Mega Man X5

🎮 PlayStation ⏳ 5 hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Dual Heroes, Balanced Design #

The 5th Mega Man X entry is often seen as a turning point for the series, carrying forward the strong action-platforming roots of its predecessors while experimenting with new mechanics. You once again take control of X and Zero, each offering distinct playstyles: X with his long-range charged shots and armor customization, and Zero with his close-range saber combat and speed-oriented techniques. This dual-character approach adds replayability and encourages experimenting with different strategies across the game’s varied stages. I highly recommend playing and replaying with both of them, this way you get to experience both playstyles, I can’t praise this title enough for having a very balanced level design in order to make both playable characters as viable options.

Classic Gameplay With Pressure #

The level design remains faithful to the series, with tricky platforming sections, challenging enemy placements, and iconic boss fights that reward memorization and skill. The traditional weapon-copying mechanic is intact, giving you new abilities after each victory, though balance between some weapons is uneven. Exploration is rewarded with hidden armor parts and items, though the game’s newly introduced countdown timer—tied to the story’s orbital colony threat, can sometimes create pressure that clashes with the otherwise exploration-heavy design.

Ambitious Lore, Strong Legacy #

Narratively, X5 attempts to deepen the lore with more dialogue and multiple possible endings, but the frequent interruptions slow the pacing and sometimes break the flow of gameplay. The soundtrack, on the other hand, is a high point, with energetic tracks that match the intensity of the action, not that this is a first in the series but it is still a big standout which is hard not to mention. This Mega Man X entry delivers a strong dose of classic run-and-gun platforming, memorable bosses, and a mix of new ideas that, for better or worse, set the tone for the rest of the series on the PlayStation. It is definitely a must-play for fans of this franchise, play this any way you can, I recommend the more modern re-releases which bundles a collection of all the old retro entries such as this one.