Mega Man X5

Mega Man’s exploits have been taking place on a variety of different platforms for more than a decade, but recent attempts to bring old Mega Man into 3-D have largely been missteps. That’s why we were chomping at the bit to play Mega Man X5, because it marks a long-overdue return to MM’s 2-D roots.

Unfortunately, the game plays more like a rushed overcorrection than a nostalgic, side-scrolling romp. For example, you can now choose between three playable characters: Zero, X, and Fourth. It’s a good idea, but the problem is that the characters are so different that this option actually destroys the fluidity of the gaming experience. In the original Mega Man X titles, you couldn’t progress until you found a weapon that could be used to destroy a particular boss. In X5, bosses can be put out of their misery with the Z-Saber and the X-Buster.