Mega Man X2

The robotic hero X is back, and this time he must face the remnants of Sigma's army as well as the mysterious group of X-Hunters. Mega Man X2 from 1994 follows on from the revolutionary first installment, which reworked the Mega Man series in a more mature direction, and advances it not only in story but also technically.

The core of the gameplay stays true to the proven formula. You fight your way through action-platformer levels, at the end of each waits a boss Maverick, and after defeating him you gain a new weapon that can be used against the next enemy. X can dash, climb walls, charge shots and collect armor upgrades that expand his abilities. The new addition is the hunt for the X-Hunters, who appear in levels carrying the dismantled parts of your friend Zero, so careful players can unlock special content.

A technical curiosity is the Cx4 chip right in the cartridge, which made it possible to display simple vector and rotating effects beyond the Super Nintendo's usual capabilities. Capcom used it to spice the game up with flashy fights and animations that were not a given on a 16-bit console.

Mega Man X2 came out at a time when Capcom was keeping the Mega Man brand at the peak of productivity, developing both the classic and the more modern branch of the series in parallel. The X line brought a faster pace, more elaborate movement and a more mature tone, and the second installment further cemented this identity. Capcom at the time was able to release games under this brand almost annually without their quality dropping significantly.

The choice of the order in which you take on the individual bosses also gives the game a strategic dimension. Every defeated monster gives you a weapon to which a different enemy is especially vulnerable, so a thoughtful player can make progress considerably easier. On top of that, collecting armor upgrades, hearts that increase endurance and hidden abilities noticeably transforms the character and rewards players who go through levels attentively and return with new weapons to previously inaccessible places. This loop of constant strengthening is the heart of the whole series, and in X2 it works just as well as in its best installments.

Culturally, the Mega Man X sub-series belongs among the favorite pillars of 16-bit action platformers, and X2 is a solid sequel that maintains a high standard. For fans of precise, fast and demanding gameplay it is a welcome dose of proven fun with an extra technical touch.

Why play: A fast and precise action platformer with weapon and armor upgrades, plus a special graphics chip that pushed the boundaries of the Super Nintendo.