Review: Mega Man 5

So here we are, Mega Man 5. At this point, the series has jumped the shark. Five games, the exact same format – it’s getting old.

As usual there are some little additions that keep things from becoming a complete snoozefest. Along with the regular challenges, each level now has a special token to collect. The token has a letter or a number written on it. If you collect them all (spelling out MEGAMAN5) this will unlock a special companion for Mega Man. His bird friend: Beat! Beat is cute, but that’s about it. When he is active he does attack enemies, but in realty, his addition is just not that useful.

This game is a littler tougher than some of the more recent entries. In this one, it was not so much the levels that pose a challenge, but I found the robot fights to be a bit tricky. Although, it is important to note, I did not defeat them with any sort of strategy. I was at the whim of my son which robots to combat, in what order. I’m sure with the right strategy things are likely easier.

Even though this game is really just more of the same, there’s just enough new stuff added in to keep it interesting. As a Mega Man fan, I did find the game enjoyable. But it really is time for something a bit different. However, it seems that Capcom did not agree. There is one more Mega Man game released for the NES after this one. If you’re curious about what’s next, stay tuned.

I’ll be back in a few days with another Mega Man review.

Version Reviewed: PS2 (Anniversary Collection)

Difficulty: Very Difficult  – As I mentioned earlier, this game seemed to be a bit tougher to me than Mega Man 4. This is especially true if you try to collect all the tokens. Also, the boss fights in this chapter are pretty brutal and cheap at times.

Multiplayer: No.

Story: Yawn. More of the same. By this point, it’s pretty much a running joke in the series I think. For many, it’s actually part of the charm. These games are about challenge and cute robots, not about plot.

Originality: There is nothing new in this game. Throwing in new companion pet doesn’t really break any ground.

Soundtrack: Again, not bad. but not good. A 6/10 at best.

Fun: Personally, I did not find this game particularly enjoyable. I mean, on its own it can certainly be entertaining. But as someone who has played all five games, I’m starting to get bored with the series. I’m aware that it could simply be the fact that I’m burning through them at such rapid pace, but somehow I doubt it.

Graphics: About the same as MM4. Good 8-bit art. The backgrounds are well done. Good use of colors.

Playcontrol: Same as all the other games in the series. No glaring problems, but still a touchy platformer. Plays best on the original NES controller, IMO. But no real issues with modern hardware.

Downloadable Content:  N/A

Mature Content: N/A

Value: These days, a copy of the original game can be bought on the Wii Virtual Console for $5. If you want to get the best value, this game is also included in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection for PS2, Game Cube or XBox for around $30.

Overall score (1-100): 45 – Unless you’re a hardcore fan of the blue bomber, I can’t recommend this title. I didn’t play this game back when it came out. I first experienced it when I purchased the Anniversary Collection. The collection as a whole is certainly worth the money, but I don’t know how much I’d be willing to shell out for this game alone.

Original System: NES

Available today on:  PS4/PS5*, Xbox One*, Switch*, PC*,  (*As part of the Mega Man Legacy Collection) – (Updated as of Spring 2022)

Best Experience:  PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Switch, PC  – (Updated as of Spring 2022)

Other Reviews In This Series:

MM – MM2 – MM3 – MM4 – MM5 – MM6– MM7 – MM8 – MM&Bass – MM9– MM10  –  MM11

MMX – MMX2 – MMX3 – MMX4 – MMX5 – MMX6 – MMX7 – MMX8 – MMXtreme – MMXtreme2 – Command Mission

Zero – Zero2 – Zero3 – Zero 4 – ZX

BN – BN2 – BN3- BN4- BN5 – BN6