Mega Man X2 (SNES) review "That glorious moment when you rub the title of X2 into the faces of everyone that called the first one 'Mega Man Ten...'"

Mega Man X2 had two effective directions it could've gone: further revamping its mechanics and concepts or building upon and improving the qualities of its great predecessor. The devs at Capcom went with the latter selection, focusing on the aspects that made the previous entry a treat while fine-tuning some its kinks. They decked out the visuals like never before, utilizing bolder palettes to craft gorgeous environments, awesome mechanical foes, and some of the best animation on the SNES. You know at first glance that this one is going to be special, and it certainly lives up to that promise.

As before, you blast your way through an introductory stage that allows you to get acquainted with its mechanics and sets the tone for the rest of the campaign. Though X previously succeeded in thwarting Sigma, Mavericks continue to run wild. In fact, eight of them have formed their own coalition. Imagine that: eight robots coming together in the Mega Man universe. That never happens. Oh, and they all possess weapons that are extra effective against one another. What are the odds of that happening?

...Eight times, now, no less?

Of course, these guys bear the same moniker scheme as before, with each of them being [Attribute] [Animal]s. This time, you're up against adversaries like Flame Stag, Wheel Gator, Crystal Snail, and Overdrive Ostrich.

X rises to the occasion, once again scouring levels that are mostly linear, but they hide little secrets in various places. You might slip down a pit and discover it's actually a passage that leads to a power-up that permanently boosts your maximum health. Or you could climb some trees and find a sub-tank that you fill with restorative items dropped by enemies, all so you can heal yourself at will later on.

Or hell, you could maneuver into a tight nook and find a machine built by Dr. Light. His hologram tells you he's left some nifty body upgrades that transform X into a certified badass. I know what you're thinking: didn't X get them last time? Why didn't he keep his improvements? Hell, I don't know. Why doesn't Samus Aran bring any of her missiles or suit enhancements with her? Video games are just like that sometimes... X's new bodily powers feature fresh perks. For one thing, he can unleash a tremendous blast from his armor that dishes out damage to everything around him. Plus, his helmet comes with a scope that sniffs out secrets, which is handy for figuring out where some of the hidden treasures lie.

Each selectable level comes with its own identity and set of tasks designed to help them stand out as their own separate experiences. For instance, entering Bubble Crab's locale throws you into the obvious water stage. You kick things off by entering a grotto before diving into the ocean itself. That's when a huge robotic fish swims out from behind a wall, firing a super-heated laser if its search light finds you. Be warned that you will be pumping tons of bullets into this thing, even if you take the time to charge them. The beast not only boasts a lot of hit points, but multiple vital spots to blast. Unlike other sub-bosses, this one doesn't remain in an enclosed area. It moseys about the level, leaving you to fight it while dodging obstacles and offing smaller targets.

After you've taken care of that matter, you swim over vast abysses positioned below moving, vertical platforms. As before, you'll have to make use of X's wall-climbing skills to cling onto the side of the platforms before pulling yourself onto their narrow tips with quick jumps.

Flame Stag hits you with the customary rising lava segment after you use a giant stag beetle to burrow your way into the side of a mountain. You've got to be extra careful with the lava scene because one missed long jump from one wall to another could spell your doom. Of course, health power-ups and a permanent life booster act as bait to convince you to slow down long enough to taste the fiery soup, but only self-preservation and speed are going to get you through this one. Clear that challenge and it's onto rocky pillars protruding from lava beds, which crumble as you land on them. You've only got seconds to long-leap to the next pillar, only so you can do the same again until you reach stable land.

Overdrive Ostrich has you riding a hovering bike and shooting androids on their own vehicles, while Wire Sponge's abode constantly changes its weather conditions. Bright and sunny days become powerful windstorms that threaten to throw you off as you hop over pits, plus rainstorms bring punishing lightning.

The thing is every stage has its own theme, and it runs with it in the utmost. And yeah, you battle your way through the usual platforming segments and bouts of terrific action, but it all remains in keeping with each level's concept. Granted, Mega Man games have done this before, but this one goes out of its way to deliver variety and dream up ideas that take advantage of themes.

However, one must be careful which levels they select. This time around, three new villains emerge to take out X: the “X Hunters.” Each time you exit a level, the three of them move to a location indicated on the map screen. If you search carefully, you can locate a special boss door midway through a level, which takes you to the Hunter inhabiting that space. Be warned, though: these guys are not all that easy, even if you have their weaknesses in your inventory. Worse, if you defeat too many Mavericks, they eventually disappear for good. This is critical to bear in mind because each one owns a piece of the destroyed Zero and is willing to part with it if you best him.

Of course, you could also ignore the Hunters so you can fight Zero yourself later in the proceedings for some added challenge. The choice is up to you.

Where the previous title sported a closing series of levels that were just okay, this one goes balls out with its conclusions. This time, it thrusts you into short-and-sweet engagements before shoving you into a room with one of the Hunters, then an area that recaps the eight Mavericks again. Obviously, it all concludes with a climactic battle against the main antagonist that easily blows the first one's final boss encounter out of the water.

You know with an entry this good that it's all probably going to be downhill from here. Mega Man X2 is a tough act to follow, and believe me, the next two games tried. However, we should all be glad that everything great about this franchise was on full display here, the likes of which we haven't seen since the fantastic Mega Man 4. At least we can fully say at this point that spinning off into the X series was the right choice on Capcom's part...

Community review by JoeTheDestroyer (December 28, 2023) Rumor has it that Joe is not actually a man, but a machine that likes video games, horror movies, and long walks on the beach. His/Its first contribution to HonestGamers was a review of Breath of Fire III.