Mega Man Battle Network 4 Blue Moon

"The Bomber Blows Up in his Latest Battle Network Adventure"

“Megaman Battle Network 4: Blue Moon” Review

Introduction:

Once again, Capcom has proved that they can time and time again recycle a vast amount of material from previous games and combine it with some very small enhancements to create a “new” game. Just like most of the other Battle Network games, very little has changed from the previous installment; just enough for Capcom to slap a new number on it and charge more money. Although I will say that this game is still worth playing and kept me addicted until I beat it, I was very disappointed with many of the “enhancements” added to this installment.

Graphics: 9/10

One of the few new things in this game is the layout of the graphics. The graphics are presented with high-resolution sprites, which look very good and fit the game well. The scale has also been changed; the characters and objects are smaller than before, but it allows for a larger viewing area. Also, after 3 previous games, Capcom finally changed the layout of the places you visit, which was much needed. My only complaint is that there is still little change in the presentation of the characters or environments.

Story: 5/10

A fairly elementary story; its actually quite dull. Just like before, the year is 21XX, you play as Lan and Megaman, and the Internet is the pillar of society. Lan and Megaman battle viruses on the net and fight net criminals of course, there are a few more details and the overall elements are very predictable. The one thing I can say I was pleased with was that unlike the previous Battle Network games, this one is more wrapped around tournaments, which was a nice change from the dominant “the world is on the brink of disaster and there's no time to waste” scenario.

Still, the story and overall experience in the tournaments is repetitive, and often has little to do with the game. In the tournaments, you will often find yourself doing side quests and mini games that are completely unimaginative and frustrating. Capcom can do much better.

Replay Value: 6/10

This was by far the hardest category to score. There are two main things that impact the replay department: The battling and collecting, and the flow of the game. Just the want to collect chips and use them is enough to keep you hooked to this game until you beat it. You will have withdrawal symptoms if you put this game down, in the beginning. Your curiosity takes over, and you will have no control over it.

However, Battle Network 4 has an extremely repetitive and short game cycle. It doesn't take long to get bored of it. This almost ruined Blue Moon for me, and it's the same in Red Sun, the other version. Getting all of the souls was barely enough to keep me going. Let me tell you, you'll feel ripped off; this aspect stabs you in the back and twists the knife. You want to play through to the very end, but it is torture for quite a nice portion of the way there. Capcom's storywriters must have fallen asleep on the job or gotten hit by Ron Artest; this is wrong, and I still marvel at the fact that I was able to endure s much of Blue Moon as I did.

Sound: 6/10

The soundtrack in Blue Moon sounds a lot like the other Battle Network games, which isn't saying too much. For a Game Boy Advance game, the sound is passable, and is usually tolerable. It's mostly just shooting and fast paced background music during battles, with some other tunes playing in the rest of the game. The text/typing sound during subtitles can get very annoying, and the “Danger/Disaster” theme will make you want to bop your ears until they bleed.

Gameplay: 7/10

Most of my rating for this game is based on the gameplay department. Gameplay defines Megaman games probably more than any other game. To start off on a positive note, and I've said it before, this installment in the Battle Network series revolves more around tournament involvement and a more competitive atmosphere. Since Lan and Megaman aren't in a hurried panic over a disaster the whole game, the overall feeling in the game in much more relaxed. It makes the game more enjoyable.

Also, the battles and chip collecting are extremely addictive. The ideas of “perfecting your chip folder” and “collect ‘em all” really add to the replay value. It's a natural draw to want to collect every chip, figure out the best way to use them, and crush all of your friends and foes. If you're not into that kind of thing, don't buy or even play this game. You'll hate every second.

There is the addition of souls, as well. Souls are basically a way for Megaman to change forms and battle with more strategy; you get them after Megaman defeats certain foes (6 souls to each version) Capcom's idea of souls is intriguing, as your appearance and another Navi's appearance fuse together. (Ex. Megaman and Normalman fused together) You also gain some of the other Navi's abilities, so if you ever wished that you could play as another Navi, you can now…kind of. Although this sounds exciting, there is one main thing that drags sown the enjoyment of souls: They only last for 3 turns! 3 turns is barely enough time to do anything in any Battle Network game. This aspect makes it incredibly difficult to enjoy a soul when you're constantly worrying about whether you'll get the right chip in time. With this move alone, Capcom shows just how restricting they've gotten with the Battle Network series I can't start to imagine why Capcom would make this. Lastly, the souls in each version are exclusive to that version; all 6 souls in each version are ONLY in that version. This is Capcom's way of getting you to buy both. I only own Blue Moon, because I would have to get a large bribe to play through the story in this game one more time.

There is also the matter of accessories and chip codes. Capcom continues to take away from customization in the Battle Network series. Now, there are only 3 codes for each chip, which means it is harder to create a good folder that flows well. With less codes, building a folder based on only a few codes in it is much harder, especially if you work souls into the picture. The Navi Customizer, which let's you power up Megaman and give him certain abilities, is still here. The grid on it is smaller now and the programs you put into it are seemingly larger. Doesn't seem logical, does it? Of course, Giga chips still exist (only five in each version), and you still cannot trade them under any circumstances.

Final Note:

Although I did find quite a bit of this game's content enjoyable, I was still very disappointed with a lot of the new additions and “improvements” to Battle Network 4. If you are a fan of the series, I recommend you at least give Blue Moon or Red Sun a try. If you are unfamiliar with the series, you should try the other installments, but you won't miss too much story wise. Like I said before, if you aren't into this kind of game, don't think twice about playing Blue Moon or Red Sun. You'll hate them. If you live and breathe Megaman, then you might want to check this out. If not, stay away. Far Away.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 03/24/05