Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue

"Still great, but lacks a little charm"

Chances are, if you are reading this, that you have played the other Battle Network games and are wondering if this is worth playing as well. If you haven't played this game, then what I have to say is the same: Battle Network 3: Blue version is a great game that does a good job of continuing the series. However, there are many things in this game that get to be annoying and can really frustrate anyone playing it.

Story: 7.5/10: The story in this game is okay. It is enough to keep someone interested, but it isn't anything special. In this game, you are a boy named Lan who has saved the world many times from the evils of internet crime. Everyone in this game's "World" owns a PET, which is like an advanced cell phone, that has an A/I program called a Net Navigator (or Net Navi). Net Navi's fight viruses in computers and explore the net for their owners. In this game, Lan and his Navi, Megaman.EXE, battle another net-crime organization to save the world. Although it may sound really boring and stupid, it isn't a bad story and does keep the player interested.

Graphics: 9/10 - The graphics in this game are very crisp and clear. The colors are bright and really stick out to make this a great looking game.

Sound: 7/10 - There is nothing very special about the sound. The noise while text is moving can get very annoying, and the music is forgettable, but is isn't extremely horrible.

Gameplay:8.5/10: - I really want give this an 11/10, because the battling in this game is so terribly addictive and fun. You battle viruses on a grid and use chips that you win from other viruses to destroy your opponents. Collecting your favorite chips and using them is very fun, but it is a bit annoying that you can only have up to 4 of any chip in your folder, and that you can only have 5 Mega Chips and 1 Giga Chip in you folder as well. Still, battling is the best thing about this game.
The main reason I cannot give this game full praise is the story flow. As the story flows, you will find yourself going to different places, meeting new people, and fighting different bosses.
That isn't a bad thing, but the main problem is that you are everyone's DAMN CHORE BOY in this game. You are always running stupid errands for people and going on stupid little missions.
It really bogs you down because it is so constant, and you have to do them. To add to that, Capcom made it almost impossible to navigate in Battle Network 3. The game switches between the internet and the real world very often. This is kinda cool, and doesn't get annoying in itself. The problem is that the clues people give you to get something for them or to achieve a goal are sometimes impossible to find. The detail you are forced to pay attention to is extremely unfair. One missed detail can leave you stumped forever. This annoyance can ruin the game for someone, as it almost did for me. I had to buy the strategy guide to get past one tiny part. I am not sure if anyone can beat this game without the strategy guide.

Replay: Moderate - This game is terribly addictive, and will keep you playing for a long time, assuming that the incredible navigational difficulty doesn't ruin the game for you.

Overall: 8.5/10 - If I scared you away from this game, let me rephrase: this is still a great game, but you have to be very clever and willing to invest time to truly love this game. Also, buying the strategy guide is a good way to navigate the treacherous shark - infested waters that are this game's puzzles. Megaman Battle Network 3: Blue version is a great game, but fans of the series (like me) may be dissapointed with what is there, compared to the earlier installments of this series.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/17/04