Mega Man X5

"X5, Wicked game!, but not without some flaws"

I've been going around and seeing what people have been saying about Rockman X5 so far. I thought some were ignorant, or just missing stuff. So now it's my turn =P. For the record, I am capable of reading Japanese enough to follow the game half-decently, but I am not fluent.
Rockman X5 has a number of new features for both X and Zero. What I thought was the best was Option Parts! Yes, there are 16 Optional Equipment pieces that can be obtained. X and Zero can each hold only a limited number of option parts, so choose wisely (some are customized for X or Zero only). It's kinda like an RPG equip system. Another cool feature is that X keeps his X4 armor, but only if you play the intro level with X. If you play the intro level with Zero, you do not get the X4 Force Armor, and you get the Z-Buster instead, which I find useless and never use (doesn't charge and can only be fired while standing up straight and still.) X has 3 sets of armor total to choose from this time; Force, Falcon, and Gaia Armors (these are explained in the instruction booklet). Zero still has Hyenkyaku from X4, and seems to have Tenkuuha too (doesn't work on all incoming fire though), but that's about it. A really cool move that Zero has that you start with too is a quick spin slash. Slash once normally, and then press the direction opposite you're facing while in mid slash and you'll spin around and attack behind you in the blink of an eye. Fun stuff to start off with (Remember in X1 when you couldn't even dash in the intro stage?)
Unlike X4, they actually managed to make X strong this time. I never beat X4 with X, though I zipped through it with ease when using Zero (Zero Rooocks!). So that adds some balance to the game that X4 lacked. You can switch between X and Zero per stage, and you can even have Zero get the capsules for X. You do not get parts of armor equipped as you get them, you need the whole set before the armor is donned. There are a few more secrets than the previous X games, but other than the option parts, it's still your standard gear that you'd expect from an X game. Oh, I can't believe I forgot, YOU CAN DUCK! There's a first.
X5's Story has the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good is that it picks up with great continuity to X4, taking place in a time where everyone is still recovering from the Repliforce war's damage. Repliforce is part of your team this time. The threat, a massive space colony called ''Yuureishia'' that's been attacked and is now falling to earth. Its impact will cause the extinction of both human and repliroid races alike (note that repliroid is not a typo, that is the true Japanese spelling). Your team is made up of Alia: your contact with the Hunter base at all times (she's always giving you info as you go through the levels), Signas: the new Colonel of Repliforce, Doglas: the mechanic, and LifeSaver (whose role is minor). The game is played through in mission style. Your overall mission is to gather parts for the Laser Cannon ''Enigma'', but 4 Irregulars (Mavericks U.S.) are holding parts for it. You have to get them back. You can fire the laser any time you want though, even if you don't have the parts. Doglas can give you the status of the laser before going for any of the parts. This option makes for a non-linear story later. There is also the time limit touch. I've gotten two endings so far, still checking for more (I have to intentionally screw up to get them though LOL).
The bad in the story is that they threw in this one character that seems to have little plot relevance. However, he is a smart-ass and is good comic relief. This is the guy you see at the beginning of the game and is responsible for the disaster at hand. Then the ugly is that the game has no anime cut scenes, it's just stills w/text. I want to kill the director of this game, because he's lazy. The only anime scene is the intro, which is mostly made of stills again anyways (the most animation is Zero opening his eye, excluding the two CG bits). The music is cool though, perfect touch, J-Rock for Rockman X. I've heard some people complaining about the music, but whatever, to each their own taste, I thought it was very fitting. The rest of the game is loaded with the classic Capcom feel of music, except some of the levels are using recycled music (Tidal Maccoin and Spike RedRose use Bubble Crab and Web Spider music (respectively), and those aren't the only ones). The battle music wasn't great though, until you're done with the Irregulars. Oh, there is one good thing though about no anime cut scenes though, the game will not suffer as an English Dud…I'm sorry, I mean Dub (same thing considering the quality of it >.<), like X4 did rather badly (what drugs were they on selecting General's dubbed voice (among others)? X.x).
Difficulty and speed are controllable in options, and Irregulars strength level increases gradually as you progress. Their level is indicated at the bottom of their life bar. So the fights get progressively more difficult, though the levels seem more challenging than the bosses sometimes. They may have overdone it on the continue points, but the levels are really good. New weapons, they're pretty good. Zero can move much like in X4, with some attacks turned upside down, Zero loyalists like myself will have no trouble using him. X has gotten a ton of new stuff that may take some getting used to. X's diversity is great but is applied in limited doses, let's say.
So what revelations can be expected in X5? Much like in X4, the focus is on Zero, which should be little or no surprise, and I'm wondering if there's going to be a repeat of an earlier segment in the series should there be an X6 (I'd get into details but it is the epitome of a spoiler). Some of the turn of events may be unexpected, and also expect cases of Déjà vu for those of you that are the long-term fans even back to the original Rockman. X5 is good stuff for the hardcore; buy it! But not for newbies to the series, they should get X4 first, preferably even further back (preferably get a full damn recap!)

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/12/01, Updated 01/12/01