A very fun game worth playing again and again.
User Rating: 9 | Mega Man X8 PS2
When I got this game, it raised my bar for the average good game. It set into my head what a game needs to actually be good. You can play as X, Zero, and Axl in this wicked awesome sidescroller. Better yet, you can bring 2 people with you at once on a mission and switch between them on thee fly. This makes for more possible secrets to be acquried, more stratetgy in bringing those 2 characters, and more overall freshness and fun. Each character is balanced and just as useful as another. Each character can get their own chip upgrades and some special and specific to them making characters even more unique. Not only are all 3 characters useful, but they also look cool and work smoothly with a relatively large arsenal of attacks each specific to that character. Ever ytime you beat a boss, your characters get a new weapon or ability. Some of these weapons or abilites are super effective and not very effective against specific bosses, so you might want to think what order you beat the bosses in before you kill them. It doesn't matter that much however, as every weapon is useful and fun to use. The graphics are cartoony but to the point that it isn't ridiculous. They look animated, but not like for kids. There are nine levels all of which are fun to play and hard to totally complete. They all have their own feel because each is classically oriented around an element. So, each level also has it's own special challenges. You won't find anything repeated even in the slightest with these beautiful levels. One level you catch a rogue electric man-o-war from decimating a reploid city. Another you venture through the dark to turn the power back on and kill the boss at the end. Yet another you'll find yourself chasing a giant mechaniloid through some mines. The variety doesn't stop until you get to the spot in every Capcom game where you must fight all the game's bosses in one level. Even then this is still fun because of the exact right amount of challenge. The sound is great. Every enemy has its own death sound( unless it just explodes ) and the music feels right all the time. Some of the secrets are pretty hard to find especially considering a lot of the secrets you must come back for later when you have the upgrades to get to them. Furthermore, many secrets are only accessible to one character. X's upgrades can only be acquired by him, Axl will be required to get certain secrets that require you to transform into a monster, and Zero can access high up ledges or break through things that require one of his specific weapons and/or moves. The combat is also very fun and varied depending on the character. One it's about dodging, using the right weapon and being able to switch fast, and having quick fingers. Another it's about how well you know your arsenal and yet another is classic jumping and shooting plus dodging plus a plethora of special moves. Fortunately for you, since you can bring 2 people on a mission at once and switch between them on the fly, they all chose the red pill. When the Double Attack meter is full, you can hit R2 for a heroic Matrix style 3D animated attack move that destroys everything on the screen with aweome might. The storyline is somewhat fresh, but not to new to the series. Basically, Sigma has risen again and you gotta take him down with some plot twists along the way. The ending is rather odd but good and different depending on who you beat the game with. You'll think, "What? Wait a sec, What?" The game has incredible replay value. There's the fact it's really fun, and what order you beat the bosses in, the hidden stuff after you beat the game, it's so fun, and the different endings.
Did I mention that it's fun? No? Well, it is. 8.8 out of 10. 
