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Mega Man Zero 4, known in Japan as Rockman Zero 4 (ロックマンゼロ4 Rokkuman Zero Fō), is the fourth and final game in the Mega Man Zero series for the Game Boy Advance. It was released on April 21, 2005 and was made by Capcom and Inti Creates.

Gameplay[]

Z4 promo

The gameplay remains the same as that of its predecessors: Zero must navigate through difficult obstacles while fighting Mavericks.

The customization system from Mega Man Zero 3 returns in a more complex, detailed form. Players can still mix and match different chips for Zero's body to modify and improve his abilities; however, instead of obtaining completed chips from bosses, Zero must instead create chips using parts dropped by enemies. The Elemental Chips, a mainstay of the series and technically a part of this system, are omitted. If two to four parts are incorrectly mixed together, a Junk part is created, which has no apparent use other than to make the "Junk Armor". In turn, when all pieces of the "Junk Armor" are equipped and the Cyber-elf is deactivated, Zero's attack power will drastically increase in exchange for halving Zero's defense (simulating the Proto Form from previous games).

Zero does not gain any new main weapons during the course of the game. This time, he starts out with the Z-Saber and Buster Shot again, along with a new weapon, the Zero Knuckle, a powerful weapon chip implanted in Zero's arm that allows him to punch enemies with incredible physical force. In addition, when Zero defeats an enemy with the Zero Knuckle, he can steal that enemy's weapon and use it as his own, though he can also toss it away if the player wants to discard it or the weapon runs out of ammo.

The Cyber-elf system is simplified this time, as Zero uses just one, but very powerful, upgradable Cyber-elf named Croire (the default name is given by Alouette; the player can choose another name by talking to Resistance members). Depending on the name, her development will differ. This Cyber-elf can be upgraded by feeding her Energy Crystals. The player may choose to talk to her for encouragement or hints at item recipes. In addition, the use of the Cyber-elf no longer penalizes the player for its usage, except for when Croire's total level is set above that of the current max level. Though akin to a Satellite Elf, this one mimics abilities of other elves, allowing her to augment Zero's abilities of the Hacker, Nurse and Animal kind.

New to the series is a Weather System that affects the stages that Zero travels through. Depending on the weather, the terrain can be affected in a number of ways, such as removing, obscuring, or adding new obstacles. Stages that have a flashing border indicate a harder experience, whilst non-flashing ones will be easier. This can be changed right before the mission briefing. Playing on a harder stage may amplify the boss's strength as well as grant them the use of their EX Skill. Instead of finishing at S or A rank like previous games, completion of a stage in its harder form will grant Zero an EX Skill, while easier ones will not, and will also result in a penalty at the end of a mission.

A new Easy Mode is exclusive to this game. Energy Crystals are non-existent, and Croire starts out at Max Lv. 15 with Lv. 5 abilities, but cannot level up any further. In addition, all stages are automatically set to 'Easy', thus no EX-Skills can be obtained. Lastly, instant death hazards are weakened (for example, Spikes and lava only damage Zero slightly, and the player cannot die from falling off screen, as Zero will simply float back up).

The game also has a Hard Mode, but it is now integrated into the options of gameplay when unlocked, instead of holding "L" while starting a new game. In this mode, Zero starts out with a color similar to his "Black Armor", Croire is still available, though she cannot be raised, and all stages are automatically set to 'Hard', forcing the player to enter each stage in bad weather, even though EX Skills cannot be learned.

Ultimate Mode can be unlocked by collecting all enemy parts in the game and fully upgrading Croire. In this mode, the player can utilize all of Croire's abilities right from the start, and without any penalties. Again, this can be unlocked as a gameplay option, and the player does not need to hold "R" when starting a new game.

Like the previous game, there are also seven minigames that can be unlocked once certain criteria are met. They are as follows:

  • Lumberjack - Beat the game with an overall S-Rank.
  • Lava Surf - Beat the game with a complete database.
  • Busy Basket - Beat the game once on Hard Mode.
  • Slam Harvest - Beat the game under one hour.
  • Plant Panic - Beat the game without feeding your Cyber Elf any E-Crystals.
  • Elf Chase - Beat the game without using any recipes.
  • Energy Lab - Surpass the high score on all the other mini-games.

Most of the mini-games involve Zero's Z-Knuckle and the weapons it acquires.

Story[]

Even with the death of Omega in the last game, Dr. Weil is still the undisputed leader of Neo Arcadia. With his iron fisted rule, both humans and Reploids alike are now under oppression.

The game begins with a human Caravan escaping from what was once their home, being chased by a new type of enemy soldiers, the Variant. Zero and the Resistance join the chase, fighting off the Variants and saving the humans. Ciel and Zero meet the leader of the Caravan, Neige, who tells them about the current situation in Neo Arcadia, and that she is now leading her group to Area Zero, where a human settlement was established.

The Resistance convoy follows the Caravan into Area Zero. Exploring the habitat, Zero soon encounters the Einherjar Eight Warriors and their leader, Craft. Through them, Zero learns of Operation Ragnarok, a military operation where Weil plans to obliterate all inhabitable places like Area Zero so that humans would stop running away from Neo Arcadia. The Einherjar and Craft are the ones who will execute this plan, thinking the humans are foolish to even think of running away from Weil's rule.

After defeating four of the Einherjar, Zero must once again come to the defense of the humans when the settlement itself is under attack. Craft himself led the attack force, his target being Neige, revealed to be an old friend of his. Even though Zero defeated Craft, he was able to kidnap Neige, and take her to a prison where Craft believes Neige will be safe as Operation Ragnarok continues. Zero attacks the prison and rescues Neige.

Once the rest of the Einherjar are defeated, everyone discovers that this is all just a ploy: the Einherjar were merely a diversion just so Dr. Weil can complete Ragnarok, a satellite in orbit that can destroy anything in its sights with its powerful laser. However, Craft, aboard Ragnarok, announces his rebellion, planning to kill Weil with Ragnarok, ultimately deciding to destroy Neo Arcadia. Ciel quickly sends word to the Resistance back at the old base to assist in evacuating the city, while Zero teleports into Ragnarok to stop Craft. However, Craft manages to open fire before Zero can reach him, destroying Neo Arcadia in a single blast. Zero defeats Craft, and with Weil seemingly dead after Craft's attack, the crisis finally appears to be over.

However, Ragnarok was still fully operational, and now preparing to crash into Area Zero. With the help of Neige, Zero was able to access the Teleporter Base, then Cyberspace and gained entry to Ragnarok once more.

Fighting through Ragnarok's defenses, including the rejuvenated Einherjar, Zero reaches the Core. There he discovers Weil is in fact still alive, having been literally made immortal (via uploading his brain waves into a constantly regenerating armor) as punishment for his evil deeds in the past. Wanting to witness firsthand the destruction of Area Zero, Weil maneuvers the station itself, knowing that he will survive the crash because of his regenerative armor. Zero engages the madman in two battles, and in the process destroys Ragnarok, saving Area Zero and everyone in it, whilst sacrificing himself in the process.

In place of a celebration, the entire Settlement (now occupied by both humans and Reploids) has gone quiet, having cast Zero's survival into doubt. Seeing him as an example, the two sides have now agreed to work together to maintain the peace that Zero created. Ciel believes that Zero will return to them one day and will be waiting for him.

The last shot of the game is Zero's shattered helmet, lying among the broken pieces of Ragnarok, in the desert expanse, heavily implying that its owner has finally met his physical destruction, despite achieving his ultimate goal.

Bosses[]

Einherjar

The Einherjar and Craft

Early bosses:

Area Boss
Caravan in the Wilderness SubDesert Core
Area Zero Carnage Force 0

Einherjar Eight Warriors:

Area Boss Mission Weather EX Skill
Hanging Gardens Pegasolta Eclair Stop the Acid Rain Sunny / Overcast Thunder Stab
Artificial Sun Sol Titanion Halt the Sun Overcast / Sunny Burning Shot
Hibernation Chamber Fenri Lunaedge Destroy the Enemy Sunny / Snowy Ice Blade
Living City Popla Cocapetri Stop Sec System Snowy / Sunny Time Stopper
Magnetic Zone Mino Magnus Halt the Factory Thundery / Overcast Tractor Shot
Particle Beam Heat Genblem Cut the Power Sunny / Overcast Flame Fang
Deep Sea Tech Kraken Stop the Drill Sub Snowy / Sunny Ice Javelin
Underground Forest Noble Mandrago Stop the Erosion Sunny / Overcast Sky Chaser

Mid-game bosses:

Area Boss Mission
Human Settlement Craft N/A
The Prison Hell the Giant Save Neige

Endgame bosses:

Area Boss Mission
Ragnarok Control Room Craft N/A
Teleporter Base Randam Bandam N/A
Teleporter Circuit Cyball Destroy program
Ragnarok Core Rematches and Dr. Weil Stop the core

Gallery[]

Video[]

Rockman Zero 4 commercial
Rockman_Zero4_Commercial

See also[]

Trivia[]

  • At first, IntiCreates wanted this game to take place between the first two Mega Man Zero games as a Mega Man Zero 1.5. However, Capcom wanted a game set after Mega Man Zero 3, so they had to redesign the story into Mega Man Zero 4.[1]
    • Zero using the Zero Knuckle in place of a Triple Rod-based weapon and Shield Boomerang, which were both given to him by Cerveau, may be a holdover from this phase of development, as Zero was not in contact with the Resistance between the first two games.
    • For the same reason the Caravan may have been main base in the original design, rather than the Resistance Trailer.
  • The decision for Zero to die at the end of the game was made to intentionally conclude the Mega Man Zero series, as IntiCreates did not want to make a Mega Man Zero 5.[1]
  • Although called Mega Man Zero 4, this is one of only two games in the entire metaseries that doesn't feature any Mega Man incarnation, considering that Zero was originally a secondary character.
  • "Belief" is a prominent theme with Zero throughout the game:
    • It is the English translation of the default name (Croire) of the Cyber-elf given to Zero by Alouette.
    • After his second battle against Craft, Zero expresses that he believes in the humans that his friend trusts, making the defeated soldier see the err of his ways.
    • It is expressed twice in Zero's final lines: once to show who he's fighting for, and the second a direct message to Ciel.
    • In the final sequences of the game, Ciel openly believes that Zero is still alive against all odds.
  • With the release of this installment, Mega Man Zero is the first Mega Man series to ever be given an official conclusion.
  • The final mission, where Zero must stop Ragnarok from crashing into Earth, is similar to the final mission of Sonic Adventure 2. In that game, the heroes must stop the Space Colony ARK from crashing into Earth. The "colony falling onto the Earth" theme also is a part of the plot of Mega Man X5.
  • Mega Man Zero 4 is the only game in the series where the player can talk to people besides the Resistance soldiers: the humans in the Human Settlement.
  • This is the only game in the Zero series with a Boss Rush in which all eight bosses are fought in a single "hub" room, mirroring previous games from the original Mega Man and Mega Man X series.
  • Unlike the North American GBA version, the Mega Man Zero Collection uses the Japanese vocal ending for the game.
  • This is the only game in the Mega Man Zero and ZX series not to have a boss that appeared in one of the previously released games.

External links[]

References[]


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