment you find even the smallest of determinations to dive into it, it will reward you with a fun, balanced and beautiful videogame experience.