Mega Man ZX Advent (DS, 2007)

• Can transform into beaten non-human sized bosses here (on the fly; Buckfire=can dive kick/ground slam diagonally and dash upwards to break some obstacles (can't climb ladders and wall climbing is clunkier), chronoforce=underwater swimming and dashing+time slow (also affects hazards) although the casting animation is too long (can't move on land), rospark=climb vertical background vines+temporarily stun some traps, queenbee=energy-based flight (Alex Kidd-style)+carry certain blocks, argoyle=ghost/clone that lets you reach the other side of walls at some points (more like a key)+throws bombs (pretty weak however), etc.; can also transform into/use the suits of the bosses from ZX1 later on and some have different abilities compared to the prequel)

• Partially non-linear structure after a short intro level and first mission (choose between 2 missions at a time for a few missions (then the game gets linear again for two missions), need an electricity form to access the oil field area, after the villain reveal you can choose between 4 missions and then 3 more after finishing those and meeting ZX, can do various side quests (optional) in any order however you can't do them without first triggering the quest with the relevant NPC - if you go to the location where it would happen first then nothing happens there). Separate final area

• Some backtracking with new forms for optional items and a few times to progress

• Only five areas connect to more than one other area. 7/16 areas are disconnected from the rest of the game world

• Save points which also serve as teleporters (5 slots)

• Teleporters and warp points (can warp to found and activated warp points but not from them, can teleport from transerver pads but not to them), Transervers tend to be placed after bosses here so you don't have to backtrack to report on a mission

• Top down view map (two side view maps in layers like in Goonies 2 or Aquaria would've been better, at least gives a bit more info than the one in the previous game), Named rooms, Can get a zoomed in view of the map but then it only shows the room you're in

• Detailed moves info in the options menu (Kirby's Adventure?)

• Some minor puzzles related to using different forms and/or their abilities and some timing-based switch puzzles (junkyard, carrying blocks as queenbee in the biolab, weight puzzles)

• Instant death pits and spikes

• Difficulty options (beginner, normal, expert (enemies attack more and are slightly stronger, no power-ups and only 1 sub tank))

• Unlockable secret ending (have to complete the game on Expert Mode and play the game in normal mode with both PC's over and over)

• Special weapon energy/MP regen however it's very slow. Shared energy bar between forms here

• Off screen enemy respawning (sometimes annoying)

• Can't transform while one of your shots is on screen

• While there's a side quest log it doesn't actually give any information about the quests

• Boss gauntlet in the final area

• Static difficulty curve (doesn't dynamically change depending on the mission order picked)

Some notable cons:

• Killed mini-bosses don't stay dead+don't drop health

• Some forms are very situational and/or have overly limited movesets

• Uneven difficulty

• Some control/interface issues (kinda vague map - no room topology or even shape shown+can't quickly tell which door in a sub area/room leads to another area, can't dash with L while charging model A's or ZX's alternate weapon (homing/gun, can do it with double-tapping!), switching back to model a in mid-jump while underwater makes you lose your forward momentum (but not if switching from it to another form), automatically transform back to model A when talking to NPCs (sometimes your default form, sometimes this happens when encountering a boss too), etc)

• Some tedious aspects (movement abilities being energy-based when forms also have a shared energy bar and the regen is slow, can't warp from a warp point (only to it) and can't warp to a transerver pad (only from it) - bullshit but the large amount of warp points does help, some grinding required to activate all warp points, etc)

• Trial & error (some shots from off screen, some one-way doors - rough map, tower/bee level fire trap rooms, sometimes a room ends without there being a wall there so it looks like an exit, door maze part in junkyard, various boss patterns and some enemy and hazard placements)

• Lives system (sometimes leads to grinding for health so you don't die and get a game over leading to having to replay the mission you're on from the beginning)

• Usually can't get out of later mission areas after entering them without finishing them

• Unskippable cutscenes

• Kinda lame how the secret disks just give database (bestiary and NPC) info when there are platforming/movement challenges leading up to them

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Playthrough - Review - Mini Review

Influenced by: Possibly Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin or Castlevania III, Mega Man Legends

Influenced: