Box Art
Game: Megaman X8
First Released: December 7, 2004, Playstation 2
Developers: Capcom
Platforms: Playstation 2, PC
Rated: E, for Violence
First Released: December 7, 2004, Playstation 2
Developers: Capcom
Platforms: Playstation 2, PC
Rated: E, for Violence
How I Came To Play This Game
The First Boss
Unlike my story for the first six Megaman X games, the story on how I got this game isn't as exciting. I originally played this game on my brothers Playstation 2 and used his copy of the game. I beat it too. However, back then I didn't have a Playstation 2. Now I do, so I decided to quickly buy copies of Megaman X7 and Megaman X8 so that I could include them in my Megaman game marathon.
Story
In 21XX, humanity has grown weary of Reploids becoming Maverick and their endless rebellions. Thanks to new technology, humans began migrations to the Moon with the "Jakob Project". As part of the project, the Jakob Orbital Elevator was built in the Galápagos Islands, and a highly advanced new generation of Reploids have been created to work on the Moon's surface. However, Vile captured the Reploid in charge of the Jakob Project, Lumine, and several Maverick attacks break out around the world. The Maverick Hunters have to fight against the Mavericks while trying to locate Lumine. After defeating the Mavericks, it's discovered that Sigma was behind the attacks, and he was with Vile and Lumine on the Moon. His plan was to destroy the old Earth to create a new world with "his children," the New Generation Reploids. X, Zero and Axl head to the moon and destroyed Sigma once again, but after Sigma's defeat, Lumine appears to destroy them saying that Sigma's legacy lives on in the New Generation Reploids. After a difficult fight, Lumine was defeated, but not before striking Axl's helmet crystal and rendering him unconscious. On the trip back, X and Zero ponder the nature of Reploid evolution and Sigma's final death while Axl's crystal gives a faint ominous glow. In the end, Lumine's death and the news of him becoming Maverick had reached the ears of those in power, and decided that all production of Copy Chips be halted. However, the production of the disputed chips resumed many years later due to the increasing need for advanced Reploids in their quest for space development, despite the advice of those who have studied the history of the Copy Chips and their serious consequences.
Mavericks
Avalanche Yeti, Earthrock Trilobyte, Burn Rooster, Bamboo Pandemonium, Gigabolt Man-O-War, Optic Sunflower, Gravity Antonion, and Dark Mantis.
Review
They finally got the gameplay right with this one. The graphics were still 3D but the gameplay was just like the normal Megaman X games. No more unresponsive controls, confusing depth perception, ridiculous layouts, or unbeatable bosses. This game made the grade. The gameplay is still the same like it normally is in Megaman games. Like in Megaman X7, you pick two characters to play as and can switch them at will. However, if one character dies, the other character takes over. The dead character goes into a resting period before he can be played again. Also, the two characters can be used to help the other escape if he is grabbed. The coolest thing is that you can perform double attacks that involve the two characters repeatedly attacking the target together. There is a chip development store where you can use metals you find in stages to make upgrades for the characters. This is cool since a shop was never seen in a Megaman game since Megaman 10. On Earthrock Trilobyte's stage, you can fight a robot that keeps dropping 50 metals if you hit him enough. Just use Axl's gun to farm tons of them, then at the end of the stage, die and do it again. Vile also makes another appearance as a boss that you fight on many ocasions. The final boss was cool because of his move Pradise Lost, where the screen continues to become darker and darker until it it pitch black when you are instantly killed. The only minor complaint I had with this game was that it took a while to get used to. I was used to the physics of Megaman X7, but Megaman X8 requires a quicker reaction and faster movements. I kept dying simply because I didn't know the controls were so fluent.
Releases
Megaman X8 was first released for the Playstation 2 in 2004. Then it was ported to the PC in 2006.
My Rating
I give this game a 10/10. They final were able to get the gameplay right with this game. They fixed all of the problems in the previous one.