Title: 20XX
Platform: Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Action Platformer
Developer: Batterystaple Games, Fire Hose Games
Publisher: Batterystaple Games
Release Date: August 16, 2017, July 10, 2018 (Consoles)
Nintendo’s been making a large indie push recent of late. And as such, 20XX made its way to the platform. And as far as that scene is concerned, they could easily do worse than Mega Man X by way of Roguelike.
I’d be lying if I said the story was the draw of this game. Hell, it’s even more of a handwave than most Mega Man games. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though Not every game needs a drawn out, heavy handed JRPG plot. Some, like 20XX, are meant to get by on gameplay and homage. And it does those well.
This is the real meat and potatoes of 20XX. You have Nina and Ace, and they’re stand-ins for X and Zero, respectively. You know, in case you were wondering what to expect from them. The difference here is that you have a number of ways to change your base weapon (and abilities) up via power ups.
The levels are never the same twice. That’s the roguelike part of the game. Though they do have a few set pieces that you’ll see over and over again. They also get more difficult as you progress, with more traps and enemies added. And that is the aspect that makes the game great on the Switch.
Since there’s really no shame in losing, and it’s always different, it makes for a really good portable game while, say, traveling. Levels never really take more than a few minutes, regardless.
The game looks good, like you’d expect from a game made by Mega Man fans. A few animations look a little squidgy (Ace and Nina’s walking and jumping animations specifically) but they’re fine anyway.
What really impressed me are the little touches that make things feel like a Mega Man X game. The way bosses explode, as well as maintaining the animation you were in while entering a door are just things that make me happy.
They get top marks, here. Because the default controls do something actual Mega Man X games fail to do every time; be perfect. Specifically, they put dash on “Right Bumper” by default.
Granted, if you’re the type of lunatic to prefer it on “A”, they make that accommodation in the options menu. But it’s on “Right Bumper” by default, which is how I fucking like it.
20XX is one of those games you should absolutely buy if you’re a Mega Man fan. What’s more, being portable on the Switch is an incredible boon. There are a lot of indie games coming out for the Switch right now, but this is one you definitely want in your library.
“20XX is as close to a perfect Mega Man X experience as you can find on the indie scene.”
Final Score:
4.5/5
*We were provided a copy of this game for review*
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