Today's game on display from our physical collection is Mega Man X8 for the PlayStation 2!
As a lifelong Mega Man fan, there was no bigger letdown for me than the day I learned the Mega Man X series had seemingly gone PlayStation exclusive. Though I owned a PS1 back in the day, a PlayStation 2 was out of my reach, leaving the GameCube as my primary console of choice at the time. I certainly don't regret my choice—the GameCube hosted quite a few of my all-time favorites—but seeing new Mega Man titles head exclusively to the PS2 definitely hurt. So, when I finally had some extra money saved up from my middle school graduation, I set my sights on the new PlayStation 2 Slim model and gained access to the games I'd been missing out on.
A Graduation Day Pickup
Mega Man X8 was my first PS2 purchase. I actually found it on the shelf at a Walmart that didn't have the console itself in stock, so rather than risking not finding the game elsewhere, I bought the disc right then and had my mom drive me to another store to get the hardware. That all took place on the very day of my graduation ceremony! While I didn't have a lot of time to play before the event, we made it back home with a few hours to spare. I'll never forget my mom making me wear a full suit—making me the only kid at graduation in one—but Mega Man X8 is what I remember most of all from that day.
A Flawed Classic Still Worth Revisitng
Despite my nostalgia for the title, it isn't a game I can claim as the absolute "best" entry in the Mega Man X series. The 2.5D gameplay with 3D models looked great for the time, and having three main hunters—along with three secret navigator characters—multiple armor sets, and unique weapon types for Zero added solid variety. However, the game was still held back in several ways. The two vehicle-based rail stages remain some of my least favorite levels in the franchise, the inability to crouch felt unnatural, and certain stages featured tedious enemy waves that halted momentum.
It was certainly a massive step up from Mega Man X7, but it remains one of the weaker mainline releases overall. Even so, those flaws haven't stopped me from beating it dozens of times over the years—nor has it stopped me from dreaming of the day we finally get a resolution to its cliffhanger ending!
Legacy Collections and Final Thoughts
Even today, Mega Man X8 is a game I enjoy returning to from time to time, though usually via Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 rather than dusting off the original PS2 disc. That said, I still hold a special place for that original PS2 box art!
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