Mega Man ZX Advent For DS

Mega Man ZX Advent appears, on the outside, to be a yet another Capcom rehash. After all, it's a sequel to a game released not too long ago, built on an identical engine, with like gameplay mechanics and objectives. But after playing the title for only a few minutes, it quickly becomes clear that there's something special about this game. Coming off of the heels of Mega Man ZX, an old-school inspired action/RPG hybrid, Mega Man ZX Advent not only improves on the formula that made the first game a success, but finds a nook for itself amongst hardcore followers and casual gamers alike. Ultimately, Mega Man ZX Advent is a fun, stylized game that's both accessible and challenging.

For those who haven't played the original game in the series, Mega Man ZX, the premise is somewhat similar to what you'll find in Advent. While in the original ZX, you had the choice between playing the game as one of two characters (named Vent and Aile), in ZX Advent, your two choices are between a male protagonist named Grey, and a female protagonist named Ashe. The differences between the two characters are actually fairly significant, since Grey's attacks are weaker, but faster-flowing, while Ashe can attack with more powerful bursts that are slower out of her blaster. Choosing either character will only change the beginning sequence of the game, as well as some other in-game dialogue and details, but the quests remain relatively identical. Gamers who take to ZX Advent will find plenty of reasons to play through with both characters, however. While the differences can be at times rather miniscule, there are inherent differences when you're dealing with a stronger, slower shooting character rather than a weaker, faster shooting character, and vice-versa.

The storyline is also similar -- if not identical -- to the previous game's, though story-driven gameplay isn't exactly at the heart of what Mega Man ZX Advent is trying to accomplish. Essentially, as humanoids, Grey and Ashe are thrust into the world of super-powerful Mega Men, who actively resist the aggressions of the out-of-control Reploids and Mavericks. Your character will become a "Hunter" at the beginning of the game, as well as a Mega Man in his or her own right, and with the power of objects known as Biometals, you'll be able to take various forms and assimilate fallen enemy powers. When you defeat a boss enemy, you don't only get his powers, but you have the option of turning into that character. This is something fairly new in any Mega Man games, since various spinoffs have always been about assimilating enemy abilities. But now, you'll turn directly into that enemy. This is pretty nifty, since each enemy has a different feel. None of them control like Ashe or Grey in their humanoid or Mega Men forms, and learning how to handle each character is actually a lot of fun. 

Advent is laid out in one gigantic, open environment, though the vastness and openness of the environment can be sadly deceiving. This is simply because until you've unlocked a variety of boss abilities, which will grant you access to various parts of the gigantic map, the more linear nature of the game is downplayed by a facade of open-endedness. In the beginning, and for a great deal of the game, things simply must be done in a certain order. There's no getting around that. However, it's the mixture of action and RPG elements that give this game its hybrid feel.



The game plays very much like the early Mega Man X games on the SNES. You can kick off of walls, fire your blaster with regular or charged shots, and can collect a plethora of optional items and equipment. Therefore, traversing many of the environments you originally played through in hindsight to get what you missed the first time around is a necessity, and a fairly pleasurable one at that. While you may have busted through Chronoforce's area, for instance, slaying the boss and assimilating his powers, you probably didn't get everything there is to get there. A stray Sub-Tank might be lying about, or a data disc might have been missed.

Issues gamers had with Mega Man ZX have been cleaned up with ZX Advent, namely the poor map system on the touch screen and the lack of voice acting. Mega Man ZX's map system was convoluted and difficult to navigate in the past game, while in ZX Advent, it's more intuitive. You can drag the map around with your stylus to see certain parts of it, and click on various rooms and areas to transport yourself there (if applicable in-game). On the voice acting front, well… there's good news. Many will remember the Stateside release of Mega Man ZX, and how it lacked voice acting of any kind (while the Japanese version had a myriad of voice tracks). That's all changed with ZX Advent. The game is chock-full of voice acting, and while the quality isn't the greatest, it certainly increases the experience.

Closing Comments

Mega Man ZX Advent will appeal to a lot of Nintendo DS owners -- especially those who played and enjoyed the first title. It's a fairly long and deep experience, though it's by no means a perfect game. However, the good certainly outweighs the bad, and we can't help but recommend this game as a result. It's got a great feel to it, successfully melding together many different genres into an enjoyable gaming experience. Give it a go and see for yourself. It's a game that feels like Mega Man X with an environment more akin to a handheld Castlevania title. There's nothing wrong with that. Add in two playable characters, a load of optional collectables, and a great environment, and you got yourself a rock solid game.

Source:http://ds.ign.com