Game Data:
- Review Date: May 29, 2021
- Release Date: December 1, 1992
- Platform: NES
- Developer: Capcom
- Publisher: Capcom
- Genre: Linear Platformer
Anecdotes: It seems that whenever I look at the rankings of the NES Mega Man titles, they always seem heavily biased toward the first half. Games 4, 5, and 6 are automatically placed at the bottom. It could be nostalgia; the games I played as a kid tend to be rated a slight bit higher than what I didn’t. I played 1, 2, and 3 back then. I tried 4 but never got into it. I had never played 5 at all. 5, being later in the series, seems to be less liked by many, especially those waxing poetic for 2 or 3. Don’t get me wrong, 2 is superb. However, I will say right now that I liked 5. It brought some new things to the table without busting up the formula.
Description: The plot is the same as every other Mega Man game, except Proto Man serves as the false villain before he figures out who the real villain is, as if it’s any real surprise.
Charge Man: This stage takes place both on and in a train. To simulate the effect, the screen shakes slightly while inside the train. Charge Man can be defeated by chucking stones at him.
Crystal Man: In something that looks like it belongs in a Final Fantasy game, the entire stage is made of crystal. There’s nothing that otherwise stands out. The boss is a quick crash course on how to use the Gyro Scope Attack, which could be used on several bosses.
Gravity Man: This was my favorite stage of the game. Mega Man goes across lines with up and down arrows on either side. When crossing a line, gravity reverses. I didn’t get to test to subweapons while upside down, but I imagine they work the same way. The gravity flips are a clever idea.
Gyro Man: His stage is nothing remarkable, but Gyro Man himself? What a joke that guy is. Avoid him and use the Gravity Hold, then say goodbye to him.
Napalm Man: Going through the jungles of Mega Man world, Mega Man finds his way to Napalm Man. Shooting him with Crystals will end things faster, but the real prize is getting to drop exploding Dr. Mario capsules.
Star Man: I led off in Star Man’s lair, which takes place in space. Capcom was smart to use different physics for this stage. Essentially, it is just like the water physics of previous games, but it never changes at any point during the stage. I had to take Star Man down with the Mega Buster, but it’s not super difficult because Star Man is slow and easily avoided.
Stone Man: Capcom couldn’t make every stage fresh and original, apparently, as Stone Man’s stage looks a lot like Guts Man’s from the first game. It’s also easily predictable that Stone Man is really just a giant pile of rocks. Dropping the Dr. Mario pills on him will turn him to rubble.
Wave Man: This stage starts off as just another water level, but hen the game sticks Mega Man in a watercraft, but he can still fire the Mega Buster. It’s a nice way to change up the gameplay. Wave Man can just be kicked around and he won’t spout off anymore.
Positives:
- Capcom must have done some surveys and players told them that hard games are not fun games. In response, they toned down everything. Bosses are no longer hair pulling hard, with barely avoidable weapons and quick 8 damage ramming maneuvers. The damage taken is reduced, the bosses move slower, and weapons actually do some damage. They’re not as hard, but they really aren’t easy, either. Minibosses are less frequent, so hopefully I’ll never see garbage stages/bosses like Ring Man ever again.
- The drop system was corrected from IV as well. Enemies leave health refills more often now, and extra lives are abundant. The extra lives thing is a double edged sword; it allows players extra attempts at a Robot Master, but it does not refill ammunition.
- The Robot Master stages are intuitive and clever. I started with Star Man, which uses different physics because it’s set in outer space. I especially enjoyed Gravity Man’s stage, which brings the ability to play upside down to the table. I got to ride a watercraft/jet ski in Wave Man’s stage; I got to ride a train in Charge Man’s stage. I had fun with the levels; Capcom did a great job designing them.
Negatives:
- For whatever reason, Mega Man can’t access menu on the jet ski. Not that the weapons are great, but this means Mega Man can’t feed anyone a Gyro
SandwichAttack or Power Stone anyone. This also means that he can’t refill his energy on demand, either, so it has to be done on a single life bar. - The general uselessness of the weapons is an issue, but I really had a problem with the Charge Kick. Not only is it of very little use and only beneficial for a boss battle, but it’s also set to the A button, leaving the B button to do absolutely nothing.
- There is a sidequest to obtain Beat that involves collecting letters. However, I missed the G and there is NO way to pick it up later. Therefore, I never got Beat. I’ll never know how that affects the game, but they should have included a way to either grab the pieces later or replay stages.
Screenshots:
Final Opinion: Mega Man 5 is right on par with, if not in some ways better than, Mega Man 2 or 3. Unfortunately, without any weapons that are useful for general use, like the Metal Blades, I can’t score this one an A.
Grade: B