Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X
Screenshots
Summary
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, referred to as Irregular Hunter X in Japan, is an upgraded remake of the original Mega Man X game, launched on the PlayStation Portable in 2005-2006. The title is also playable on the PlayStation Vita through a PSN download, which became available on the day of the Vita's release, February 15, 2012. The game includes various new additions and reworked elements.
Storyline
Unlike Mega Man Powered Up, Maverick Hunter X serves as a full reboot of the X series, introducing numerous story changes that sever its ties with the original timeline. Keiji Inafune originally aimed to completely rework the first six games of the Mega Man X series, but the project was abandoned due to the underwhelming sales of Maverick Hunter X. Here are some examples of how the continuity with the rest of the series is disregarded: Dr. Cain discovered X many years earlier (rather than just months) and is using mechanical life support to prolong his existence in order to guide the Reploids. He also expresses concern that his time is limited. In The Day of Sigma, a missile strikes his home in Abel City—where he is located—though it remains uncertain whether he actually perished. Vile’s narrative, aside from the flashback where Sigma frees him from his cell, is treated as a "what if" scenario due to its contradiction with X's storyline. However, Sigma’s line about "retrieving Vile" hints at his eventual transformation in Mega Man X3. Dr. Light’s reasoning for sealing X is entirely different from what was previously established. In the original story, Dr. Light placed X in a special capsule to assess his moral judgment, as it was crucial to determine whether X would make the right choices when entering the world. In Maverick Hunter X, however, Dr. Light is already certain of X’s moral strength but chooses to seal him because he believes humanity is not yet ready for him. Sigma’s personality is portrayed quite differently than in other games. Here, he is fixated on Reploid evolution (a trait also seen in Mega Man X8) and is intrigued by X’s potential rather than seeking to overthrow humans. He even tells Vile that he plans to go Maverick to test X’s abilities and unlock his true power, instructing Vile to help spark a rebellion to achieve this. As such, he appears to have turned Maverick of his own volition, although his statement to Vile in the opening of Vile Mode—that he "needed someone who could go Maverick of [his] own accord"—suggests this may not be entirely true. In a similar vein, his interactions with X before the final battle differ from the original. There, Sigma was expecting Zero and was somewhat irritated to be facing X instead, only realizing later that Zero may have chosen X for a reason after Velguarder’s defeat. In the remake, however, Sigma is genuinely expecting X and hopes he is the right one to face him.
Artwork
Similar games
Alternative titles
- Irregular Hunter X— Japanese title - translated
- 洛克人X— Chinese title - simplified