20XX is an action platformer inspired byt he Mega Man franchise and perfectly captures the feel of its inspiration that so many others have tried and failed to do, including some games made by those who worked on the actual series. There is a perfect art style and a wonderful soundtrack to the game that calls back to the Mega Man X series. Best of all though, is that the gameplay is so refined that the game ends up feeling like a “Best of” Mega Man game, in that it takes the best parts from each game. While there is the obvious inspiration with the X series, there are plenty of tributes to the other series in the franchise as well.
20XX differs from most Mega Man successors in that the game is more akin to a 2D procedurally generated rougelike adapted to the Mega Man formula. This is both its greatest strength, as the levels change the further you progress into the game. A level that you start out on will be relatively simple, with a straightforward boss fight at the end, however if that same level is played as the third or forth level, then it is a very different story. In this case, the level will be longer and have increased difficulty, and the boss fight will be changed significantly. These changes can include new forms, new attacks and so on.
As this is a rougelike, you will need to restart when you die each time (unless you choose to use three lives in a run) and collect soul chips to get better equipment. This can include permanent upgrades and bonuses, or new powerups to be found throughout the levels. The more you are upgraded, and the more powerups you unlock, the easier the game becomes. There is a tradeoff however, as the game will go out of its way to change the experience gradually to compensate.
There is no easy path, just help and a sense of familiarity. Be on your guard and avoid flying enemies as they are the bane of your existence here. There is an addictive quality however, and you will not want to stop playing. As such it actually feels like the true spiritual sequel to the Mega Man series that others couldn’t manage to be. I recommend checking this one out, to any fans of the Mega Man series or gaming in general.
Reviewed on Switch
Disclaimer: A review code was provided