Whether it be the original Mega Man, Mega Man X or Mega Man Legends, Capcom has made a lot of great games starring its biggest hero since he debuted on the NES in 1987. However, some of the finest games in the series come from the Mega Man Zero line, which is getting a remaster alongside Mega Man ZX and Mega Man ZX Advent.
One of the appeals to Mega Man games is that players feel a sense of accomplishment when completing them. Each series comes with its own set of rules and gameplay that provide a different kind of challenge in the Mega Man world. The original Mega Man title is defined by the Blue Bomber remaining relatively the same from the start of the game until the end, only gaining upgrades after defeating a boss. However, that changed with Mega Man X, which is all about hidden treasures, including upgrade capsules, heart pieces and refill tanks. Collecting and upgrading X is key to moving forward in the game, though there are those that add an extra challenge by not collecting any upgrades. Mega Man Zero continues the X-style of gameplay with only minor differences. Instead, what makes Mega Man Zero stand out from X and the rest of the Mega Man series is its exceptionally dark and well-told storyline.
Mega Man Zero takes place a century after Mega Man X when the world has been completely taken over by robots, and the game series opens with the last of the resistance dying. The game starts from a really grim place, and the dystopian hopelessness of the Zero franchise is key to what makes this game special. To make matters worse, Zero's chief nemesis is none other than a clone of "X," and there's something strange about shooting and slashing a clone of your partner and best friend.
Another big way the Zero series differs from X's games is in its consistent quality. Mega Man Zero was released in 2002, which is between Mega Man X6 and Mega Man X7. Those two games hold a 65 and 58 on Metacritic, respectively, showing that the main franchise from which Zero sprang was starting to lose steam following its jump to PlayStation. In contrast, Zero earned an impressive 82, and subsequent installments tended to rate pretty highly. At a time when the Mega Man X games from which it drew were starting to flounder, the Zero franchise flourished.
The Zero series is just as fun and challenging as any of the Blue Bombers' greatest hits, but with a storyline that adds something unique to the lore. Although sometimes overlooked and overshadowed by more popular entries, Mega Man Zero is truly among the finest games to hold the Blue Bomber's name -- and he isn't even its protagonist.
Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection releases Feb. 25 from Capcom on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.