Mega Man Battle Network

"A very addictive RPG"

I was on vacation a year ago, and my parents had to stop at Wal-Mart to pick up some sodas and food. I was just taking a look at the video games, when Mega Man Battle Network caught my eye. I had just beaten Mega Man Network Transmission about a month earlier, and I wanted to try Battle Network. I never saw it anywhere (it was over 2 years old at the time), so I bought it. We were set to keep going, and this game kept me entertained for the rest of the trip.

Graphics - 8/10
The graphics are pretty good, considering that this was an early GameBoy Advance game. Mega Man looks good in and out of battle. The "Internet" environments look nice. They are giant mazes with some nice background colors. The town that Lan lives in is colorful. Everything stands out and is nicely detailed. The battles look sweet, too. The enemies look cool, and their attacks are nice.

Sound and Music - 7/10
The music in this game is strictly average. The music that you hear in the town is basic music. It's a bit catchy, though. The battle music and Internet music are pretty much forgettable. They're decent, though. I liked the battle music a bit.

The sounds in this game are solid. I like the sound that you hear, when Mega Man blasts something. It's satisfying to hear. The other attacks sound good, also.

Story - 7/10
In 20xx...
... the rapid advance of Internet technology has created the "network age." Everyone now carries a portable exploration device called "PET." This personal terminal is an advanced personal digital assistant. Using it, you can make phone calls, send and receive emails, keep a calendar, store data, shop online and check news from around the world. PET is so convenient and helpful that it has become essential for everyday life!
Every PET uses a personality simulation program called Net Navi. By customizing your PET's Navi program, you can give your Net Navi a unique personality - and even talk to it! But as the network world expands, network crime is raging. Hacking and computer virus epidemics have become major issues. At the top of the criminal list is a mysterious organization called "WWW" (World Three), a group of incorrigible computer hooligans.
To protect their PETs, people have begun installing Battle Chips - special chips encoded with battle programs. When you insert a Battle Chip, you can arm your PET to fight off viruses and hackers. This is called "virus busting" and has become so important that it is now taught in schools.
Lan is a fifth grade student. His Net Navi is Mega Man.EXE. Lan and Mega Man.EXE are both extremely skilled computer operators.
In the world of virus busting, Lan and Mega Man.EXE are about to meet their match...

It's a good story for a Mega Man game, but it's average for a RPG.

Controls - 9/10
The controls in Battle Network are fairly simple. You move around a grid with squares. You move from square to square quickly and responsively. The "B" button shoots the Mega Buster, your normal weapon. The "A" button uses your special chip weapon. You can select five chips at once. Eventually a bar will load, and you can press "L" or "R" to choose from your other chips.

Gameplay - 8/10
The game is very addictive, but it can get repetitive later in the game. As a kid named Lan, you must help the world by having Mega Man go into computers, appliances, and other electronic things. Once you're in, you must search the place for a problem or some special items.

You'll eventually fight some battles. They are extremely fun. You fight on a grid with 18 squares. You can only step on nine of them, and you enemies can only step on the other nine. You can defeat enemies by using your normal weapon or using special chips that give you special abilities. You can only use five chips at once, but you can use more, once your turn is up. The battle system is very fun and addictive.Although you might have wanted classic Mega Man platforming action, this is truly a good game.

Replay Value - 5/10
After you beat the game, you can collect more of the many chips. There's also some secret areas and hidden bosses for you to find.

Overall - 8/10
It's a fun game, but it's a little on the short side. You won't be able to put the game down, because it's so addictive.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/05/04