Developer: Batterystaple Games
Publisher: Batterystaple Games
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
20XX – Preview
Mega Man has been one of the most beloved franchises from CAPCOM, yet after the PS2, PSP era, the valiant blue hero hasn’t received that much love anymore. While the fan base would truly love to see a new installment of the series, it seems that CAPCOM doesn’t feel like listening to their loyal followers, who eventually fill the company’s pockets. Nonetheless, with Mighty No. 9 just out and 20XX on Steam Early Access, things are looking up for the fans of the blue robot boy. While 20XX may not involve anyone that worked on the original game, the developers surely don’t hide their source of inspiration. We certainly enjoyed looking at this early build of this Mega Man clone intertwined with a roguelite formula.
The current build of the game doesn’t seem to have a real storyline, which is a shame, as we hope to see some more not-so-subtle references to the Mega Man series. The people in the white lab coats are probably already a nod to the original series, but who they are and how they are linked to one of the two characters, Nina and Ace, we don’t know.
While the game does have a certain ‘flash’ feel to it, when it comes to the graphical quality, it does look very good. The retro style, in combination with the plain, but bright, colors gives it a rather authentic Mega Man atmosphere. The enemies also look as if they could belong in a modern day installment of the MM series. All of this is tied together with a very upbeat soundtrack, that might not bombard your senses like it would in the original series, it does add a certain adrenaline rush. As it stands now, things look quite good, and we’re curious to see if things get polished even more.
It’s strange to see a Mega Man type game that handles a roguelite formula. While the original games were also quite hard and you probably needed a hefty amount of ‘continues’ to keep on playing, they had a password system that tracked your progress. Nonetheless, the roguelite gameplay works well for this title, while never deviating that much from the essence of the original Mega Man games.
As expected, you’ll be treated to different stages where you’ll first have to wrestle through many foes that are randomly generated, to eventually end up at the mercy of one of the boss characters. Seeing everything is randomized, the first boss you’ll encounter might differ each new run. After beating the first boss, you’ll be able to select from three other bosses, who you wish to fight next and you’ll always be presented with three new bosses, until you undoubtedly perish a few stages later. You’ll be able to use your basic blaster, which has a few upgrades that spawn randomly during the stages you’ll play. Other than that, you’ll also be able to take the boss’s weapon if you so desire. If not, you’ll be able to choose from a random passive upgrade. If you do go for his armament, you will be able to equip three boss weapons, but you will not be able to use them constantly. These weapons require energy, thus you’ll have to carefully plan your attacks.
During your runs you’ll encounter many power-ups, some are randomly spawned, others can be chosen after a boss battle, purchased or after completing challenges. The challenges will always take you to a small arena, where you’ll have to face a specific condition in order to gain your prize. The ones you purchase are during your run, at a small shop that either unlocks for a few of your ‘nuts’ (currency) or at the free shop, which is often placed in a hazardous location. During your first runs you’ll only be able to select a few upgrades, but when you perish and spawn at the hub again, you can use your ‘soul nuts’ to unlock more power-ups for future runs, or upgrades that are already activated for your next run, but are wiped clean when you die again.
It’s fun to see a clear evolution of your character when you survive for long periods of time, as you’ll see significant power increases, an expansion of his weapon arsenal and speed and jumping bonuses. Of course, the further you progress, the stronger the bosses will become, as well as the smaller minions. This means that if you encounter a specific boss in stage one during your first run, but in stage eight during your second run, the latter will be a lot stronger than during your first run. This keeps the game fresh, but also very challenging. You’ll die a lot at the beginning, but as your collection of power-ups begins to expand, you’ll slowly start making progress, which in turn grants you a rewarding experience.
Conclusion
Even in this Early Access state 20XX is a great homage to the Mega Man series, and while to some it may be a blatant copy, it’s a lot more than that. The roguelite mechanics work perfectly, the local co-op is a delight and the massive amount of upgrades makes each run different. If you’re a fan of CAPCOM’s forgotten lovechild, 20XX will grant you a certain satisfaction which we haven’t seen since the blue robot wonder slowly driveled into nothingness.
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