16 replies to this topic

[julzdedede]

Before I begin, I got to tell something important: I have NEVER liked Megaman Networks enough to play them through the end. Megaman Battle Network felt IMO as a lame attempt to make an action RPG, but it was to darn monotonous (even more than RPGs) and way to easy: just stick to waiting for chips, do not even bother with the buster. I have not played any other Starforce game but this one, although I watched some trailers and read reviews and new they were nothing outstanding.Then Starforce 3 came out... And as a typical Mega Man gamer I decided to give it a try. The outcome was something new for me. I got instantly hooked in this game. The story sucks but I really do not care anymore (just like many Sonic gamers out there), the thing that really shines is the gameplay and difficulty. Seriously, I thought that it was easy and having only 3 was going to guarantee me another deception but no... The gameplay feels anything but monotonous this time. Having only 3 squares makes the game HARD and sometimes designers placed enemies in evil patterns so you get mauled instantly. I have been killed so many times in this game that it is awesome. And most importantly of all: SWORDS ARE FINALLY SOMETHING COOL AND REQUIRE PLANNING TO USE.If you read this then you might already know what I want to discuss in this thread. I want you to tell me your personal thoughts of what makes this game worthwhile or what makes it crap. Maybe I am overestimating this game so I want to know what people at this forum got to say.

[M1551n9n0]

The first Mega Man game I actually played through was Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun and I really enjoyed playing through it. The game was fairly challenging and the three playthroughs didn't feel that monotonous to me. I suddenly found myself playing through the other Battle Network/EXE games and all of them had high and low points.I think the Ryuusei/Star Force series feels exactly like the Battle Network series, but with a different storyline and 3D battlefield. The essential parts of the EXE series are still in the Star Force series (Crisis happens, do mission, delete enemy navi/virus, rinse, repeat), but other than the fact that both games take place 200 years apart there isn't much of an improvement.

Megaman Battle Network felt IMO as a lame attempt to make an action RPG, but it was to darn monotonous (even more than RPGs) and way to easy: just stick to waiting for chips, do not even bother with the buster.

It's still like this in RnR. You still have to wait for the perfect virus combination and S-Class them in order to get the right battle chip and you still have a cruddy buster.

the thing that really shines is the gameplay and difficulty. Having only 3 squares makes the game HARD and sometimes designers placed enemies in evil patterns so you get mauled instantly. Seriously, I thought that it was easy and having only 3 was going to guarantee me another deception but no... The gameplay feels anything but monotonous this time. I have been killed so many times in this game that it is awesome.

Now there were difficult bosses in the EXE series that did require some strategy (or a gimmick exploit) to delete like Shade Man in EXE4 and Drill Man in EXE3. There were a lot of tough virus combinations in the EXE series that were difficult to delete as well (like trying to beat the Scuttlett viruses in EXE2 and 3). And don't get me started with Liberation Missions in EXE5.

And most importantly of all: SWORDS ARE FINALLY SOMETHING COOL AND REQUIRE PLANNING TO USE.

I don't understand this comment. Swords haven't really changed much since the EXE series. They still have meh range, but the only difference is that you can target enemies, which although it was something that wasn't implemented in the EXE series, it didn't really need to be. In the EXE series, you either had to wait for the enemy to come close to you or you could area lock them in and spam swords.I personally didn't feel it was fair to only be restricted to a single row while the enemy could move anywhere they wanted. Sure you have a shield and can target enemies, but I preferred the old battle system over the new one.PS: In case you were wondering...EXE - Battle NetworkRnR - Ryuusei no Rockman/Shooting Star Rockman/ Mega Man Star Force

[julzdedede]

Meh. I think you missed the point M1551n9n0. I was not asking you to discuss about the other Network games (although I do appreciate the feedback alot and agree with you in some stuff, I might have been blinded by Starforce, Network got credit). It is about discussing how good you consider this Starforce to be. As far as I know, many people think this release is the best yet for the series. Oh, and BTW, Network IS easier than Starforce, period.

[M1551n9n0]

^ Yes, but I DID state my opinion on RnR somewhat, although I will go into a bit more detail here. Because I've actually played through the EXE series (and RnR is a spinoff), I will compare the two.IMO, I feel RnR to be an exact copy of the EXE series. After playing through RnR2 and just picking up RnR3, the games follow the exact same format as the EXE series.Difficulty: Personally I found RnR to be equally as difficult as the EXE series. It wasn't TOO easy, but wasn't too difficult either. There were some bosses that I had problems fighting, but other than that, it really wasn't too bad.Battles: I'm not a huge fan of the 1x3 battle system and would rather see the ability to use some sort of Area Lock or a larger battlefield. The fact that the enemy gets more room to move and dodge attacks feels really cheap. Even with the auto lock and the ability to raise your shield against some attacks, I really wish to see the return of the original 3x3 battle system. Also the battle system in RnR3 seems a bit confusing.Story: Its exactly like the EXE series, but with different characters.Music: Music's alright. There are some memorable tracks, but not really that many. Compared to EXE, I'll say they're both even.So overall: Is RnR good? Yes. Does it compare to EXE? Sure. Do I think RnR3 is the best of the Ryuusei series? I'm not gonna judge until I get further into the story, but so far it doesn't feel any different from the past EXE/RnR games I've played (except for a strange new battle system).My biggest gripe with RnR is the battle system. I really wish they would revert back to EXE's battle style and hopefully the EXE/RnR crossover does something similar to that.

[julzdedede]

I just got notice from a comment in YouTube that developers are planning in making a fusion between Starforce and BattleNetwork, meaning that they will have the 3x3 arenas from Network and I assume (just assuming) that they will also put the lock-on feature and maybe shield from Starforce.

[M1551n9n0]

Okay, I just played through Black Ace, so I can fully develop my opinion on it.1. Music) Music is generic EXE/RnR tunes. Nothing too memorable...2. Gameplay) Mentioned it before. No real change from the original EXE series or RnR2.3. Graphics) Again nothing to write home about.4. Story) Generic RnR/EXE storyline. Nothing too impressive.5. Chips) Sirius is one of my favorite battle chips ever. It's insanely cheap. Most of the other Navi chips are average to lame though compared to RnR2, which had Apollon Flame, Auriga General, Goat Kung Fu, etc...Overall, RnR3 is a decent game. Not the best ever, but not really the worst. I've actually played through more challenging EXE games anyway. Compared to RnR2, the game is about the same.3/5EDIT: I don't understand what's so great about the swords. They have horrible range, and the lock-on system is fairly lousy so you still have a high chance of missing. Unless the swords are time-freezing or have good range, there's no point in using them.

Edited by M1551n9n0, 19 July 2009 - 04:28 AM.

[M1551n9n0]

^EXE5 - Liberation Missions combined with an increased difficulty in creating good monocode folders... I hated how the Internet was laid out like a literal maze compared to the other EXE's. I hated how you were forced to open up new Nebula Holes to find good viruses.EXE3 - When I first picked this game up, the navis were difficult to delete. This was before I learned how many of these navis had weaknesses that you could exploit. This game also had a difficult-to-navigate Internet. This game had good (and cheap) battle chips making it easier to build folders.Both games are far more difficult than RnR3.

[M1551n9n0]

^ All EXE/RnR games had extra missions to complete after you beat the main storyline. Not just RnR3...EXE1 - Deeper Internet AreasEXE2 - WWW AreaEXE3 - Secret AreaEXE4 - Black EarthEXE5 - Nebula AreaEXE6 - GraveyardRnR1 - ???RnR2 - Alternate DimensionRnR3 - Planet FM's Astro Wave