Mega Man ZX (series)

Mega Man ZX (ロックマンゼクス) is the first installment in the Mega Man ZX series, the sixth series in Capcom's Mega Man video games franchise. It is the first Mega Man platformer to appear on the Nintendo DS. The game contains vocal acting in Japanese (although largely cut from the English version) and many animated sequences with subtitles in English. As a first for the Mega Man series, the game features both a male and female protagonist. Preorders of the Japanese version of the game came packaged with a DVD containing trailers and gameplay footage of Mega Man ZX, and a teaser trailer for the seventh Mega Man series, Mega Man Star Force.

There is currently a sequel in development, called Mega Man ZX Advent.

Storyline
The game takes place on a further technologically advanced Earth. Humans and Reploids now coexist peacefully.

In time, the humanoids of Earth (who were once humans and Reploids) managed to revive some of the former nations of Earth. However, preventing further prosperity like the days of old, incidents around Earth began where some of the machine life forms became Maverick, making some areas dangerous, and soon this activity obstructed exchange between nations.

The nations became divided into areas designated as Innerpeace (インナー), where it was safe for humanoids to live, and the Outlands (アウター) where the dangerous Mavericks appeared. Great developments were made due to the efforts of the corporation Slither Inc. (セルパン・カンパニー), which possesses technology unearthed from ruins in the Outlands. Peaceful life is maintained by receiving the technology offered by Slither Inc. in the central areas of cities.

In the frontier regions where the crisis management of countries still doesn't reach, damage from attacks by Mavericks (general term for Reploids and Mechaniloids that threaten the peace) still occur. The humanoids in these areas developed the self-defense organization known as The Guardians (ガーディアン) They defend the frontier regions and investigate the cause of the Maverick element.

Slither Inc. uses the technology developed from historic ruin finds essentially as a life-line for the cities, providing goods to its humans such as energy resources. It is not necessarily a bad thing that the company has more or less grasped the life-line of the cities, at least for the humans in those cities. Slither Inc.'s president is named Serpent (セルパン). Serpent is considered a wonderful humanoid who raised the company on his own by excavating the ancient technology sleeping in the Outlands. Furthermore, he has arranged a Mechaniloid army in his company, and is said to have repeatedly saved countries from Maverick attacks in the past.

On the other hand, the Guardians in the frontier regions are considered to be unassociated private ventures. They make the "Guardian H.Q.," a gigantic flying ship, their headquarters, and they take people on a volunteer basis to not only defend the frontier areas but also investigate the Maverick source. The original leader of the Guardians disappeared during the investigation of an Outlands area, and command has been taken over by the young girl named Prairie (プレリー).

The two adolescent protagonists, a male named Vent (ヴァン) and a female named Aile (エール), have lost their parents due to Maverick attacks. Another character, Giro, full name Girouette (ジルウェ), is Vent and Aile's senior, and carries out his own business, Giro Express (Girouette Express in the Japanese version) which sends anything, from letters to weapons, to anywhere, regardless of its legality. He receives a request from Prairie to transport the Biometals (ライブメタル) Model X (モデルＸ) and Model Z (モデルＺ), which are based on Mega Man X and Zero. Biometal is a substance discovered in places, such as ruins, that contains information about past events. They carry the battle experience and memories of beings from the past.

Later, Models X and Z are used by the characters. Vent and Aile use the Biometal Model X to take a form similar to Mega Man X. X's battle experience from times past provides them with attacks such as the Double Charge Shot. Giro uses the Biometal Model Z and takes a form similar to Zero. There is actually very little known about Model Z other than the fact that it utilizes a Z-Saber-like weapon. Only Vent and Aile are playable, and Giro is a supporting character. While players are not able to use Model Z, they have access to Model ZX, a fusion of Model X and Model Z with some capabilities from each.

Gameplay
The game contains elements from the Mega Man X series and the Mega Man Zero series. Players select a mission at a computer out of a list (with no mugshot of the boss character, similar to Mega Man Zero). The player has free exploration of the game world during and between missions, and they must find the specified area themselves. The player may also find computer chips to complete the game database, and Life Ups, which can be compared to the Heart Tanks from the Mega Man X series. Bosses all have their own individual weak points where the Biometal they're using is stored; hitting it deals more damage than normal, but it also decreases your ranking level at the end of the battle (ranging from one being the worst and four being the best). This also determines the level of the Biometal which they receive afterwords. But even if the level is low, the Biometals can be upgraded with Energy Crystals later. Bosses will eventually be resurrected and can be fought again, to increase the level of the Biometal.

Biometals
Vent and Aile use the M.E.G.A. System (Meta-Encapsulated Granule Awareness SYSTEM), or the R.O.C.K. System (Rebirth Of Crystallised Knowledge SYSTEM) in the Japanese version, to activate the Biometals and transform into a form similar to that which the Biometal was based on. Anyone who uses the M.E.G.A. System is called a "Mega Man". Likewise, anyone who uses the R.O.C.K. System is called a "Rockman". Rockmen typically hold out a Biometal in front of them and cry out "R.O.C.K. On!" to activate the Biometal. This process is called Megamerging in the English version, although the characters still say "Rock On" because the game did not get an English vocal dub.

The player initially begins with only Model X, but upon obtaining Model Z, Model X is used to fuse with the other Biometals. This is called Double R.O.C.K. On in the Japanese version, and Double Megamerge in the English version. At this point, Model X can no longer be used alone for the rest of the game until it is unlocked by completing the game with both characters in normal or hard modes only. Biometals of the Four Guardians from the Mega Man Zero series are found throughout the game, and these are the only Biometals that can be upgraded with Energy Crystals. These four Biometals uses the touch screen in various ways. A seventh Biometal is available after completing the game and fulfilling certain requirements.

The Overdrive Invoke System (or O.I.S.) can be activated on the Biometals of the Four Guardians, giving special abilities to the player. Model HX, FX, and LX will give the player elemental attributes to some of their attacks(similar to the elemental chips from the Mega Man Zero series), while Model PX gives the player the ability to dash through enemies. By charging their weapons, the four Biometals are also able to perform attacks similar to the Four Guardians. For example, Model HX can summon a hurricane and Model PX can throw a large shuriken. However, O.I.S. consumes Weapon Energy.

Players can also revert back to Humanoid form at any time. Although Vent/Aile cannot attack, dash, or wall-climb without a Biometal, they have some abilities that are impossible to do with a Biometal. Vent/Aile is able to crouch and crawl, fitting through tight spaces otherwise impossible. They will float to the surface of water instead of sink, some N.P.C.s will be too afraid to speak to Vent/Aile when they are using a Biometal, and enemies will not become hostile in certain areas.


 * Model X is known as the "Blue Mega Man." It is the first Biometal obtained, giving Vent/Aile the X-Buster and one ability from the Mega Man X games. The X-Buster can charge up a double shot, similar to the Buster upgrade from Mega Man X2. Model X is lost early in the game upon receiving Model Z, but can be used again after completing the game as Vent and Aile in Normal or Hard mode. This biometal is based on the legendary Mega Man X.


 * Model Z is known as the "Red Mega Man." It is not used by Vent and Aile, but only by Giro early in the game. Model Z looks very similar to Zero from the Mega Man Zero series, but has a visor in place of a helmet. Model Z has only the Z-Saber for a weapon, and is slightly curved. Vent/Aile later obtains Model Z but combines it with Model X, forming Model ZX. This model is based on the legendary Zero.


 * Model ZX is known as the "Ultimate Mega Man." The result of combining Model Z and Model X, it looks similar to Zero from the Mega Man Zero games and has a gameplay experience similar to that series, with both a Buster and Saber available to the player.


 * Model HX is the "Mega Man of Wind." It is a form that resembles Harpuia, with many of his abilities. Vent/Aile are able to air dash both vertically and horizontally, hover, and use Harpuia's double saber "Nitouryuu". The touch screen displays the weak spot in Pseudoroids, the location of the Biometal. It also displays the health of enemies. Model HX has the Thunder element.


 * Model FX is the "Mega Man of Fire." It is a form with Fefnir's abilities. Vent/Aile uses two "Knuckle Busters", busters that resemble Fefnir's buster cannons, Sodom and Gommorah. Similar to Fefnir, Vent/Aile is able to shoot directly up. They also have the ability to create shockwaves on the ground, similar to Fefnir's Earthquake attack. The touch screen displays FX's special ability, "Buster Edit." The player can draw on the touch screen a path for which the buster shots from either buster will follow. Upgrading FX will allow the player to draw longer paths. Model FX has the Fire element.


 * Model LX is the "Mega Man of Water." It has the form of Leviathan. Using a Halberd for a weapon, Model LX lets Vent/Aile swim and dash freely in water. The touch-screen displays a map of the surrounding area. A Cyber-Elf icon appears on the map to highlight any nearby items. Model LX has the Ice element.


 * Model PX is the "Mega Man of Shadow." A form with Phantom's abilities, it uses kunai for weapons. PX can also latch onto ceilings and other objects such as poles and platforms. A radar is displayed on the touch screen, highlighting enemies and showing passageways that may be hidden. Also, while in overdrive mode, dashing will make you momentarily invulnerably to enemy attacks. Model PX is also able to see farther in the dark. Model PX has no elemental attributes.


 * Model OX is a special Biometal that is available after completing certain tasks. Vent/Aile will look like a duplicate of Omega Zero, the final boss of Mega Man Zero 3. Model OX has many abilities similar to Omega Zero, executed with certain button commands while in Overdrive and it has infinite Weapon Energy. Many of Model OX's special attacks are based on the various attacks Zero used in the Mega Man X series. Model OX is only unlockable in Normal or Hard mode.


 * Model W (Model V in the Japanese version) is the original Biometal, formed from the pieces of the core of the Ragnarok Space Station that Dr. Weil (Dr. Vile in the Japanese version) fused with, which was destroyed at the end of Mega Man Zero 4; the Biometal is supposedly a piece of Ragnarok that contains Weil's soul. The original Guardian commander studied these pieces and developed the other six Biometals to stop Model W. A small fragment was later found by Serpent a decade prior to the game, triggering the Maverick outbreaks. It is used only by Serpent at the end of the game.

Pseudoroids
Known as Falseroids in the Japanese version, there are eight Pseudoroids that Vent/Aile must tackle through in order to progress through the story. Per standard Mega Man fare, Pseudoroids guard the exit of certain Areas, and the player must refight all eight on the final stage. However, in Mega Man ZX, the defeated Pseudoroids will be revived and return to their original locations later in the game, allowing the player to fight them again at its leisure.

The Pseudoroids battle with use of Biometals; the four Guardian Biometals (Models H, P, L, and F) are held by two Pseudoroids for each Biometal. Each Pseudoroid's name begins with its Biometal's corosponding letter. (E.G. Hivolt/ model H) Once the Pseudoroid is defeated, the player is rewarded the Biometal; they simply acquire the Biometal the first time it's received, but upon receiving the same Biometal again, that particular Model is able to reach a higher upgrade capacity. On the harder difficulty setting, the Pseudoroids display slightly different attack patterns, such as greater speed or strength, and some Pseudoroids even present all new desperation attacks.


 * Hivolt the Raptoroid (Model H) - Guardian of Area E, a powerplant. A Pseudoroid with wings and detachable legs, allowing for remote energy attacks. Hivolt can also use its wings to guard attacks or perform slash combos. It can also surround the entire arena with strings of lasers.
 * Lurerre the Abysroid (Model L) - Guardian of Area F, a snowy mountain lake. It appears as a gentle mermaid-like Pseudoroid, but its body is actually attached to a gigantic fish capable of firing large torpedoes. Lurerre can also use a variety of ice attacks, such as an ice beam.
 * Fistleo the Predatoroid (Model F) - Guardian of Area G, a city ablaze. A beast-like Pseudoroid with incredible agility and strength. It uses a variety of close-ranged fire attacks. Furthermore, when too heavily damaged, Fistleo can recover its own life.
 * Purprill the Mandroid (Model P) - Guardian of Area H, an old amusement park. This playful monkey-like Pseudoroid uses a variety of shadow bombs to fight with. It is also acrobatic, climbing around the arena or twisting its body into a Shuriken formation to dash around the room. In Vent's storyline, it was revealed that he was the maverick responsible for the incident that had lead to his parents' death.
 * Hurricaune the Wolveroid (Model H) - Guardian of Area I, a facility experiencing a power outage. Its neck, wrists, ankles, and waist are all capable of generating shockwaves to send at the enemy, and it can control strong gusts of wind to overcome its opponents.
 * Leganchor the Gelroid (Model L) - Guardian of Area J, an underwater city. A large sea monster that traps its opponents by dragging them in with underwater eddies, and then finishing them with its tentacles. If its opponent tries to escape, it summons large waves to push them back underwater.
 * Flammole the Moleroid (Model F) - Guardian of Area K, a volcanic region. A petite mole-like Pseudoroid that harnesses the power of magma to battle with. Nimble, it uses drills to burrow underground and surprise attack its opponent.
 * Protectos the Goreroid (Model P) - Guardian of Area L, a research facility. Protectos's flare is its hard outer-shell that protects it from most attacks. Protectos fires a variety of homing missiles and energy spheres, and when need be, can summon a powerful forcefield.

Music
A two-disc remastered soundtrack was released by Inti Creates and Capcom in 2006 called ZX Tunes.

Development
News of a Mega Man game for the DS first appeared on GameSpot, January 2006 on the same day that Capcom created an official teaser site. Capcom promised that this game would be a 2D side-scrolling action game with the ability to choose between a male character, Van, or a female character, Aile.

A demo first appeared in E3 2006 on an unlabelled kiosk at the Capcom booth. Much of the main introductory plot was revealed at the E3 show and two in-game levels were playable, Area H and Area E. The controls were said to be "simple enough... yet challenging", but reviewers did see some slowdown.