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For most Mega Man fans, it's pretty hard to believe that there have been over six Battle Network titles, across the span of six years. As usual, an exhausted Capcom reached the magic number to move on to bigger and better things... sort of. Mega Man Star Force is a subtle evolution of the Battle Network formula, set in an alternate universe where a young boy named Geo Stelar is possessed by an intergalactic creature of floating armor called Omega-Xis. With but a few seconds of chit-chat, Omega-Xis convinces Geo to let it take over his body and control him with the offering of extreme digital power (emphasis on extreme)! And so, the birth of the virtuoso Mega Man takes its place… for the eighth time.
It never feels quite engaging enough, which is too bad, since Star Force had the potential to escape its predecessor’s faults.
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Dungeons are long and unimaginative, causing the player to lose interest very rapidly. Combat takes place over a 3rd person over-the-shoulder perspective, crossing a 3x6 grid, unlike Battle Network where you could usually just go where you wanted to. Your only options are strafing, shooting your cannon and the occasional use of battle chips you find scattered throughout the digital world, which spells absolute tedium to players all too soon. Hardcore gamers looking for a challenge should be wary, since most fights can be finished with a few mashes of the buttons and a passive look away.
Just like its predecessors, there are two versions of Star Force 2 available. Both offer the Berserker (or the shortened term Zerker here) and each game exclusively offers a unique class to drag to the digital battlefield; Ninja or Saurian. Though honestly, neither class will be engaging enough for you to jump out and purchase the other title to try either Saurian or Ninja, which ever one left.
When all is said and done, Mega Man Star Force 2: Zerker x Ninja feels exactly the same as the previous six Battle Network titles. It does little to try and bring in newcomers and strikes a bad chord in fans with its repetitious, verbose dialogue. It never feels quite engaging enough, which is too bad, since Star Force had the potential to escape its predecessor’s faults. It’s a strange conclusion to make, but if the series has never piqued your interest or even if you were a huge fan of the last six games, you still won't miss much if you sit this one out. |
