​Mega Man Legends 2 (PS1, 2000/PC, 2003/PSP, 2005)

• Mostly linear structure (can take the digger license tests when you want to, can explore one optional dungeon per island after the first two areas (three of them in total) before or after continuing the main quest, some very straightforward areas like when you first get to the forbidden island, another optional dungeon on Nino island which can be fully explored after getting the drill, partially non-linear desert city mission and ice dungeon)

• Very little mandatory ability gating (fire extinguisher/aquablaster for the first mission, lifter but it's a default ability, skate jumping helps with some platforming)

• Revisit the first area to progress at one point+the southeastern island at one point (no other backtracking to previous areas to progress)

• Save points at your current homebase (shows current location and time taken, 5 slots per card) and certain town houses+in some hostile areas via Data the monkey. He can also heal and recharge you

• Optional tutorial (you still get some tutorial messages during normal gameplay though and these sometimes pause gameplay)

• Skippable cutscenes

• Can ask Data (save/recharge monkey) about what to do next, No message log (generally not needed)

• Decent map system (2D auto-mapper, shows which door you exited last and your location+elevators and room connections, can switch between floors like in Zelda, can find an item marker in the main dungeons but not others, can find a map for each main dungeon (shows where you haven't been yet with darkened tiles)), Less detailed maps for non-dungeon areas - get the mini-map and a zoomed out one of the current area though, Can't see past the room you're in on the mini-map - makes it look like you haven't opened a door when you have, The way dungeon maps fill in "by tile" makes it fairly easy to miss certain paths (would've been best for exploration if the auto-mapper range was just extended a bit in lower floors, can find a map item only in the main dungeons), Can browse but not zoom out while viewing the map screen - too zoomed in, The map doesn't mark found chests by default (can find an item for this in the main dungeons only) and you can't place your own markers

• Voiced tips via radio during gameplay return (Burning Rangers) and Roll sometimes follows you around here though she doesn't fight alongside MM - the tips are a bit too obvious though and you can't turn them off

• Difficulty options (easy-very hard, easy lets you begin with some OP equipment and you can access all optional ruins+money value is 4x the normal amount, very hard or SS (can only be selected before beginning, not by taking a test) is even harder but money value is actually halved here so it's tedious to play this way). There are also additional adjustable difficulty options of sorts via the license tests however you're expected to take them at some point (B license/default (don't take the test) on Normal mode=normal enemy HP and money value, A license="normal" (get more money from enemies and they take more hits, access A license ruins), S=even tougher enemies in the early game (you're apparently expected to take it around mid-game where it becomes the same as normal in terms of how hard the enemies are?) and even more money gained from them) - can't lower the difficulty after raising it!

• Some new enemies and hazards appear when backtracking through the main dungeons (none in the nino water dungeon however)

• Can examine most objects in the environment in friendly areas (some that seem interactive aren't though including a big red button in one house)

• Some neutral creatures and NPCs in hostile areas (generally no gameplay use for them but there are exceptions such as the reaverbot fish which serves as a moving platform at one point (can also use an enemy for this to skip a box stacking room at one point in the same dungeon) or the truck driver during the desert city mission)

• Teleports you out of finished dungeons after beating the boss (except for the water dungeon; Zelda 3). No other quick travel here

• Some minor sequence breaking possibilities (can place a box in a way that lets you skip stacking them at one point in the calbania fortress mission, in the water dungeon you can skip placing the blocks to progress a couple of times, can skip getting help from the truck driver at one point with precise skate jumps, can skip part of a sidetracking segment in the ice dungeon by standing on top of a door and skate jumping; some more with glitches (blade arm jump?, box hit detection glitch underwater))

• A few decent puzzles

• A few shortcuts (ice dungeon, elysium)

• Morality aspect which affects some NPCs, shop prices+roll's upgrade prices and side quests (MML1; generally better to be good - completionists need to do both though as only a bad Mega Man can trade with a shifty merchant for exclusive items, one of which is needed for a special weapon). Can donate to the church to regain a good reputation (buying gifts for Roll or additions to the ship makes her like you more but doesn't affect the rest of the world)

• Some good environmental storytelling (finding the crashed plane and the frozen people once on board, the loneliness of the passed parents in the disheveled home of Shu and her trying to mother her siblings, the empty village of the lost humans on Elysium, statues coming alive and the boss harassing you in the desert ruins dungeon - decent horror element)

• Enemy drops disappear after about 5 seconds - way too quick when underwater and often too quick above as well

• Can attack NPCs and shooting or lifting Roll or the ship a lot has an effect on story and gameplay (nothing happens if you kick other NPCs, can also knock away animals and the small lego-like pirate bots but not kill them)

• Dungeon enemies generally respawn when re-entering the floor they were on (in some rooms there are frequently respawning smaller ones and in others there are smaller ones that respawn when re-entering the room they were in)

• Can skate or jump past a lot of enemies (but you generally don't want to since items are expensive)

• Boss rush before the final one (the 4 main dungeon ones only)

• No buster charge shot, no slide and no wall jump (MM/MMX)

• Partial control config only, Can't reverse the horizontal camera controls - only vertical (can be fixed in emulation though)

Some notable cons:

• Very short to non-existent invincibility time when hit by certain attacks such as the frogs means you can be hit several times in a row

• If you jump at the same time as you let go of the d-pad then it doesn't register

• The game automatically switches lock-on targets if hit

• Can only carry one sub/special weapon or tool besides lift at a time and can only switch sub weapon via Roll back at your ship - sometimes you're supposed to use a specific one to be able to fully explore a dungeon. Still need to use a special weapon (vacuum) as an item magnet rather than a passive ability and it takes a while before you get it (also can't move or shoot normally while using it). Enemy drops can also fall into walls or pits

• Can only side roll dodge if you're standing still and pressing l/r on the right stick also makes you side roll which can get in the way

• Contact damage even from knocked down enemies

• Non-persistent block placements in dungeons - means you can't place a block then go change water levels and go back

• Can't equip parts nor compare parts via the shop menu

• Overly slow movement while underwater (painfully slow when walking which you're supposed to do in one room to sneak past some larger enemies) - Used in one main dungeon and one optional one

• Enemies won't necessarily drop what you need at the moment (more ammo would've been useful since you can only carry one refill). Enemies can drop health even if you're at full health

• More expensive sub weapon upgrades leads to a bunch more grinding unless you play on Easy - can use some tricks for faster money but it still takes quite a while to get the best upgrades for just the buster and one special weapon. Not needed on Normal though if you use the shining laser for the final boss

Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review

Influenced by: Zelda series, possibly Mystical Ninja 2, Tron Bonne, Alundra 2, Tail Concerto, Tomb Raider 3, Silver, Medievil

Influenced: Possibly Mega Man Zero 2 (hub map-style)