After Mega Man X8, the Mega Man X series faced an uncertain future under Capcom. The developers debated on making an X9 but ultimately didn’t. However, there was an interest in bringing the series back to its classic roots. Mega Man Maverick Hunter X was born, a reboot title for the X series. Maverick Hunter X was released in 2005 and was a commercial failure for the series. It led to Capcom canceling future remakes.
3D Upgrades
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X was a complete 3D graphics overhaul for the original game. The game’s stages are still familiar but upgraded to a new level. The game shows an advancement from Mega Man X‘s original 16-bit graphics, released in 1993. X and Zero’s designs are from their most recent appearances. Because of this, the character alterations made them look more human. It fits the Reploids’ position as robots that can think and act on their free will, just like humans.
The Light Capsules are hidden power-ups created by Light to assist X. They give him armor, weapons, and special techniques to defeat bosses. They are a hallmark item of the Mega Man X franchise in virtually every game. Each Capsule is hidden in a maverick boss’s location. Mega Man Maverick Hunter X retains the light capsules but mixes up their original locations. For example, Chill Penguin’s leg upgrade gives you the dash. The upgrade now resides in Flame Mammoth’s stage.
Refreshing Story Updates
Maverick Hunter X casts new light on the original X’s events. It is the same game, but much of its content still feels new. Animated cutscenes and voice-acted characters provide a refreshing feeling to the series. The added depth from these cutscenes helps portray the weight of X’s reality. Maverick Hunter X shows an edgier version of the original story, with more death and loss. It adds a new layer of dimensions to this version of the Mega Man X story.
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X‘s storyline includes a prequel OVA titled Day of Sigma. The storyline tells the early beginnings of the series before the Maverick rebellion. It sets the stage for Sigma’s rejection of the world’s status quo. Day of Sigma subverts Sigma’s original character, having him turn evil of his own volition. In addition, the story helps build the relationship between X and the one who discovered him, Cain. Like Dr. Light before him, Cain believed in X’s remarkable potential. He thought that X could be the one to usher robotkind into its ultimate destiny. Cain perishes in this version of the story, killed in the explosion that destroyed Abel City.
A Vile New Story
Vile makes his menacing return in Mega Man Maverick Hunter X and is now a playable character. Vile offers a few notable distinctions from Mega Man X. Vile has three weapons on his arm, shoulder, and leg. Defeating each maverick gifts Vile a new weapon set that he can use. Unlike X, who can load his abilities, Vile manually equips each weapon set before a stage. Vile is stuck with those weapons during his playthrough of that stage. Vile has unlimited ammo, however, which offers him a neat advantage against X’s limited weapon systems.
This vicious rival’s storyline provides an interesting summation of the character. Vile’s story is an alternative retelling, focusing on the criminal going against Sigma’s rebellion. The story shows the difference between Vile and X: X has a dream, and Vile doesn’t. Vile’s entire goals are self-centered, and he fights only to fight. X and Sigma, however, fight to decide the future of reploids. Vile’s story ends with him fighting Zero and X. He is confronted by Sigma one last time and eventually succumbs to his wounds.
Maverick Hunter X is a Worthy Title
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X is an unfortunate victim of Mega Man’s massive oversaturation in the 2000s. The series is unlikely to come back, which also fridges any reboot attempts for future X games. The cancellation is disappointing because many X games could have benefitted from this remake’s upgrades. Despite the game’s empty future, it’s gained retroactive popularity among Mega Man fans.
This is a flawless Mega Man game in many ways. The game feels like an expansion of the original series. It grabs everything you love about the original X and transforms it. No game is without errors, but Mega Man Maverick Hunter X feels like a step in the right direction.
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