Mega Man X6 is the latest addition to the epic Mega Man series that has entertained since its appearance on Nintendo.  After the near destruction of earth in the space colony incident, its all explained in the intro if you didn't play X5.  X is once again forced into battle but this time by a new foe.  A reploid (a type of robot) named Gate has a hidden agenda, and it seems to be tied somehow to Zero, X's long time friend who sacrificed himself to save the earth.  X decided to investigate Gate and the fun begins.

The first Mega Man X revitalized the Mega Man series with added features such as the ability to hang on walls, duck, and dash.  Mega Man X6 however offers little in the way of innovation.  Once again it seems the Mega Man series may be stalled for new ideas.  The basic format is the same as always 8 boss levels leading to the main boss after their completion.  There are a couple of innovations such as the rescue factor.  Reploids placed throughout the levels and by rescuing them you some times get special items or powers.    Another new feature is the fact that X can use Zeros saber but on the whole the game is no great departure from the series.  So one might ask why bother buying this one?  The answer is simple.  Mega Man rocks!  The tried and true formula of frantic platform jumping, great artwork, intriguing level design (did I mention levels change as you play the game), and cool weapons has made Mega Man one of the longest running and most popular 2d (with the exception of Mega Man: Legends) series ever made.

There are several areas were it falls short of expectations though.  The untranslated Japanese voiceovers can be annoying to listen to while staring at the still shots that serve for story line.  In addition the story line itself has deteriorated a bit from the epic good versus evil conflicts of the past.  But then again, despite a short-lived cartoon series, Mega Man was never about story.  The Japanese rock intro song is a great addition to the games already frenetic pace and the in game music while familiar never seems to get repetitious.

Mega Man X6 is the kind of game you can’t get out of your mind.  Though frustration may make you set it down (I limited myself to about an hour a run) it’s a game you can always come back to.

Gameplay: 9
A huge range of options and great handling.  

Graphics: 8.5 
Some of the best art I've seen lately.  Long live sprites!  My only desire would have been to see animated sequences to illustrate the story.

Sound: 8.5
Keeps your nerves on edge.  The Japanese voiceovers were a little annoying but the rockin intro makes up for it.

Difficulty: 9
The games hard but doable.  There's a definite sense of relief once a level is beat, but it takes a lot of commitment to go back and get things you might have missed.

Concept: 8 
It's Mega Man.  It's not particularly original but for some reason I never get tired of it.  It's a formula that works.

Multiplayer: N/A

Overall: 8.5
A great game for fans or people new to the series.