Mega Man: An Outlaw in an Asimovian World

(New post up at Nightmare Mode!)

The original Mega Man is not a fun game.

It's got some really whacky, awkward level design sandwiched between all the really brilliant parts. It's a good game littered with minor design flaws that really hamper your enjoyment. Mega Man laid the foundation but it was Mega Man 2 that would go on to be everything the original game wasn't and demonstrate what a small group of people can do when they pour their heart and soul into development.

While I was playing Mega Man: Powered Up (the remake of Mega Man on the PSP), I was struck by how different it was to the original game. Yes, some levels were redesigned and you can now play as the Robot Masters in the remake, but it was the tonal differences that really stood out to me. Both Mega Man and the Robot Masters dribbled conversation at every moment. Mega Man was clearly the Hero and the Robot Masters were undoubtedly reprogrammed.

This was never seen in the original game.

Mega Man and the Robot Masters never said a word. With no verbal communication at all in the game, motives and intentions were remarkably difficult to discern. Nothing was clearly defined or explained. It was... unsettling.

And that's really where this piece comes from. The atmosphere of the original games on the NES were defined by technical limitations to an extent but it gave the series such an uncertain and unique tone.

Check out TimeCowboy's art on his Tumblr, friends! He did the title image for this article :)

Stifling the Medium

Tangentially related to my most recent piece at Nightmare Mode, I recently came into ownership of the Slime-shaped PS2 controller modelled after the iconic enemy of Dragon Quest.

I don’t bring this up in the article but I tend to frown upon the merchandise that surrounds video games. The t-shirts, wrist straps, plushies, and practically everything that’s bundled around a popular video game when it’s released. It’s not because I’m against the idea of advertising, I simply find it concerning so much of video game advertising is focused around the “extras” rather than the main course. If advertising is meant to facilitate interest and engage people with the product, I can’t help but feel we’re missing out on the interactive side of video games when we buy the t-shirt.

I don’t need my Dragon Quest controller, but I do like how its advertising facilitates experiencing the product.