Why I Love Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure

If you asked me to describe my ideal video game, it would probably be a lot like Gurumin. Gurumin just checks all the boxes. It's a quirky platformer/action RPG blend from the early 2000s by Falcom where you play as a cute girl wielding a giant drill, with a ridiculous amount of collectibles, a rocking soundtrack, and just enough jank to be charming without dampening any of the game's fun. It's an aggressively joyful experience in every way possible.

Gurumin is about a girl named Parin who moves into a mining town called Tiese where she learns there's a hidden civilzation of monsters, who she quickly befriends. When the monster side of the town gets ravaged by a bunch of phantoms, Parin pulls a legendary drill out of the ground and heads off to stop them. Being a Falcom game, it really shouldn't be much of a surprise that Gurumin's story is pretty great. It's not as heavy of a story as something like a Trails game, but Gurumin's narrative has some pretty solid twists and revelations near the end, and an incredibly heartfelt energy, especially in the ending. It helps that Falcom's character work is as on point as ever, with all the monsters and townsfolk you meet having likable personalities, and Parin in particular being a very charming protagonist. 

As I said above, Gurumin is basically a colorful early 2000s 3D platformer crossed with a dungeon-crawling action RPG. There's a 50/50 split between simple but precise platforming, and chaotic drill combat.  Movement-wise, Parin is surprisingly really fun to control. There's a real sense of weight to Parin's movement, even down to the way she leans left and right whenever you change directions. There's even a really fun wall-run movement that's rarely useful and often impractical, but it gives Gurumin a bit of extra flavor and finding uses for the wall run is incredibly satisfying. The combat is also really well-done. It's fast, there's a bunch of combos you can use, and you can augment your drill with different elements to keep things fresh. Once again going the extra mile, Falcom even adds a rhythm based system where you deal more damage by timing hits to the music. It's all these extraneous features like the rhythm system and the wall-running that add to Gurumin's charm because they're not necessary at all in theory, but are incredibly fun to mess around with in practice.

The dungeon design is pretty stellar too, boasting a variety of biomes each with their own unique focus. The forest area for example mostly contains large, sprawling mazes to explore. Meanwhile, the mountain region has a lot of verticality and tight platforming, and the final world is full of linear obstacle courses that put your skills to the test. There's a perfect balance of combat, platforming, and puzzle-solving and it never feels like you're doing the same thing for too long. There's also so much to explore in each level, tons of hidden collectibles, secret areas, silly easter eggs, and ways to farm money. I've revisited most of this game's stages several times on my playthrough and I still found myself discovering new things about each and every one of them.

Speaking of which, Gurumin is also absolutely flooding with content and replayability, it's a deceptively large game. The main campaign has 10 stages and five bosses, but there's also an optional reverse versions of each stage that's worth doing to help rebuild the monster town. There's also a ranking system, and a frankly ridiculous amount of collectibles tucked away in each stage, really encouraging you to explore thoroughly to get everything in a single run. There's also a ton of upgrades for your drill, hats that augment Parin's abilities that can also be upgraded, hidden medals and unlockable art, optional minigames and superbosses, adorable costumes, multiple difficulties, multiple endings, and even further unlockables like a boss rush and a second playable character. Some of the sidequests you do to unlock all this stuff are also really creative, fun, and just plain weird, ranging from climbing a deceptively challenging jungle gym, helping to run the shop in town, and waiting in one spot for half an hour as a timer slowly ticks up to 999 (yeah, it's bullshit, but it's the kind of bullshit I adore). 

Presentation-wise, Gurumin slots right in alongside other Falcom games from the era in that you can kinda tell it's low budget, but the art direction being so strong more than makes up for it. All the characters have these cartoony chibi looks that hold up incredibly well, and Parin in particular is adorably expressive and full of life. I also love how Ghibli-esque some of the monsters look. The environments have that distinct sixth gen look where the models themselves are fairly simple, but the texturing is incredibly detailed and realistic, and it looks pretty solid. And being a Falcom game, the music is predictably phenomenal. Wataru Ishibashi, Hayato Sonoda, and Takahide Murayama really went outside of their comfort zone to make a far quirky and funkier soundtrack for Gurumin, and I think it ranks among their best work. There are some truly stellar stage themes like Guruguru Majin De Pon, Back The Way You Came, Secret Jungle Survival, Sight Of Silence, and The Mysterious Phantom Egg, but the boss themes in particular are just on another level. Dance In The Forest, Bomber Girl, and Rocky Nebula are incredible, and Murayama's magnum opus Soaring Through Azure Sadness is one of the greatest final boss themes in all of gaming, let alone in a Falcom game.

Gurumin is just such a likable and joyous game, I really can't imagine hating it. The story is heartfelt, the characters are endearing, the gameplay is satisfying and ridiculously fun, there's tons of content to sink your teeth into, the art direction is adorable, and the soundtrack goes tremendously hard. Falcom really swung for the fences with Gurumin but I think they knocked it out of the park, this is one of the freshest and most inventive games of its era and perfectly encapsulates the stuff I love about this medium.

2024 Games I Played: Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown

I wanted to like this game. I wanted to like it so much. I felt like an easy shoe-in for one of my favorite games of the year. I didn't even play the demo because I just knew I was going to love it. I'm already a big fan of the Prince Of Persia games, particularly the Sands Of Time trilogy. I love metroidvanias, especially Metroid Dread and Hollow Knight which this game seems to take direct inspiration from. I love character action games, particularly Devil May Cry. So why, pray tell, is The Lost Crown just not clicking with me?!

Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown is the first mainline entry in the series since Forgotten Sands from 2010, and it's a metroidvania where you play as an "immortal" named Sargon as he searches a massive labyrinth for the kidnapped prince. The Lost Crown takes the series back to its 2D roots, which is actually a pretty great idea. As much as I love the Sands Of Time trilogy, Prince Of Persia as a franchise feels tailor-made for the metroidvania format. The core moment-to-moment gameplay is polished and robust, even from the start. Sargon already comes with a wall jump, a slide, and a sprint, and you get even more powerful from there like a very snappy air dash. Your core platforming movement is tight and navigating these spike-heavy obstacle courses feels as satisfying as in any other PoP game. It can feel a bit too streamlined at points, you won't be finding any of the deliberate platforming puzzles you'd see in Sands Of Time, but it's overall well-executed and some of the harder challenges are really engaging.

Prince Of Persia has always struggled with combat, so I'm at least pleased to say that The Lost Crown has what is easily the best combat system in the series to date. Ubisoft visibly took a lot of cues from character action games, as TLC's combat has a wide array of combos, juggles, and a big emphasis on parrying and dodging. Once again, Sargon has most of his really important combat moves right from the very start, so it never feels like the game is kneecapping you early on just for the sake of progression. However, as much of an improvement the combat is in The Lost Crown, it suffers from the same exact problem as all the other PoP games... it drags the pacing to a halt. Enemy encounters just feel really long-winded, partially due to just how tanky the enemies are, and partially due to how finicky the parry feels. Parrying puts you at a standstill, the timing feels inconsistent and sometimes even drops inputs, and messing up causes you to lose a ton of health which discourages me from practicing it. The boss fights are probably where the combat is at their best since they're these dedicated 1-on-1 battles with multiple phases, cool setpieces, and exciting visuals, but in the core navigation, the combat feels more unwelcome than not.

The pacing issues don't end there, though. Despite how fast Sargon feels, The Lost Crown feels bizarrely slow in every way, not just the combat. I feel like Ubisoft tried to compensate for Sargon's fast movement speed by making each room these massive hallways that take a while to work through. There's so many sluggish combat segments and lengthy and precise platforming sequences that only after a few hours, I completely checked out of wanting to explore and find all the collectibles. It also doesn't help that whether or not the collectibles are even useful is a crapshoot between health pickups and weapon upgrades... and useless lore items for a story and world I had zero investment in. I'm not inherently against slow-paced metroidvanias, Hollow Knight is one of my favorites in the genre, but the pacing needs to be consistent. Metroid Dread has breakneck pacing and a constant sense of momentum with combat segments that are over in a second, Hollow Knight is slow and methodical as you take in the world and struggle to survive, The Lost Crown feels like it's trying to do both but fails to do either.

On top of the pacing, The Lost Crown suffers heavily from the dreaded reverse difficulty curve. This is when a game is brutally difficult and punishing at the start of the game due to a lack of resources, an issue games like Symphony Of The Night and Breath Of The Wild suffer from pretty heavily. The Lost Crown starts with you only having three hitpoints. As mentioned before, the enemies are tanky and take a lot of beating, and it takes a while before you can unlock your first few checkpoints, and even longer before you can access a shop to buy upgrades (the initial selection being pretty slim) or a proper tutorial on how to do most of the combos. I died three times in the very first room of the labyrinth alone, frankly I almost quit right there and then.

Now, if you've played the game, you're probably screaming at me that there is a difficulty option system where you can tweak enemy health and damage and parry timing, and that's true. On the accessibility front, The Lost Crown is incredibly robust and that's great. I'm all for accessibility features and being able to tweak your experience, but there's still a caveat there. I'm always going to assume that a game's default settings are the developer's intended experience, and there's a lot of people who wouldn't even think to tweak the settings. So if I find that the default settings have issues in their implementation, I think it's still totally fair to criticize them. That was one of my biggest issues with Mega Man 11, for example. Besides, even tweaking the difficulty doesn't fully fix TLC's pacing issues. Even with tighter parrying time and a more forgiving early game, the world map is still a drag to navigate and the checkpoint starvation is still a real issue.

As far as production values go, The Lost Crown certainly has a lot of them. It's visually slick and polished, there's a bombastic orchestral score and full voice acting even for the in-game dialogue, and it's a big game too. The map is huge, there's tons of collectibles to find and side quests to do, upgrades and skins to get, it'll take you a while to fully complete. However, despite the impressive budget, I found myself with unfortunately little to latch onto. The story is fine but predictable, and while the Sands Of Time trilogy was carried by Yuri Lowenthal's defining performance as the prince, none of the voice acting in TLC came anywhere close to being as instantly iconic. The visuals are probably where TLC's production shines the brightest. The backgrounds showcasing the temporal labyrinth of Mount Qaf are pretty sick and some visuals like the Raging Sea are incredibly creative, and the kinetic anime-inspired boss cutscenes are so fun to watch. However, in terms of the actual world-building, the game just doesn't do nearly enough to intrigue me like other metroidvania settings, even with the admittedly cool focus on Iranian mythology. The soundtrack is also really, really boring and that kills me to say because I love Gareth Coker's work on Ori and Sparks Of Hope. Sometimes, he's able to let loose with a really exciting orchestral tune during a boss fight, but most of the soundtrack is fairly muted Iranian ambience that doesn't do much to keep me engaged.

In theory, Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown is an incredibly well-executed game with tight movement, robust combat, some really cool bosses, a huge world to explore, and a lot of production values. But the pacing is a mess and outside of those few moments of excitement or cool visuals, I found myself the most bored I have ever felt playing a metroidvania, to the point where I couldn't even bring myself to finish it. It feels weird to say The Lost Crown feels soulless to me because you can tell that the devs at Montpellier put a lot of love into it, but there's still this aggressively AAA corporate sheen to it that I can't really shake and it left me feeling kinda cold. If you really liked TLC, that's great, I'm happy for you. For me, though, this was probably my first big disappointment of the year.

3/5 Stars

Mega Man Music Reviews: Mega Man X-X3

 Well, we're finally done with the classic Mega Man games, it sure did take a while. Now I want to go through the music of the Mega Man X games, as they're just as important as with the classic games, if not even moreso. I've kinda realized that not grouping the classic games was probably not the best idea, so I'll be doing that with the X games. I'll start by going over the SNES entries, then the PS1 entries, and then the PS2 games. Like the series itself, I find that Mega Man X is a bit more uneven than the classic games in terms of music. Its high points are some of the highest in the series, and its low points are some of the deepest. The first three entries are the perfect example of that.

Mega Man X: I've been critical of the bias some Mega Man fans seem to have towards the more rock-heavy soundtracks, but I'll cut them some slack with this one. Mega Man X's soundtrack is pretty much just a rock album pasted onto an SNES soundchip and it is absolutely incredible. Damn near every track is a banger, the instrumentation sounds fantastic, like the game itself this is a soundtrack that truly lives up to all the hype it gets.

Title
What a fantastic title theme, a simple but head-banging rock piece that immediately sets the tone for the game ahead.
4/5 Stars

Password
This password theme was the first piece of music Toshihiko Horiyama made for a game, and it seemed to impress Capcom so much that he's been a company mainstay ever since. It's not hard to see why either. His quirky blend of adrenaline-pumping energy and subtle melancholy is on full display, and compared to the often short and repetitious password themes, MMX's password theme is surprisingly long boasting a calming extended chorus.
3/5 Stars

Opening Stage
With Mega Man X, we have the introduction of the opening stage. While many future entries in several other series (7, & Bass, X5-X7, Zero 2, ZX) would all boast fantastic opening stage themes, I still don't think anything has really topped this first, it's just too good. It's such a badass and rocking piece with an incredibly iconic melody, some stellar percussion, and a triumphant chorus.
5/5 Stars

Vile Intro
While definitely memorable, this is a pretty short loop meant to generate tension whenever a bad guy shows up. It does its job but it's obviously gonna be the weakest track in the game.
2/5 Stars

Vile
While similarly a bit repetitive (and slightly worse than its remix in X5), the Vile theme in this game is still really tense and anxiety-inducing thanks to its relentless pace, earwormy melody, and expertly-utilized high-pitched notes.
4/5 Stars

Enter Zero
Zero's first theme is still definitely one of his best. That riff is just so cool and iconic, it really gives off the vibe that Zero has gotten everything covered.
4/5 Stars

Variable X
And here we have X's theme, and it may just be the definitive Mega Man X theme for me. It perfectly captures X's inner conflict between his need to fight and his desire for pacifism. Once again, the more emotional version in X5 (we'll get there) is even better, but this more upbeat initial version is still one of the best tracks in the game.
5/5 Stars

Stage Select
Solid stage select theme. It's definitely got a nice rock energy to it, but it's still a bit on the short side especially compared to the later ones in the series.
3/5 Stars

Launch Octopus
It always brings me joy to hear orchestra hits in an SNES game, and Launch Octopus is filled to the brim with them. It has a bit of build-up to that incredible guitar solo in the second half, but the groovy bass and punchy orchestra hits keep the track enjoyable to listen to throughout.
4/5 Stars

Chill Penguin
Even in the X series, the ice levels have some very chill tracks. Chill Penguin's theme is easily the slowest in the game, but the intro with the arpeggios and chords is fantastic, and the main melody is absolutely beautiful. It's a nice breather track in an otherwise heavy soundtrack.
5/5 Stars

Flame Mammoth
Flame Mammoth's theme is probably the weakest one because of how weak and sparse the verse is, but that shredding guitar in the second half, especially in the solo, more than makes up for it.
4/5 Stars

Boomer Kuwanger
Surprise Yuko Takehara track! It should not come as much of a surprise that this is one of my favorite pieces in the game, Takehara's punchy and deliberate style works so well for rock anthems. I can't understate how godlike the chorus is, it feels like the type of melody the audience at a concert would burst out singing.
5/5 Stars

Sting Chameleon
I really warmed up to Sting Chameleon's theme over time. I originally found it a bit unremarkable, but now I can't get over just how god. damn. groovy it is! The main melody is so smooth, everything flows together really nicely, and the perfectly-timed orchestra hit at the end of the chorus ends the track on a high note. Criminally underrated track that holds up reall well.
5/5 Stars

Spark Mandrill
Yo, this song is really good! This is easily one of the most popular songs in the game thanks to that TerminalMontage animation, but it really is that just. It's just constant shredding guitar from the word go, culminating in quite possibly the best solo in a game with incredible solos.
5/5 Stars

Storm Eagle
Storm Eagle's theme is also very iconic, and is one of the first tracks that comes to mind when I think of Mega Man X. It's got this superheroic feel to it that perfectly encapsulates the vibe of the series, though unlike other MMX tracks, I think the verse outclasses the chorus this time.
5/5 Stars

Armored Armadillo
Armored Armadillo is one of those tracks that you don't fully appreciate until you hear it in-game. It's already one of the most energetic and adrenaline-pumping tracks in the soundtrack, but when coupled with the chaotic minecart sections in the actual game, you get absolute bliss. And when that last guitar solo comes in, mwah, perfection.
5/5 Stars

Boss Intro
Yeah, there isn't much to this one. Like the Vile Intro, it's really just there to hype you up for the boss with some orchestra hits.
2/5 Stars

Boss
Another very iconic track. That downward scale is already pretty iconic, but the wild arpeggios and more dramatic second half is what really elevates the track.
4/5 Stars

Get A Weapon
Unfortunately, unlike the password theme, the weapon get theme is still pretty meh. It's got some punchy bass, but not much more in terms of catchy melodies.
2/5 Stars

Stage Select - Sigma
I actually prefer this over the first stage select, it's a lot more memorable to. The orchestra hits, menacing arpeggios, and darker vibe really sells the threat of Sigma to the player.
3/5 Stars

Sigma Stage 1
Not too dissimilar from MM7's Entrance, the first Sigma Stage theme substitutes the usual energetic rock you'd get from an endgame track with a more dramatic and atmospheric vibe. The bass is obviously the star of the show, but that powerfully climactic chorus only heightens the mood. Considering that this is the longest, hardest, and darkest part of the game, such a bleak-sounding piece makes total sense.
5/5 Stars

Sigma Stage 2
Here it is, my favorite track in Mega Man X and one of my favorite endgame tracks in the series. With Zero (seemingly) dead and X forced to step up, Sigma Stage 2 gives off a sense of solemn determination, with an incredibly dramatic and climactic main melody, and a chill-inducing reprisal of X's theme.
5/5 Stars

Sigma Stage 3
After two incredible tracks, this theme is... fine? It's pretty dinky sounding with those weird "pew pew" noises, but it still has a decently groovy riff carrying it along.
3/5 Stars

Sigma Stage 4
Another ambient piece made to hype you up for the final confrontation with Sigma, and it gets very repetitive fast.
2/5 Stars

Sigma 1st
Sigma has a ton of incredible themes and Sigma 1st is a great start. It's a bit on the short side, but it makes up for that with its sheer energy and sense of chaos. It's just nonstop, relentless thrash and I love it.
5/5 Stars

Sigma 2nd
The second Sigma theme is a slower orchestral track, and it's pretty good too. While I do generally prefer the rock of the rest of the soundtrack, this track does a good job at feeling menacing and threatening.
3/5 Stars

Dr Light
Dr Light's theme is another very important MMX track, it's very healing and fits Dr Light's role as a mentor in these games. That being said, once again, the X5 remix is still a lot better and more emotionally impactful.
4/5 Stars

Ending
X1's ending theme is pretty good, even if I don't have too much to say about it. It's very melancholy
and fits X's mood at the end of the game, even if some of the instrumentation doesn't fully work for me.
3/5 Stars

Cast Roll
Out of the multiple ending themes in X1, I think the cast roll is the best. It feels like a comforting farewell after such an intense adventure, and the main melody is very catchy.
4/5 Stars

Staff Roll
The staff roll is a fun jazzy piece, but once again I don't have too much to say about it beyond it just being pleasant to listen to.
3/5 Stars

Mega Man X2: While X1 was a perfectly executed rock album with great instrumentation and complex melodies, X2's soundtrack sounds... really limp by comparison. I do appreciate the unique prog influences this OST has, and the drum and bass loops are pretty stellar throughout, but the guitar samples took a serious hit here and most of the tracks are less than a minute long. There's still plenty of great tracks here, but it's hard not to feel a bit underwhelmed coming off the heels of X1.

Opening/Laboratory
Mega Man X2's opening theme is quite fun. It's super upbeat and energetic, but its short length and repetitive nature can make it sound a bit grating after a while, and I have no idea why it's also used as the laboratory theme.
3/5 Stars

Password
Well, we're back to the bad password themes again. X2's password theme feels like it's trying to be groovy, but the awkward guitar sounds and jittery tempo just make it sound like a bit of a clusterfuck.
1/5 Stars

Opening Stage
It's impossible for an X game to have a bad opening stage theme, and X2 is no exception. It's not as heavy as X1's, but between the exciting chord progression that kicks off the song and the dramatic and catchy melody, it still leaves a solid impact even if the guitars are... ehhhhhh.
4/5 Stars

Another Boss 1
An incredible short and repetitive guitar loop meant to hype up the boss. There really isn't much to say here.
1/5 Stars

Another Boss 2
Ehh, this one's mixed. The frantic bass is nice... but it doesn't really mesh well with the percussion. I like the orchestra hits... but the guitar sounds really limp. This will be a problem with a lot of X2's tracks.
2/5 Stars

Demo
Another fairly ambient track. I feel like it should sound better than it does, but the dinky instrumentation keeps holding it back.
2/5 Stars

Stage Select 1
Have I stated how much I hate X2's guitars yet? This could've been a really rocking stage select if it just didn't sound so off.
2/5 Stars

Wire Sponge
I've rambled about how uneven X2's instrumentation is, but I'll give it some credit. The synths and bass are X2's strong point, and they really shine in Wire Sponge's theme. The laid-back and melancholic melody sounds really good, the jazzy breakdown by the end is very impressive, and the bass is super punchy and snappy.
4/5 Stars

Morph Moth
Morph Moth's theme has a pretty unremarkable melody, but the erratic percussion and the way it interacts with all the other instruments really carries the track, even if the guitar-heavy second half still sounds pretty weak.
3/5 Stars

Flame Stag
This is the one guitar-heavy X2 track that I actually really like. It's a very fun thrash metal piece with a frenetic pace, a catchy melody, and more pitched-down guitars fitting the heavier feel. However, it's still pretty short, and I can't help but wonder how good this track would've been if it had X1's instruments.
4/5 Stars

Magna Centipede
This is a pretty all-over-the-place track. It's bursting with energy and I love the epic middle section, but the guitar solo at the end is a bit of a mess.
3/5 Stars

Overdrive Ostrich
Overdrive Ostrich's theme is a definitive SNES track in my book. Guitars be damned, that main synth melody is such an energetic bop that has a really iconic sound to it.
4/5 Stars

Bubble Crab
Bubble Crab's theme is easily one of the best tracks in the game, and not just because it's completely lacking in guitars. It has such an elegant and gentle feel to it befitting the underwater setting while still having an energetic bassline, and the stellar chord progressions and smooth synth melody are both so memorable. Even if the X5 remix is once again superior, the X2 original holds up incredibly well.
5/5 Stars

Wheel Gator
Man, I really wish those guitars sound better. The first half of Wheel Gator's theme is so good, with a groovy blues feel with a lot of momentum. However, once those wimpy and whiny guitars come in for the second half, all that momentum is immediately lost. Oh yeah, and this track is also like 30 seconds long, how fun.
3/5 Stars

Crystal Snail
Crystal Snail has easily the best basslines in the game, it's so dynamic and plays off the cozy chimes incredibly well. There's a bit of DKC3 in the bass progression, it sounds really good. While Crystal Snail is pretty heavy on guitars, they actually work pretty well towards the slower, more ethereal vibe the track is going for.
4/5 Stars

Boss 1
Another short loop meant to hype up the boss. It's ridiculously brisk and the guitar bend at the end sounds so hilariously bad.
1/5 Stars

Boss 2
As for the boss theme, it's fine. It's really short and lacking in any sort of intensity, but the frenetic bassline makes up for that somewhat.
3/5 Stars

Get A Weapon
Another meh weapon upgrade theme. Solid melody, but the guitars really bring it down a bit.
2/5 Stars

Stage Select 2
Once again, the second stage select theme is better than the first. With tense orchestra hits and a menacing bluesy melody, it does a solid job at making Sigma feel like a big threat.
3/5 Stars

X-Hunter Stage 1
Easily the best track in X2, barring its disappointingly short length. It bursts out of the gate with incredibly energetic drums and bass, and packs in a super epic and intense synth solo, using the guitars sparingly for extra impact. It's a very well-balanced and climactic piece.
5/5 Stars

X-Hunter Stage 2
Man, it's almost hard to go back to the X2 original after spending so much time listening to the phenomenal X6 remix. I like that it's a lot slower and heavier, and the melody is still fantastic, but it's also like 30 seconds and the guitars bring it down a bit.
4/5 Stars

Zero
Zero's theme in X2 is incredibly epic and badass... in terms of its composition. The instrumentation once again really brings it down, but it still captures Zero pretty well and really fits the boss fight.
4/5 Stars

Sigma 1st
Once again, Sigma's first boss theme is fantastic. It's super fast and chaotic, and stands right alongside Sigma 1st from X1. No wonder X6 squeezed both of them into a single remix.
4/5 Stars

Sigma 2nd
And once again, Sigma's second boss theme is slower and more orchestral. It's fine, not quite as memorable as the X1 theme, but it's still pretty dramatic and the cymbal clashes add some extra spice to the whole thing.
3/5 Stars

Dr Light
Dr Light's theme in X2 sounds like a slower and more laid-back version of the opening theme, and yeah, it fits quite well. It's not as ethereal as the X1 Dr Light theme, but it's got a nice comforting vibe.
3/5 Stars

Ending
X2's ending theme is once again held back by the instruments, but the sheer creativity of its composition manages to make up for it. It sounds like a sparse, tense original piece, but as the song goes on, you slowly start to realize that it's a slower remix of X-Hunter Stage 2. Very cool twist.
3/5 Stars

Staff Roll
This is a pretty good staff roll theme. The upbeat and cheery lead synth melody that kicks off the track sounds really nice and comfy.
4/5 Stars

Mega Man X3: Mega Man X3 is arguably the most polarizing soundtrack in all of Mega Man, and for good reason. The original SNES soundtrack is very heavy on the overdrive guitar, and while some like how gritty it sounds, others find it cheap-sounding and ear-grating. However, we also got a PS1 release with a redbook audio soundtrack, which is equally divisive. Some find it insulting to the original's rock vibes, while others find it way more pleasing to the ears. How do I feel about it?

Team PS1, all the way. I genuinely don't understand how people seem to love the SNES score so much, it's so grating and every guitar note has the same exact sound. Is it just because it's rock? Are people really that biased? Personally, I'm a sucker for that synthy redbook audio sound so the PS1 soundtrack is a feast for my ears, even if the soundtrack as a whole still suffers from some short loops. So, I'm going to focus my reviews on the PS1 versions of each track though I'll bring up the SNES one if needed.

One More Time
With the PS1, Mega Man games would begin to get multiple opening and ending themes, one for Japan and one for everywhere else. The JP openings are basically lyrical anime OPs, while the others are usually instrumentals by the soundtrack's lead composer. The first opening we'd get would be for X3's PS1 release, and it's a solid showcase of what to expect from these JP opening themes. It's an upbeat and fun j-pop track with energetic vocals from Kotono Shibuya and a very catchy chorus. It's not my favorite of the JP openings, but it's a very good first showing from Capcom.
4/5 Stars

Intro Stage
While probably the weakest of the SNES era opening stage themes, X3's intro stage is still pretty solid, with a catchy melody and a sick guitar solo that actually got translated to the PS1 version quite well.
4/5 Stars

Zero's Theme
Due to being vastly overshadowed by the many other themes Zero has had over the years, I tend to forget how much a bop his X3 theme is, especially the PS1 version with its groovy saxophone solo.
4/5 Stars

Stage Select 1
The SNES version of this track is one of the most annoying tracks in the franchise due to its short, ear-grating loop. The PS1 version is certainly more pleasant to listen to, but it's still comedically short and annoying.
1/5 Stars

Stage Select 2
The second stage theme is pretty muted and ambient. It's once again really short and there isn't too much to it, but it's less annoying than the first stage theme so that's something.
2/5 Stars

Blizzard Buffalo
I'm putting my foot down on this one, the PS1 version of Blizzard Buffalo is objectively better. The icey synths and wind sound effects complement this track's haunting and isolating melody so incredibly well, it makes for one of the most atmospheric X tracks.
5/5 Stars

Toxic Seahorse
Toxic Seahorse's theme is fantastic, it's such a hard-hitting banger that sounds really heavy even in the PS1 version. It shouldn't be much of a surprise that Shusaku Uchiyama of RE and MM8 fame did this remix, he absolutely nailed the tense vibes this track needed.
5/5 Stars

Tunnel Rhino
I love how spacey and echoey Tunnel Rhino's theme sounds in the PS1 version. That repeated phrase that permeates through the track is surprisingly catchy, and I love that weird "bwee" sound that plays throughout the track.
4/5 Stars

Volt Catfish
Volt Catfish's theme is another really catchy piece with a great sense of momentum, from that banging verse, to the wild guitar solo in the pre-chorus, to the haunting chorus that sounds straight out of X4. And of course, this was a remix done by X4's composer Toshihiko Horiyama.
5/5 Stars

Crush Crawfish
Crush Crawfish is a bit shorter than some of the other tracks (which is already saying something), but the groovy verse and synth solo by the end still makes for a fun track. It's interesting how so many X3 tracks have such similar sounding guitar solos.
4/5 Stars

Neon Tiger
Neon Tiger's theme is probably the least remarkable X3 theme regardless of the version. I like the heavy background tracks used in the PS1 version which help the track feel more jungly, but the actual melody isn't anything too special.
3/5 Stars

Gravity Beetle
Gravity Beetle is the one track where I can actually tolerate the SNES version, mostly because the melody is just that good. It's ridiculously catchy and badass-sounding, and the chorus is incredible. That being said, I still think the PS1 version blows the original out of the water for its jazzier feel, the fantastic percussion and bass, and just how much grander the chorus feels.
5/5 Stars

Blast Hornet
Yoshino Aoki of Battle Network fame did two remixes, and hers made a lot more changes to the original that I'm actually a bit split on. I'm not a huge fan of Blast Hornet's new opening, it's a bit too loud and overwhelming, but the new guitar solo Aoki added at the end is fantastic. So overall a mixed bag.
3/5 Stars

Dr Doppler Stages 1-2
Dr Doppler 1 is the other Aoki remix and once again I'm a bit split. On one hand, I think it starts wonderfully. The trumpets in the opening, the driving background track, the fantastic bass, it all gives the track a great sense of energy. However, it feels a bit too light-hearted compared to the SNES version, particularly with how plucky the lead instruments are. It's still a fantastic track and I'd take the PS1 version any day for simply sounding good, but I can admittedly see why SNES purists might not like this rendition.
4/5 Stars

Dr Doppler Stage 3
The other Dr Doppler stage theme is a lot less complex and fun than the first, it's a bit more repetitive, but it does create a pretty good ambience and I like the tense background synths.
3/5 Stars

Boss Battle
This is a pretty meh boss theme. Once again, it's really short and repetitive regardless of the version, and the looping feels pretty clumsy.
2/5 Stars

Dr Doppler Boss Battle
Dr Doppler's boss theme is an improvement over the first. It's a lot more dynamic and interesting, but it's still pretty short and repetitive. That being said, don't think I didn't notice those X4 synths in the PS1 remix...
2/5 Stars

Vile Stage
I love the Vile Stage theme, it's such a head-banger and sounds incredible in the PS1 version. The main melody is super groovy, and the softer synths that pop up in the pre-chorus give the track so much tension and gravitas, not to mention the spacier synths in the climax that sound straight out of Mario Galaxy.
5/5 Stars

Sigma 1st
Man, three boss themes this time?! Okay, the first Sigma boss theme is solid, certainly catchier and more fun than the previous two boss themes. The synths used do sound a little goofy in the PS1 version, but the incessant overdrive guitar makes the SNES version sound just as silly so I can't complain much.
3/5 Stars

Sigma 2nd
Kaiser Sigma's boss theme is certainly the most memorable boss theme in the game. It has this intense, militaristic vibe to it that gets conveyed really well in the PS1 version thanks to the booming percussion and clanking metal in the background.
4/5 Stars

Sigma 3rd
The music for the lava chase at the end of X3 is decently tense and ambient, but it's definitely not really meant to be listened to on its own or for more than like fifteen seconds.
2/5 Stars

Ending Theme
Despite still being a remix, the addition of pianos and synths, transform a solid ending theme on the SNES into pure 90s bliss. I absolutely adore the PS1 version of this track, it sounds so good.
4/5 Stars

Staff Roll
The staff roll theme is just as good if not even better on the PS1, blowing the original completely out of the water. This version is way more energetic and upbeat, mostly being carried by ridiculously groovy acoustic guitar which lends the track a fun tropical vibe.
5/5 Stars

Believe
X3's JP ending theme is pretty great too. It's a really groovy track with a fantastic catchy chorus... that admittedly kinda reminds me of Simple & Clean from Kingdom Hearts? Not complaining though.
4/5 Stars

Why I Love Ico + Shadow Of The Colossus

 I've said this a few times, but I don't think I'll ever mean it more than now. What can I even say about these games that hasn't already been said? 

Seriously, I'm kinda at a loss here. I only played Ico and Shadow last year, and there's people who've been thinking about, analyzing, and completely and utterly dissecting every facet of these games for decades at this point. It's the kind of game that's left a massive impact on everyone you can think of, from Nintendo to Sega to Naughty Dog. When you think of "games as art", it's likely that Team Ico's work is going to be the first thing that comes to mind. Thus, I think I'll do what I'll always do, talk about why I think Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus still managed to leave such a large impact on me years down the line.

It's a bit tough to figure out where to start when talking about Team Ico's games because everything about them feel so intertwined. The story informs the gameplay and the art direction, which in turn make the story more effective.

Let's start with Ico as an example. This is a game where you play as the titular boy as you escape a castle with a girl named Yorda. There's a big emphasis on the growing bond between Ico and Yorda, but instead of giving us long stretches of dialogue as we watch the characters grow, Ico conveys this relationship through the gameplay. You get an entire dedicated button for holding Yorda's hand as you drag her around the castle, and you need to keep holding that button for as long as you want Yorda to come with you. Throughout the game, you need to protect Yorda with your life, which in turn makes you develop a bond with Yorda just like Ico does. It's the kind of storytelling only a video game can offer, entirely immersive.

Something that really surprised me about Ico when I first played it was just how... jank it was. Sometimes, keeping Yorda safe was frustrating. The realistic movement engine didn't always work the way it was meant to, Yorda's AI didn't always do what I wanted of it, and the combat was kind of a slog. For much of the game, all you had was a stick to blindly swing at the various dark enemies trying to take Yorda away. In a lesser game, these irritating moments would be deal-breakers, but in the case of Ico, I can't help but feel they're all purposeful to a degree. Yorda's AI not always responding makes her feel like an actual living being, aided by the remarkably impressive animation work for a game made in 2001. And the combat made total sense for the narrative. Ico is just a kid, and his mission to escape the castle felt almost futile at points. It all made me want to help Ico and Yorda even more.

I don't want to give off the vibe that Ico was miserable to play though, not in the slightest. For the most part, Ico is also an incredible adventure game. The puzzles are generally really well-crafted and satisfying to solve, especially in the second half, and there's plenty of engaging parkour platforming to keep things interesting throughout. The castle you explore is also so well-realized, and the way it loops back on itself helps to tie it together as a real cohesive place. The sparse, bloomy art direction actually really works in Ico, giving the whole setting a hazy, liminal feel. Many rooms in Ico feature large empty spaces of nothingness, and it's just so... weirdly enthralling to look at. Part of me was invested in Ico because I was invested in the characters, the other part was invested because I really wanted to explore more of the castle.

 

This leads to probably Team ICO's greatest strength, offering a sense of catharsis. After such a grueling journey, Ico packs in a truly incredible conclusion, and overall a stellar final act. The bit where you get separated from Yorda is one of the most oppressive and anxiety-inducing sequences I've played in a game, the final boss manages to feel climactic without feeling at odds with the nonviolent game that preceded it, and the ambiguous ending where you're not sure if Yorda is alive or dead is just such an emotional punch. And then there's the way Ico handles its soundtrack. There isn't much music in Ico, which makes the few moments it does appear feel all the more impactful. Whenever you sit on a save bench, for example, you hear this very comfy and healing piece of music fittingly titled Heal. And when you finally reach the ending of the game, you get hit with a jaw-droppingly beautiful symphonic vocal track called You Were There, that feels like pure emotional catharsis distilled into musical form. I'm not ashamed to admit that Ico's ending made me tear up, a thing only few games have ever done. As I've said before, any piece of media that makes me cry is an automatic masterpiece in my book.

I'll be honest and say that Shadow Of The Colossus didn't leave quite the same emotional impact, and yet I still think it's the better game. For starters, it's longer and has more interesting gameplay. The compelling sense of exploration that Ico had is now expanded into an entire overworld, that despite being vast and fairly empty, is still really fun to explore. Figuring out the location of each Colossus is almost as fun as fighting them, and by the end of the game, I had the map ingrained into my brain. As for the boss fights themselves, they're incredible, absolutely one of the best boss rosters in gaming. Kuromori, Hydrus, Dirge, Malus, Phalanx, Avion, Gaius, there are so many fantastic encounters that are all varied and memorable in their own rights. I'm absolutely not surprised games like Mario Galaxy and Sonic Frontiers took heavy inspiration from SotC's boss design, climbing up a giant behemoth and taking it down will never not be satisfying.

However, from a story standpoint, Shadow Of The Colossus nails everything Ico does and then some. Sure, taking down the Colossi can be a ton of fun, but like in Ico, it's not all smooth sailing. You will have to hold down the trigger for dear life to cling onto these Colossi, and some of them will try to shake you off relentlessly. Some bosses shake so frequently that so much as finding an opening to strike can be remarkably frustrating. Once again, this is all purposeful. The main protagonist Wander is trying to cure a girl named Mono by slaying all the Colossi in the region, and it's supposed to be an arduous journey. Taking down a giant beast as a normal human is supposed to be challenging, and as the game goes on, you notice that maybe Wander's not supposed to be the good guy. You notice how each Colossi's death starts to feel increasingly pitiful and tragic, you start to notice how some Colossi aren't even trying to attack you, and you notice how each victory seems to be reflecting worse and worse on Wander.

Once again, Shadow Of The Colossus brings everything to an incredibly powerful close. The final fight with the final Colossus, Malus, is an atmospheric and haunting climax, from making the tallest climb in the game to your horse sacrificing himself for your mission, symbolizing just how far gone Wander is. And once you beat Malus, you get a brutal, crushing nearly half hour cutscene where Mono gets resurrected... but Wander becomes fully corrupted. It's a devastating piece of dramatic irony, but the game still manages to end on an ambiguously hopeful note for Mono just like Ico did. One thing that really differentiates SotC from Ico is the music. As impactful as You Were There was, I was very pleased to find that there's much more music in SotC, all roughly on par with Ico's ending theme. From magical pieces of folk, to booming orchestral boss themes, Shadow Of The Colossus's soundtrack is absolutely incredible, with highlights including The Farthest Land, The Opened Way, A Despair-Filled Farewell, Counterattack, and Revived Power. Once again, you can tell the devs behind Mario Galaxy were heavily inspired by this game (which apparently Ueda wasn't impressed with? Damn...)

Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus both managed to offer some of the most striking games I've ever played. They're not just incredibly fun adventure games, nor are they just beautiful pieces of art. They're these cohesive, complete experiences that meld together story, gameplay, and visuals in a way that few other games have managed to do. It's a real shame that the only thing the industry seems to have borrowed from these games is the imagery, I think there's a lot you can learn from Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus on how to convey a narrative and immerse an audience solely through gameplay.

Why I Love Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion

With the release of Side Order, I've had Splatoon on the brain lately. In my review of that game, I mentioned that I hold the Octo Expansion up very highly as the peak of the series to the point of being in my Top 100 games. I wouldn't normally treat a DLC as its own standalone product, but Splatoon's Octo Expansion is... different. Not only does it stand entirely on its own to the point of feeling like its own game, but I think it holds up as the best DLC expansion ever concieved.

 But before talking about Octo Expansion, I wanna talk about Splatoon as a whole, because I don't think I've ever delved into why I think the series as a whole is so great. Splatoon has really become one of Nintendo's biggest series in a short time and for good reason, it's one of the most innovative new AAA franchises we've gotten in the past decade. Its unique turf war gameplay helped make the shooter genre way more accessible for people, and it helped to pioneer gyro aiming which I now stand by being the definitive way to play shooters (it's certainly the control scheme I'm best at). But even beyond the gameplay, Splatoon is great because of its world. It's got the kind of punk counter-culture aesthetic that we hardly see in games anymore, a ton of lore both about Inkling/Octoling society and the very Kirby-esque implication that this is a post-apocalyptic Earth, and really likable characters in terms of the various idols, shopkeepers, bands, and playable agents we meet throughout the three games. The world feels so lived in and immersive, to the point where sometimes I'd just boot up Splatoon 3 to wander around Splatsville and take in all the little details. In a lot of ways, Splatoon is probably Nintendo's most immersive series, in that they don't just feel like games but an entire world to hang around in, meet people, and partake in the many different sidemodes. It feels like the biggest remnant of Nintendo's focus on social gaming that defined the Wii U and 3DS, and I really admire that about it. And as someone who has a bit of trouble committing to online games like these, it also helps that Splatoon games often come with a really fun and well-designed single-player mode that brings the story and lore to the forefront, to the point of often feeling like they'd be worth the price on their own

Out of the three mainline Splatoon games we've gotten so far, Splatoon 2 stands out as my favorite in the trilogy. Sure, the first game may be more balanced and nostalgic, and the third game may have more mechanics, content, and QoL, but Splatoon 2 is the entry I easily sank the most hours into. From a gameplay standpoint, it's got my favorite lineup of stages and my favorite implementation of the Splatfest and Ranked Battle modes. It introduced Salmon Run, more customizable passive abilities, my favorite weapon in the Splat Dualies, and even an entire rhythm game mode called Squid Beatz that lets you play every song in the game. The story mode, while not on the level of Splatoon 3's, is a ton of fun and a solid improvement over the first game's with its better difficulty balancing and replayability in the multiple weapons you can use. On top of all that, Splatoon 2 has hands down my favorite idols in the series in Pearl and Marina, aka Off The Hook. These two are so damn likable, boasting stylish and memorable designs, colorful personalities, and a fantastic dynamic. It also has my favorite soundtrack of the trilogy with a wide range of diverse bangers from energetic Turf War tracks (Blitz It, Riptide Rupture, and Don't Slip), phenomenal Splatfest music (Ebb & Flow, Acid Hues, Muck Warfare), and some banging Story Mode music (Shooting Starfish, Bomb Rush Blush, Tidal Rush, Spicy Calimari Inkantation). So even on its own, Splatoon 2 is a fantastic game... but then Octo Expansion was announced.

Now that it's been over five years since that initial announcement trailer, I think it's easy to forget how big a deal Octo Expansion was. For the first time ever, we could finally play as the Octolings, those memorable and fascinating enemies from the Story Mode. And that trailer... So stylish, so grungy, so intriguing. Splatoon always had a bunch of interesting lore for those who liked to dig into that kind of stuff, and Octo Expansion looked to be pushing that lore to the forefront. Best of all, when the game did come out, it absolutely lived up to all of those expectations. 

The main premise of Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion is that you're playing as an Octoling named Agent 8 who somehow just managed to break out of the brainwashing (aka sanitization) that the rest of the species has suffered through. Stuck underground, you have to do a series of brutal tasks to work your way up to the surface, all the while receiving help from... Off The Hook. As far as story goes, the Octo Expansion is definitely the peak of the series. It's the one campaign where it really feels like your playable character is driving the story rather than just helping another character with their own story. Agent 8 has a motivation you can empathize with, you want to help them get up to the surface. You also get a lot more context into the Octoling sanitization process, particularly through an Octoling named Dedf1sh who made most of the game's music. As I said with Side Order, Dedf1sh is one of my favorite Splatoon characters for their interesting backstory, and this game laid the groundwork for their appearance in the next game. On top of that, you get way more fun interactions and fleshing-out of Pearl and Marina, with the former in particular garnering a lot of fans thanks to this expansion really showing off her more rowdy personality. One of the expansion's high points is when you hear a demo Pearl recorded and it's hands down one of the funniest things in any Nintendo game.

Octo Expansion also stands out with its fantastic gameplay, and how much it evolves from the previous campaigns. As much as I like Hero Mode, it always felt like a tutorial for Turf War that taught you how to use the game's mechanics without really going far with them. Octo Expansion, on the other hand, wrings every bit of potential out of every single one of Splatoon's mechanics, weapons, and level gimmicks. This campaign has a whopping 80 different challenges ranging from lengthy platforming stages, to short tests of each weapon and subweapon, to obstacle courses that you navigate through using the jet-pack, to precision-shooting tests like the box and the infamous 8-ball missions (I love the 8-ball missions, they're such BS), to enemy gauntlets, to harder boss rematches, to dodging missions where you don't have any weapons, to missions about conserving limited amounts of ink, the list goes on. There's so much variety in what Octo Expansion has you do, and despite the massive amount of missions, there's no filler. The game constantly kept me guessing from start to finish. The Octo Expansion is also a huge spike in difficulty from pretty much everything else in Splatoon, with some pretty infamous and brutal missions, but there's also a lot of forgiveness mechanics like the abundance of branching paths and the ability to skip missions you're really struggle in so even those who suck at Splatoon can still see the campaign through to the end.

And you're gonna want to see Octo Expansion through to the end, because its finale is absolutely incredible. Once you complete enough missions, you'll finally be able to start heading up to the surface, and what ensues is a lengthy multi-stage, roughly hour-long gauntlet that tests you on everything you've learned throughout the game. It starts with a stealth sequence where you have no weapons, before you slowly start to accumulate more and more weapons and equipment as you work your way through the laboratory, all culminating in a jaw-dropping finale where you face off against a brainwashing Agent 3, aka yourself from the first game (I love this trope so much), and save the world from getting destroyed from a giant humanoid statue through the power of Booyah. I mentioned that Octo Expansion has a strong story and great gameplay, but this finale intertwines the story and gameplay perfectly, and really makes you feel that victory. And once you beat Octo Expansion, for the first time in the series, you can finally play as an Octoling whenever you want. It was so heartwarming to see Inklings and Octolings hang around with each other in the game's hub for the first time, it felt like a big turning point for the series. I always thought the Octolings were cool, but after everything I went through with Agent 8, no way in hell was I switching back to an Inkling. Even into Splatoon 3, I'm on Team Octoling all the way.

Despite being a DLC campaign, Octo Expansion also has a great sense of style all its own. Taking place entirely underground, there's such a grungy and dark flavor to the whole game. The main hub is a dingy subway filled with weird species of sealife, and the campaign is coated with this subtle neon 80s vaporwave aesthetic. Most of the missions have a bunch of surreal floating objects in the background, often being Nintendo's previous consoles from the NES to the Gamecube. The soundtrack is also absolutely incredible, easily some of the best music Splatoon has put out. The obvious highlights are the Off The Hook tracks we got like Nasty Majesty, Shark Bytes, and Fly Octo Fly, but equally great are Dedf1sh's more atmosphere EDM tracks which run the gamut from house to breakcore to vaporwave. #8 regret in particular is one of the most transcendant pieces of video game music period.

Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion takes an already great Nintendo classic and improves it so much. As I've said time and time again, it's the peak of the Splatoon series. It's jam-packed with content, super replayable, fully utilizes all of Splatoon's mechanics, and intertwines it all with an engaging story and some of the best music in the franchise. I always liked Splatoon from the first game, but Octo Expansion was what made me a super-fan.

Mega Man Music Reviews: Mega Man 11

 Mega Man 11 has hands down the most divisive soundtrack in the franchise. For many, it's a massive disappointment with its primarily EDM score sounding interchangeable and repetitive. I'm not one of those people, I actually really love Mega Man 11's music, it's probably one of my favorites in the series. I've always thought that Mega Man can work well with either synth or rock (or both as we'll get into with Mega Man X), and sometimes, I even tend to prefer the synthier soundtracks. I just can't help myself with Mega Man 11's soundtrack, its music is so punchy and energetic, and each track feels so rich and full of sound. I'm very excited to give this score and Marika Suzuki some much needed credit, especially on a compositional level.

Mega Man 11

Prologue
I love how intense this prologue theme is. It just keeps building and building, and that wail near the end of the track is spine-chilling.
4/5 Stars

Title
Right behind MM3's title theme as my favorite out of the classic games. The energetic intro that immediately bursts into action, the bopping rave of a chorus, and that absolutely powerful climax with the booming percussion. It hits so hard and the game just started.
5/5 Stars

Another Day In The Lab
A pretty plucky and upbeat opening cutscene track, but it's not all that remarkable beyond that. Still sounds pretty good though.
3/5 Stars

Evil Machinations
A much more tense cutscene track that introduces Dr Wily's fantastic leitmotif in this game.
3/5 Stars

The Courage To Fight
The opening cutscene ends with this nice heroic-sounding piece with a touch of melancholy to make it sound especially Mega Man-y.
3/5 Stars

Stage Select
This is definitely one of the best stage select themes. It's super upbeat and energetic, and it's long too if not the longest. It just keeps going and going as it builds more and more momentum.
4/5 Stars

Block Man
I remember this track very well from playing the demo years ago, it's still a banger. I love the rhythmic tempo and pittering background instruments that really give off the feel that the track is slowly building itself up (like Block Man!), and the track has two drops that both hit incredibly hard, one before the verse and one before the chorus.
5/5 Stars

Acid Man
Acid Man's theme has a tense spy-movie feel to it. The distorting effects and bubbling sounds in the verse are so atmospheric and capture the gross vibe of the stage really well, and the chorus is yet another absolute head-banger with a very powerful finale.
5/5 Stars

Impact Man
Spoiler alert, but this is the only Robot Master theme to not be a 5/5 for me, though it's still really good. The intro is very memorable for how it captures the intense sound of construction, but I think the track just keeps getting better as it goes on, from the whirring drill-sounding bit, to the triumphant pre-chorus, to another stellar chorus.
4/5 Stars

Bounce Man
I really don't get why people find this soundtrack repetitive, each track feels like it fits the Robot Masters perfectly, with Bounce Man's theme sounding super bubbly and, well, bouncy. In the wrong hands, this theme could've easily been the weak link of the soundtrack like with Spring or Clown Man's themes due to its cutesy nature, but then we get one of the absolute best drops in the entire game in the second game. The chorus is so freaking good, it's so dreamy and ethereal, never failing to put me in a good mood.
5/5 Stars

Fuse Man
The fan favorite track, and easily the best Robot Master theme in the game. Fuse Man's theme is just straight-up eurobeat, it's oozing energy and propulsion throughout, from that iconic and powerful intro to the blistering chorus.
5/5 Stars

Tundra Man
Tundra Man's theme is yet another entry in the pantheon of stellar ice themes in Mega Man games. It's so haunting and cold-sounding, with the easy highlight of the track being the pre-chorus. That brief stop before the track hits you the sound of rushing wind and a melody dripping with melancholy and bleakness is one of the most striking bits in the entire soundtrack.
5/5 Stars

Torch Man
Torch Man's theme is pure chaos, starting with a panic-inducing intro that sounds like it's spiraling out of control. The track quickly regains itself though for one of the most head-banging choruses in the game, with some slick glissandos and a blistering tempo.
5/5 Stars

Blast Man
Blast Man has my second favorite Robot Master theme behind Fuse Man, it's so good. The first half immediately grabs you with its dark and menacing feel, but the track quickly shifts to pure hype mode with an absolute rave of a chorus.
5/5 Stars

Boss Battle
This is my favorite boss theme in a classic Mega Man game too, it's such a big step up from the last two. It's so tense and grim, I love the downward steps in the intro that really put you on edge, and the beeping in the more energetic second half heightens the atmosphere even more.
5/5 Stars

Get A Weapon
Even the weapon upgrade theme is pretty great! It's far and away the longest one in the series, with a catchy central melody and a groovy second half that slots it in nicely with all the other weapon upgrade themes in the series.
3/5 Stars

Shop
Cute shopping music. It's not as good as the Mega Man 9 one, but it has a lot of the same charming energy to it. It almost feels like E-Shop music, which is very high praise, believe me.
4/5 Stars

Regretful Memories
Regretful Memories is basically just the intro again with some minor changes.
4/5 Stars

Gear Fortress Map
I'm not huge on the intro here, but the reprisal of Dr Wily's leitmotif once you let the track play a bit is nice.
3/5 Stars

Gear Fortress
Easily one of my favorite Wily Castle themes. Sure, it's the only one, but it's not like that stopped Mega Man 5. It's got everything that makes the best Wily Castle theme, it's both super energetic and driven, as well as dark and melancholic. The melody is ridiculously catchy, the chorus is climactic and hard-hitting, it's all so good.
5/5 Stars

Gear Fortress Boss
Despite the great intro... I really don't like this theme. This is the one MM11 theme I will not defend, not because it's generic or samey, but because it leans in a dubstep direction that I just find kinda ear-grating.
1/5 Stars

Wily Machine
Thankfully, the actual Wily Machine theme is a big improvement. It's a fun twist on the Dr Wily leitmotif with a very memorable melody and a lovably dramatic chorus.
4/5 Stars

Last Battle
This is a fine final boss theme. It's got a nice menacing intro, but I don't find most of the track all that memorable, especially compared to the theme that came before it.
3/5 Stars

Wily's Last Resort
Dr Wily's leitmotif shows up one last time for the last cutscene track of the game.
3/5 Stars

Staff Roll
The staff roll music is split up into two parts. The first part is more laid-back and melancholic and it's fine, but it's obviously setting the stage for the much more fun and upbeat second part.
4/5 Stars

Game Menu
For a menu theme, this track is really damn solid. The main beat is super catchy, and the sparing usage of pianos really adds to the vibe. There's a fun arcadey feel to the whole track.
4/5 Stars

Challenges
As I said in MM10, the side-mode/postgame themes usually don't stick with me, but the Challenges theme is still quite catchy. The chorus in particular is very fun and has a lot of Jake Kaufmann energy to it.
4/5 Stars

Challenges: Results
For a results theme, this is a pretty good track. It's got the same poppy and arcadey feel as the game menu theme, and the chorus sounds really uplifting.
3/5 Stars

Mega Man Music Reviews: Mega Man 10

Mega Man 10 is probably the most all-over-the-place game in the series. It's less attached to the hip to MM2 and generally more inventive, but the design isn't nearly as tight and it still doesn't... re-evolve anything. This applies to the soundtrack too, which compared to MM9's more consistent score, has way higher highs and way lower lows. That being said, when it hits, it absolutely hits. The decision to bring back every major Mega Man composer prior to 9 to do one Robot Master theme is brilliant, and the Wily Castle themes are absolutely phenomenal.

Mega Man 10

Usual Day
The first opening theme is your generic upbeat happy-go-lucky music, so I don't have much to say about it.
2/5 Stars

Future World
Future World introduces one of Mega Man 10's big new leitmotifs, and it's really good, it's super dramatic and has a lot of gravitas. That being said, just wait until we get to the track Future World is foreshadowing...
4/5 Stars

Suspicion
A pretty short and unremarkable loop. It's a perfectly decent piece with a bit of intrigue, but I still don't find it all that special.
2/5 Stars

Go Together
Four opening themes is kind of excessive, huh? Go Together is the usual heroic theme that caps off an opening and it's once again totally fine, but I think other games pull it off with a lot more flair.
3/5 Stars

Title Theme
Oh, finally, we're into the game. Mega Man 10's title theme is pretty good, but not one of my favorites. I like how it keeps building in intensity, but it's not quite the massive head-banger that some other games kick off with.
3/5 Stars

Menu Theme
Would you believe it, an actually original menu theme that isn't ripped from Mega Man 2. I still don't think this track is anything too special, but it's got a nice groove to it and is certainly more pleasing to the ears than MM2's password theme.
3/5 Stars

Stage Select
Mega Man 10 has one of the more dramatic stage select themes. The main melody is solid, but I just don't think it provokes that exciting feeling of adventure that other stage select themes do.
3/5 Stars

King Of Blades
As I mentioned, each Robot Master theme is by a different composer from prior entries. King Of Blades's theme is by Akari Kaida from Mega Man & Bass, and as you'd expect, it's quite jazzy. The whole track has a nice elegance to it, and while it takes a bit to really get going, the chorus is fantastic and really makes the whole thing worth it.
4/5 Stars

Polluted Pump
Pump Man's theme is by Yuko Takehara from MM6, and it's dripping with his distinct percussive cadence. Just like King Of Blades, this track is a bit of a slow-burn, but once again, the chorus is fantastic. Those chiptune trills in the intro are also very memorable.
4/5 Stars

Desert Commando
MM4's composer Minae Fuji did this one, and while it's predictably my least favorite of the soundtrack, she still did a solid job. Commando Man's theme has the classical and militaristic feel of MM4 without any of that obnoxious echoing, and with a catchy main melody and solid pacing, this is an overall good track that I just don't find super memorable.
4/5 Stars

Absolute Chill
Mega Man 8's Shusaku Uchiyama made one of the more unique tracks in the game. Despite being in chiptune, Absolute Chill still sounds like it slots right into the chill techno of MM8, and it's dripping with haunting atmosphere while still having a really catchy main melody.
5/5 Stars

Cybersheep's Dream
After all these years, MM5's Mari Yamaguchi hasn't skipped a beat, and she put out one of the best tracks in the entire series. Cybersheep's Dream is a phenomenal track boasting all the fun polyrhythms and groovy energy that defined Mega Man 5's soundtrack, while also having an incredibly smooth and catchy central melody and some well-executed beeps and boops that evoke the feeling of being inside a computer very well.
5/5 Stars

Fireball Strike
Makoto Tomozawa of Mega Man 7 did this track, and it's easily one of the silliest tracks in the entire series, in a good way. Most of the first half of Strike Man is your usual Mega Man banger, with a particularly great chorus... only for the track to completely get interrupted by a baseball jingle. It's the kind of bold swing (no pun intended) that really shouldn't work, but it somehow does.
4/5 Stars

Nitro Rider
Nitro Man's theme is Manami Matsumae at full power, it is pure Mega Man bliss in every conceivable way. The constant sense of energy, the aggressive rock influences, the classical-sounding melody, and that climactic chorus. Incredible track.
5/5 Stars

Solar Inferno
As you'd probably expect, Yasuaki Fujita of Mega Man 3 also really knocked it out of the park with his track. Solar Inferno is probably the heaviest metal banger in a classic Mega Man game, from the groovy surf guitar in the verse, to the heavy main riff, to that absolutely nuts chorus that ranks among some of the most energetic guitar solos in all of gaming. It's some of the most impressive chiptune I've ever heard, Fujita is an absolute legend.
5/5 Stars

Boss
This boss theme is even weaker than the last one. Once again, the intro is pretty good, but the main melody feels... too melodic for a boss theme. Where's the punch? Where's the energy?
3/5 Stars

Get A Weapon
Ah, nice to see a new weapon upgrade theme. This track feels more like the ones from 4 onwards with its heavy instrumentation, but the melody is still pretty sparse and repetitive.
2/5 Stars

Shop - Mega Man
Another cute shop theme from Inti Creates. I can't really articulate why I really like Mega Man's shop theme beyond it just sounding really bouncy and fun.
4/5 Stars

Shop - Proto Man
Proto Man's shop theme is easily the best one, though, an absolutely killer blues piece that's dripping with style.
5/5 Stars

Shop - Bass
Bass's shop theme is the weakest of the three, but it's not bad. I like how the background track is his boss theme, but the melody doesn't have too much to it.
3/5 Stars

Crisis
It's your typical panic music for before the Wily Castle. It's not on the level of MM9's Suspense, but it does its job without sounding annoying.
2/5 Stars

Evil Wily
I have absolutely nothing to say about this theme. It's reasonably menacing, it fits Wily well, but it's cutscene music and it does not stick with me in the slightest.
2/5 Stars

For You
Roll finally gets a theme, and it's very pretty. The whistle sound is used to great effect here, and it fits Roll's caring personality quite well.
4/5 Stars

Silent Rain
For the first time since Mega Man 7, we get a more atmospheric track for right before the Wily Castle. It's not anywhere near as masterful as Entrance was, but it's got a strong atmosphere to it and does a great job at building up to one of the best lineups of endgame themes in the series...
4/5 Stars

Dr Wily Stage Boss
But first, there's the boss theme. This is definitely the better of the boss themes, it's a lot more energy, and the chorus is super groovy and chaotic.
4/5 Stars

Abandoned Memory
It's no Flash In The Dark, but Abandoned Memory comes very close. While I wish it was a tad longer, it crams so much into its short length, from an energetic verse, to a beautiful whistle-heavy pre-chorus, to one of the most powerful and memorable choruses in the franchise.
5/5 Stars

Against The Pressure
And this track is somehow even better! Ryo Kawakami returns for one of the most relentlessly fast-paced and energetic Wily Castle themes you could ask for, it never stops moving. The rocking verse leads into the more dramatic pre-chorus which leads to an absolutely godlike climax that feels like the musical culmination of the entire game.
5/5 Stars

No Turning Back
No Turning Back is a lot more toned down from the last track, but it's got a strong sense of melancholy and a powerful melody that keeps getting more intense as it goes on. Another really strong Wily Castle theme.
5/5 Stars

Stairway To Darkness
Definitely the weakest Wily Castle theme, but it's not bad. It definitely fits the name in how it keeps progressively building itself up, and does a good job at being atmospheric without being too ambient.
4/5 Stars

Wily Machine
I really didn't remember this track at all, but it's actually pretty good. It's got a lot of energy, and the climax of the track is really strong and effective.
3/5 Stars

Deep In Space
Remember when I said Future World was foreshadowing a later track? This is that track. Deep In Space is one of the most chilling tracks in the entire franchise, it's so atmospheric and gripping. The simple but haunting riff, the somber melody, the glitching notes, the way it brings the whole game full circle, it all adds up to a sound unlike anything else in the series. A criminally underrated Wily Castle theme and definitely one of the best.
5/5 Stars

Wily Capsule
Sadly, like the fight itself, the Wily Capsule theme is pretty eh. It lacks the sheer gravitas and intensity that other final Wily fights have, and it just isn't all that memorable.
2/5 Stars

Staff Roll
The staff roll theme is a slight improvement over Mega Man 9's. The slow intro is nice, and the melody is a lot catchier and more memorable.
3/5 Stars

Challenges
The side-mode themes don't tend to stick with me much since I don't have a character or story event I can really associate with them, but this is still a solidly groovy track.
3/5 Stars

Endless Struggle
Endless Struggle isn't anywhere near being as much of a banger as Maze Of Death was, but I like that they kept the rave vibe for MM10's endless stages.
3/5 Stars

Heart Of Ender
Mega Man 10 included a bunch of stages themed after the Mega Man Killers from the World games, and they got some solid themes. Heart Of Ender is a fun rock theme with an exciting and heroic-sounding chorus, it's got a similar energy to Solar Inferno which I like.
4/5 Stars

Get The Punk Out
Punk's theme is also a bop, though it's got a bit more of a build-up to it. The guitar solos are fantastic, but there isn't too much connecting them.
4/5 Stars

Farewell To Ballade
Ballade got far and away the best theme of the Mega Man Killers, this track is jaw-droppingly beautiful. It's incredibly melancholy and the perfectly-tuned whistle sound only heightens that feel, and the emotional chorus really made this track feel like the end of an era for Mega Man (especially since we wouldn't get another game for almost a decade).
5/5 Stars