Mega Man Battle Network 2

"Widely regarded as the best in the series."

Introduction

Today I will be reviewing Megaman Battle Network 2 for the Gameboy Advance. It was released in the summer of 2002, and has helped spawn 4 more sequels in the Battle Network franchise. Widely regarded as the best in the series, in competition with Battle Network 3, this game contains a great mix of story and gameplay that any Megaman fan who isn't stuck in the past and gives them a chance can surely get some enjoyment out of.

Gameplay

The Battle Network games are, basically, Action RPGs, though they don't follow the normal grinding RPG formula, which is a blessing to all of us. They use 2 different gameplay modes, the first being out-of-battle. In this mode you control Lan, Megaman's human counterpart, and interact with people and object in the real world by pressing "A". Most of these parts involve a standard "talk to certain people to activate certain events" system. You are given an objective and must interact with the right people or things to progress the story, and while it may sound boring, it never really feels repetitive because there is a nice mix of action to break it all up. Besides controlling Lan, you can have him "Jack In" to a computer or machine, then you take control of Megaman, who can traverse the cyberworld or "Net", and destroy malicious viruses infecting said machines. It is basically the same system as when controlling Lan, except now you have the possibility of random battles. Yes, the dreaded random battle is one standard RPG element that remained, unfortunately.

That seems like a good cue to get onto the second gameplay element: in-battle. Battles in the game take place on 3 x 6 grids, to which you own half. On your half, you can manipulate Megaman's position to your liking (but may be restricted due to lost panels from an enemy attack). You enemy gets the other half, and you must "Netbattle" with it using Battlechips. What are Battlechips, you say? Well, hold it for a second, I'm getting to it! Your enemy and you each have a set amount of health, and when one of yours reaches zero, the battle is over. Now, Battlechips are what you use to damage the enemy (in conjunction with your "Megabuster"). You get 5 of them from your folder of 30 at the beginning of the battle, and will always have them refilled to 5 at the start of each turn. The enemies will often appear in groups unless they are a boss, so it is advisable to use your Battlechips wisely. I find this system to be very easy to use, easy to get the hang of, and just all around fun.

Story

You play as Lan, a 10 year-old boy who is a natural at Netbattling. Lan's father is a world renowned scientist, and the creator of NetNavis (Megaman is an example of one). In this game, Lan and his friends Dex, Mayl and Yai are unassuming kids who rise up to face the threat of the evil organization Gospel, and they do so by defeating the viruses and NetNavis of the members of Gospel. It's nothing special from a glance, but once you get into the game and perhaps play some others in the series you will realize all the little quirks that make the characters themselves quite unique, even if their role is cookie-cutter.

Graphics/Sound

The graphics are average out-of-battle, by no means bad, but kind of bland in the first 3 games in the series. In-battle, however, they are drastically different and feature detailed character models and great attack animations, especially when it comes to the Boss's Battlechip attacks, which you gain after defeating them. I am not a fan of handheld video game music, I find it distracting and annoying and never turn it on, so I apologize for not including that in this review.

Replayability

I have played the all 6 of the Battle Network games over countless times and am a huge fan of the series, so I may be a bit biased, but I found them very appealing for a replay, as they have an enjoyable battle system and a story that still keeps you interested even the 3rd or 4th time going though it. The main game should take about 15 hours if you are good at this kind of game, so it is nice to pick up for a play-through once in awhile without too big a commitment, plus it's portable to you can do it wherever.

Final Recommendation

In closing, Megaman Battle Network 2 is a great addition to an awesome series, and can be picked up used for around $10-15, so what are you waiting for? Pick this game up and who knows, you might become addicted to this series just like I am. I think it's one of the best game series on the Gameboy, and there are 6 good to great games in the series just waiting to be discovered. Ignore the naysayers and give it a go for yourself, or else you're really missing out on something fun that will last a long time.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/11/08

Game Release: Mega Man Battle Network 2 (US, 06/17/02)