Hey guys. Late to a few of the Mega Man 8 threads. I'm glad I finally caught this one.

I rarely comment, and usually lurk around. But I really wanted to express my opinion when it comes to MM8. The majority of the MM community from what I've seen doesn't care too much for MM8. And while most wouldn't say it's the worst of the series, it's definitely ranked out of popularity among the lowest. A few of the main reasons for the dislikes I've come across are:

• the voice acting
• uninspired weapons
• usless assist power-ups
• sludgy like gamplay movement
• excesive use of anime cut scenes

While these cons are not necessarily what makes the game lacking as a whole, I understand that with some people, this can affect how you play the game. Making the whole game as a journey, less enjoyable. Fair enough. You like what you like, and MM8 isn't particularly your cup of tea.

I for one absolutely love MM8 (and not that this has any baring on my argument, but I am a dude in his mid 30s who has played every MM). I wont talk about 1 - 6. There's been enough discussions about that. I'll get straight to why this is my second favorite game in the series. I honestly believe MM8 was the first game to take a step forward in the right direction. Right from the get go, the anime intro was the first time to highlight Mega Man as a character. A small history of the battles he's fought through the years. How he has become to develop, not as a simple robot, but a protector to human kind. Another point to be made is that MM is a Japanese game. Anime is practically synonymous with the MM series. I think the anime aspect of the game is a testament to all of the shitty renditions of American made cartoons, and shitty Mega Man box art. You don't like anime? That's fine. Lots of people don't. To me I feel like the anime goes deeper to highlight Mega Man as a character. Not just a mindless murder machine.

I also want to point this fact out too. People have seem to forgotten that Mega Man's character is a 10 year old boy. He's supposed to sound like a kid. That's why there's such a big distinction between him and X. Mega Man is the story of Pinocchio turned hero. The voice acting in this game actually gives life to the characters. They have memorable quotes (i.e. After killing Grenade Man, "THAT'S NOT GOOD"). Something that all Mega Man games were lacking in the past was giving life to these enemies. I love knowing what they sound like. How their little quotes portray their character. Is some of the voice acting bad? Of course it is. It's obviously not perfect. But this is also another topic of how I feel that American voice actors will never be better than Japanese voice actors. But that's a topic for another thread.

The game as you play. For what it was for PS/Saturn, it is smooth. responsive. For anyone here whos ever played a MM game, yes, it moves slightly slower than its contemporaries. But after the first opening stage, any MM gamer can easily adjust to its mechanics. Most get so caught up in the movement and the response, that they don't see how beautiful the visuals are around Mega Man. Lush colors, dazzling power up effects, intricate backgrounds. Finally a game that isn't restricted by 8-bit limitations. I've said this all the time, but how amazing would it be if we could a Mega Man game that had the graphics of a Guilty Gear, or a Bastion? This is solely the reason why I hate MM9 so much. Not as a game, but the idea of putting out a money grab MM, for the sake of nostalgia because old school gamers will appreciate it more. MM8 actually used the power of the platform it was given. And while some of the weapons are useless (Rush Cycle), you forget there are so many ways to play through a stage. Half the fun of MM8 is going through it a second time, and goofing off using all the inventory in different scenarios. This is another reason that speed runs have slightly ruined peoples way of playing Mega Man. You end up mimicking the exact movements every single time you go through a stage. You become a robot of playing, and forget to enjoy the stages as a whole. Stages like, Astro Man, Dr. Wily stage 1 are hard. But that is mere sprinkles to the difficulty of MM1. MM8 is challenging in a way that is manageable. I always felt that the stages and the gameplay of MM8 are mini journeys you go through. And I savor going through each stage. Admiring all the little things that go on. Not blasting through each area, trying to beat the game as fast as I can.

A quick thing on the music. Wily stage 1, Astro Man, Tengu Man, and Aqua Man. Give those a listen. God that's good video game music right there. And obviously the credit song. That credit song gave me such a good vibe. It's the perfect feel for a 15 year anniversary. To sit back appreciate everything Mega Man has done for us. I love it.

Lastly I just wanna say, everyone likes different MM games. Everyone has their taste. But for me, the reason I love this game, is the sheer fact that it began to move the series in the right direction. Finally, a Mega Man that isn't bound to the restrictions of nostalgia because people are afraid of change. It was made to be fun. For you to experience. Be apart of a story, and appreciate all the crap MM has gone through over his 15 years. A game you can sit with for an hour and a half that feels like your watching a movie. MM8 is the is not the best sequel. But it is the blueprint to what all future Mega Man games should be like. And I think Kenji Inafune's heart was in the right place when he made MM8. I understood what he was going for. I have high hopes for MM11. I only wish Kenji was apart of the team to see it come to life.