An old video that's been making the rounds lately: Mega Man Legends made ScrewAttack's list of top ten games that "managed to get worse while making the jump to the third dimension. " Their reasoning is pretty harsh:
I dunno, as much as I loved legends, I tend to agree that the control scheme could have used some work. There were a lot of things that could have used some work. I'm a fan of the series, but I'm not one who just extols it for the sake of extolling it.
They thought the first one had a bad voice actor for Megaman? Try Legends 2. *shiver*
I never really played Legends other than legends 1. My main gripe with that was the controls, but I didn't really play long enough to get used to them. I'd like to try Legends 2 if the controls are better (read: analog controls)
How can you guys be so harsh? Sure, maybe we're open-minded and love anything with Mega Man's name on it. But Legends was nothing like the amazing classic series, or even the X series. The 2D games were polished, incredibly hard, fast-paced, shoot-em-up-style platformers with rockin' soundtracks and simple stories. Legends is nothing like that...except for the main character's design and the title.
And guys, quit belittling ScrewAttack just because they don't like a game you like. They're still awesome. And they're not supposed to be a serious game journalism site, they just share their opinions and do fun stuff. Is that so wrong?
They're completely full of crap. Legends rocks all. For claiming to have "taken the fun stuff out" you'd think it's the same series, but it isn't. They made it a new series for a reason, and it is awesome.
Also, on the controls. They are non-traditional, they are not bad. Bad means they don't work. Non-traditional means they work but take adjustment due to not seeing them elsewhere. No game has made me more comfortable than Legends moving in a 3D world with digital controls. For that reason, and the fact that I hate low analogue sticks, I wind up adjusting Armored Core's controls to try and mimick it.
I'm surprised they were merciful enough to put Sonic at #2, as the 3D Sonic bashing bandwagon never gets old for game critics. Tons of fans will tell you that the Adventures are awesome, but when the Dreamcast died, their critical reviews got cut in half. Sounds like console bias to me.
While their criticisms are a bit harsh, they are being brutally honest here, at least for the most part. I can say that I agree with MOST of what they are saying. As far as MML and MML2, I think the storyline was great and that the game system was pretty awesome, the graphics were okay (they got a bit better in MML2), but that the voice-acting could have used a little work and that, most of all, the controls and camera left quite a bit to be desired. Still, this obviously didn't completely mar the games, and has left fans wanting a true MML3 one day!
I also agree with him that Castlevania's jump to 3D has been a bit hit-and-miss, although "Castlevania 64" wasn't too bad in my opinion. And, as for the Sonic games in 3D - I thought Sonic Adventure and its direct sequel were pretty good, but the later games have been kind of hit-and-miss.
Look at the frameskip and the white graphical parts where you don't see things in a long distance. And they did mention "bad controls". They were playing the N64 version. ;w;
That version alone has ruined Legends' reputation too much. Those players didn't seem to have a PS1 at the time. They missed out on a great series, and L2 is one of the best. <3
The Legends series is my second favorite (first is Classic), and it was thanks to it alone that I decided to be an import game collector the rest of my life. >w<
DASH's US version came at a time where Capcom of America was cutting corners with voice acting for Rockman. Which IS more or less what happened for most of the games in the metaseries. Hell, even SSR3 shows that CoA as a company doesn't give enough of a damn about Rockman.
As for controls... Controls can be worked around. I doubt the PS version had as crappy controls as the N64 version, and bad controls haven't completely destroyed a series' reputation. Not to mention that well, X7 did a pretty craptastic job of it as well.
As for 3d view and different feel? WAAAH, IT AIN'T CLASSIC/X/ZERO/ZX-STYLED SIDESCROLLING, BOO. Get over it. If you hated the series because it deviated too much from Classic's gameplay, just look at EXE and SSR(well, SSR3, anyways). DASH isn't the same series as Classic or X. Also, systems were pretty nice, boss designs were interesting, and a lot more seemed to be going on behind the cheery exterior.
If anything, the worst 3D games for Rockman were SSR1(Throw away almost all progress with EXE's systems, get some crappy, limited gameplay), SSR2(broken and boring as HELL), and X7(uh, X suddenly becomes an emo guy who hates fighting, bad controls, bad camera, horribly executed Ride Armor and Ride Chaser segments, complicated the placement of the Zero series in the timeline even further, Armors and characters were nerfed, and despite being an X series game it somewhat felt like DASH made by a group of high kiddies who were fanwanking).
Now see, this is the reason the majority of gamers can't have good games. Companies are scared off by childish, absurd mess as this. Piss water. Capcom head honchos better not see that...-_-
Autobobby1: "And guys, quit belittling ScrewAttack just because they don't like a game you like. They're still awesome. And they're not supposed to be a serious game journalism site, they just share their opinions and do fun stuff. Is that so wrong?"
I guarantee that the comments in this thread would be singing to a dramatically different tune if the MegaMan game being verbally destroyed had the words "Star" and "Force" in its title. Not to mention that there would be a lot more comments than there are now.
Well, to be fair, SSR deserves a lot more hate. Capcom basically repacked EXE said "we made something new" when the system borrowed EVERYTHING from EXE.
For the first game, forms sucked, not enough fluidity, no customizer, limited movement, etc. You COULD argue that "oh, it's because it was the first game in the series" but then, the entire system is derived from EXE, which just shows how reckless they were.
SSR2 gave us a system that's as broken as hell, and once again, they tried to break free of EXE mold when the system's entire basis was derived from EXE. They didn't fix the fluidity issue of folders(AGAIN), and well...mod gear sucked, Tribe King was BROKEN, especially with ATK. Once again, mindless.
SSR3 went back to EXE mold more than the other 2, and consequentially actually gave us the first decent game in the SSR series. Best mod gear we've had. Ever. Best fludity out of SSR games. Selection method is balanced. Forms...could have used a bit more balance but at least you're not slaughtering everything without breaking a sweat. A LARGE number of allusions to EXE that help form the basis for OSS. While we fear about what OSS will do, you have to admit that SSR3 was relatively well thought-out.
What the problem was with SSR, was that like X7, it didn't take the positives of the older games in the metaseries into account, and just randomly started taking basics and made changes without thought in terms of characterization, gameplay, balance or such.
If SSR had a similar feel to EXE but with completely different gameplay, it actually would have gotten a better review. Instead, they rehashed EXE in an attempt to make it different, and utterly failed at it until the 3rd game.
Hell, if you dig through the SSR data, you'll see that it seems to have originally been another EXE game or EXE5DS with 3D before having been made into what it was.
SSR3 solved most of the said problems, but it came too late to really save the game's presentation. What really sucks is that most of the game's more interesting side-features were locked in the US version.
Making the game less action intensive & more RPG-like is what saved it from being mind-numbing like the rest that all became the same kind of repetitive hack n' slash/beat 'em up. Almost that entire list is that problem.
Sonic didn't hit that until Unleashed, & hopefully they'll drop it sooner than later.
Am I the only Rockman fan who thinks that everything past Original and X rather sucked?
Legends was the first time I really cringed at a Megaman game, and I thank god that Volnutt hasn't become the predominant inerpretation of the character. EXE started up the whole line of Mega-poke-man games, and that's another rant for another day.
I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
I really like the Legends series, but I'm going to have to give Screw Attack points on this one.
I love the characters (especially the Bonnes), the storyline is great, the theme is interesting, and the music and graphics were OK.
That being said, at least for first game, the camera wasn't that great, and the controls were PUTRID. It had no Dual Shock support, which made the game far more slow and frustrating than it should have been.
Legends 2 fixed the controls, but I didn't like MM's new voice actor.
I just might have to hurt them for that. That's the dumbest reasoning ever. <_< Plus, people DO want to play it, it's awesome!
ReplyDeleteFor much i like ScrewAttack i learned way long before that you can't trust them when they are talking about the Blue Bomber.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, as much as I loved legends, I tend to agree that the control scheme could have used some work. There were a lot of things that could have used some work. I'm a fan of the series, but I'm not one who just extols it for the sake of extolling it.
ReplyDeleteThey thought the first one had a bad voice actor for Megaman? Try Legends 2. *shiver*
Oh and, never take Screw Attack videos seriously. It's the most retarded thing I've seen come out of a video games site.
ReplyDeleteThis really makes me sad....
ReplyDeleteOh come on! This if fucking old!
ReplyDeleteI never really played Legends other than legends 1. My main gripe with that was the controls, but I didn't really play long enough to get used to them.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to try Legends 2 if the controls are better (read: analog controls)
How can you guys be so harsh? Sure, maybe we're open-minded and love anything with Mega Man's name on it. But Legends was nothing like the amazing classic series, or even the X series. The 2D games were polished, incredibly hard, fast-paced, shoot-em-up-style platformers with rockin' soundtracks and simple stories. Legends is nothing like that...except for the main character's design and the title.
ReplyDeleteAnd guys, quit belittling ScrewAttack just because they don't like a game you like. They're still awesome. And they're not supposed to be a serious game journalism site, they just share their opinions and do fun stuff. Is that so wrong?
They're completely full of crap. Legends rocks all. For claiming to have "taken the fun stuff out" you'd think it's the same series, but it isn't. They made it a new series for a reason, and it is awesome.
ReplyDeleteAlso, on the controls. They are non-traditional, they are not bad. Bad means they don't work. Non-traditional means they work but take adjustment due to not seeing them elsewhere. No game has made me more comfortable than Legends moving in a 3D world with digital controls. For that reason, and the fact that I hate low analogue sticks, I wind up adjusting Armored Core's controls to try and mimick it.
I'm surprised they were merciful enough to put Sonic at #2, as the 3D Sonic bashing bandwagon never gets old for game critics. Tons of fans will tell you that the Adventures are awesome, but when the Dreamcast died, their critical reviews got cut in half. Sounds like console bias to me.
that guy is/was an asshole
ReplyDeleteWhile their criticisms are a bit harsh, they are being brutally honest here, at least for the most part. I can say that I agree with MOST of what they are saying. As far as MML and MML2, I think the storyline was great and that the game system was pretty awesome, the graphics were okay (they got a bit better in MML2), but that the voice-acting could have used a little work and that, most of all, the controls and camera left quite a bit to be desired. Still, this obviously didn't completely mar the games, and has left fans wanting a true MML3 one day!
ReplyDeleteI also agree with him that Castlevania's jump to 3D has been a bit hit-and-miss, although "Castlevania 64" wasn't too bad in my opinion. And, as for the Sonic games in 3D - I thought Sonic Adventure and its direct sequel were pretty good, but the later games have been kind of hit-and-miss.
Look at the frameskip and the white graphical parts where you don't see things in a long distance. And they did mention "bad controls". They were playing the N64 version. ;w;
ReplyDeleteThat version alone has ruined Legends' reputation too much. Those players didn't seem to have a PS1 at the time. They missed out on a great series, and L2 is one of the best. <3
The Legends series is my second favorite (first is Classic), and it was thanks to it alone that I decided to be an import game collector the rest of my life. >w<
DASH's US version came at a time where Capcom of America was cutting corners with voice acting for Rockman. Which IS more or less what happened for most of the games in the metaseries. Hell, even SSR3 shows that CoA as a company doesn't give enough of a damn about Rockman.
ReplyDeleteAs for controls... Controls can be worked around. I doubt the PS version had as crappy controls as the N64 version, and bad controls haven't completely destroyed a series' reputation. Not to mention that well, X7 did a pretty craptastic job of it as well.
As for 3d view and different feel? WAAAH, IT AIN'T CLASSIC/X/ZERO/ZX-STYLED SIDESCROLLING, BOO. Get over it. If you hated the series because it deviated too much from Classic's gameplay, just look at EXE and SSR(well, SSR3, anyways). DASH isn't the same series as Classic or X. Also, systems were pretty nice, boss designs were interesting, and a lot more seemed to be going on behind the cheery exterior.
If anything, the worst 3D games for Rockman were SSR1(Throw away almost all progress with EXE's systems, get some crappy, limited gameplay), SSR2(broken and boring as HELL), and X7(uh, X suddenly becomes an emo guy who hates fighting, bad controls, bad camera, horribly executed Ride Armor and Ride Chaser segments, complicated the placement of the Zero series in the timeline even further, Armors and characters were nerfed, and despite being an X series game it somewhat felt like DASH made by a group of high kiddies who were fanwanking).
Now see, this is the reason the majority of gamers can't have good games. Companies are scared off by childish, absurd mess as this. Piss water. Capcom head honchos better not see that...-_-
ReplyDeleteAutobobby1: "And guys, quit belittling ScrewAttack just because they don't like a game you like. They're still awesome. And they're not supposed to be a serious game journalism site, they just share their opinions and do fun stuff. Is that so wrong?"
ReplyDeleteI guarantee that the comments in this thread would be singing to a dramatically different tune if the MegaMan game being verbally destroyed had the words "Star" and "Force" in its title. Not to mention that there would be a lot more comments than there are now.
Also, hello there, Hypershell. Long time no see.
Well, to be fair, SSR deserves a lot more hate. Capcom basically repacked EXE said "we made something new" when the system borrowed EVERYTHING from EXE.
ReplyDeleteFor the first game, forms sucked, not enough fluidity, no customizer, limited movement, etc. You COULD argue that "oh, it's because it was the first game in the series" but then, the entire system is derived from EXE, which just shows how reckless they were.
SSR2 gave us a system that's as broken as hell, and once again, they tried to break free of EXE mold when the system's entire basis was derived from EXE. They didn't fix the fluidity issue of folders(AGAIN), and well...mod gear sucked, Tribe King was BROKEN, especially with ATK. Once again, mindless.
SSR3 went back to EXE mold more than the other 2, and consequentially actually gave us the first decent game in the SSR series. Best mod gear we've had. Ever. Best fludity out of SSR games. Selection method is balanced. Forms...could have used a bit more balance but at least you're not slaughtering everything without breaking a sweat. A LARGE number of allusions to EXE that help form the basis for OSS. While we fear about what OSS will do, you have to admit that SSR3 was relatively well thought-out.
What the problem was with SSR, was that like X7, it didn't take the positives of the older games in the metaseries into account, and just randomly started taking basics and made changes without thought in terms of characterization, gameplay, balance or such.
If SSR had a similar feel to EXE but with completely different gameplay, it actually would have gotten a better review. Instead, they rehashed EXE in an attempt to make it different, and utterly failed at it until the 3rd game.
Hell, if you dig through the SSR data, you'll see that it seems to have originally been another EXE game or EXE5DS with 3D before having been made into what it was.
SSR3 solved most of the said problems, but it came too late to really save the game's presentation. What really sucks is that most of the game's more interesting side-features were locked in the US version.
Making the game less action intensive & more RPG-like is what saved it from being mind-numbing like the rest that all became the same kind of repetitive hack n' slash/beat 'em up. Almost that entire list is that problem.
ReplyDeleteSonic didn't hit that until Unleashed, & hopefully they'll drop it sooner than later.
Am I the only Rockman fan who thinks that everything past Original and X rather sucked?
ReplyDeleteLegends was the first time I really cringed at a Megaman game, and I thank god that Volnutt hasn't become the predominant inerpretation of the character. EXE started up the whole line of Mega-poke-man games, and that's another rant for another day.
I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
ReplyDeletePatricia
http://onlinegamescom.net
I really like the Legends series, but I'm going to have to give Screw Attack points on this one.
ReplyDeleteI love the characters (especially the Bonnes), the storyline is great, the theme is interesting, and the music and graphics were OK.
That being said, at least for first game, the camera wasn't that great, and the controls were PUTRID. It had no Dual Shock support, which made the game far more slow and frustrating than it should have been.
Legends 2 fixed the controls, but I didn't like MM's new voice actor.