Mega Man Network Transmission

"This game SCREAMS Megaman, but does it have much else?"

Megaman: Network Transmission is the first Mega Man game released for the Gamecube. All of the elements contained in the game combine into a mixture of fun and enjoyment.

Story 8
This game takes place between Megaman: Battle Network 1 and 2. After the events of the first game come to a close. It is time for a nice break for our heroes Lan and Megaman. All of the sudden, people's Net Navis are operating out of control and there isn't anything that the operators can do. Now it is up to Mega Man and Lan to figure out what is causing the trouble and fix the problem.

The story, overall, is pretty good. Let's just say that those that are looking for stories on the epic scale like Final Fantasy or Xenosaga, you will be dissapointed. It gives you a reason for doing what you do throughout the game, and it is good enough to keep you somewhat interested. I mean, how many people played a Megaman game specifically for the plot anyways?

Gameplay 10
I would have given this a 9.5, but I can't do fractions. Basically, this is a mix between the NES/SNES Megaman games and the Battle Network series. Overall, the mixture works well. It gives those who have played Megaman for years on end something to reminisce about, but adds enough to the gameplay to make it feel new.

At the beginning, you are given several basic battle chips and a VERY weak buster gun. Don't worry because these can be upgraded with new chips and powerups as the game progresses. You run, jump, and slide your way through each level until the end. As for the difficulty, some people may have problems from what I heard, but I felt that the game overall was kind of easy. People say they say that it took them hours to get through the first two bosses, but it only took me at most three tries. I guess that if you love Megaman or any sidescroller for that matter, or have a great set of chips, then you will know the tricks of the trade to get through easily.

At the start of each stage, you have a choice of five battle chips. You choose those that you want and then the game begins! You can switch those out if you want after the custom gauge at the top of the screen fills up. The chips you choose can do one of many things such as: restore HP, shoot projectiles, or restore collapsed ground. The combinations are endless as to what you want to do. This is where I had to take the 1/2 a point off, however. There are times where it seems that you are never given the correct set of chips when you need them. This becomes a problem when your buster gun is very weak or you encounter an enemy which is resistant to a certain element.

Graphics 9
I rate this high because I am judging the graphics of the game as it is, not compared to games like Final Fantasy X or Halo. If that was the case, I would give it a 5 or something. Anyway, the graphics are 3-dimensional in a 2-dimensional plane. All of the character sprites are cell-shaded. The backgrounds fit the themes of the levels well.

One thing that needs improvement are the menus. While it may seem frivoulous to talk about something like this, it's important because you have to look at this quite often. The menu itself works great. You will not have any problems with them. The main problem is that the look of them are very bland. They look good in the beginning, but there is only so much you can get with different shades of light blue.

Sound/Music 10
This music is great! There is not one tune that I was not impressed with. The music has a techno feel to it, yet it all fits with the action and settings that are apparent in the level. Some fans of the games will notice that there are several remixes to the older Megaman games in some of the levels, such as Fireman and Pharohman. Some may have a harder time than others, so you must listen well.

Buy/Rent
I, personally, would recommend anyone to get this game immediately. But the decision would be mainly based on whether or not you like Megaman or not. If you are wishing for the classic gameplay in the mix of the newer thing out there, then this is the game for you. The music and the gameplay has that familiar Megaman feel to it, yet there is more variety to it. However, people who buys games based solely on polygon count, whine about difficulty, or other frivolous things, then you may want to pass. Also difficulty is a problem. Depending on who you are, you may take 2 or 20 tries on a boss. It is the fun kind of challenging, not the Megaman X6 challenging (cheap shots, places where you can get stuck, frustrating). The biggest problem is that after the game is beaten, there isn't anything else to do, except find more chips. This game can be beaten in 5-10 hours. The combination of music and gameplay would have you coming back sometime in the future for a good playing session. With a $35-40 pricetag, you do get your money's worth.

Pros:
Great Music, Fun Gameplay, good graphics

Cons:
Short, no extra modes.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/27/03, Updated 06/27/03