Timstuff
Avenger
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2004
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The last Megaman game that I was really into was one of the X games on the Playstation. After that, the series really started going down hill for me. Sure, there were some good games for the DS, but I don't have a DS and that's not really the kind of treatment I feel the franchise is due for.
So what happened? Basically, from what I can tell Capcom milked the franchise for all it was worth without doing very much to keep things fresh, which is unfortunately the fate of all too many classic franchises that get done to death. They milked and milked and milked, until the sacred cow's udders were running dry. They tried "updating" the franchise with the Battle Network series, but anyone who was a fan of the original games knows that those were pretty much Megaman in name only. If you were craving a modernized Megaman franchise, then that was not what you were looking for in the least.
So what are Capcom's options at this point? Well, I know some people are going to crucify me for saying this, but I think the Megaman franchise boils down to a couple of key elements: running, jumping, shooting, boss battles, power ups. In this day and age of 3D, Megaman has shown himself through several failed efforts on Capcom's part to translate into 3D, and it's because Megaman's traditional gameplay does not translate well into 3D. They've done several "2.5D" games that have had 3D graphics with 2D gameplay, but none of those have gotten much attention in comparison to the older, 2D games. So that really leaves Capcom with two options, IMO.
The first option would be to embrace the "shooterness" of Megaman, and hand it over to the Lost Planet developer. I know some people are going to hate this idea, but if you want to make a Megaman game that works in 3D, you're going to have to embrace some changes. By turning the game into a third person shooter,, you can come up with a more refined gameplay experience that still captures the essence of what made the older games fun: blowing enemies up and collecting new weapons. There'd still be enough room for some simple platforming elements, but the focus would be on moving through pretty environments while shooting enemy robots.
The other option, would be to stick with the "2.5D" concept, and try to bring it into the next generation. Most people aren't very interested in paying full price for these types of games, but if Capcom were to make a really high quality one and offer it on PSN and Xbox Live, I think people would go gaga for it, much like they did for Bionic Commando Rearmed. And on that topic, I don't see why Capcom shouldn't try both of these approaches. For a meaty, next-gen Megaman experience, they can offer a full-out Megaman third person shooter, and for the classic, tried-and-true Megaman formula they can offer a 2.5D game to buy over the internet. Even if your not a fan of the new 3D gameplay formula (yet), you can still sink your teeth into a great 2D Megaman game for only $10.
Also, while I don't mean to put Megaman's story on some kind of pedestal, I think it's high time Capcom just rebooted the whole thing. Over the years, the stories keep getting more and more convoluted, as do the enemies. There is no semblance of a real ongoing narrative for the franchise anymore anyway, so they might as well just hit the reset button and say "this is the story that we intend to build the next few games on" and be done with it.
So what happened? Basically, from what I can tell Capcom milked the franchise for all it was worth without doing very much to keep things fresh, which is unfortunately the fate of all too many classic franchises that get done to death. They milked and milked and milked, until the sacred cow's udders were running dry. They tried "updating" the franchise with the Battle Network series, but anyone who was a fan of the original games knows that those were pretty much Megaman in name only. If you were craving a modernized Megaman franchise, then that was not what you were looking for in the least.
So what are Capcom's options at this point? Well, I know some people are going to crucify me for saying this, but I think the Megaman franchise boils down to a couple of key elements: running, jumping, shooting, boss battles, power ups. In this day and age of 3D, Megaman has shown himself through several failed efforts on Capcom's part to translate into 3D, and it's because Megaman's traditional gameplay does not translate well into 3D. They've done several "2.5D" games that have had 3D graphics with 2D gameplay, but none of those have gotten much attention in comparison to the older, 2D games. So that really leaves Capcom with two options, IMO.
The first option would be to embrace the "shooterness" of Megaman, and hand it over to the Lost Planet developer. I know some people are going to hate this idea, but if you want to make a Megaman game that works in 3D, you're going to have to embrace some changes. By turning the game into a third person shooter,, you can come up with a more refined gameplay experience that still captures the essence of what made the older games fun: blowing enemies up and collecting new weapons. There'd still be enough room for some simple platforming elements, but the focus would be on moving through pretty environments while shooting enemy robots.
The other option, would be to stick with the "2.5D" concept, and try to bring it into the next generation. Most people aren't very interested in paying full price for these types of games, but if Capcom were to make a really high quality one and offer it on PSN and Xbox Live, I think people would go gaga for it, much like they did for Bionic Commando Rearmed. And on that topic, I don't see why Capcom shouldn't try both of these approaches. For a meaty, next-gen Megaman experience, they can offer a full-out Megaman third person shooter, and for the classic, tried-and-true Megaman formula they can offer a 2.5D game to buy over the internet. Even if your not a fan of the new 3D gameplay formula (yet), you can still sink your teeth into a great 2D Megaman game for only $10.
Also, while I don't mean to put Megaman's story on some kind of pedestal, I think it's high time Capcom just rebooted the whole thing. Over the years, the stories keep getting more and more convoluted, as do the enemies. There is no semblance of a real ongoing narrative for the franchise anymore anyway, so they might as well just hit the reset button and say "this is the story that we intend to build the next few games on" and be done with it.
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