Mega Man Xtreme 2: Soul Eraser

Mega Man Xtreme was a pretty good game, a bit on the short side, but a good game. Xtreme 2 continues what was a good thing, and throws Zero in for good measure. Xtreme 2 takes the game boy series the extra mile over Xtreme 1 though. Where as Xtreme 1 was just short of remixed port, Xtreme 2 features all new levels that, while they work with the themes of the bosses of the games they take place with, are entirely new levels. Like every Game Boy game before it, Xtreme 2 combines 2 different sets of bosses, this one from X2 and X3.

If you recall, the way Xtreme 1 worked was that you would play through one set of bosses, then on the next difficulty you'd play on the others. This one works a similar way, except you play as X through one set of bosses, then Zero through a different set, and then you unlock a difficulty where you can fight all the bosses and switch between X and Zero at any time. This game works from the formula of different play styles that X and Zero bring stemming from the X4 and X5 games, and seems to set the precedent of swapping characters mid level that X7 and X8 would follow with later.

New Features

• You can play as Zero.
• The parts system from X5 has returned, however you buy them like you would Auto's store.
• Later on you can switch between the two protagonists.
• Unlockable Boss Rush Mode
  

Story

This game takes place between X3 and X4. Reploids have been having their programs mysteriously erasing, causing them to cease to function. This is known as the "ERASURE" event and Reploids everywhere are in terror. Hunter HQ intel points to the "Laguz Island" as having something to do with the event, X and Zero go in to investigate with Iris acting as their navigator.

Oh hey Iris, you're going to be killed by Zero soon. Good to see you!

X and Zero investigate the island and are attacked by Maverick mechlaniods. A transmission comes in to Hunter HQ from a Maverick named Gareth who tells X and Zero they must battle his guardians before he'll face them. The guardians are revived Mavericks that X and Zero had battled in X2 and X3. X and Zero split up and take 4 mavericks each. So if you've been paying attention to the X timeline, this is the first time Zero ever does anything remotely helpful. The Mavericks they fight are dropping the programs the reploids had lost. They call these programs DNA Souls... riiiight. X and Zero do the ethical thing and build parts out of them.

Meanwhile we find out Gareth has a buddy named Berkana and they are studying X and Zero. The point of this scene is to show you that there are two villains.

After they defeat the Mavericks, Gareth contacts HQ and tells them they're hanging out at the Reploid Research Lab (which is apparently covered in tons of instant death traps for convince) and will await their arrival. They figure they can take them out one on one and split X and Zero up. X goes after Berkana and Zero takes out Gareth. Despite the brilliant plan of splitting up two individual Maverick Hunters who have saved the world multiple times, Gareth and Berkana SOMEHOW lose. X and Zero are glad they stopped the ERASURES from continuing but Iris wonders if they had really restored peace. The credits roll.

Gee that was anticlimactic huh?

BUT WAIT! Now you must go through the game with the hunter you didn't pick! The story is the same, but the levels are different. Once you do that you unlock XTREME MODE! Now you must fight all 8 Mavericks and you can switch between X and Zero at any time. You get to the end of the game and while X and Zero are patting each other on the back for a job well done, SIGMA APPEARS!

You didn't think we'd get away with having an original villain did you? It turns out Sigma was responsible for the whole thing! X and Zero kinda sigh and roll their eyes as Sigma is once again destroyed forever (until the next game). Suddenly all of the lost reploid data returns to their reploid owners mysteriously. Hooray!

Aesthetics

I don't have much to say here as Xtreme 1 and Xtreme 2 are almost identical in their overall looks. The graphics make use of the Game Boy Color's graphical power over over the game boy... but guess what? Game Boy Advanced is out now... so... I guess that makes this dated when it came out. It's not an ugly game, but the levels aren't particularly interesting to look at. They play well, but are visually lack luster.

I like Xtreme 1's looks better on one small tiny stupid nit-pick. That nit-pick is that there is a cutscene shot of X and Zero where you can tell the artist just altered the sprite of X to make Zero. It literally looks like they traced over each other. It is a nit-pick as I said, but you really have to do that when they are pretty much exactly the same visually.

Sound

Nothing memorable, nothing offensively bad, unless you hated Neon Tigers music before. The themes are recreated with the game boy limitations but none of them were that great to begin with.

Design

X plays just like the last game, but Zero surprisingly plays well for being on the game boy, giving the idea of an 8-bit Zero game for the NES some merit. The levels are ok, but a bit on the short side. They were creative enough to not just straight up copy the levels like Xtreme 1 did, so you do have more reason to check out this one on that alone. It is pretty easy though.

The parts system seems to make the characters really overpowered, especially Zero who already has an easy time as it is. Fully upgrade his Saber and you'll cackle with your mad power. The boss fights are close to their originals but coming at them with Zero changes things up a bit. The fights between Gareth and Berkana are too easy though, really anticlimactic if you aren't playing on a mode in which Sigma is the final boss.

Even though it's easy it's still pretty fun. After you beat XTREME mode you unlock a boss rush mode too! Well ain't that just dandy?

The weapons for X aren't all that useful and the weapons Zero gets during his run are just god awful. However, if you play as X first then start your next game with Zero you'll start with his moves that actually are good. Zero also gains some armor in this game, but the only one worth a damn is the body armor. Zero gets head and feet parts that break blocks... but there isn't a single part in the game where this is even used... what the hell was the point?

Playability

Dash has been remapped to Down + A so it controls like Mega Man's slide. An improvement to be sure, but double tapping still works. This game controls much better than Xtreme 1 and you should have no troubles at all.

Extras

• Boss order: Neon Tiger, Volt Catfish, Launch Octopus, Flame Mammoth, Wire Sponge, Overdrive Ostrich, Blast Hornet, Tunnel Rhino. What? You're not playing on XTREME!? You should decide if you want an easier time with X. If he goes first, Zero gets all his good moves, but if Zero goes first X has more weapons to work with. Zero is a pretty easy game even without his weapons so you might consider going with him first.
• Once again Sigma can only be fought on XTREME
• The Dragon Punch and Hadoken are in this game again on Reploid Research Center 3. Try and find them.
• You can pretty much break the game by using the parts. Equip Buster Plus 1, Buster Plus 2, Speed Shot and Ultimate Buster to make yourself more powerful than god.

Xtreme 1 was a great game, but most of it we had already seen before. Xtreme 2 is an entirely new game with familiar faces. Between the two, this is the better game. It is short but it has replay value, and it's about a million times better than the next 2 X games... oh god... get ready for these two...

Playthroughs
N/A