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Rockman 2: Final Mix

Levels: Excellent

Graphics: Good

Music: Okay

Enemies: Good

Bosses: Good

Weapons: Good

Castle: Good (Platforming Heavy)

Difficulty: EASY-MEDIUM (Wily Castle is HARD)

Comments: Despite the garish look, the stage design of Final Mix is fantastic, rarely needing to rely on tight platforming for difficulty. One of the coolest enemy changes is the inclusion of destructible & reflective bullets, which adds some much-needed zest to the enemy lineup. Bosses aren't too different but their stage layout changes the dynamics (Flash Man). But what could be one of the best beginner hacks to play becomes spoiled by a pretty ridiculous Wily Castle, which demands really quick and precise item usage. The Castle itself is well-designed and clever (and has plenty of energy pick-ups), but be warned that it amps up the difficulty quite a bit. The level design and music in Rockman GX VER is better, but Final Mix has better weapons, graphics, and bosses.

This hack started out ok, with easy to normal difficulty for the robot master stages with a few decently interesting surprises. However, the music is just awful to listen to, and the Wily levels go WAY too far into their gimmicks to a point of boredom and annoyance.

Gameplay - 6/10

The gameplay is nothing special. Plays like Mega Man 2. Weapon and item behaviors are changed, but nothing special. What really drags down the gameplay is some of the level design and just sheer difficulty in the Wily levels. I'll get into that in the next section.

Difficulty - 7/10

The 8 robot masters stages are fairly easy, but once you get to Wily 2, it's a different game. While I appreciate clever and well thought out puzzles, the creator of this hack took it WAAAAAYYY too far with them. Wily 2 + 3 + 4 are just an endless marathon of puzzles and it got VERY old by the third screen of Wily 2....2!! The worst part about it is that there are just SO MANY little puzzles for each screen, that when you die, you'd have to do them ALL OVER AGAIN!! The game became a chore and just not fun to play at the end. And then there's this moving platform section in Wily 4. While creative, and could've been cool, it again dragged on for WAY TOO LONG. And with so many insta-death spikes along the way, each time you lose, you go back.

Music - 4/10

The music is AWFUL in this hack. From the high pitched sounds to the melodies being off tuned, it's an earful and I don't mean it in a good way. It's hard on the ears and most of the tracks are just poorly arranged. There are a few semi-decent melodies, but the lack of proper noise and triangle made them terrible to listen to.

Graphics - 7/10

Some levels look nice, some are colorful, some with colors that clash, and some just look OK. The level where you're in a cave with lava looks nice.

Hacking Effort - 8/10

The hacking effort is there. With lots done to the graphics and block placements, even if they're poorly planned out. Also, however awful they are, hacking music in these rom hacks require quite a bit of effort. So credit where credit's due. Good hacking effort.

Overall - 6/10

In the end, given all its problems and issues, I just can't recommend this hack especially there are much better ones out there such as Mega Man CX, Gray Zone, Exile, etc. But if you've played the majority of them already and have not tried this one, meh...why not?

Recommended - NO.

I played all Sophia´s hacks when I liked to play mm hacks, and from those memories I can say that this is her`s best work.

Everything is new: new bosses IA, new enemy IA and colors, new and well done musics (I LOVED the musics of Wood, Quick, Crash and Heat´s stage, I really do), new and well done graphics, new enemy distributions, new weakness, new weapons and concepts.

It also allows you to destroy some enemies projectiles with the buster, making the game more enjoyable.

The Fortress stages are all based on well done puzzles. She adds tons of respawning weapon recharges so you don´t have to worry about being out of the weapon you need. Both thumbs up for that.

There´s only one part I remember that was very bad designed: that cheap moving platform section in the fourth stage, with lots and lots of hard spike jumps while the platform is moving, so you can fall too. Get the level editor ready, because is impossible to pass that without editing.

But besides, you still must try it!

I played this ROM hack like 6 times, I like it! Some problems I have in the hack is in the Air Man stage, there are some short space to jump in the platform. In the Wily stage 1, its too hard with these Prop-Top's. By the way, its a funny and awesome work! Also, I never know Bubble Man work in the ©Pepsi factory :D