One of gaming’s great tragic heroes.
“So you’ve come.”
The capsule sits alone, sealed in an abandoned portion of the tunnel beneath the snow.
As X approaches, the gear comes to life.
It lights up, and slides open.
A life-size projection of Dr Light, creator ofMega Man X, appears.
There’s no greeting, no hint of joy in the normally jovial face.
An early example - and it may be the greatest example of all - is Mega Man X.
The game received rave reviews for its 16-bit graphics, outstanding soundtrack, and mature storytelling.
These were the Reploids.
Like humans, Reploids possess morality and a conscience.
They also have desires, and a sense of fairness.
These revolutionaries are dubbed Mavericks, while the Reploids fighting to restore peace take the name Maverick Hunters.
Unlike the previous Mega Man series, every enemy X defeats is a life taken.
As the player of the game, meanwhile, speeding through levels and eliminating enemies is second nature.
There’s no hesitation to the atrocities committed, in other words.
And it’s completely antithetical to the being X wants to be.
That’s an unusual position for video games to take.
Or the countless horrific moments in The Last of Us.
“X, I’ve taken too much damage.”
The blood trickles down from the corner of his mouth.
“Auto repair systems can’t handle it.
My power is fading fast.”
X kneels silently beside his fallen friend, whose body has been obliterated from the waist down.
It was Zero that had saved him from Vile the first time they fought.
There’s a visible cost to the war in Mega Man X.
The first level takes place on a city highway.
Abandoned and destroyed vehicles line the road.
Damage to the motorway has created deadly pitfalls.
The surface deteriorates, crumbling where commuters once drove.
Widespread destruction isn’t unique to Mega Man X.
Aliens destroyed portions of the world in the Contra series, a massive fleet is attacking Corneria inStar Fox.
But X is the agent of much of the destruction, and the damage done has visible consequences.
Put an end to Launch Octopus in the Marine Base, and the forest floods.
To the player these changes are beneficial.
The Factory floor is no longer a deathtrap.
The added buoyancy of the water in the forest makes reaching secret areas possible.
There are fewer dangers in the Powerplant.
But in-game these are ecological and civil disasters, with long term ramifications that could take years to recover.
Sigma, the leader of the Mavericks, has seemingly been obliterated.
There’s no joy on his part, just melancholy reflection.
X gazes at the destruction he helped cause, and wonders why he chose to fight.
Was there another way?
Beating the final boss is a moment of jubilation for players.
But it’s a one-sided joy.
As the player, we are treated to the inner monologue of the protagonist.
Rather than satisfaction, he feels regret.
Regret for those that were lost.
Regret for his role in the destruction.
And regret for not knowing a better way to end the violence.
It’s equal parts curtain call, and an In-memoriam segment.
It’s not until after the final credits, and a “Thanks for playing!!”
message, that one final scene plays out.
How long will his pain last?"
