That one NPC wasn't lost in translation btw. The joke is that the guy was talking to himself and asked what you thought without context. After you give an answer, he provides context.
I think its the characters and the story that really make up Mega Man Legends' appeal. When MML3 was cancelled, people were upset because they wanted to see the end of the story. When Red Ash was announced, people didn't care because it wasn't the story they wanted to see.
@@thelinedrive You're right it wasn't. Inafune was promising a tv show, manga, and a few things alongside this Campaign so people were very reluctant on giving him money for this.
Yeah the complaints about the graphical quality really didn’t make sense to me. Yeah it was dated for the time, but the character and environment design was creative enough to give those graphics a homey charm to it. As for the gameplay, while using the old school tank 3D sceme, nothing in the game is designed to be unfair to the player. And more than anything the game rewards exploration as while there are unique entry points and dungeons, they are all connected and thus as long as you are skilled enough and have the right tools it provides a sense of discovery and wonder that even now few games can replica.
I began playing them today (played 5 hours of the first one) and i had a pretty good time. I'm even looking forward to finishing this one and playing the other two games.
Keji Inafune never should even bothered with Red Ash until Mighty No.9 was released to the public. Why support one project from a company when their other project hasn't been released yet. Doesn't help that Mighty looks a bit underwhelming.
Worst part is, they didn't needed the money (at least to create game) and yet they made it look like they did, instead of being honest and saying they needed to port the game.
+SaiyanGoku9001 In the business, pitching your next project to investors a month or 2 before the currrent ones release is pretty standard. I guess inafune thought crowdfunding would work the same?
I've also been saying this since the first Despicable Me movie came out. The difference is that the Servebots AREN'T annoying as all hell, not to mention they have actual characters among them instead of just a bunch of copy-pasted blobs
I think the jarring contrast between the over and underworld was intentional. the life of a Digger is supposed to be this sort of thing. Diggers live fast and die ugly so that the rest of the Carbons could live in this utopia. the theme of this entire series is supposed to be this "we live this life due to the constant work of Diggers, unfortunately, in our greed we asked them to dig too deep and we found the long sleeping worldkiller"
I actually loved the camera system in Legends. I easily got frustrated with games like Gex 3 and even Super Mario 64 for their seemingly arbitrary restrictions on camera control. Their cameras would always bump into and get stuck on scenery and obstacles, making various sections needlessly irritating, but Mega Man Legends fixed that by having the camera clip through walls. I was like, "FINALLY! A 3D adventure game that lets me move the camera exactly where I need it any time I want!"
collin taylor It's a scam, man. It just doesn't make any sense for suddenly at the last minute a freakin' chinese company appear backing the project because it failed. Plus they were so desperate that they just released the cheapest "demo" i have ever seen.
+Maogi it was funded, but then it was revealed that it was funded by Fuze from the beginning and many people thinking that Redash (get it? because in Japan it was called Rockman dash, and this is a reinterpretation?) was only going to be made because of the kickstarter, so they pulled their money back making the project not successful. And to add to that there's the fact that Mighty no. 9 hasn't come out yet and that they're using kickstarter again instead of using their gains to fund their new project like any other company would... but like I said, they didn't even needed the money thanks to Fuze. But what do you think? yes or no?
Just like COD,I used to love it but then I played DOOM,Duke Nukem 3D,Wolfeinstein 3D and all the other 2.5D of the time and now I just can't play such a dumbed down,linear corridor simulator.
Oh hell yes! I had no idea you played these games -- MML 1 & 2 were always some of my favorite games growing up, and you always give fantastic critical perspective on literally everything you cover (regardless of whether or not you enjoy the series). This is a good day. EDIT: I'm interested to see what you'd think of MML 2 -- it fixed most of the control and presentation problems from the first game, and while it's not perfect, things like analogue support, being able to move while locked on (which is complemented by tougher enemies that you can't just circle strafe to beat, especially in the later parts of the game), a much-improved text system (pressing x completes the current box, while holding triangle quickly skips through everything -- it's a lot harder to accidentally cancel if you're just going through with x that way, because you can read the dialogue completely at your own pace), much more verticality with dungeons, and an overall less blocky and restrictive style all really make it a more pleasant experience, imo (although it still looks incredibly outdated today, of course). Voice acting and the story take a bit of a hit, but they're still definitely highlights -- also, just a quick note about the story: it is related to and tied in with the original series, particularly the X series (Mega Man X5 especially has a few references to how the MML universe comes to be... don't want to spoil too much). I mean I have the nostalgia factor going on big time here, so I definitely get how taking an objective look at these games can make them really hard to appreciate, but I do appreciate that the developers took a few years to make the sequel and actually focused on improving the flawed aspects of the first one. Interested to hear your take on it, if you think it's noticeably better, or if you enjoy it at all in the first place.
In Hibernation Yeah, just finished watching the video and edited my comment to reflect that -- either way, I always enjoy George's videos. So it's a slight bummer to hear someone not be as into these games as I am, but I definitely get where he's coming from -- if all he played as a kid was the godawful N64 port, there's not that feeling of fond nostalgia going on, and I can't say I wouldn't feel the same way if I were just playing them for the first time. So i definitely don't disagree with what he's saying or anything, and I always like that when he *does* give a negative review, it's not just shitting all over the IP and actually involves some really interesting analysis.
***** Yes and no. I'm actually playing through the PC version of MML1, and while it may not hold up technically, it's still a dam fun game on it's own. Just like how Ocarina of Time on the N64 looks and plays like crap, it's still a good game, and definitely still worth a look.
As many problems as this game has functionally, I would say that the art is what sets it far ahead of its time. That's gonna sound silly, but really think about it: cell shaded, bright colors that disguise polygons. Sharp edges accentuated by the clean lines of pixel graphics. If an indie game came out today with exactly the same sort of art, it'd be one of its major selling parts. I think back on one of my ps2 favorites: graffiti kingdom, which was also did something similar and which still looks very good today. In games, nothing looks worse than bad polygons, bad shading, and bad pixel art. It's glaring, it's obvious, and it's jarring. Take a hard look at FF7. Horrible shading, muddy as hell textures, off-putting polygons. FF7 came out in 97, the same year as mega man legends. "Woah but it was a great game and ahead of its time" doesn't apply here, because for as much of a good game that FF7 is (and as much of a mediocre game MML is), the graphics have not aged anywhere as well as Mega Man Legends.
Nonsequitorian I was thinking the same thing! I am kinda hungry for a game that looks this good. Even Ocarina of Time has some pretty horrifying triangle people compared to this game.
treeghettox The un-warranted praise for pixel art and cell shading is more than real. A small piece of my 16-bit heart dies every time I remember that people actually praise the quality of the artwork of games such as Terraria/Hotline Miami/Minecraft/early pokemon, or when I see that sprites don't line up with the pixels behind them like in "I wanna be the guy". It's as if people forgot about games like the older Metroid games or Cave Story. That's not to say I dislike Hotline Miami's art. I dig the 80s vibes, but it's not masterfully done.
treeghettox Metal Slug is to die for. Early early metroid isn't amazing, but specifically Fusion had some really interesting color contrast in my opinion.
Nonsequitorian FF7 barely has any textures tough, there is the floor on battles and some magic effects but that's it. during combat everything else was rendered with whats called gourad shading, ie: polygons with colors on the corners that blend with the colors in the other corners. and they did that for a reason, psx is a monster when it comes to gourad shaded polygons and terrible with textures(mind you it can't do gourad shading and texture at the same time without drawing the same poligon twice), FF7 models are pretty much the most detailed models to ever grace the psx, the biggest example is those houses that turns into robots that you find at early game stop and look at how much detail they have. and the same can be said for the characters if you see their models side to side with ff8's for example however it was indeed a early 3d title, and the animation was achived by just switching models in different poses like traditional animation(somethign quake 1 also did) and looked terrible
MegaMan Legends to me holds up to some degree simply because no one is actually making games like this. Now that might sound silly but how many games are taking the full-on Zelda approach for their action RPGs? Or ones that also have an endearingly silly, deliciously anime story? Technically there are many things wrong with the game, but I'd take it over most modern 3D games, simply because it does shit that new 3D games simply don't (barring some RPGs). Like have a feeling of openness without being open world and needlessly gigantic for one. Most 3D games are ridiculous extremes nowadays, either fully linear or trying to replicate the size and openness of an actual US state. Honestly, I prefer it to Ocarina of Time solely because we've seen what future advancement in 3D gaming has done to improve Zelda (as much as OOT has aged well, Wind Waker and beyond blow it out of the water in quite a few ways). Whereas no one has really done a game like this since. Honestly, despite how influential OOT was, we don't actually get many games that follow OOT's winning formula it seems like? And the only time we did with a game that was considered remotely popular at release was Darksiders.
Honestly, Legends was one of my top games in the PS1 era. I see a lot of reviewers bringing up a lot of these same points, but I can't help but feel that the game is being judged by a modern metric, rather than against what was considered a "good game" at the time. I played a LOT of action/adventure/RPG games during that era, and I assure you, those "terrible" controls and camera angles were par for the course. How hard is it to just adapt and move on?
Playing it on vita now. Remapped the Controls to the sticks and changed the fire buttons to the triggers. Remapping the Lock on to square and the free look to triangle. It works perfectly like a modern game now.
And for some reason it looks better on the Vita too. It doesn't have the weird warping of Textures the old Ps1 use to do. The only issue is some hell of a lot of slow down at the shopping arcade. That one spot is the only issue.
I played it for the first time some weeks ago and the controls were only an issue for like the first hour or so. As soon as you get used to them it's actually very fun to control this game just because of how different it plays from anything else. Anyone who complains about the camera or controls or whatever on a game like this is just a crybaby imho
Legends 2 fixes nearly all your complaints. Better lock on, camera, etc. Playing a beloved yet dated classic as an adult critic spells disaster. Also the jab at Legends fans in general with their lack of support over Red Ash is kind of insulting. Red Ash is NOT Legends anyone smart enough would know it's just a cheap imitation that will play horribly just like Mighty Number 9
Bad controls is a topic I've been interested in lately. Many people will just not play older games (Examples: NES games, MGS1, etc.) because they are not used to the controls because the standards have changed. But I wonder if the only reason we put up with 8bit controls was because we just had bad standards, not just developers who had yet to play Mario 64. When I go back and play games like the original Castlevania or Metal Gear or whatever, I feel like adjusting myself to the older context of the times, the older "antiquated" frame of mind necessary to enjoy these older controls, mechanics, level design choices, camera angles, isn't actually that hard for me. It makes me wonder if games nowadays are going to be said to have "bad" controls 10-20 years from now. I can't help but wondering whether our standards have improved, or if we have become spoiled. Don't get me wrong, something simple like picking up items should not be an inconvenience, but, maybe sometimes something as simple as dodging an enemy (see REmake) is a complicated and strategic process for a reason. One example I like is Monster Hunter 4. Unlike Zelda or Dark Souls, there is no lock-on, so you have to use your own camera and movement controls to aim manually. The game is all about being and taking the initiative on your own and developing several skills and habits that Zelda or Dark Souls wouldn't teach you. I found it super clunky at first, but got used to it and really enjoy this kind of philosophy. But does that mean MH4 has bad controls? Do we define this as laziness on behalf of the developers, or ourselves? How do we define bad controls: easiness, accessibility, intuitive design, or methodology and intention behind it and how it reacts and creates dynamics among the rest of the game's elements and abilities? (REmake is, again, a very very good example of the latter). What do you think?
treeghettox .... Yes, they had camera angles, regardless of whether you could control them. "Nobody ever said NES games have bad control." Uhh, if you say so dude.....
treeghettox I don't know what you expect me to say if you're going to not acknowledge that many people complain about how aged Castlevania is. I personally agree with you, but that doesn't change the fact that many people online and whom I know personally say CV or Metal Gear aged horribly and play like shit, while I disagree. "It's way easier, especially for new players, to control 2D games than 3D ones. Most people don't play old games because they're HARD, not because they're difficult to control." I agree. This however wasn't what I was talking about.
treeghettox That, and the rigid jumping, and the inability to move while attacking, the amount of start up for the whip, and probably lots of other stuff.
treeghettox I think you're right on the money. Difficult games tend to be treated as second class citizens unless they are hyped and marketed as difficult games in the first place to curve those expectations, such as Dark Souls. Even though I like SCIV, all those points are correct (except I personally really like the ost *shrugs*) and TLoU was hailed as a masterpiece for simply being a jack of all trades, master of none piece of gaming. For whatever reason, people have no diligence or patience when it comes to adjusting to something difficult. It's why versus fighting games are becoming progressively more accessible, for better or for worse, it's why the average "Normal" mode in games offers very little challenge when it used to, etc..
+Kojima World Order Castlevania didn't aged that bad, the character walks too slow and the stairs can be a pain, but it's very easy to get used to it (unlike tank controls is 3D games), and in Super Castlevania IV the whip it's very fun to control. About Metal Gear, the Metal Gear Solid controls didn't aged well, but the controls of the original Metal Gear still feel right. About other old games in general, I feel the controls of most the SNES games pretty good, I like the side scrollers platformers and few thing have changed since then in that genre, the same for the shut em ups, beat em ups and fighting games; but with NES games, definitively I cannot enjoy most of them, only few classics like the Megaman games or the Super Mario Bros games.
The Mega Man Legends series are still some of my favourite games. I grew up with NES Mega Man, but it was always this mechanically challenging yet boring experience. Nothing happened in the game. You fought evil baddies, killed them, and saved the world. Very fun and narratively dry side-scrollers. Then Legends came out. They said, "Let's contextualize Mega Man's adventures, his world, his purpose. He is worth more than this." And he was! Mega Man Legends delivers a unique narrative. Not mature, but unique. A quirky, kid friendly sci-fi story with funny characters. It's easy to tease the mechanics of this game, but few who love it value the mechanics, even though the steadily upgrading RPG elements and verticality of the game remain fun. People may say "This game didn't age well," but they say the same of Final Fantasy VII, and nobody would question that a classic in narrative design. For those gamers who love lore and storytelling, Mega Man Legends remains the perfect diversion from the stale, repeatable, paper thin lore of the Mega Man and Mega Man X series. If only Red Ash weren't a sketchy pile of money grubbing garbage, I would have signed up in a heartbeat.
Please do a follow up of Megaman Legends 2. This video was a big factor in what got me to play the first two games, and I would love to know "What do you think?"
loved megaman legends 1 & 2. The overworld had such incredible charm. You really felt immersed in thise cutesy saturday-morning-cartoon world of the 90's. im actually planning on replaying them through emulation. As for the quality, i think these games still hold up. I showed a friend of mine legends just a few years ago, and he played through and beat it. its those oldschool platformers of yore, that unfortunately, don't hold up. Try showing a megaman 2 or megaman X to a neice or nephew... kids these days have no interest in a mindless platformer.
Really? I played Megaman 2 a few years back (I was 15 at the time) and loved it, coming right off the heals of beating 1. Hell, three years later, I just finished playing all the classics. I even cheated and played a bit of X and that game holds up damn well.
When I heard the Red Ash Kickstarter failed I pictured some Capcom executive laughing while saying "We told you no one cares about MML, Keiji." Too bad that's pretty much the only time Capcom was right in the 1st half of this decade.
I remember playing this as a kid, the n64 version. I think I remember really loving that difference in tone between the bright overworld and the more tense incursions in the claustrophobic ruins where you can find artifacts that turn into various upgrades, and how those ruins all interconnected in the end into a big network. Those incursions kind of felt Metroid-like, something I hadn't really felt in a long while at the time, ever since well, Super Metroid. I think it was filling a bit of a gap in the N64 library. There weren't many games like this on that console at the time! It probably wouldn't have stood out as much otherwise.
I think it is unfair to blame the game's camera control on Capcom. Before the game is fully developed the PS1 is only shipped with controller with Dpad, no analogs. The Dual Analog Controller is bought independently and Capcom need to consider that the vast customer base don't have these new gadgets for the mapping. On the other hand Nintendo, the hardware designer themselves must have thought about the limitation of Dpad when controlling Mario so they craft an analog typically for him. If anyone was to blame it was Sony's lack of imagination at that time
I think the main reason this game got a cult following wasn't because of the mechanics but it was about the story, about the characters which were very relatable and ended up.shapping this spin off's personality and why it stuck with people. that is why people were upset at the third game's cancellation and so little buzz about the Red Ash KS, people do not necessarily want more legends, they want closure to the story that legends 2 left on a cliffhanger. My hope is that George sees this comment and hopefully he ends up making a review of the second game taking all i said in mind.
An interesting and reasonable take on the game but, I disliked your vid. Now before anyone jumps on me for being a fanboy(which I am admittedly), let me explain. I'm not claiming this game is some sort of masterpiece and I fully acknowledge its sometimes awkward controls and average graphics. The beauty of this game comes from it's larger than life characters, it's deeper and more intriguing story than the usual defeat DR. Wily, fun(and sometimes tedious) dungeon exploration, a pretty decent soundtrack and some very solid voice acting(if you think this game has bad voice acting, I suggest you play Megaman 8). Again, it's not perfect and much of this games flaws were fixed in its sequel but, I feel that this game is greater than the sum of its parts. A fresh new take(at the time) on the Megaman universe. One that I enjoy revisiting every now and then.
I think that the innocence of the game's world is something that a lot of games could learn from. There's a great moment where you have to stop a bank robbery and it turns out that the robbers (servbots, of course) simply didn't understand how bank loans work- and if you give the money back, they get out a proper loan and open up a restaurant. Because they need to recoup some of their bosses' massive robot-construction-related losses on this pirating venture.
If we're talking early free-roaming 3D video games, I think From Software's Armored Core is a really nice example. It had those usual d-pad + shoulder buttons to move and aim thing going on, but it's fast, and responsive, and has this like active lock-on system that I think would've worked wonders in Legends. Was released a few months before Legends, too.
george, i think what they were banking on was the group of forum posters who were abandoned in "capcomunity"'s project. they were meant to bounce ideas off the capcom forum users for a megaman legends three on the 3ds. it was eventually scrapped around the time inafune left capcom. it was an interesting idea and there's still a ton of fan produced music and concept art floating around the internet that you can check out.
YesBut seriously, i love this spin off series. The gameplay is so unique that it don't matter how different it is from Megaman. Maybe if it tried being Megaman it would have failed Like X7 did.
Great review. This is my favorite game of all time and you brought great criticisms to the game while still giving it credit where credit is due. It's like Megaman meets Zelda meets Ratchet and Clank. I feel if people are able to overcome the controls, they'll be able to realize just how charming and fun this game really is.
I'm surprised there weren't any jokes about Data. I recommend giving MegaMan Legends 2 a casual play. It keeps the rigid control scheme and camera system (I actually like it, but I grew up with it), but polishes what it did right in the first game and fixes the 2D-like level design. It really feels like they got a hold of what 3D games can do and put that into Megaman Legends 2. Oh, and a pretty good lock-on system.
Hey Mr. Super Bunnyhop, since you've reviewed the Rainbow Six series, will you also review the Conflict series? Like Conflict Desert Storm and Conflict Global Terror?
I know I'm literally years late, but I loved this game and its sequel. It portrayed such a unique world and awesome characters. When the boss at the end casually mentioned it was a 'bureaucratic model' my mind was blown. There were so many mysteries I couldn't believe had been left untouched. What was the Motherload? Who were Roll's parents? Who is Megaman really? The dungeons weren't real exciting in the first one for the most part. There were moments like those giant gator bots leaping out of the water walls, but mostly they were a bit drab. What was exciting though were all the secrets. Realizing every dungeon in the game was interconnected or finding a hole in the wall with a cool little gift for Roll or an artifact for the Museum was so exciting. I was just entranced by the whole game. You had to figure out to go get red lipstick to help a woman finish her painting just to open a museum you never had to open at all if you didn't want. And this was at a time before I had the internet in my house to look that kind of thing up. I didn't back Red Ash, because it looked like a disaster, but I would have loved to see what they could have done with Legends 3.
This was back during the days when not everyone who owned a PSX had an analog stick dual shock controller, a lot of people still only had controllers with the dpad, so you had to make control schemes based around that.
I never played the original megaman games, but when I was really little, I used to watch both of my brothers play this game, and they seemed to really enjoy it. As of now, I have gotten the game on my psp, and played it for nostalgia, and found that the game was a lot more charming than I had realized when I was a kid.
I got introduced to MML through the n64 game when i was 6 and then got the playstation games when i was 10. I got to grips with the controls in a few hours and then i loved exploring the somewhat big world at the time, talking to characters and collecting money, strafe shooting robots and admiring how bad yet adorable a character Tron was. Some of my best memories as a kid, and i still enjoy playing it today, Even if it doesnt hold up that well to the test of time.
I was a teenager when I played this, 17 or 18 I think. I played it many years after Mario 64, I think I was 14. And I absolutely loved it. I was gutted when the kickstarter for Red Ash was being mishandled. I'm glad they found a publisher, really hope they can. pull it off.
Also, i had forgotten to mention, Megaman Legends 2 actually fixes most of these issues and it seems to be not mentioned in this review, i understand that the review is on the 1st game but it should note that the 2nd didn't have such major issues that the original did to show how far it's gone. Even if it didn't do the very best, it was better than the original and should be spoken for. In the long run, i hope Inafune figures out what he did wrong.
hey George Weidman, are you going to do a review of the second game? I personally grew up on the n64 port of megaman legends. now I don't look at the game with rose tinted glasses because I do realize that it had a laundry list of issues, but I didn't know it was the inferior version. I'm interested in seeing an objective review of the series from someone who isn't affected by nostalgia like me.
My biggest issue with the Red Ash kickstarter is that Inafune seems to think because of his name and legacy alone people will just automatically trust him. And trust has to be earned, especially since now he's in the indie world. I mean Larian Studios are about to launch a kickstarter for Divinity: Original Sin 2. And no one is saying anything bad because they've shown they can make a good game with the funds they got. They proved themselves and people trust them because of that. Same with Brian Fargo. After Wasteland 2 people trust him and he uses that trust to get The Bard's Tale 4 funded. I do want to trust Inafune. The man's legacy is diffidently rock solid (No pun intended) and I do want to think he has goo intentions. But he needs to get his shit together now he's in the indie world.
L Pendergast Inafune is a fraud.. before he left Capcom, he was running his mouth and trash talking the Japanese game industry, saying things like: ''Japan is over. We’re done. Our game industry is finished.” and '' Japan is at least five years behind'' and how they ''have to learn more from western games and create games that'll sell more in the western market. '' Ok, Cool.. So they need to make western games, right? They need to appeal to the western market, right? Umm.. When he finally left Capcom, what was the very first game he worked on as an independent developer? *Hyperdimension Neptunia, A turn-based JRPG with cute anime girls*.. Fraud Confirmed.. He also said: ''The ideas, gameplay, design - there’s no diversity, no originality.” when talked about the Japanese industry.. Ok, Cool.. So no more sequels, right? No more rehashes, right? But what game is he currently working on right now? That's right, *Mighty No.9, A Rockman clone..* Fraud Confirmed.. And even if you try to justify that by mentioning how this game came after long years of no Rockman games, He was already rehashing and making sequels after sequels even back when Capcom was still making Rockman games.. And this is without even mentioning his recent BS with Mighty No.9 because I'm sure most of you already knows it.. The guy is a fraud, There's no denying or damage controlling that.. The only people who actually likes him are westerners, and that's mostly because you don't know half the stuff we know about this fraud.. He's a Westaboo, He talked mean things about Japan just because they weren't making the typical western games like the dudebro shooters or the buggy open world games.. Half of his recent projects are all western games made with western studios just because he loves the American culture.. Like I have said, Fraud..
GMB A fraud is one who takes money or otherwise acquires things of value from others under false pretenses. You might be thinking of the word "hypocrite", someone whose actions are contrary to their expressed beliefs. Like, if he'd taken money and then produced absolutely nothing with it, or taken money under false pretenses of what it was going to be used for, he'd be a fraud. Which is what the whole Fuze debacle is about- whether or not the Kickstarter for Red Ash misrepresented how the funds contributed would be used. Not really contradicting anything you're saying, just pointing out that if you want to talk about him being an inconsistent twatwaffle, those are great examples, but calling him a fraud would require focusing in on what he's doing with his money, specifically. Which is apparently making a game that's looking underwhelming as time goes on.
Ironically, at the kickstarter for Original Sin, I did not trust Larian because they had previously shown that they made very buggy and ugly RPGs. Though now I'm at least glad I played a few of their earlier titles, because they have increased my attachment and understanding of Larian's game world.
This was the first megaman game I ever played. Watched a friend play the first one on their N64 and then later got Megaman Legends 2 on Playstation. You hit on the exact things I loved about the game- the graphics and the characters. Oh, and those scary ass dungeons. As a kid it felt like I was playing an anime. The plot has a more serious tone in the second one which makes the action more compelling. As a kid the 2D games that were just coming out were getting pretty sophisticated in their gameplay language. Concepts that were introduced in the first game were now barely being touched on in order to introduce more and more gameplay ideas. Also after seeing the graphics of the first 3D generation it was really hard for an impatient kid to go back to 2D graphics. Maybe that's why my generation (the ones who grew up playing 3D games first) had a lot more patience for clunky 3D games- the developers were just starting to learn how to make these games work and we were just starting to learn how to play them.
A kids game? what about the bit where mega man discovers the adult section of a magazine newsstand in the mall. And how it might be fun to look at the magazines but there are too many people around? Did they take that part out in the N64 version was that part only on the PS1? Also the scumbag tactic of kicking vending machines to get free sodas/energy drink until they exploded so during boss battles in same said locations you screw yourself over for taking advantage of the system.
Well to be fair, back in the day nobody had the shoulder buttons figured out. They were some kind of special buttons for scrolling or camera control. Basically for moving something left or right ... hence the name. The name "trigger button" hadn't been invented yet.
Weren't you able to lock onto enemies in MML? I didn't have any problems at all with the camera is these games. Actually for a long time I wished more games used a camera like this; very rigid but precisely where you put it. I'm not buying the graphics complaints either, they're stylised like games generally weren't back then. Hrmmph, still my favourite series ever.
Breadfan In Legends 1, you COULD lock on...but you were planted to the ground in one spot without even so much as a cursor to highlight your target. In 2, you can move while locking on and have the cursor show you that (not to mention the nice detail of the arrows around the cursor telling you if your Buster shots could reach them based on its Range stat).
Oh, and as far as the weird controls for aiming, this game was made for a console that originally shipped with a controller with no analog sticks on it. This game came out right after the Dual Analog Controller (before it even had rumble and was called DualShock), meaning it would have been developed for just the analog free controller and adding analog controls for the new controller was probably something they couldn't do in time.
I would love to see a reimagining of the mega man legends world. I think it’s so charming and as a kid I have fond memories of wandering around the city and being happy to just explore and be able to take his helmet off, which is so dumb to think about now, but I also liked run around kokiri forest in ocarina of time without the sword and shield so yea lol
I did not grow up with the legends series (or megaman for that matter) i'm from the ps2/gamecube era so i didn't discover this series before playing as Tron bonne in marvel vs capcom fate of two worlds . the graphics didn't bother me so much and i got used to the controls while playing legends 1. There is a charm in these games that i just love. The characters, gameplay, the story and the music was just so enjoyable for me. I was somehow able to get working copies of legends 2 and misadventure of tron bonne pretty cheap ^^ i'm only missing the cheapest one.
I think having the camera clip through walls is still the best compromise we've got for third-person games. Show me one game that doesn't spaz out whenever you're stuck in a corner or against a wall
What do I think? I think you should do more of these retro reviews. Maybe do one for a Clover Studios game like Viewtiful Joe or Okami? Great video, as always.
Personally, I love Legends, and I played it for the first time this year. Besides the lock on, I had almost no trouble learning the controls and thought the gameplay was decent. Where the game really worked for me was the atmosphere, characters, dialogue, and world. It was just a plain nice experience throughout. This only really applies to me, as I can see people hating the controls and other dated parts of the game, but none of it bothered me. To bad we never got to see how far this style of game could've gone with Legends 3 (I'm very dubious of Red Ash right now).
Jeez, I had no idea about Red Ash until seeing this video. I was never a fan of the side-scrolling Megaman games but I loved MML1&2 and Tron Bonne. I really miss those old 3D worlds with NPCs with quirky dialogue and wonky architecture.
aw man i used to love this game as a kid. ive been trying to find a copy to relive the glory days. i know it will be dated, i know the gameplay might bore me and be tedious, i know the controls will probably suck, but i just can help being drawn to this game again. i miss the days where cartoon graphics were the norm instead of the new hyper realistic stuff and i miss simple games that didnt require hours of menuing and micromanagement. i want to just play this game again and be happy knowing that i had so much fun with it and many fond memories of it and hopefully recapture some of that nostalgic joy i once felt
I recognise all of the points in this video, and I do agree with many of them. Doesn't stop me from loving MML to bits, nostalgia sure is a powerful thing!
The heart of the game was in it's world building really. Starts off small with you and your digger team, Roll Gramps and... Popo. Then you get to the market area of the city with practically everything you examine having a point and click adventure flavortext. You meet the Bons and experience their relationships with each other, and just how inventive and they are as a family. (Even when they basically commit acts of terrorism their still loveable.) The dungeons are exponentially threatening, you need to have some reliability skill with the controls in order to balance out the damage you take and the resources you have. Plus the progression you make to gear yourself up as a digger, finding the part for the helm, the jet boots, arm augments, zenny needed for later interactions and world beats. You play and feel like you're presence is causing an impact on the world. Changing the way it looks.
I've yet to see the video (at work) but here's two fun facts: Megaman Legends did the target lock on and cinematic cutscenes a year before Ocarina of Time.
Hated everything to do with Red Ash. Megaman Legends is one of my favorite games of all time, and I played it again recently last year and I still had a great time with it! Yes the controls and camera are awful, but the characters, towns, music and atmosphere is great! Dungeons are incredibly creepy and the towns are incredibly jolly. This is the only Megaman game to ever really make me care about who Megaman is as a person. Great video, really love your channel and your perspectives!
I remembered back in the day it was rough to play MML right after I've finished MML2 things like Megaman controls like a car and auto aim is weird but I still manage to power through it
One of my favorite games as a kid. II loved exploring the island and upgrading or collecting those weapons. Until now I still find the characters very likable, especially those facial expressions.
This is... In terms of nostalgia... Probably my favorite game of all time. I played it before Ocarina and Majora’s Mask, so it was the first game to introduce me to the early concept of 3D semi-open world adventure games. I loved Kattelox Island and it’s inhabitants. I loved the exploration, the interconnected dungeons, and it just blew my 8 year old mind when I realized that the ruins could take you from one side of the island to the other. This game is also the main reason why I always stop to talk to every single NPC in any RPG nowadays.... But in this game, almost every NPC has their own little story and it all progresses as you progress through the game which was always fun to follow along. I just loved finishing up raiding some ruins for a giant refractor or defeating a boss and then going back to town to see that the NPC’s had moved around and had new things to say. The game is definitely dated and I think it would be hard for someone who had not played it or enjoyed it as a kid to get into it now, but it’s the one game I pick up again every few years to transport me back to that carefree mindset of coming home from school and playing the few games I had.
I think you missed a key event concerning why the Red Ash Kickstarter exists. When MegaMan Legends 3 was cancelled (a move that a lot of people believe caused Keiji Inafune to resign from Capcom) there was actually a fairly large fan campaign protesting the decision. I feel like this campaign was Keiji's attempt to both deliver the game that had been promised to fans and to explore an area of the MegaMan series that he personally enjoys the most. However, it appears that the vocal segment of fans that liked MegaMan Legends was a relatively niche group, and that Keiji had overestimated the support for the project. I do think his timing and organization was somewhat poor though, players are still waiting to see if Mighty No. 9 will meet expectations, and it seems a bit much to ask backers to double down on an uncertain product, particularly when the publisher is sketchy.
I grew up with PS1/SNES games until around 2003 when I mainly focused on PS2. And I had played a bunch of wonky controlled games that came out of that era. So when I played Legends, I was used to those types of controls. I used D-pads far more often than analog sticks. However I played the PC version, not the one on PS1. And on PC, the controls feel natural since all you have is a keyboard with arrow keys to move, instead of a controller with an analog stick right there. I never really thought about it. I guess if you grew up with analog sticks. Personally, I love Legends. Better than Legends 2 actually. Why, even though it's outdated? Because it has genuine thought and heart put into it. The dungeons are immersive and creepy, the sidequests all affect the ending and are fun, and going through the optional underground sections is almost Metroidvania-ish. There's so much stuff to do and so many items to collect, and the dungeons have so much atmosphere I can't stress it enough. The plot is charming and yet the underlying themes and backstory have a mysterious aura to them that ends up being a bit dark. This game does something with its story that not many people give it credit for: It keeps you moving, yet at the same time allows you to wander around and do stuff on your own. The voice acting, for the time, is actually not bad, especially compared to RE. I also like how it was honestly pretty innovative for the time. Like Ocarina of Time it has a 3D targeting system that's not the best, but it exists nonetheless. And like Shenmue, there is a shitton of detail put into everything. You can search pretty much everything, and almost everything in the background at least has a description written for it. The majority of people who bash this game, aside from complaining about its outdated controls and blocky graphics, don't like how it advertises itself as a Mega Man game and yet...isn't really. But isn't it? I've always seen the franchise as something that evolves over time. Rather than rehash the games over and over again, they wanted the series to change over time. Evidenced by the fact that Mega Man 6 was originally going to be the last MM Classic game, continuing with X, and X5 was going to be the last MMX game, continuing with Mega Man Zero. So how did Legends evolve Mega Man? Converting what was already established in previous games to 3D wouldn't have worked at all. So they reinvented the formula into something that WOULD work in 3D yet still feel like Mega Man. Yes the plot and style is very different, but do you play Mega Man for Dr. Wily, selectable stages and 2D gameplay? No, you play it because jumping and shooting things, and having a large amount of weapons to do so, is fun no matter the environment. That base concept is why Mega Man kept getting new incarnations like Battle Network and ZX. It's a concept that can grow stale if it's exactly the same, and yet like Mario platforming, can work in a ton of different genres like RPGs. There are very few bad Mega Man games for this reason because unless you royally fuck something up (X7) it's easy to make a game that's enjoyable at the very least. And Legends didn't fuck anything up. You still have an arm cannon and are running around blasting robots. You still get a variety of weapons that all have their own uses. And you can get a bunch of upgrades to make Mega Man stronger as the game goes on. It's not a perfect game by any means, but it gets so many things right that I've replayed it about 6 times by now.
still one of my favorite games of all time. Revisted legends a while back and the nostalgia was intense. It was one of my very first games, so I'm assuming it only holds up, if you played when it came out. Still wish they came out with legends 3. Would have bought a DS just to experience legends again.
![[TH] VALORANT Champions Seoul - Group Stage Day 5 - DRX vs FNC](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EGLDAmaBOhU/mqdefault.jpg)
To be fair. Our own world also floats in a black void of nothingness.
Yes
Our world is a black void of nothingness.
I'm a "Yes" kind of guy myself, but I can respect the opinions of most "No" people if they try to be reasonable.
JPSimmsHM Fuck you and all the "yes" people, you are a blight on this industry.
This is Caboose Typical No fanboy. Go back to nochan.
JPSimmsHM Well "No" to you too, you damned YesmanNo is love, no is life.What do you think?
BaneDain Yes
JPSimmsHM ...skub
That one NPC wasn't lost in translation btw. The joke is that the guy was talking to himself and asked what you thought without context. After you give an answer, he provides context.
That's what I suspected at first.
I think its the characters and the story that really make up Mega Man Legends' appeal. When MML3 was cancelled, people were upset because they wanted to see the end of the story. When Red Ash was announced, people didn't care because it wasn't the story they wanted to see.
Not to mention the ride inafune took people on with Mighty No. 9 which if my timeline is right wasn’t even finished when this kickstarter was done.
@@thelinedrive You're right it wasn't. Inafune was promising a tv show, manga, and a few things alongside this Campaign so people were very reluctant on giving him money for this.
minutes
Tgi iu
Played both Legends games for the first time last year, so no nostalgia for them and I can still say they are both great games
Yeah the complaints about the graphical quality really didn’t make sense to me. Yeah it was dated for the time, but the character and environment design was creative enough to give those graphics a homey charm to it.
As for the gameplay, while using the old school tank 3D sceme, nothing in the game is designed to be unfair to the player.
And more than anything the game rewards exploration as while there are unique entry points and dungeons, they are all connected and thus as long as you are skilled enough and have the right tools it provides a sense of discovery and wonder that even now few games can replica.
I began playing them today (played 5 hours of the first one) and i had a pretty good time. I'm even looking forward to finishing this one and playing the other two games.
I dont get te hate towards the graphics they look pretty good, actually i become interested in the game just because the graphics
"Everyone is pretty, good-looking, perfect."
That´s a plot point!!!
The mood whiplash between the overworld and the vaults was one of my favorite parts.
Keji Inafune never should even bothered with Red Ash until Mighty No.9 was released to the public.
Why support one project from a company when their other project hasn't been released yet. Doesn't help that Mighty looks a bit underwhelming.
SaiyanGoku9001 Oh and since everyone else is doing it: Yes.
Worst part is, they didn't needed the money (at least to create game) and yet they made it look like they did, instead of being honest and saying they needed to port the game.
MrLCGO Oh yeah, they're getting funding from another company to make it as well, which makes the project look even more shady imo.
SaiyanGoku9001 exactly took the words out of my mouth
+SaiyanGoku9001 In the business, pitching your next project to investors a month or 2 before the currrent ones release is pretty standard. I guess inafune thought crowdfunding would work the same?
I'm confident the design of the minions were shamelessly taken from the servebots.
+Ex Team Rocket Grunt Finally, Someone said it.
Edward Labarca I speak the truth.
And the Servbots were definitely not LEGO minifigures.
Best Lego knock off produced to date at least.
I've also been saying this since the first Despicable Me movie came out. The difference is that the Servebots AREN'T annoying as all hell, not to mention they have actual characters among them instead of just a bunch of copy-pasted blobs
Yes.
Any part in specific, or just the ideas of the video in general?
+Cubester64 yes
no
I think the jarring contrast between the over and underworld was intentional. the life of a Digger is supposed to be this sort of thing. Diggers live fast and die ugly so that the rest of the Carbons could live in this utopia. the theme of this entire series is supposed to be this "we live this life due to the constant work of Diggers, unfortunately, in our greed we asked them to dig too deep and we found the long sleeping worldkiller"
I actually loved the camera system in Legends. I easily got frustrated with games like Gex 3 and even Super Mario 64 for their seemingly arbitrary restrictions on camera control. Their cameras would always bump into and get stuck on scenery and obstacles, making various sections needlessly irritating, but Mega Man Legends fixed that by having the camera clip through walls. I was like, "FINALLY! A 3D adventure game that lets me move the camera exactly where I need it any time I want!"
everything about red ash is just weird and kinda sketchy
collin taylor It's a scam, man. It just doesn't make any sense for suddenly at the last minute a freakin' chinese company appear backing the project because it failed. Plus they were so desperate that they just released the cheapest "demo" i have ever seen.
+Maogi it was funded, but then it was revealed that it was funded by Fuze from the beginning and many people thinking that Redash (get it? because in Japan it was called Rockman dash, and this is a reinterpretation?) was only going to be made because of the kickstarter, so they pulled their money back making the project not successful.
And to add to that there's the fact that Mighty no. 9 hasn't come out yet and that they're using kickstarter again instead of using their gains to fund their new project like any other company would... but like I said, they didn't even needed the money thanks to Fuze.
But what do you think? yes or no?
collin taylor Studio 4°C is pretty legit.
MrLCGO
pretty sure it wasn't going to be funded either way, but ok
i already knew about the title gimmick too, i'm a MML fan lol
this game was so fun when you didn't know what good games were.
Every game was fun when you didn't know what good games were
;-; I want to go back
Zakk Day any game is fun when you willing to spend time on it and when you are a kid you got no other choice but play the stuff you already have
Just like COD,I used to love it but then I played DOOM,Duke Nukem 3D,Wolfeinstein 3D and all the other 2.5D of the time and now I just can't play such a dumbed down,linear corridor simulator.
Yes
Deany Kong make up your mind ! yes OR no ?
Oh hell yes! I had no idea you played these games -- MML 1 & 2 were always some of my favorite games growing up, and you always give fantastic critical perspective on literally everything you cover (regardless of whether or not you enjoy the series). This is a good day.
EDIT: I'm interested to see what you'd think of MML 2 -- it fixed most of the control and presentation problems from the first game, and while it's not perfect, things like analogue support, being able to move while locked on (which is complemented by tougher enemies that you can't just circle strafe to beat, especially in the later parts of the game), a much-improved text system (pressing x completes the current box, while holding triangle quickly skips through everything -- it's a lot harder to accidentally cancel if you're just going through with x that way, because you can read the dialogue completely at your own pace), much more verticality with dungeons, and an overall less blocky and restrictive style all really make it a more pleasant experience, imo (although it still looks incredibly outdated today, of course). Voice acting and the story take a bit of a hit, but they're still definitely highlights -- also, just a quick note about the story: it is related to and tied in with the original series, particularly the X series (Mega Man X5 especially has a few references to how the MML universe comes to be... don't want to spoil too much).
I mean I have the nostalgia factor going on big time here, so I definitely get how taking an objective look at these games can make them really hard to appreciate, but I do appreciate that the developers took a few years to make the sequel and actually focused on improving the flawed aspects of the first one. Interested to hear your take on it, if you think it's noticeably better, or if you enjoy it at all in the first place.
In Hibernation Yeah, just finished watching the video and edited my comment to reflect that -- either way, I always enjoy George's videos. So it's a slight bummer to hear someone not be as into these games as I am, but I definitely get where he's coming from -- if all he played as a kid was the godawful N64 port, there's not that feeling of fond nostalgia going on, and I can't say I wouldn't feel the same way if I were just playing them for the first time. So i definitely don't disagree with what he's saying or anything, and I always like that when he *does* give a negative review, it's not just shitting all over the IP and actually involves some really interesting analysis.
Taylor Abdon What do you think?
Nison545 Yes
Taylor Abdon He said in the video that he hadn't played it until now, that's probably why his opinion didn't have a shred of nostalgia in it.
MML 1&2 are some of my favorite games of all time. So many early gaming memories associated with these games, the nostalgia is almost painful.
gnarkillguch Emphasis on "painful."
But seriously, I love this game.
gnarkillguch Well, that's what the word nostlagia means. A painful longing for the past.
Ryuma King
Haha, I know. Just saying.
*****
Yes and no. I'm actually playing through the PC version of MML1, and while it may not hold up technically, it's still a dam fun game on it's own. Just like how Ocarina of Time on the N64 looks and plays like crap, it's still a good game, and definitely still worth a look.
gnarkillguch Don't forget the Misadventures of Tron Bonne. Servbots for life.
Here's the da problem, George.
You didn't name yourself Hippopotamus.
As many problems as this game has functionally, I would say that the art is what sets it far ahead of its time. That's gonna sound silly, but really think about it: cell shaded, bright colors that disguise polygons. Sharp edges accentuated by the clean lines of pixel graphics. If an indie game came out today with exactly the same sort of art, it'd be one of its major selling parts. I think back on one of my ps2 favorites: graffiti kingdom, which was also did something similar and which still looks very good today.
In games, nothing looks worse than bad polygons, bad shading, and bad pixel art. It's glaring, it's obvious, and it's jarring. Take a hard look at FF7. Horrible shading, muddy as hell textures, off-putting polygons. FF7 came out in 97, the same year as mega man legends. "Woah but it was a great game and ahead of its time" doesn't apply here, because for as much of a good game that FF7 is (and as much of a mediocre game MML is), the graphics have not aged anywhere as well as Mega Man Legends.
Nonsequitorian I was thinking the same thing! I am kinda hungry for a game that looks this good. Even Ocarina of Time has some pretty horrifying triangle people compared to this game.
treeghettox The un-warranted praise for pixel art and cell shading is more than real. A small piece of my 16-bit heart dies every time I remember that people actually praise the quality of the artwork of games such as Terraria/Hotline Miami/Minecraft/early pokemon, or when I see that sprites don't line up with the pixels behind them like in "I wanna be the guy".
It's as if people forgot about games like the older Metroid games or Cave Story.
That's not to say I dislike Hotline Miami's art. I dig the 80s vibes, but it's not masterfully done.
Nonsequitorian The pre-rendered and FMV backgrounds were a big part of what blew everyone's minds back then.
treeghettox Metal Slug is to die for. Early early metroid isn't amazing, but specifically Fusion had some really interesting color contrast in my opinion.
Nonsequitorian FF7 barely has any textures tough, there is the floor on battles and some magic effects but that's it. during combat everything else was rendered with whats called gourad shading, ie: polygons with colors on the corners that blend with the colors in the other corners.
and they did that for a reason, psx is a monster when it comes to gourad shaded polygons and terrible with textures(mind you it can't do gourad shading and texture at the same time without drawing the same poligon twice), FF7 models are pretty much the most detailed models to ever grace the psx, the biggest example is those houses that turns into robots that you find at early game stop and look at how much detail they have. and the same can be said for the characters if you see their models side to side with ff8's for example
however it was indeed a early 3d title, and the animation was achived by just switching models in different poses like traditional animation(somethign quake 1 also did) and looked terrible
Young me would have said yes, but the current me says no.
MegaMan Legends to me holds up to some degree simply because no one is actually making games like this. Now that might sound silly but how many games are taking the full-on Zelda approach for their action RPGs? Or ones that also have an endearingly silly, deliciously anime story?
Technically there are many things wrong with the game, but I'd take it over most modern 3D games, simply because it does shit that new 3D games simply don't (barring some RPGs). Like have a feeling of openness without being open world and needlessly gigantic for one. Most 3D games are ridiculous extremes nowadays, either fully linear or trying to replicate the size and openness of an actual US state.
Honestly, I prefer it to Ocarina of Time solely because we've seen what future advancement in 3D gaming has done to improve Zelda (as much as OOT has aged well, Wind Waker and beyond blow it out of the water in quite a few ways). Whereas no one has really done a game like this since. Honestly, despite how influential OOT was, we don't actually get many games that follow OOT's winning formula it seems like? And the only time we did with a game that was considered remotely popular at release was Darksiders.
Always a joy to see a new episode on the sub box.
Vkmies yes
+Vkmies Super glad you agree with yourself.
+XD4Lifeington Isn't it?
Honestly, Legends was one of my top games in the PS1 era. I see a lot of reviewers bringing up a lot of these same points, but I can't help but feel that the game is being judged by a modern metric, rather than against what was considered a "good game" at the time. I played a LOT of action/adventure/RPG games during that era, and I assure you, those "terrible" controls and camera angles were par for the course. How hard is it to just adapt and move on?
Did you actually watch the video? He brought up a lot of those points in the review.
I replayed it recently and I didn't have any problem with the controls.
Playing it on vita now. Remapped the Controls to the sticks and changed the fire buttons to the triggers. Remapping the Lock on to square and the free look to triangle. It works perfectly like a modern game now.
And for some reason it looks better on the Vita too. It doesn't have the weird warping of Textures the old Ps1 use to do. The only issue is some hell of a lot of slow down at the shopping arcade. That one spot is the only issue.
I played it for the first time some weeks ago and the controls were only an issue for like the first hour or so. As soon as you get used to them it's actually very fun to control this game just because of how different it plays from anything else. Anyone who complains about the camera or controls or whatever on a game like this is just a crybaby imho
What do you think?
------------YES--NO
May be, can you repeat the question?
As much as I like to think I am a YES kind of person, I have to admit that in real life my answer would be NO.
Legends 2 fixes nearly all your complaints. Better lock on, camera, etc. Playing a beloved yet dated classic as an adult critic spells disaster.
Also the jab at Legends fans in general with their lack of support over Red Ash is kind of insulting. Red Ash is NOT Legends anyone smart enough would know it's just a cheap imitation that will play horribly just like Mighty Number 9
Bad controls is a topic I've been interested in lately. Many people will just not play older games (Examples: NES games, MGS1, etc.) because they are not used to the controls because the standards have changed. But I wonder if the only reason we put up with 8bit controls was because we just had bad standards, not just developers who had yet to play Mario 64.
When I go back and play games like the original Castlevania or Metal Gear or whatever, I feel like adjusting myself to the older context of the times, the older "antiquated" frame of mind necessary to enjoy these older controls, mechanics, level design choices, camera angles, isn't actually that hard for me. It makes me wonder if games nowadays are going to be said to have "bad" controls 10-20 years from now. I can't help but wondering whether our standards have improved, or if we have become spoiled. Don't get me wrong, something simple like picking up items should not be an inconvenience, but, maybe sometimes something as simple as dodging an enemy (see REmake) is a complicated and strategic process for a reason.
One example I like is Monster Hunter 4. Unlike Zelda or Dark Souls, there is no lock-on, so you have to use your own camera and movement controls to aim manually. The game is all about being and taking the initiative on your own and developing several skills and habits that Zelda or Dark Souls wouldn't teach you. I found it super clunky at first, but got used to it and really enjoy this kind of philosophy. But does that mean MH4 has bad controls? Do we define this as laziness on behalf of the developers, or ourselves? How do we define bad controls: easiness, accessibility, intuitive design, or methodology and intention behind it and how it reacts and creates dynamics among the rest of the game's elements and abilities? (REmake is, again, a very very good example of the latter).
What do you think?
treeghettox ....
Yes, they had camera angles, regardless of whether you could control them.
"Nobody ever said NES games have bad control."
Uhh, if you say so dude.....
treeghettox I don't know what you expect me to say if you're going to not acknowledge that many people complain about how aged Castlevania is. I personally agree with you, but that doesn't change the fact that many people online and whom I know personally say CV or Metal Gear aged horribly and play like shit, while I disagree.
"It's way easier, especially for new players, to control 2D games than 3D ones. Most people don't play old games because they're HARD, not because they're difficult to control."
I agree. This however wasn't what I was talking about.
treeghettox That, and the rigid jumping, and the inability to move while attacking, the amount of start up for the whip, and probably lots of other stuff.
treeghettox I think you're right on the money. Difficult games tend to be treated as second class citizens unless they are hyped and marketed as difficult games in the first place to curve those expectations, such as Dark Souls. Even though I like SCIV, all those points are correct (except I personally really like the ost *shrugs*) and TLoU was hailed as a masterpiece for simply being a jack of all trades, master of none piece of gaming.
For whatever reason, people have no diligence or patience when it comes to adjusting to something difficult. It's why versus fighting games are becoming progressively more accessible, for better or for worse, it's why the average "Normal" mode in games offers very little challenge when it used to, etc..
+Kojima World Order Castlevania didn't aged that bad, the character walks too slow and the stairs can be a pain, but it's very easy to get used to it (unlike tank controls is 3D games), and in Super Castlevania IV the whip it's very fun to control.
About Metal Gear, the Metal Gear Solid controls didn't aged well, but the controls of the original Metal Gear still feel right.
About other old games in general, I feel the controls of most the SNES games pretty good, I like the side scrollers platformers and few thing have changed since then in that genre, the same for the shut em ups, beat em ups and fighting games; but with NES games, definitively I cannot enjoy most of them, only few classics like the Megaman games or the Super Mario Bros games.
"What do you think? Yes or no?"
"I....I....uh...um...chicken."
The Mega Man Legends series are still some of my favourite games. I grew up with NES Mega Man, but it was always this mechanically challenging yet boring experience. Nothing happened in the game. You fought evil baddies, killed them, and saved the world. Very fun and narratively dry side-scrollers.
Then Legends came out. They said, "Let's contextualize Mega Man's adventures, his world, his purpose. He is worth more than this." And he was! Mega Man Legends delivers a unique narrative. Not mature, but unique. A quirky, kid friendly sci-fi story with funny characters.
It's easy to tease the mechanics of this game, but few who love it value the mechanics, even though the steadily upgrading RPG elements and verticality of the game remain fun. People may say "This game didn't age well," but they say the same of Final Fantasy VII, and nobody would question that a classic in narrative design. For those gamers who love lore and storytelling, Mega Man Legends remains the perfect diversion from the stale, repeatable, paper thin lore of the Mega Man and Mega Man X series.
If only Red Ash weren't a sketchy pile of money grubbing garbage, I would have signed up in a heartbeat.
Mega Man Legends is the shit, like I need some pseudo-geek in his early twenties telling me everything he knows about games he played when he was 6.
Please do a follow up of Megaman Legends 2.
This video was a big factor in what got me to play the first two games, and I would love to know "What do you think?"
loved megaman legends 1 & 2. The overworld had such incredible charm. You really felt immersed in thise cutesy saturday-morning-cartoon world of the 90's. im actually planning on replaying them through emulation. As for the quality, i think these games still hold up. I showed a friend of mine legends just a few years ago, and he played through and beat it. its those oldschool platformers of yore, that unfortunately, don't hold up. Try showing a megaman 2 or megaman X to a neice or nephew... kids these days have no interest in a mindless platformer.
Really? I played Megaman 2 a few years back (I was 15 at the time) and loved it, coming right off the heals of beating 1. Hell, three years later, I just finished playing all the classics. I even cheated and played a bit of X and that game holds up damn well.
When I heard the Red Ash Kickstarter failed I pictured some Capcom executive laughing while saying "We told you no one cares about MML, Keiji." Too bad that's pretty much the only time Capcom was right in the 1st half of this decade.
I remember playing this as a kid, the n64 version. I think I remember really loving that difference in tone between the bright overworld and the more tense incursions in the claustrophobic ruins where you can find artifacts that turn into various upgrades, and how those ruins all interconnected in the end into a big network. Those incursions kind of felt Metroid-like, something I hadn't really felt in a long while at the time, ever since well, Super Metroid.
I think it was filling a bit of a gap in the N64 library. There weren't many games like this on that console at the time! It probably wouldn't have stood out as much otherwise.
I think it is unfair to blame the game's camera control on Capcom. Before the game is fully developed the PS1 is only shipped with controller with Dpad, no analogs. The Dual Analog Controller is bought independently and Capcom need to consider that the vast customer base don't have these new gadgets for the mapping. On the other hand Nintendo, the hardware designer themselves must have thought about the limitation of Dpad when controlling Mario so they craft an analog typically for him. If anyone was to blame it was Sony's lack of imagination at that time
I think the main reason this game got a cult following wasn't because of the mechanics but it was about the story, about the characters which were very relatable and ended up.shapping this spin off's personality and why it stuck with people. that is why people were upset at the third game's cancellation and so little buzz about the Red Ash KS, people do not necessarily want more legends, they want closure to the story that legends 2 left on a cliffhanger. My hope is that George sees this comment and hopefully he ends up making a review of the second game taking all i said in mind.
Man, the fact that you mentioned the terrifying dungeons vindicates a LOT of young nights spent with eyes bolted open.
This has become one of my Favorites channels,keep it up you guys.
No
Deany Kong make up your mind ! yes OR no ?
I love Mega Man Legends and not the originals, there i said it.
Same tbh
An interesting and reasonable take on the game but, I disliked your vid. Now before anyone jumps on me for being a fanboy(which I am admittedly), let me explain. I'm not claiming this game is some sort of masterpiece and I fully acknowledge its sometimes awkward controls and average graphics. The beauty of this game comes from it's larger than life characters, it's deeper and more intriguing story than the usual defeat DR. Wily, fun(and sometimes tedious) dungeon exploration, a pretty decent soundtrack and some very solid voice acting(if you think this game has bad voice acting, I suggest you play Megaman 8).
Again, it's not perfect and much of this games flaws were fixed in its sequel but, I feel that this game is greater than the sum of its parts. A fresh new take(at the time) on the Megaman universe. One that I enjoy revisiting every now and then.
In all honesty I kind of hope Super Bunnyhop reviews the sequel so that he can talk about how quickly the game series evolved in one game alone.
I think that the innocence of the game's world is something that a lot of games could learn from. There's a great moment where you have to stop a bank robbery and it turns out that the robbers (servbots, of course) simply didn't understand how bank loans work- and if you give the money back, they get out a proper loan and open up a restaurant. Because they need to recoup some of their bosses' massive robot-construction-related losses on this pirating venture.
That PS1 sound brings a smile on my face, so many memories.
If we're talking early free-roaming 3D video games, I think From Software's Armored Core is a really nice example. It had those usual d-pad + shoulder buttons to move and aim thing going on, but it's fast, and responsive, and has this like active lock-on system that I think would've worked wonders in Legends. Was released a few months before Legends, too.
george, i think what they were banking on was the group of forum posters who were abandoned in "capcomunity"'s project. they were meant to bounce ideas off the capcom forum users for a megaman legends three on the 3ds. it was eventually scrapped around the time inafune left capcom. it was an interesting idea and there's still a ton of fan produced music and concept art floating around the internet that you can check out.
Will there also be a review for Legends 2? It was the only game of the series I played, I remember it quite fondly (I think)
YesBut seriously, i love this spin off series. The gameplay is so unique that it don't matter how different it is from Megaman. Maybe if it tried being Megaman it would have failed Like X7 did.
Great review. This is my favorite game of all time and you brought great criticisms to the game while still giving it credit where credit is due. It's like Megaman meets Zelda meets Ratchet and Clank. I feel if people are able to overcome the controls, they'll be able to realize just how charming and fun this game really is.
Well... Now you have to review MegaMan Legends 2! Looking forward to it! :D
I'm surprised there weren't any jokes about Data.
I recommend giving MegaMan Legends 2 a casual play. It keeps the rigid control scheme and camera system (I actually like it, but I grew up with it), but polishes what it did right in the first game and fixes the 2D-like level design. It really feels like they got a hold of what 3D games can do and put that into Megaman Legends 2.
Oh, and a pretty good lock-on system.
Hey Mr. Super Bunnyhop, since you've reviewed the Rainbow Six series, will you also review the Conflict series?
Like Conflict Desert Storm
and Conflict Global Terror?
Ape escape was so good, kind of wish 3D platformers were still a thing.
Oh god that intro song... the nostalgia...
I absolutely love this art style. What other games look like this?
I know I'm literally years late, but I loved this game and its sequel. It portrayed such a unique world and awesome characters. When the boss at the end casually mentioned it was a 'bureaucratic model' my mind was blown. There were so many mysteries I couldn't believe had been left untouched. What was the Motherload? Who were Roll's parents? Who is Megaman really?
The dungeons weren't real exciting in the first one for the most part. There were moments like those giant gator bots leaping out of the water walls, but mostly they were a bit drab. What was exciting though were all the secrets. Realizing every dungeon in the game was interconnected or finding a hole in the wall with a cool little gift for Roll or an artifact for the Museum was so exciting. I was just entranced by the whole game. You had to figure out to go get red lipstick to help a woman finish her painting just to open a museum you never had to open at all if you didn't want. And this was at a time before I had the internet in my house to look that kind of thing up.
I didn't back Red Ash, because it looked like a disaster, but I would have loved to see what they could have done with Legends 3.
hey what do you think about Resident evil 2 remake ?
any thoughts and idea's ?
i love to see you talk about it in one of your videos
This was back during the days when not everyone who owned a PSX had an analog stick dual shock controller, a lot of people still only had controllers with the dpad, so you had to make control schemes based around that.
You could also change the controls to other styles if you didn't like them, but I guess nobody cares about that, eh?
I never played the original megaman games, but when I was really little, I used to watch both of my brothers play this game, and they seemed to really enjoy it. As of now, I have gotten the game on my psp, and played it for nostalgia, and found that the game was a lot more charming than I had realized when I was a kid.
I know this was from nearly 3 years ago but I still hope you EVENTUALLY cover Mega Man Legends 2.
I got introduced to MML through the n64 game when i was 6 and then got the playstation games when i was 10. I got to grips with the controls in a few hours and then i loved exploring the somewhat big world at the time, talking to characters and collecting money, strafe shooting robots and admiring how bad yet adorable a character Tron was. Some of my best memories as a kid, and i still enjoy playing it today, Even if it doesnt hold up that well to the test of time.
I was a teenager when I played this, 17 or 18 I think. I played it many years after Mario 64, I think I was 14.
And I absolutely loved it.
I was gutted when the kickstarter for Red Ash was being mishandled. I'm glad they found a publisher, really hope they can. pull it off.
The Mega man Legends series were my favorite. There was so much depth. I will never forget that nostalgia.
Also, i had forgotten to mention, Megaman Legends 2 actually fixes most of these issues and it seems to be not mentioned in this review, i understand that the review is on the 1st game but it should note that the 2nd didn't have such major issues that the original did to show how far it's gone. Even if it didn't do the very best, it was better than the original and should be spoken for. In the long run, i hope Inafune figures out what he did wrong.
hey George Weidman, are you going to do a review of the second game? I personally grew up on the n64 port of megaman legends. now I don't look at the game with rose tinted glasses because I do realize that it had a laundry list of issues, but I didn't know it was the inferior version. I'm interested in seeing an objective review of the series from someone who isn't affected by nostalgia like me.
I think...YES!
I'm surprised how well the visuals hold up.
hey george, ever thought about a retro review for the oddworld games?
My biggest issue with the Red Ash kickstarter is that Inafune seems to think because of his name and legacy alone people will just automatically trust him. And trust has to be earned, especially since now he's in the indie world. I mean Larian Studios are about to launch a kickstarter for Divinity: Original Sin 2. And no one is saying anything bad because they've shown they can make a good game with the funds they got. They proved themselves and people trust them because of that. Same with Brian Fargo. After Wasteland 2 people trust him and he uses that trust to get The Bard's Tale 4 funded. I do want to trust Inafune. The man's legacy is diffidently rock solid (No pun intended) and I do want to think he has goo intentions. But he needs to get his shit together now he's in the indie world.
L Pendergast
Inafune is a fraud.. before he left Capcom, he was running his mouth and trash talking the Japanese game industry, saying things like: ''Japan is over. We’re done. Our game industry is finished.” and '' Japan is at least five years behind'' and how they ''have to learn more from western games and create games that'll sell more in the western market. ''
Ok, Cool.. So they need to make western games, right? They need to appeal to the western market, right?
Umm.. When he finally left Capcom, what was the very first game he worked on as an independent developer?
*Hyperdimension Neptunia, A turn-based JRPG with cute anime girls*..
Fraud Confirmed..
He also said: ''The ideas, gameplay, design - there’s no diversity, no originality.” when talked about the Japanese industry..
Ok, Cool.. So no more sequels, right? No more rehashes, right?
But what game is he currently working on right now? That's right, *Mighty No.9, A Rockman clone..*
Fraud Confirmed..
And even if you try to justify that by mentioning how this game came after long years of no Rockman games, He was already rehashing and making sequels after sequels even back when Capcom was still making Rockman games..
And this is without even mentioning his recent BS with Mighty No.9 because I'm sure most of you already knows it..
The guy is a fraud, There's no denying or damage controlling that..
The only people who actually likes him are westerners, and that's mostly because you don't know half the stuff we know about this fraud..
He's a Westaboo, He talked mean things about Japan just because they weren't making the typical western games like the dudebro shooters or the buggy open world games.. Half of his recent projects are all western games made with western studios just because he loves the American culture..
Like I have said, Fraud..
GMB A fraud is one who takes money or otherwise acquires things of value from others under false pretenses.
You might be thinking of the word "hypocrite", someone whose actions are contrary to their expressed beliefs.
Like, if he'd taken money and then produced absolutely nothing with it, or taken money under false pretenses of what it was going to be used for, he'd be a fraud. Which is what the whole Fuze debacle is about- whether or not the Kickstarter for Red Ash misrepresented how the funds contributed would be used.
Not really contradicting anything you're saying, just pointing out that if you want to talk about him being an inconsistent twatwaffle, those are great examples, but calling him a fraud would require focusing in on what he's doing with his money, specifically. Which is apparently making a game that's looking underwhelming as time goes on.
Ironically, at the kickstarter for Original Sin, I did not trust Larian because they had previously shown that they made very buggy and ugly RPGs.
Though now I'm at least glad I played a few of their earlier titles, because they have increased my attachment and understanding of Larian's game world.
you could say that he made people cry like an anime fan on prom night
This was the first megaman game I ever played. Watched a friend play the first one on their N64 and then later got Megaman Legends 2 on Playstation. You hit on the exact things I loved about the game- the graphics and the characters. Oh, and those scary ass dungeons. As a kid it felt like I was playing an anime. The plot has a more serious tone in the second one which makes the action more compelling.
As a kid the 2D games that were just coming out were getting pretty sophisticated in their gameplay language. Concepts that were introduced in the first game were now barely being touched on in order to introduce more and more gameplay ideas. Also after seeing the graphics of the first 3D generation it was really hard for an impatient kid to go back to 2D graphics.
Maybe that's why my generation (the ones who grew up playing 3D games first) had a lot more patience for clunky 3D games- the developers were just starting to learn how to make these games work and we were just starting to learn how to play them.
A kids game? what about the bit where mega man discovers the adult section of a magazine newsstand in the mall. And how it might be fun to look at the magazines but there are too many people around? Did they take that part out in the N64 version was that part only on the PS1? Also the scumbag tactic of kicking vending machines to get free sodas/energy drink until they exploded so during boss battles in same said locations you screw yourself over for taking advantage of the system.
More retro reviews please thanks for this one
Can' t believe this
can be called "game
console" , ! ! !
Well to be fair, back in the day nobody had the shoulder buttons figured out. They were some kind of special buttons for scrolling or camera control. Basically for moving something left or right ... hence the name. The name "trigger button" hadn't been invented yet.
You mentioned Ape Escape, maybe you could do a retro review of that too, mm? 8)
Weren't you able to lock onto enemies in MML? I didn't have any problems at all with the camera is these games. Actually for a long time I wished more games used a camera like this; very rigid but precisely where you put it. I'm not buying the graphics complaints either, they're stylised like games generally weren't back then. Hrmmph, still my favourite series ever.
Breadfan In Legends 1, you COULD lock on...but you were planted to the ground in one spot without even so much as a cursor to highlight your target. In 2, you can move while locking on and have the cursor show you that (not to mention the nice detail of the arrows around the cursor telling you if your Buster shots could reach them based on its Range stat).
Oh, and as far as the weird controls for aiming, this game was made for a console that originally shipped with a controller with no analog sticks on it. This game came out right after the Dual Analog Controller (before it even had rumble and was called DualShock), meaning it would have been developed for just the analog free controller and adding analog controls for the new controller was probably something they couldn't do in time.
I would love to see a reimagining of the mega man legends world. I think it’s so charming and as a kid I have fond memories of wandering around the city and being happy to just explore and be able to take his helmet off, which is so dumb to think about now, but I also liked run around kokiri forest in ocarina of time without the sword and shield so yea lol
I did not grow up with the legends series (or megaman for that matter) i'm from the ps2/gamecube era so i didn't discover this series before playing as Tron bonne in marvel vs capcom fate of two worlds . the graphics didn't bother me so much and i got used to the controls while playing legends 1. There is a charm in these games that i just love. The characters, gameplay, the story and the music was just so enjoyable for me. I was somehow able to get working copies of legends 2 and misadventure of tron bonne pretty cheap ^^ i'm only missing the cheapest one.
I think having the camera clip through walls is still the best compromise we've got for third-person games. Show me one game that doesn't spaz out whenever you're stuck in a corner or against a wall
itsachickenwingthing I'd take a noclip camera over a camera making the game impossible to play when near a wall any day.
What do I think? I think you should do more of these retro reviews. Maybe do one for a Clover Studios game like Viewtiful Joe or Okami?
Great video, as always.
Personally, I love Legends, and I played it for the first time this year. Besides the lock on, I had almost no trouble learning the controls and thought the gameplay was decent. Where the game really worked for me was the atmosphere, characters, dialogue, and world. It was just a plain nice experience throughout. This only really applies to me, as I can see people hating the controls and other dated parts of the game, but none of it bothered me. To bad we never got to see how far this style of game could've gone with Legends 3 (I'm very dubious of Red Ash right now).
Jeez, I had no idea about Red Ash until seeing this video. I was never a fan of the side-scrolling Megaman games but I loved MML1&2 and Tron Bonne. I really miss those old 3D worlds with NPCs with quirky dialogue and wonky architecture.
aw man i used to love this game as a kid. ive been trying to find a copy to relive the glory days. i know it will be dated, i know the gameplay might bore me and be tedious, i know the controls will probably suck, but i just can help being drawn to this game again. i miss the days where cartoon graphics were the norm instead of the new hyper realistic stuff and i miss simple games that didnt require hours of menuing and micromanagement. i want to just play this game again and be happy knowing that i had so much fun with it and many fond memories of it and hopefully recapture some of that nostalgic joy i once felt
I recognise all of the points in this video, and I do agree with many of them. Doesn't stop me from loving MML to bits, nostalgia sure is a powerful thing!
That dungeon music...scarier than some horror games xD
The heart of the game was in it's world building really. Starts off small with you and your digger team, Roll Gramps and... Popo.
Then you get to the market area of the city with practically everything you examine having a point and click adventure flavortext. You meet the Bons and experience their relationships with each other, and just how inventive and they are as a family. (Even when they basically commit acts of terrorism their still loveable.)
The dungeons are exponentially threatening, you need to have some reliability skill with the controls in order to balance out the damage you take and the resources you have.
Plus the progression you make to gear yourself up as a digger, finding the part for the helm, the jet boots, arm augments, zenny needed for later interactions and world beats.
You play and feel like you're presence is causing an impact on the world. Changing the way it looks.
I've yet to see the video (at work) but here's two fun facts:
Megaman Legends did the target lock on and cinematic cutscenes a year before Ocarina of Time.
Hated everything to do with Red Ash. Megaman Legends is one of my favorite games of all time, and I played it again recently last year and I still had a great time with it! Yes the controls and camera are awful, but the characters, towns, music and atmosphere is great! Dungeons are incredibly creepy and the towns are incredibly jolly. This is the only Megaman game to ever really make me care about who Megaman is as a person. Great video, really love your channel and your perspectives!
Inafune's biting off more than he can chew here.
I remembered back in the day it was rough to play MML right after I've finished MML2 things like Megaman controls like a car and auto aim is weird but I still manage to power through it
I've never seen that game before but dang the towns and people look soo good.
I just loved both Games, spend loong time in it, just to see, where i can find more parts for weapons
One of my favorite games as a kid. II loved exploring the island and upgrading or collecting those weapons. Until now I still find the characters very likable, especially those facial expressions.
This is... In terms of nostalgia... Probably my favorite game of all time. I played it before Ocarina and Majora’s Mask, so it was the first game to introduce me to the early concept of 3D semi-open world adventure games. I loved Kattelox Island and it’s inhabitants. I loved the exploration, the interconnected dungeons, and it just blew my 8 year old mind when I realized that the ruins could take you from one side of the island to the other.
This game is also the main reason why I always stop to talk to every single NPC in any RPG nowadays.... But in this game, almost every NPC has their own little story and it all progresses as you progress through the game which was always fun to follow along. I just loved finishing up raiding some ruins for a giant refractor or defeating a boss and then going back to town to see that the NPC’s had moved around and had new things to say. The game is definitely dated and I think it would be hard for someone who had not played it or enjoyed it as a kid to get into it now, but it’s the one game I pick up again every few years to transport me back to that carefree mindset of coming home from school and playing the few games I had.
Maybe it is nostalgia talking but you should try the second one. I loved that game as a kid :).
Great video as always!
Still leaves me with one important question...
What do you think?
MushyBird McMushington Yes, or no?
+EpicLuigi24 Maybe.
- ̗̀new ̖́-Truly Atomic I don't.......understand......
MushyBird McMushingtonAll I know, is my gut says maybe.
+MushyBird McMushington (the Mushiest of Birds) no probably
...
...
Certainly no...
I think you missed a key event concerning why the Red Ash Kickstarter exists. When MegaMan Legends 3 was cancelled (a move that a lot of people believe caused Keiji Inafune to resign from Capcom) there was actually a fairly large fan campaign protesting the decision. I feel like this campaign was Keiji's attempt to both deliver the game that had been promised to fans and to explore an area of the MegaMan series that he personally enjoys the most. However, it appears that the vocal segment of fans that liked MegaMan Legends was a relatively niche group, and that Keiji had overestimated the support for the project. I do think his timing and organization was somewhat poor though, players are still waiting to see if Mighty No. 9 will meet expectations, and it seems a bit much to ask backers to double down on an uncertain product, particularly when the publisher is sketchy.
are you going to have a look art mml2?
I grew up with PS1/SNES games until around 2003 when I mainly focused on PS2. And I had played a bunch of wonky controlled games that came out of that era. So when I played Legends, I was used to those types of controls. I used D-pads far more often than analog sticks. However I played the PC version, not the one on PS1. And on PC, the controls feel natural since all you have is a keyboard with arrow keys to move, instead of a controller with an analog stick right there. I never really thought about it. I guess if you grew up with analog sticks.
Personally, I love Legends. Better than Legends 2 actually. Why, even though it's outdated? Because it has genuine thought and heart put into it. The dungeons are immersive and creepy, the sidequests all affect the ending and are fun, and going through the optional underground sections is almost Metroidvania-ish. There's so much stuff to do and so many items to collect, and the dungeons have so much atmosphere I can't stress it enough.
The plot is charming and yet the underlying themes and backstory have a mysterious aura to them that ends up being a bit dark. This game does something with its story that not many people give it credit for: It keeps you moving, yet at the same time allows you to wander around and do stuff on your own. The voice acting, for the time, is actually not bad, especially compared to RE. I also like how it was honestly pretty innovative for the time. Like Ocarina of Time it has a 3D targeting system that's not the best, but it exists nonetheless. And like Shenmue, there is a shitton of detail put into everything. You can search pretty much everything, and almost everything in the background at least has a description written for it.
The majority of people who bash this game, aside from complaining about its outdated controls and blocky graphics, don't like how it advertises itself as a Mega Man game and yet...isn't really. But isn't it? I've always seen the franchise as something that evolves over time. Rather than rehash the games over and over again, they wanted the series to change over time. Evidenced by the fact that Mega Man 6 was originally going to be the last MM Classic game, continuing with X, and X5 was going to be the last MMX game, continuing with Mega Man Zero.
So how did Legends evolve Mega Man? Converting what was already established in previous games to 3D wouldn't have worked at all. So they reinvented the formula into something that WOULD work in 3D yet still feel like Mega Man. Yes the plot and style is very different, but do you play Mega Man for Dr. Wily, selectable stages and 2D gameplay? No, you play it because jumping and shooting things, and having a large amount of weapons to do so, is fun no matter the environment. That base concept is why Mega Man kept getting new incarnations like Battle Network and ZX. It's a concept that can grow stale if it's exactly the same, and yet like Mario platforming, can work in a ton of different genres like RPGs. There are very few bad Mega Man games for this reason because unless you royally fuck something up (X7) it's easy to make a game that's enjoyable at the very least.
And Legends didn't fuck anything up. You still have an arm cannon and are running around blasting robots. You still get a variety of weapons that all have their own uses. And you can get a bunch of upgrades to make Mega Man stronger as the game goes on. It's not a perfect game by any means, but it gets so many things right that I've replayed it about 6 times by now.
still one of my favorite games of all time. Revisted legends a while back and the nostalgia was intense. It was one of my very first games, so I'm assuming it only holds up, if you played when it came out. Still wish they came out with legends 3. Would have bought a DS just to experience legends again.