“20XX” — Awesome Mega Man-style Roguelike!! *Preview*

When it comes to fan-games, since the release of 2008’s retro-styled Mega Man 9, there has been no shortage of fan-games developed that capture that look and feel. Yet, few have attempted to capture the style used in Mega Man X, Zero, or ZX. Yet, that’s about to change, though…Honestly, 20XX isn’t exactly a fan-game.

I recently was sent a copy of 20XX to check out on Steam. The name alone drew me in, but after giving it a chance, I found out that it was way more than any basic homage to Capcom’s beloved series. On the surface, in terms of basic gameplay 20XX has more in common I’d argue with the Mega Man Zero or ZX games. That is to say that the stages are a bit less linear and the action is pretty jam-packed. Plus, there’s a hub area where your adventures begin at (and which has other functions). Yet, the game is far more than a basic action-platformer experience – it’s really a roguelike.

Yep, you read that right: a roguelike Mega Man-styled experience!

You can play as one of two characters (one inspired by X and the other by Zero), and in each run a single death results in reverting back to the base and getting to try again. There are various “themed stages” that you’ll complete, but the exact layout of each instance of that stage changes every time you play the game. When the game begins, the first stage (as well as its boss) is decided at random, but once you complete that first area, you’ll be given a choice of three bosses to go after next. This pattern repeats, presumably, until a “win condition” is reached. What that condition is, though, I have no idea. In fact, I’m not sure there is an “end” yet, or even planned!

This game is really neat, but you should watch the video to get a real feel for what it’s all about. Keep in mind that this is an alpha build so far, so a LOT more is planned that isn’t implemented just yet.

If you do like what you see, I highly encourage you to check out the game’s Steam page – Early Access is only $11.99 and will entitle you to all future updates and builds!