Returnal has to be one of the more underrated PlayStation games of recent memory. Despite positive reviews, a lot of fans don’t talk about it, which is sad. As someone who’s not a huge PS5 guy, I adore the gameplay of this game, as it manages to combine fast-paced third-person shooting with SHMUP (shoot-em-up) bosses and roguelite elements. It’s definitely one of the most unique PlayStation Studios games.
The gameplay of Returnal also reminds me of Capcom’s Mega Man X series. On paper, both games couldn’t be more different; Housemarque’s PS5 gem is a third-person roguelite, while Capcom’s Mega Man spinoff is pure 2D platforming. But when you realize both games have shooting, dashing, and platforming, it’s kind of hard not to associate them with each other.
Once I came to that realization, I couldn’t help but want a third-person Mega Man X game done in a similar style. I don’t need the roguelite mechanics, but the intense shooting and platforming can stay.
Old School and New School
Before making Returnal, Housemarque was making more arcade-y games like Resogun and Nex Machina. Both Resogun and Nex Machina were nice tributes to the SHMUP genre, filled with challenging bullet hell levels that are hard to put down. Dying in these games can be very frustrating, but the gameplay is fun, and you just need “one more chance” to beat that dumb boss.
Does that sound familiar?
That’s right, Returnal just gets those mechanics and puts them into something more AAA-friendly. It’s actually crazy how Housemarque and Climax Studios were able to mix old-school bullet hell mechanics with current-gen gaming necessities like an over-the-shoulder camera or roguelite elements. But it all feels right when playing the game, as shooting, jumping, and air-dashing away from these enemies quickly becomes second nature.
Air dashes, jumps, and sci-fi guns are also a big part of the Mega Man X series. Coincidence?
While Mega Man X doesn’t seem to be a major inspiration for the PlayStation Studios title, there’s no doubt that their gameplay is similar. The platforming, the relentless action, those difficult bosses, they just seem like a perfect match. As someone who has been playing Mega Man games since he was 10 years old, all of this just made me want a 3D Mega Man X game with similar gameplay mechanics.
Please, Capcom, I know you can do it.
3D over 2D?
As much as I want a 3D Mega Man X game to play like Returnal, let it be known that I am a huge advocate for awesome 2D games.
I’m currently enjoying Hollow Knight: Silksong, which still kicks my butt on a regular basis, and the Castlevania Advance Collection. Sometimes, I even put on Mega Man X4 as part of the X Legacy Collection and just start beating levels as Zero. While a 3D version of X’s adventures would be sick, I do still love me some 2D games.
Capcom won’t be announcing Mega Man X9 anytime soon. To be honest, I'll eat my hat if it’s even announced at all. I'm really hoping Capcom just takes that simple 2.5D engine from Mega Man 11 and makes X9 out of that, maybe add a new mechanic or two. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much done with the Blue Bomber since 11, so my hopes for a 2.5D X9 are pretty low right now.
How about a 3D Mega Man X9 that plays like Returnal? That would be pretty cool. But I also wouldn’t mind a return to form in the 2D dimension as well.
Does Mega Man Need to Change?
Mega Man X9 is a pipe dream right now, and I doubt Capcom has any plans to make this entry an epic AAA title with Returnal’s gameplay mechanics. But a man can dream, right? How fun would a 3D entry in this series be, especially if it fully embraces these mechanics and doesn’t treat them like a gimmick?
Coughs Mega Man X7 coughs.
If we do get a 3D Mega Man X9, I do hope Capcom doesn’t go full roguelite with it like Housemarque did with Returnal. The company can always just make this a linear 3D platformer with plenty of action and some hidden areas, making it similar to those older entries. But if they do want to make use of an overdone gaming genre, a 3D Metroidvania where you control Mega Man X, Zero, or Axl would be pretty sweet, especially with all the air dashing and double jumps.
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