Megaman X Command Mission

Tnhroughout Mega Man's 15 years in gaming, there's one genre he's never really been a part of: role-playing. Time to check that off the list, as Command Mission is a full-on role-playing game, in which you and your party (of N up to three) try to stop the rebellion on Gigantis Island started by General Epsilon and his Liberion Army. Joining the blue one on this mission are X7 teammates Axl and Zero. Capcom promises new faces along the way too, including a mysterious female character.

As you progress through the game's dungeons, you'll be able to customize your characters using accumulated experience points. And, similar to genre-bending RPGs like Nintendo's Paper Mario, Command Mission's battles will als include more action-oriented elements (though Capcom is mum on specifics).

It's surprising to see such a venerable series as Megaman take a step into the RPG genre. It's even more surprising to see them do a decent job at it, with relatively few drawbacks. Of course the game I'm referring to is Megaman X Command Mission, the latest title in the saga of the Blue Bomber, one of modern gaming's older and stronger heroes.

This time, you'll take on the role of Mega as he infiltrates Giga City on a desperate quest to stop the rebels of the Liberion army. Along the way you'll get to see the series in a way never before seen, as an RPG. Borrowing heavily from systems created in Xenogears , you'll be able to follow a graphical flowchart of combat, use a combination of main and sub weapons, reaction attacks, and a hyper mode that offers an option in combat that can only be termed 'transformative'. Add to this the fact that this is a relatively good looking title, has some decent voice work, and also features a strong collection of unlockables in the form of challenge items, and you've got a basis for good gameplay here.

Ultimately, I thought Megaman X Command Mission was a bit short, and to the point, almost like this was an experiment in RPG design from Capcom. Still, I've been a fan of Mega since the start, and I think the game worked well, overall. Its design is a little dated, but it's got the juice where it counts. I just wouldn't plan on this being on everyone's list.