rMMMZMMMM0MMMM@ MMWMMMMBXMMM ZM 2M ;M MS M , M 0MM .MM WMMMMMMM ZM .. M 7MM iMMMMr ;MW M , 2MM iMM8M .MMMMM M MM , ;MM M 0M ;M iM M ,,, ;MM M ;MWXWMM MM MMM ,,, MM 8M M7 MMM ,,, MM ;MZ MMMMMM8 XM MMM , M M M M M MMM :MMM .. MZ M8 MM;,XMMZ MM MMM ;MM M , M MM B02 BMM WMM XMM MX , M MMMM2 :ZMMMM XM0 2MM M M 2@MM@2 SMM72WMMMB 2MMM0MMM2MMMr Mega Man X8: Paradise Lost FAQ and Walkthrough Written by Slash Raptor Version 0.1 ----------------- Table of Contents ----------------- 1.) Version History 2.) FAQ Introduction 3.) Game Information 4.) Story 5.) Characters 6.) Walkthrough 6a.) Noah's Park 6b.) Troia Base (Optic Sunflower) 6c.) Primrose (Gravity Antonion) 6d.) Pitch Black (Dark Mantis) 6e.) Booster Forest (Bamboo Pandamonium) 6f.) Dynasty (Gigavolt Man-O-War) 6g.) Metal Valley (Earthrock Trilobyte) 6h.) Central White (Avalanche Yeti) 6i.) Inferno (Burn Rooster) 6j.) Jakob 6k.) Gateway 6l.) Final Level 7.) Armor Parts (INCOMPLETE) 8.) Rare Metals (INCOMPLETE) 9.) The Unexplained 10.) Thoughts on the Game 11.) Legal ------------------- 1.) Version History ------------------- Version 0.1 1/2/2005 Initial release -------------------- 2.) FAQ Introduction -------------------- Welcome to my FAQ for Capcom's Mega Man X8! Here, you'll find detailed level walkthroughs and boss strategies to help you get through this challenging adventure. The latest version of this FAQ can be found at: GameFAQs http://www.gamefaqs.com This FAQ was written by Slash Raptor, formally known as Bolt Kraken and the former maintainer of Megaman Outpost. My other contributions to GameFAQs are FAQs for Mega Man Xtreme (GBC) and Mega Man X7 (PS2). It was prepared mostly in Crimson Editor (http://www.crimsoneditor.com). I need help to fill in the gaps in this guide. Strategies are needed for: - Rare Metal locations - Details on what each of the X upgrades does and where you get them - Details on secret aspects of the game - Alternative strategies for success against bosses or stages Please send these to kyouryuu at gmail dot com. This guide does not aim to be an exhaustive treatment of Mega Man X8. It will not tell you how to get a 100% completion rate in each level. In its current state, it doesn't even go into where most secret items are. Rather, the emphasis is on being a level walkthrough / boss guide. The author wishes to thank the following: - Planet Mega Man (http://www.planet-megaman.com) - The Mega Man Network (http://megaman.retrofaction.com) - Heat Man - Jonathan Mathews (http://go.to/ascgen) - GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com) -------------------- 3.) Game Information -------------------- Mega Man X8 is the eighth chapter in Capcom's long-running Mega Man X series, which started back in 1993 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Since then, the X series has appeared on the Sony Playstation, Sega Saturn, and Sony Playstation 2 consoles and spawned two spin-offs in the form of the Mega Man Zero series (for the Game Boy Advance) and Mega Man X Command Mission, an RPG for the PS2 and Nintendo GameCube consoles. Mega Man X8 is the second of the X games to appear on the PS2 and presumably uses a second-generation gameplay engine based on that of X7. X7 presented gamers with several critical flaws. Most found the controls clunky, the camera work awful, and the leap to 3D was slipshod at best. In response to those criticisms, Capcom made great efforts in X8 to bring the series back to its roots. The camera is now fixed and with the exception of the vehicular combat levels, the action takes place on a single plane. Hence, X8 is truly a 3D side-scroller, or as some might call it, a 2.5-D game. Along with restoration of the traditional viewpoint, moves such as wall climbs and wall dashes are again possible and the control has been significantly retooled to be very precise. Indeed, Capcom's work has paid off. The game, as a whole, handles much like the SNES titles of yesteryear. Mega Man X8 is rated "E" for Everyone by the Electronic Software Ratings Board (http://esrb.org) with the added information of "Violence." It is a singleplayer game that features support for Dolby Pro-Logic II surround sound, controller vibration, and progressive scan displays. It accepts Playstation 2 memory cards and requires 110 KB of space to save. At the time of this writing, it retails for MSRP $39.99. It was formally released in the United States on December 7th, 2004. A Japanese version is still pending release. The European release is currently slated for February 2nd, 2005. There appear to be no current plans to bring the game to the GameCube or Microsoft Xbox consoles or the PC. --------- 4.) Story --------- In the year 21XX... Reploids, based on a design from the late Dr. Thomas Light, are the first robots capable of thinking for themselves and making their own decisions. Mega Man X was the first robot with this ability. After X was found in the ruins of Dr. Light's lab by Dr. Cain in the 22nd century, Cain started the mass production of Reploids. Ever since their inception, Reploids were prone to problems. The foremost being that they could violate the first rule of robotics - to whit, a robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. With their newfound intelligence and freedom, some Reploids came to detest their human counterparts. These revolting Reploids were deemed Mavericks. The Maverick Hunters were formed in order to put down any resistance. The Hunters were originally led by Sigma, a powerful humanoid Reploid. Then, one day, Sigma himself went Maverick, having been infected with the Maverick Virus via Zero. Though Zero was originally thought of as a Reploid, he was, in actuality, the last of Dr. Wily's creations. Dr. Wily was the archnemesis and formal cohort of Dr. Light, and Zero was undoubtedly intended to be used against X in the future. Zero has since been purged of this infection, however. Sigma's repeated attempts to annihilate the human race in an attempt to build a new world only for Reploids has led to years of war and hatred. With the Earth in ruins, humanity now looks to the stars for the answers. Man plans a mass exodus to the moon to escape Earth. In order to accomplish this, the Jakob Project was commissioned. The Jakob Project is a giant space elevator constructed by humans and new-generation Reploids, said to be resistent to viruses and Maverick behavior. However, much like X's sentient ability, the new-generation Reploids possess an innovative talent - the ability to copy the DNA of any other Reploid. And, as fate would have it, a very dangerous Reploid's DNA has been successfully copied... -------------- 5.) Characters -------------- - MAVERICK HUNTERS - The Maverick Hunters lead the battle against the evil, infected Mavericks. They work with the humans to douse the Maverick threat. But their plans have not been entirely successful, forcing humanity to start a mass exodus to outer space for survival. The Maverick Hunters are also thought of as zealous in their cause. Mega Man X X is the former leader of the Maverick Hunters' 17th Unit. The creation of the late Dr. Thomas Light and blueprint for the Reploid race, all X desires is peace between Reploids and humans. He finds himself frustrated with the fact that the peace is never won for long and constantly wonders if lasting peace is truly attainable so long as Reploids exist. Zero Zero was the leader of the Maverick Hunters' Zero Unit. He is a Special Class A Hunter who specializes in melee combat with his Z-Saber. He was designed by Dr. Light's archnemesis and former lab partner, Dr. Wily, to fight Mega Man X. However, he passed his Maverick infection to Sigma and has since been purged of it. Nonetheless, he fights alongside X to bring peace to a war he unfortunately helped start. Axl A refugee from the Red Alert Syndicate, which was corrupted by Sigma in a previous adventure, Axl is a young and impressionable new-generation Reploid. Red, the ex-leader of the Syndicate, took to liking Axl after Axl demonstrated his ability to shape-shift into other Reploids at will. In reality, Axl was the first in a line of new-generation Reploids that are so prevalent now. Signas The current leader of the Maverick Hunters is Signas. He has the most advanced CPU of any existing Reploids and is a tactical genius. Alia One of the Navigators supporting the Hunter Team in the battlefield. Alia has a good general knowledge of the worlds they visit and can point out many world features or give boss strategies as needed. Layer Another Navigator working with the Hunter Team, Layer specializes in finding the weak points of Mavericks and other Mechaniroid threats. She seems to have emotions for Zero. Pallette The third, and most likely youngest, of the Navigators is Pallette. Her observant eyes can frequently pinpoint strange formations that might conceal hidden areas or routes. She can relay this information to the Hunter Team on the ground. - JAKOB PROJECT - The Jakob Project was conceived as a means of supporting a mass exodus from Earth by the humans. In actuality, it is a giant space elevator. Lumine The director and founder of the Jakob Project is Lumine, one of the new-generation Reploids. He (yes, it's a he), along with his bodyguards, survive an accident aboard Jakob by using Sigma's DNA to morph into a sturdy Sigma body. Soon thereafter, he is abducted by Vile. - MAVERICKS - The Mavericks, led by Sigma, are a group of rebellious Reploids that want to destroy the human race for the purpose of creating a world where Reploids reign. Their existence has given all Reploids a bad reputation and no matter how many times they are defeated by the Maverick Hunters, they always return stronger than before. Sigma Sigma was the leader of the Mavericks. After he was defeated by X, Zero, and Axl, Sigma fell from Crimson Palace and was thought to be dead. It is still unclear what became of him, although X already has his suspicions when the Mavericks start to attack the Jakob Project. Sigma wants to lead the Reploid race in a genocide against the humans. He believes this is the natural course of evolution and that Reploids, being the superior race, deserve to supplant their human creators. Despite the fact that his body was destroyed by X long ago, Sigma lives on as a computer virus that plagues Reploids. Vile A former Maverick Hunter turned bad, Vile has a penchant for coming back from death to advance his vendetta against the Hunters and, in particular, Mega Man X. After his initial appearance (X1), he was resurrected by Dr. Doppler (X3) and subsequently destroyed by X. It is unknown who brought Vile back from the dead this time, or if Vile is merely a next-generation Reploid with copied data. Regardless, he frequently uses a Ride Armor in battle and uses his shoulder-mounted cannon to deliver punishing blows to those who oppose him. He kidnaps Lumine, director of the Jakob Project, for unknown reasons. Optic Sunflower An assassin that travels through outer space, Optic Sunflower is a Maverick that has taken control of an old Maverick Hunter training base now used for training new-generation Reploids. Gravity Antonion Before he went Maverick, Gravity Antonion was a famous scientist in the field of anti-gravity technologies. His AI is extremely intelligent and he has the ability to twist space and time. Avalanche Yeti He used to administrate the Environmental Testing Center located at the South Pole. Now a Maverick, he plans a cold surprise for the Hunter Team. Dark Mantis A military Reploid in charge of an underground logisitics center, Dark Mantis can see in the dark and stalks his pray in the night. He wields two terrible scythe claws, to guarantee that his kills will never know what hit them. Bamboo Pandamonium Although he used to be a material handler for the outer space program, Bamboo Pandamonium now spends inordinate amounts of time musing about Maverick nature in Booster Forest. Earthrock Trilobyte A mining Reploid, Trilobyte was put in charge of excavating important resources in Metal Valley for the space program. Now, this tough Reploid has gone Maverick and must be stopped. Gigavolt Man-O-War The former administrator of the city power grid, Gigavolt Man-O-War has gone Maverick and now toys with the energy needs of the entire cybertropolis. Burn Rooster Highly resistant to extreme heat, Burn Rooster works in the depths of a volcano possessing waste. He turned Maverick and wants to make X pay for the countless Mavericks he destroyed and had to reduce to smoldering scrap metal in the waste processing plant. - Other Characters - Dr. Thomas Light Dr. Light was the brilliant scientist who created Mega Man in the year 20XX, and later Mega Man X, his final creation. Dr. Light still exists in 21XX as a holographic being, although the representation has a mysterious level of sentience. --------------- 6.) Walkthrough --------------- This section of the FAQ serves as a walkthrough for the game. Here, we detail boss strategies and level tactics. For information on things such as Armor Parts or Rare Metals, refer to sections 7 and 8 respectively. Noah's Park is the intro level of the game. Following its completion, the stage select for all eight Mavericks is unlocked. This guide is written in the order they appear on the stage select, not in the suggested order you play in. From the stage select, there are: Optic Sunflower Gravity Antonion Dark Mantis Bamboo Pandamonium Gigavolt Man-O-War Earthrock Trilobyte Avalanche Yeti Burn Rooster The middle space serves as a shortcut back to Noah's Park after you defeat one of the bosses. Additional stages appear as appropriate to the left and right of the grid of nine. Furthermore, at certain points in time, the Navigators will bring to your attention crises happening in previously completed levels. These crises, which the game calls Inter Missions, usually involve tackling small segments of each level in endurance tests. You have infinite Retry Chips in these missions. Even though a stage may have an Inter Mission active, you can still choose Mission to proceed with revisiting the entire level. TIP: We suggest the following order for defeating the eight Mavericks: Bamboo Pandamonium, Optic Sunflower, Dark Mantis, Gravity Antonion, Earthrock Trilobyte, Gigavolt Man-O-War, Avalanche Yeti, and lastly Burn Rooster. An alternative order could begin with any of these bosses and wrap back to Bamboo Pandamonium. Many have suggested that Gravity Antonion is the easiest boss to start with. At certain points in the game, certain levels will play host to Vile. It's not clear yet how exactly this is determined. If you are confronted by Vile, avoid his diverse waves of plasma shots and attack back with long-range ordinance. After taking a certain amount of damage, Vile will teleport away and you can continue the stage. All eight Mavericks and other important bosses in the game have "Desperation Attacks." These kick in at some point after the boss' health is halfway depleted, although they may be postponed if the boss is already engaged in an attack. During a Desperation Attack, a boss is invulnerable, glows a nightmarish purple, the music changes, and a particularly awesome and damaging attack is unfurled. After the attack is executed, the boss resumes its normal AI and regains vulnerability, although in some cases such as Burn Rooster, the Desperation Attack may permanently alter the layout of the battlefield. A brief mention must also be made to the concept of Retry Chips. In Mega Man X8, a Retry Chip is essentially a life. What makes Retry Chips different is subtle. First, you never get them from killed enemies. You have to buy them from the R&D lab, although they are quite inexpensive, or on easier difficulties, you resurrect with a certain number and may choose to purchase extras. Second, when you die, you have the immediate option of using a Retry Chip to restart from the last continue point -OR- going back to the stage select. This addresses a problem most prevalent in Mega Man X6 where, if you have many lives and encounter a very difficult stage, you have to burn through all those lives just to return to the stage select. The difficulty setting influences how many Retry Chips you can have. On Easy, you have limitless Retry Chips. On Normal, you have a normal allotment of two and up to three more can be bought from R&D. On Hard, you have space for three and all must be purchased from R&D. In general, if you come across a stage where you're stuck, you have a few options. You can go to easier stages and rack up Metals to purchase upgrades such as Spare Energy, Energy Bottles, or Weapons Bottles. You can buy more Retry Chips. Even if you fail a stage, you get to keep the Metals you found. There is always incentive to explore. ---------------- 6a.) Noah's Park ---------------- Noah's Park is the intro level for Mega Man X8, designed to introduce the gameplay mechanics of our three heroes and demonstrate the usefulness of the tag team assist. It takes place in a cybernetic forest. There is a recurring boss here in the form of a giant insect-like Mechaniroid with two massive claws. You will face this threat three times in the level. After a simple shooting segment, you'll run across this Mechanroid. MINIBOSS: Insect Mechaniroid The goal of this battle, as is true of most Mega Man enemies, is to target the head of this massive beast and fire at it. Avoid its two levels of projectiles by jumping or standing still. If it grabs you with its claw, use the tag assist to call your fellow Maverick Hunter. Keep the pressure on this robot's head even as it backs away. Eventually, it will give up. Now, Axl will go it alone. You'll have to use his air dash to get across a large (though not bottomless) pit. Use Axl's eight-way firing to destroy the robots that approach from various angles. Eventually, you'll meet up with Zero and the two of you will take on the Mechniroid again. MINIBOSS: Insect Mechaniroid This time, the robot is lurking behind a waterfall. It is only vulnerable when it pokes its head out through the raging stream. This battle emphasizes the use of the double attack. When the double attack gauge is full, wait for the Mechaniroid's head to poke through the waterfall. Leap up and when you're close to its head, unleash the double attack. This should knock off a significant chunk of its life, if not kill it altogether. Next, you'll control Zero for a while. The upcoming series of enemies is rather melee-oriented, so have fun slashing them to pieces. Finally, you'll meet up with X and tackle that Mechaniroid one last time. MINIBOSS: Insect Mechaniroid By now, you're probably really sick of this thing, so now is a good time to end it. This time, the Mechaniroid has a shield that you'll have to break through with repeated shots. Once the shield is down, shoot its head some more. The tricky part is when the Mechaniroid lumbers toward you. Ideally, you want to get behind it so as to not be cornered. Dash jump over its head and continue your assault once the robot turns around. He'll go down. After destroying the machine that just wouldn't die, it's rather ironic who shows up next. It's Vile, who was last seen way back in Mega Man X3. He jeers and taunts you with the kidnapped Lumine, then teleports off. It's back to Maverick Hunter Headquarters and the stage select. --------------------------------- 6b.) Troia Base (Optic Sunflower) --------------------------------- This level is apparently a new-generation Reploid training facility. It specializes in creating holographic projections for training purposes. As such, the level basically involves our heroes going through a diverse obstacle course of challenges. If you do well in a given challenge, you'll face a more difficult one next time. Interspersed between challenges are short "real world" segments that involve some tricky jumps, but are lined with precious Metals. Challenge 1 is a simple shooting affair. Stand near the center of the platform and shoot the waves of Mechaniroids as they approach. Be careful to not get hit by these guys - they cause considerable knockback and could push you off the platform. This is true for the entire level. In Challenge 2, you face these Mechaniroids again, but this time on a giant turning set of gears. You'll need to jump from one tooth of a gear to another to avoid either getting crushed on the ceiling or falling to your doom below. Destroy the two Mechaniroids as fast as possible. In Challenge 3, you'll tackle a series of moving platforms and a Mechaniroid. On higher difficulties, this Mechaniroid will spew fireballs that stick to that spot on the screen, creating a hazard for you to avoid. Jump from platform to platform, trying to kill the Mechaniroid quickly. In Challenge 4, you'll face a Mechaniroid in a strange claw-like machine. There is a spiked wall to your left and a conveyor belt beneath you. Destroy the Mechaniroid, paying attention to not let the conveyor take you where you don't want to go. In Challenge 5, you'll take on a very large version of the Mechaniroid. With each shot, it gets smaller and faster. You know what to do. In Challenge 6, there's a Mechaniroid with a large mallet. It has considerable jumping abilities and long range. Again, destroy it quickly. The last Challenge offers something weird and interesting. Atop a moving train, you'll fight a Mechaniroid in a flying dragon-like tank. Initially, you'll want to destroy the tank's turrets. As you destroy each successive part of the tank, it changes up its attacks. When the head and body remains, the tank will use the head as a flamethrower. Once the head is killed, destroy the individual segments of the tank, then the Mechaniroid itself. Finally, after all that, you get to face Optic Sunflower. BOSS: Optic Sunflower (Assassin from the Depths of Outer Space) Unlike most of the "gag" bosses, Optic means business. Optic has the ability to create platforms in his room and teleport. He may randomly teleport with dummy clones designed to distract you. He has two main weapons, a laser and a spherical trap. The laser has two forms. Optic can either shoot the beam 360º from his position, or he can unleash a laser that move from left to right, stopping short when it hits a platform. The key to avoiding all of these attacks is to hide behind the platforms Optic generates as the lasers swing by. As for the trap sphere, use the assist to summon your comrade to free you. Optic has a nasty Desperation Attack where he'll call upon an orbiting satelite to send massive beams of light. The attack is telegraphed by thin red beams that try to target you. The satelite beam lingers for a while, so be careful not to hit it. Keep the pressure on Optic, using Bamboo Pandamonium's weapon for best results. -------------------------------- 6c.) Primrose (Gravity Antonion) -------------------------------- This level is a clever variant on other Maverick stages like Cyber Peacock (X4), Dark Necrobat (X5), and Snipe Anteator (X7). In this stage, gravity can be flipped. The large red buttons will flip the level a full 180º. The screw-like green buttons will flip the level in increments of 90º. Based on these simple rules, the level is a series of puzzles where the goal is to find the green sphere that will teleport you to the next puzzle. Sometimes, the gravity can be used to your advantage in destroying enemies. Other times, it lets you kill yourself. Look before you leap and study the patterns of the rooms carefully. BOSS: Gravity Antonion (Twister of Space and Time) Gravity used to be a famed scientist, but now he's gone Maverick. His battle room is square. Because he obviously has the ability to control gravity, you're in for an unusual battle. Gravity can rotate the room, but only in 90º increments. He has four ways of complicating this. First, he can materialize large blocks of rock. These blocks, much like the others in the level, can crush you if they land on you. And, usually, Gravity will try to rotate the room so that will happen. Next, he has a black hole attack that he summons in the middle of his room. The black hole will absorb almost all shots, so you'll need to get in Gravity's face to hit him. Next, if you get too close, Gravity will materialize a column of bricks and try to smack you with it. And last, any large blocks he materializes he may try to throw at you. To dodge this, stay in the upper-left or upper-right corners as appropriate. Keep hitting Gravity whenever you can. Gravity's vicious Desperation Attack involves him generating countless amounts of blocks and trying to crush you with them as they fall. This is a very chaotic attack. Dash, jump, and try to avoid these. ------------------------------ 6d.) Pitch Black (Dark Mantis) ------------------------------ As the name suggests, light (or lack thereof) plays a big role in this level. The entire stage is dimly lit and appears to be some kind of derelict military facility. The security system is still active, so there is an emphasis on stealth in this stage. Enemies with small floodlights will activate the alarms if you catch their attention. Catching their attention includes getting in a small radius around them or shooting them. Strangely, wayward Buster shots through the trip lasers does nothing. When you reach the elevator sequences, hide behind the metal boxes and slide down the walls to avoid the laser beams (like in Burn Rooster's stage). For the rotating fans, run between them when the fan is horizontal. There's another room with various floodlights pacing back and forth. Getting caught in the beam summons an unlimited number of Mechaniroids until you kill a certain one. Strangely, if you scroll away from the door and try to fight, the stream will never end. There must be some particular Mechaniroid by the door you have to kill to end it. The last big challenge is a pitch black room. The only light here is from a pacing "Servbot." There are two spike traps here and they are very easy to fall prey to if you move too quickly. The first is located just beyond the room's entrance. The second is positioned between a few boxes. Shortly after this, you'll face the dark one himself. BOSS: Dark Mantis (Deadly Blade Lurking in Darkness) Dark Mantis is a fast-moving Maverick that bounds from wall to wall and attacks with his scythe-like claws and dark energy. He's rather ticked that you've interrupted his musings. The best weapon to use against Dark Mantis is Optic Sunflower's weapon (light fights darkness, right?). Attack him repeatedly with it while dodging his claws. Dark Mantis' Desperation Attack is a huge sweeping claw that slashes across the playing surface several times. ---------------------------------------- 6e.) Booster Forest (Bamboo Pandamonium) ---------------------------------------- Booster Forest isn't an ordinary forest. No, this one orbits around on a giant abandoned asteroid. Overall, it's a rather conventional platforming stage, with an emphasis on using the Ride Armor to access secret places and smash Mechaniroids. From the start, you'll pass a lot of large crates. These can be destroyed with the Ride Armor. After passing by a few conveyor belts, you'll find said Ride Armor. You can go left from here to destroy those blocks, or push forward with it. You are impervious to spikes while riding the armor. Because the armor has limited jumping capabilities, you may need to operate an elevator to move it. To do so, walk the Ride Armor onto the lift, get out, and push the button to make the lift rise. Eventually, you'll reach a point where you have to dismount from the armor. By walking on the higher path, you can remount it when it emerges at the other end of the conveyor belt. In general, it's good to keep the Ride Armor available as long as you can. That's the basic gist of the level. There's nothing terribly difficult about it. And then you reach the resident evil. BOSS: Bamboo Pandamonium If you're following my advised order, Bamboo might throw you for a loop. He's not a particularly easy boss and he will do some damage. But rest assured, he's probably one of the easier ones to fight without the special weapon. Bamboo has a menagerie of attacks. Close range, he can attack you with his fiendishly large claws. A long-range attack is definitely a better plan here. Bamboo has a couple long-range missile attacks. In the first, he fires a very large missile across the screen. Sometimes, this missile will home onto you from above, so be mindful if it flies off the side of the screen. In the second, Bamboo launches salvos of bombs. He may also elect to raise shoots of bamboo from the ground - an attack telegraphed by pockets of dust along the floor indicating where the bamboo will shoot from. You can climb the bamboo and you'll probably need to do dodge when the lumbering panda charges toward you. Bamboo's Desperation Attack involves him firing missiles like crazy. Be very afraid. --------------------------------- 6f.) Dynasty (Gigavolt Man-O-War) --------------------------------- This level can be frustrating if you don't understand what you're trying to accomplish. The object here is to chase and shoot Gigavolt as the two of you fly around a city that looks remarkably like the one from the Fifth Element aboard your Sirius compact ride chaser. The entire stage moves on rails, although you can manuever around. Gigavolt is fast. In order to keep up with him, you're going to need to repeatedly dash. You can only dash a finite number of times since it is tied to your Weapons Energy. Pick up the glowing orbs of Weapons Energy to gain more boosts. Gigavolt has three main attacks in this chase sequence. First, he can unleash rings of jellyfish that you can swim between. Second, he can launch bombs with a sizeable explosion radius. And last, he may sometimes use his tentacles to create a short-range electric taser. Ideally, you want to stay as close to Gigavolt as possible and make every shot count. This stage does have an end that will kill you. Although there's nothing indicative of how close you are to this point, after two or three minutes, Gigavolt will instakill you (with his bomb attack, I guess. All we see is the camera zooming in on Gigavolt as he laughs). The key to getting through this stage is knowing where the Weapons Energy is and how to effectively weave around the various obstacles, such as neon signage. As such, it will probably take several playthroughs to familiarize yourself with the level. Eventually, after he's trailing all sorts of fire and smoke behind him, your Navigator will inform you that it's time to move in and bring Gigavolt down for good. BOSS: Gigavolt Man-O-War (High Voltage Drifter) The most effective way to kill Gigavolt is to use Earthrock Trilobyte's weapon. If you are playing as X, you need to either form the glass missile near Gigavolt, or push it into him. Gigavolt will move lazily around attacking you with electricity. He's not particularly dangerous so long as you use Earthrock's weapon. However, his Desperation Attack is very damaging. Gigavolt floats to the top of the screen and unleashes several tremendous bolts of lightning. Where the lightning will strike is telegraphed with a sound effect and a few sparks on the ground. Get in between the sparks and you won't get zapped. --------------------------------------- 6g.) Metal Valley (Earthrock Trilobyte) --------------------------------------- Throughout this stage, you'll be chased by an ongoing threat - a towering Mechaniroid. The stage is divided into three main segments - fleeing from the Mechaniroid, chasing it, then ultimately destroying it. In the first third, you're running away as fast as you can. At various points, the Mechaniroid may stop and use its claws or giant head laser. Beat the Mechaniroid to the other end of the excavation site to confront it directly. MINIBOSS: Giant Mechaniroid What you need to do here is use the crane atop the ledge to slam the hook into the Mechaniroid's head. To do so, get the Mechaniroid to do a low attack. Shortly after he does it, or shortly after you see the telegraph, climb up the wall and shoot the switch beside the crane to send the hook bashing into the Mechaniroid's head. Repeat until it gives up. Note that if you run against the hook, there's something of a safe spot from the Mechaniroid's head laser. Now, the Mechaniroid is going to walk in the opposite direction, back toward the starting point of the level. You can chase it and shoot it for Metals, but don't be too persistent about it or you'll miss a Dr. Light Capsule and an easy Rare Metal. Note that the Mechaniroid won't walk all the way back without you. At some point, it will just walk in place until you get near. Once you get back to the starting point (remember the smashed bulldozer?), the giant Mechaniroid will leap off. Assuming you're finished with the outdoor area, head to the left and through the door to the bunker. Patiently waiting inside is the Mechaniroid. MINIBOSS: Giant Mechaniroid The object here is the same as before, except there's a minor complication. There are two opposing switches for the crane. You'll fight the Mechaniroid in a narrow L-shaped catwalk segment, so don't get too disoriented when the plane shifts. Shoot the switches to make the crane whack the Mechaniroid in the head. Eventually, it will give up the ghost and die. What's behind the door? You had to ask. BOSS: Earthrock Trilobyte (Insect Inhabiting Rich Mineral Deposits) Much like Armored Armadillo (X1) or Crystal Snail (X2), you can blast Earthrock's armor off with a weapon such as Gravity Antonion's. Now, Earthrock will be frequently vulnerable. Earthrock has a peculiar attack method. He'll form several missile-shaped glass sculptures. When they tip over, they crush whatever is standing there. On the other hand, they also protect Earthrock as long as he's standing behind them. You can make the sculptures fall by getting near them, they darting away. Aside from this, Earthrock will launch plasma balls that ping-pong around the room. As you might imagine, the trajectories of these projectiles change if they hit the sculptures. Use Gravity Antonion's weapon to destroy Earthrock's armor and continue using it to kill him. Earthrock's Desperation Attack produces an insane number of the glass missiles and scrolls them your way. If you get crushed by them, be prepared to take lots of damage. ----------------------------------- 6h.) Central White (Avalanche Yeti) ----------------------------------- This is a really long driving stage on the Barius ride chaser. As you speed along on the snow, be aware of the many hazards. The most dangerous hazard is the chasm. You'll find these large holes in many places and often you'll need to use the dash plates right before them to cross. In one particularly evil case, you'll need to use the dash plate, and then move to the right to land on solid ground! The other natural hazard is the wall that divides the track about midway through the stage. That said, there are various mechanical hazards too. Mechaniroid bikers will frequently charge at you in groups. On occasion, they may also speed up behind you, forcing you to move in order to shake them off. There are also two kinds of "Servbot" enemies. The first rides on a giant bomb that explodes when you shoot it or get close. These are quite damaging, so avoid the blast. And second are pairs of blue "Servbots" that create electrical forcefields on the ground. Destroy either one of them to disable the forcefield. As if that weren't enough, twice in this stage you'll have to deal with a flying manta ray Mechaniroid. MINIBOSS: Manta Airship, Part I The first time you encounter the Airship, it will have just a few attacks. It will launch bikers toward you. It will also skid along the ground and launch balls of energy to harm you. It's in this last stage when the Airship is the most vulnerable. A fully-charged X-Buster will do a lot of damage. The Airship will show signs of destruction as it gets closer to dying, but it will eventually fly off. MINIBOSS: Manta Airship, Part II This battle procedes like the previous one, with a deadly new twist. Initially, the Airship will fly around to face you. It will launch bombs. After unleashing a handful of these, it will skid on the ground and veer left or right, then charge directly at you. This is a very harmful attack, so make sure that if it goes left, you veer right, and vice versa. It also drops the bomb "Servbots," so watch out! Other than that, use the same strategy as last time. After destroying the Airship for the second time, your bike will crash (in cutscene) into a protective door and you'll make your way into a traditional side-scrolling segment. If you brought Zero and have Burn Rooster's weapon, don't miss the armor part on the long ledge above Avalanche Yeti's door. Now, it's time to face the abominable one himself. BOSS: Avalanche Yeti (Guardian of the Eternally Frozen Fields) Avalanche has supreme mobility in the snow-covered room he inhabits. Not only can he dash around in it, but he can bury himself and dig to other parts of the room Bugs Bunny-style to attack you. Much like how Ice Man was vulnerable to Elec Man's Thunder Beam (and ironically not Fire Man's flame), use Gigavolt Man-O-War's weapon here. --------------------------- 6i.) Inferno (Burn Rooster) --------------------------- Burn Rooster's stage is tricky because it is loaded with all sorts of instakills, like lava, spikes, and the dreaded scroll. It is advisable that you bring lots of Retry Chips to the table here. The majority of this stage involves descending into an active volcano via floating platforms. This is a fixed scrolling stage that moves vertically. If you move beyond the top of the screen, you die. If you fall below the bottom of the screen, you also die (despite the fact that it's also where you're going). During this descent, you'll face a few complications. At certain points, laser beams will run across the length of the screen. These are blocked, however, if metal blocks on the platforms rise up past them (as in Dark Mantis' stage). Lesser Mechaniroids will also shoot at you from time to time. And lastly, the explosive crates also seen in Bamboo Pandamonium's stage will try to surprise you. Tread lightly and use dash a lot. Once you get past the first round of this (yes, sadly, you'll do it again shortly), you'll enter a more traditional area. You'll be attacked by a Mechaniroid with a shield. You may choose to just run past him and through the door behind him. You'll then find yourself in a battle with flaming "Servbot" Mechaniroids. They all originate from the same point in the room, so cover it with what weapons you have. Axl is great in this battle because of his multi-direction firing. Next up is an irritating segment of spikes. You'll need to slide down the walls and dash across where appropriate to get past the spikes. The difficulty of this particular segment is surprising - you'd normally find this trickyness in the final stages, not in a "normal" stage. Regardless, use X's side dash or Axl's hover to get through. Don't forget that when Axl fires, he stops sliding - use that to your advantage. After another encounter with the flaming "Servbots," it's back to another insanely long bout with the floating platforms. It's everything you saw the first time, only more of it. More lasers, more platforms, and more scrolling tedium. Eventually, you'll reach the bottom and encounter Burn Rooster doing a little kung fu on the volcano core. BOSS: Burn Rooster (White-Hot Fowl) Burn Rooster is what you'd get if you gave Flame Stag (X2) the ability to change the layout of the room. Burn Rooster has three primary attacks. First, he'll send fire along the ground. This is telegraphed by him kicking the air several times. The fire will roll around the ground and downhill, but not uphill. Usually, you'll want to cling to the walls to dodge this. Second, Burn may turn into a Reploid fireball and zip around the room, bouncing wildly off the walls. And third, Burn can arbitrarily move the several pistons that make up the floor of his chamber (the layout of which affects his two other attacks). Use Avalanche Yeti's weapon for best results (ice douses fire, right?). Burn Rooster's Desperation Attack involves him creating giant plumes of fire, essentially narrowing the battle field to the middle pistons and setting up deadly barriers on the periphery. This gets brutal, so try to kill him as fast as possible once he has effected this attack. ---------- 6j.) Jakob ---------- The Jakob elevator mission is unlocked after you defeat the first eight Mavericks. Sigma has launched his plan to conquer space and, with it, the last bastion of hope for humanity. You must use the space elevator to stop him. This is a rather fun level. Having boarded the rapidly ascending Jakob space elevator, you have to fight multiple waves of enemies. This plays out like a who's who of enemies you've fought before. Everyone from the forcefield "Servbots" to the flamethrower Mechaniroids will be here. The only guys here who pose an annoyance are the shield Mechaniroids. Make sure you kill them quickly so you have the entire surface of the elevator to play with. At the top of the elevator, an old friend waits. BOSS: Vile By now, you've probably fought Vile a couple times. Now it's another battle with everyone's favorite Boba Fett knockoff. Vile starts off shooting sparks in varying formations from his shoulder cannon. As you damage him, the formations will get increasingly complex. He can also use his patented flame tower attack. X is the best one to deal with this threat. Keep the pressure on him using the X-Buster. Vile now has an electrifying Desperation Attack. He'll move to the center of the room and unleash a series of thunder bolts that spin alternately clockwise and counterclockwise. Periodically, these bolts fade out. That's your cue to run between them and avoid getting zapped by this otherwise unavoidable attack. Vile is invulnerable this whole time, so once he stops the Desperation Attack, nail him with everything you've got. ------------ 6k.) Gateway ------------ The Gateway is the boss repeat level. Here, you'll fight clones of the eight Mavericks once more. There is a stage beyond this one, so you'll have a chance to refuel and recharge before getting to the final level. You enter the Gateway through a window to space. From here, it's a short jaunt through a door, around a turn, and through another door to the "tree of Mavericks." The capsules for each boss reside on the branches of the tree. What capsule leads to what boss follows: That said, remember the boss vulnerabilities: Bamboo Pandamonium, Optic Sunflower, Dark Mantis, Gravity Antonion, Earthrock Trilobyte, Gigavolt Man-O-War, Avalanche Yeti, and lastly Burn Rooster. Don't forget that in between each of the boss battles, you can score energy boosts in the upper-middle of the room. Once the eight Maverick clones have been defeated, the place starts to crumble and explode. You have to escape the level. Quickly dash to the right all the way back to the starting point to escape... or not. BOSS: Sigma Siggy's back in town. The master of the Mavericks wants to fight, and you're in for a punishing. Actually, this battle isn't too difficult. Sigma's initial attack pattern is rather erratic. Keep the pressure on him using charged shots at every opportunity. Sigma's Desperation Attack involves him setting the whole floor ablaze, forcing you to retreat to the walls for safety. If you have X's triple shot or Axl, you can hit Sigma by climbing to the very top corner. ------------------- 6l.) Sigma's Palace ------------------- This is the final stage of the game. You'll face many bosses here and you won't get another chance to save or buy items from R&D once you arrive. Stock up on spare energy and energy tanks now! Sigma's Palace starts off on the moon's surface. Here, you'll face variants on the green Reploids you've been fighting the whole time. There are also some very wide chasms to traverse. Nothing too terrible, though. After scrolling a considerable distance to the right, you'll reach a door. Go through it and... not again... BOSS: Vile Vile is really calling the kettle black when he complains about X's refusal to give up. This time, though, Vile has a nasty surprise. He has his Ride Armor. This battle proceeds more like the times you fought Vile as a miniboss more than when you fought him on top of the Jakob elevator. For all intents and purposes, Vile's Ride Armor is like a shield with weapons. For example, with a shield breaker shot, you can seperate the two of them and attack Vile directly. A good strategy is to do just that, and then use the double attack on Vile. Vile has no health meter in this battle, but he's roughly as strong as any other boss. After getting past Vile for the last time, you'll run deep into Sigma's Palace. The main thing to remember here is to take it slowly, especially when you see a passage that will scroll the screen. The designers loved to put spikes just beyond the entrances to the rooms, so tread lightly. You'll face many clones of Sigma on the way to the next boss. The green Reploids morph into Sigma as you get near them. There are three basic variants on Sigma. The first one you'll encounter is the sword variant. It has a powerful short-range slash attack. The second is the gun variant. It will unleash a volley of three projectiles that pause shortly before homing in on you. This is the most dangerous variant - use the walls and cover to your advantage. Last is the shield variant, usually seen defending the gun variant. Like normal enemy shields, you can blast it off. The shield variant will then turn into a gun type. The more spikes you see, the closer you are to the next boss. Don't be surprised if you gawk at how many there are. Fortunately, the collision is somewhat forgiving. Sideways dashing and Axl's hovering will be the easiest way out. Axl also has a weapon that can penetrate walls. Use this to your advantage to get the jump on enemies above you. At the end of that spiky madness, and after an obscene number of towering columns, you'll reach the throne room. This is where it all ends. BOSS: Devil Sigma Sigma looks positively demonic in this battle. He's not that much more difficult than he was in the Gateway, though. Devil Sigma's main attack consists of sending ring-shaped projectiles at you. You can dash through these. At certain times, Devil Sigma will leap upward and slam down with his sword. Dash to get out of his way. Devil Sigma's desperation attack is to ignite a wall ablaze so you can't climb on it. Dash jump on the wall behind Sigma once he starts firing his rings. If you do this before he fires the rings, he'll actually strike you with an uppercut move, so watch out. If you have Axl, use this opportunity to rain fire down on Sigma's noggin. Alright. We beat Sigma twice and he screamed as he exploded. That's the end of it, right? Well, maybe if you're playing on Easy Mode. Anything beyond that, and the party is just getting started. Note that if you choose to use a Retry Chip in the following battles, you'll restart at this point. You won't have to fight Devil Sigma again unless you exhaust your Retry Chips. Lumine walks over and steps on Sigma's smoldering body. X, Zero, and Axl are pleased to see that he is unharmed. Maybe a little too unharmed. Lumine is just fine, and why shouldn't he be? Was Lumine a tool in Sigma's mad plan to eliminate the humans? Lumine scoffs at the Hunter Team. He was hardly Sigma's tool - rather, Sigma was integral to his plan. The new generation Reploids have the ability to go Maverick at will and, not surprisingly, Lumine reveals that she is a Maverick. The evolution of the Reploid race must begin, and there is no place for ancient and obsolete Reploids like the Maverick Hunters! 
    BOSS: Lumine
    I think we all knew from his sinister voice and menacing stare that
    Lumine wasn't a typical damsel in distress (and likely before we figured
    out Lumine wasn't a damsel).  But how many actually thought he would be
    the final boss?  That's two surprises from Capcom - a great X game, and
    not having Sigma as the final boss.  Will wonders never cease?
    
    Lumine basically has the Desperation Attacks of the eight Mavericks at
    her disposal.  Although she can sometimes use them in a mutally exclusive
    manner, Lumine can and will execute multiple Desperation Attacks at the
    same time.  When she does, just like the Mavericks, she is invulnerable.
    If you were good about the Desperation Attacks, you shouldn't find this
    too challenging.  However, it's key to escape with as much energy as
    possible.  Conserve your tanks and try your best to take minimal damage.
    
    BOSS: Seraph Lumine
    Lumine isn't done yet!  The maniacal Reploid transforms into a giant
    angel-like form for the final confrontation.  It goes without saying that
    Lumine has a broad range of attacks.  He can fire a spread laser shot
    from his wings, telegraphed with small flashes of light on the ground.
    He can also swoop toward you and you can air dash over him.  Early on,
    he is prone to use those two attacks.  Eventually, he mixes things up
    by launching orange projectiles.  In one variation, these projectiles
    radiate outward in a circle from Lumine's body.  You have to jump or
    dash between the gaps to avoid them.  In the second variation, Lumine
    showers the ground with the burying projectiles.  Remember the order in
    which they hit the ground, because he'll summon them upward in the same
    order.  Lumine's Desperation Attack is called Paradise Lost.  If you
    recall battling Dr. Wily in the Power Fighters games, this proceeds
    along similar lines.  Lumine will teleport in and out and the goal is to
    kill him in 30 seconds.  Otherwise, it's all over.  Lumine has a shield
    during this time, so use appropriate breakers to destroy it (charged
    shot for X, rapid fire for Axl, etc).  He will regenerate this shield
    after some predetermined time, so make every shot count!
    
Now, sit back and watch the awesome ending, which varies depending on what
character delivered the final blow to Lumine.    

---------------
7.) Armor Parts
---------------

As in every other X game, the renowned Dr. Thomas Light has left various
capsules scattered about for X to find.  Bringing X to any of the capsules
will allow him to upgrade his abilities.  The obvious implication is that
X has to be one of the two members in your party when you get to a capsule.
There is a capsule in every level except Gigavolt Man-O-War's and the
two final levels.  Interestingly, there is a capsule in Noah's Park, the
intro level of all places.

This guide has yet to incorporate this information.  Until it does, please
refer to DarkMonty's "Dr. Light Capsule FAQ" at GameFAQs:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/920754.html

---------------
8.) Rare Metals
---------------

This guide has yet to incorporate this information.  Until it does, please
refer to general FAQs at GameFAQs:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/920754.html

---------
9.) Items
---------

This section is designed to detail the various items, such as Sub-Tanks,
Weapon Tanks, and their locations.  It also seeks to provide a breakdown
of what the various R&D items do.

This guide has yet to incorporate this information.  Until it does, please
refer to Action's "Items FAQ" at GameFAQs:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/920754.html

-------------------
10.) The Unexplained
-------------------

Like many games, Mega Man X8 is certainly not short on weird quirks or
strange happenings.  Here's a list of some of the more peculiar ones.

- When the Manta Airship is destroyed in Avalanche Yeti's stage, it dies with
  little fanfare and, suddenly, the chosen Maverick Hunter just runs the ride
  chaser into the door and it explodes off.  What happened to the Airship?
  
- How does Gigavolt Man-O-War manage to instakill you if you are too slow to
  defeat him in saucer form?
  
- What the heck is Gigavolt saying to taunt you?
  
- Why does the entire city start flashing red after you and Gigavolt complete
  one "lap" around the city?
  
- When you revisit a stage you've already completed, in lieu of the normal
  boss introduction, you'll see a screen flickering in and out.  Sometimes,
  it will show concept artwork for the game.  What dictates this?
  
- Many users have reported that when restoring a saved game, they suddenly
  found they had the limit of Metals (~99,999,999).  A glitch, perhaps?
  What causes it?
  
- Most of the character artwork in the manual is from the waist up.  Capcom
  never released any complete artwork of the Mavericks.  This is an
  improvement from the X7 manual though, which has no boss artwork
  whatsoever.
  
- The manual for Mega Man Zero 3 is in full color, whereas the X8 manual is
  in monochrome for some reason.
  
- Why does the back of X8's box make it sound like X is an all-new series
  with the all-new ability to copy boss weapons and use them against other
  bosses?
  
- When X gets the high jump ability, sometimes the shadow beneath him
  flickers in and out of existence.
  
- Shadows, in general, are very polygonal.
  
- How did Vile return?  Was he actually Vile, or a new-generation Reploid
  made to look like Vile?
  
- If humans are building a space elevator to escape the Earth due to the
  Reploid Wars, what would possess them to use Reploids to build the Jakob
  elevator?
  
- Many of the helper Mechaniroids look like prototypical Servbots from the
  Legends series.  An intentional link?

-------------------------
11.) Thoughts on the Game
-------------------------

Hold the presses.  Capcom did an X game right.  What has this world come to?
Will wonders never cease?

Sarcasm aside, after the mediocre X5, the atrocious X6, and the irritating
X7, Capcom has finally delivered a really awesome chapter in the Mega Man X
series.  Not only is it everything X7 should have been, but it's everything I
would have expected from a 3D X game.  The control is generally tight and
responsive, the gameplay hearkens strongly back to the original games, the
boss battles are exciting and fun, and the entire game just exudes enjoyment
for fans of X.

Too bad they soiled half the series getting here.

Though newcomers may find it difficult, veterans will greatly enjoy this one.
Many have compared it to Mega Man X4, which several consider to be the last
great X game.  After playing this one, the comparison comes as no surprise.
Even though X8 was panned by game reviewers at large (as Mega Man games
generally are), I found this one to be a tremendous improvement and a real
blast to play.  Even the voice acting is vastly improved.

Nevertheless, there are a few areas were Capcom could have improved.  While
the graphics are generally good, one cannot help but notice how spartan some
areas can be - especially in the later levels.  Although some tracks stand
out, the music on the whole is somewhat repetitive due to recycling the same
instrument sets between tracks.

But X8 works where it counts - gameplay.  And while, yes, some stages have
an obsession with instakill traps, the game is still fun to play.  Moreover,
deaths feel fair.  You saw what killed you and you know how to avoid it next
time.  It's not like the "I never saw that one coming!" frustrating challenge
of X6.

For fans of the X series, X8 is a must have that restores the series back to
where it belonged.  It's easily the best X game since X4.  Screw what the
professional game reviewers thought.  If you like old-school side-scrolling
action, look no further than Mega Man X8.

----------
12.) Legal
----------

Mega Man X, Zero, Axl, and all other related indica are copyright Capcom.
This guide is a fan creation and is not officially endorsed by Capcom.

Copyright (c) 2004, 2005  Slash Raptor