Mega Man ZX Neo

Mega Man ZX Neo is an upcoming Action-Metroidvania for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It is the third entry in the Mega Man ZX series following after Mega Man ZX and Mega Man ZX Advent. The game takes place approximately 750 years after the events of Advent with Master Thomas having flooded the world leaving the pockets of humanity and reploids left isolated on small islands scattered across the world. Due to a program set in the machines that Master Thomas used to flood the world, the oceans are incredibly corrosive being lethal for humans and dangerous for reploids.
The game follows the player's character, simply known as Cricket, a young reploid born on Akadi Island who has recently joined a group known as the Gaia Dein a group of reploids and humans seeking to reconnect the world by travelling to distant lands. The newest creation of the group, the HVRC (High-Velocity Rail Catapult) allows for Reploids to travel extremely long distances through a devices that functions similarly to both a Railgun and a Catapult. Being a reploid who's shown great potential, Cricket is chosen for the mission of setting up a connection between the various islands across the planet and reuniting humanity while attempting to shut down the machines which have prevented humans and reploids alike from travelling via ships.
The game is a 2.5D Game utilizing 3D models and environments but played on a 2D plane much like its predecessors. The game includes many of the general functions of the previous games although focuses much more on the primary objectives of reuniting the people of the world and destroying the machines that cause the world's oceans to be so corrosive.
==Gameplay==
Gameplay is generally similar to the previous games although has been fine tuned with the abilities that Cricket has being more versatile and varied as the player progresses, unlocking various upgrades. The game actually starts the player out with significantly fewer abilities than the previous games with Cricket being able to run and jump like usual as well as being able to perform a short dash, once the player completes the introductory area they're also given their primary weapon the Mega Buster. Along the way they can acquire a number of upgrades which come in three forms; Tool Upgrades, Major Biometals and Minor Biometals.
===Upgrades===
As noted above there are three types of upgrades in Neo, the first are Tool Upgrades, these are simple movement and combat abilities which allow the player to navigate more easily, some are mandatory for progression while others are optional. They're able to be used regardless of the form the player has active.
Major Biometals are the second type of upgrade, similar to Biometals in ZX and Advent they allow the player to transform into different Mega Men each with their own playstyles distinct from not only one another but also the basic playstyle. The player receives one of these Biometals very early in the game Biometal Alpha which acts as the basis from which the player is able to acquire the other Biometals, both major and minor.
Minor Biometals are entirely optional Biometals which have a much simpler appearance than the major Biometals, unlike the Major Biometals these Biometals will alter the properties of Cricket's Mega Buster similar to the Robot Master Upgrades in the Classic and X Series. There are a large variety of minor Biometals to unlock and each allow the player to collect various other minor upgrades such as Health and Ammo boosts among other things.
===The World Map===
Unlike ZX and Advent before it, the world of Mega Man ZX Neo is much more focused on providing an easier to navigate world while also permitting greater variety, as such when the player reaches one of the games various HVRC Stations which the player sets up when they reach a particular spot on the map it will allow them to travel to any other existing HVRC on the map. Each island has at least one HVRC Station and also has smaller checkpoints which the player will return to if they're killed in battle.
The player can leave emblems on the map to mark locations of interest, icons are also used for some important locations such as the aformentioned HVRC Stations but also checkpoint areas.
===Missions===
Throughout the game the player can pick up a number of missions from interacting with NPCs on each of the islands, missions vary with some being simple and able to be done on the island they're on while others span many islands and even tie back into the main quest. The player will see whether a mission falls under the Main Quest or a Side Quest depending on the colour of the mission's name being either Gold (Main) or Blue (Side).
Side Missions are naturally toggled off although the player can toggle one on to find the location they need to go to if they've already been there before whereas Main Missions will naturally be toggled on but can be toggled off from the mission menu. It should be noted that not all missions will have a destination icon even if the player has been to that location already if the mission revolves around the player finding something in particular that's intended to be hidden.
As the player completes missions they'll be rewarded with currency and potentially items and upgrades.
==Characters==
Mega Man ZX Neo features a new cast of characters replacing those present in ZX and Advent before it. 
Character 	Description
Cricket 	
The main protagonist and playable character of Mega Man ZX Neo, Cricket can be either male or female depending on the player's choice at the beginning of the game. Cricket was born on Akadi Island, having grown up learning about the history of the ancient lands known as NEO where supposedly the people lived in a heaven-like state. Seeking to find NEO and figure out why humans and reploids were cast out from such a wonderous place, Cricket joined up with the Gaia Dein, a group seeking to reconnect the world.
Cricket is much more naive and aspiring than most other Reploids in the group, being surprisingly forthcoming about wanting to participate in the HVRC project, acting as the projects first proper launch. Many in the group have influenced Cricket including the group's leaders and his personal combat mentor Aines.
Aines 	
Cricket's combat mentor and one of the oldest individuals on Akadi Island, Aines was born back when the population of Akadi Island was much smaller and less developed. Still having memories dating back to the earlier times when Akadi Island wasn't as prosperous, Aines seeks to continue a lineage of knowledge about combat passed on to him as the third individual to inherit the innate knowledge of using the Mega Buster.
Aines is wise in many ways although a good-hearted individual, often preferring to teach through play, sometimes directly challenging his pupils to a fight to help them practice using the Mega Buster.
Riviere 	
Riviere is the official leader of Gaia Dein, a human who'd been born and raised under the leadership of the group's previous leader, Riviere aspires to prove her capabilities as the new leader of the organization and to surpass her mother in pushing the group beyond the limits of Akadi Island. Personally having pushed for the HVRC Project, Riviere is incredibly driven by an ambition to create the great cities she learned about from her childhood in fairy-tales told to her by her parents.
To many on the outside, Riviere appears as a hardened individual, almost cold towards her colleagues, however once getting past that many see that she is a deeply caring individual, often referring to the Gaia Dein group as her family and having a very strong desire to protect them and see the members prosper, even being shown to be very kindly towards those who wish to leave the group.
Biometal Alpha	
A sentient Biometal, Biometal Alpha or just, Alpha is a Biometal and one of the only ones known to exist. Biometal Alpha originally helped Akadi Island grow into the success it's become known as, seemingly possessing knowledge far beyond what the rest of the island knows, the Biometal is regarded by some as a god from NEO while others believe it to be a strange traveller from a distant land.
Due to Alpha's forgetfulness it does not remember where it came from or much history as its memory is significantly limited. Alpha is also shown to be strong-willed, albeit a bit oblivious to the emotions of others, often being goal-orientated and has encouraged the development of the HVRC Project in hopes that one day they may be able to meet other Biometals and understand their purpose in this world.
Titan 	
Little is known about this figure, a simple holographic program exists in the archives on Akadi Island that appears to be a piece of an ancient reploid's programming which became attached to the Archive's computer. The figure is unable to leave the archives but has helped the citizens of Akadi Island in various ways such as finding and dispensing information from the various texts that were found in the archives and collected and created over the centuries.
Titan seems to believe that the isolation brought about by the corrosive ocean may have had a greater purpose and often can be found pondering on what the purpose of the corrosive ocean is and why the people of NEO seeked to separate themselves from one another.
==Locations==
The world of Mega Man ZX Neo is comprised of several large landmasses varying in size. The major locations in the games are the thirteen large landmasses (as well as the reef) while the remaining sixteen form minor locations such as Akadi Island and are generally intended as either secret areas or minor connecting locations.
===Lange'kor Island===
A large island with dense foliage particularly around the centre of the island. Lange'kor Island is home to a group of reploids knwon as the Gelro Tribe who appear similar to merfolk, having fish-like traits to their appearances. The island is covered in ancient ruins which have long been claimed by nature however some of the artifacts found in said ruins are kept by the Gelro Tribe who live deep in the Island's forests near a large plateau.
*Gelro Village
*Stareleon Grove
*Oversurge Plateau
*Reploil Tar Pit
*Lange'kor Zone 1
*Lange'kor Zone 2
*Lange'kor Zone 3
*Lange'kor Zone 4
===Kamatoro Island===
Kamatoro Island is a small volcanic Island in the north, it is inhabited by humans and reploids in Xalana Town. Despite the island's small size, the mountainous terrain allows for a wide and varied disperse life to exist with wild pigs roaming in the jungles around the crest of the mountain and many insects being found throughout.
*Xalana Town
===Garnara Island===
A strange and mysterious island, it appears to be held afloat by structures beneath the ocean and seems to have almost no forms of life on the island itself. The large open ruins have almost no plant life on them and the island itself is even actively avoided by birds causing some to believe it to be a cursed land.
*The Aquarium
*Skydive Plateau
*Firestorm Cove
*Tower of Virtue
*Garnara Zone 1
*Garnara Zone 2
===Cillano Atoll===
The Cillano Atoll is a small area that is comprised of several sandbars that are separated by areas of water, the Atoll itself has a few reploids on it and large birds like Albatrosses are capable of visiting the island from Akadi Island. Some old ruins suggest the island used to be home to a laboratory of some sort.
===Akadi Island===
Akadi Island is the home of Cricket as well as a considerable amount of the main cast of Mega Man ZX Neo. A tropical island with a long beach area extending out to the ocean. The island is mostly comprised of natural grassy environments with a large mountain where the town where the player starts out in is located. Beneath the town are the old Droplet Mines which were used to extract minerals to help build and maintain the town. The island appears to hold some secrets as well given the presence of some old ruins that pre-date the town itself.
*Akadi Town
*Gaia Dein Outpost
*Droplet Mines
*Beneath the Archives
===Peritte Bluff===
Peritte Bluff is a small spit of land located to the West of Akadi Island. The area is frequently bombarded with waves that have caused a large jaw-like hole to form on the side of the landmass. The interior of the cave is rich with crystalline deposits which glisten in the sunlight and moonlight although are in reality solidified corrosive acids which were left to dry out from the ocean. The interior of the cave is home to some extremely advanced biological life which has adapted to the corrosive elements in the ocean however not to the extent of being actually able to live in it yet.
*Craggacid Cavern
===Gaiaspar Island===
A medium-sized island nestled amongst much larger islands. The inhabitants of the island are known as the Seranni a group of humans and reploids who have altered their bodies to give them more serpent-like qualities to help them navigate their island's dense jungle. A small town is located on the coast of the island where the Seranni live although some travel deeper into the island searching for old technology and parts. The island is rich with natural plant-life and has beautiful colours from the various animals, reploids and plants, however many of the natives will warn Cricket of a dangerous fungus that dwells in the lower reaches of the island's jungle which is capable of controlling living organisms of all forms knwon simply as the Munash'rana.
*Kuranna Town
*Munash'rana Chasm
*Gaiaspar Zone
===Momono Ruin===
===Gandekal Island===
===Vhiole Island===
*Lightning Spire
*Catfish's Pond
*Fortress of the Sky
*Salt Statue Beach
*Vhiole Zone 1
*Vhiole Zone 2
===Lhandron Islands===
===Hordorn Archipelago===
===Met Factory===
===Tectrona Island===
*Webbed Woods
*Hailfell Sands
*Necropolis Memory
*Zenith Mines
*Murk-Mire Pit
*Tectrona Zone 1
*Tectrona Zone 2
*Tectrona Zone 3
*Tectrona Zone 4
*Tectrona Zone 5
*Tectrona Zone 6
===Mottrom Bluff===
===Ganeleo Atoll===
===Moramorn Island===
*Temple of Neo
*Galitear Airship
*Crackpeak Glacier
*Gargoyle Forest
*Phobos Peninsula
*Crystalite Ruins
*Shoreden Valley
*Moramorn Zone 1
*Moramorn Zone 2
*Moramorn Zone 3
*Moramorn Zone 4
*Moramorn Zone 5
===Avalane Island===
===Voldavalm Island===
*Magmold Lavafield
*Forlorn Crater
*Voltspire Crest
*Voldavalm Zone 1
*Voldavalm Zone 2
*Voldavalm Zone 3
*Voldavalm Zone 4
*Voldavalm Zone 5
===Tartarus Mountain===
===Ureele Reef===
*Thresher Wreckage
*Torrent Barrier Reef
*Starry Abyss
*Ureele Zone 1
*Ureele Zone 2
*Ureele Zone 3
===Stagleo Island===
*Bamboo Layrinth
*Stagleo Lakebed
*Nuppun Cavern
*Demon Core
*Stonegrit Stalk
*Stagleo Zone 1
*Stagleo Zone 2
*Stagleo Zone 3
*Stagleo Zone 4
===Olympus Volcano===
===Gaddolot Island===
*Gatloneon Fortress
*Gaddolot Zone 1
*Gaddolot Zone 2
*Gaddolot Zone 3
===Nighwey Ruins===
===Galanker Island===
*Parallel Dome
*Bamboo Tower
*Diarmor Falls
*Galanker Zone 1
*Galanker Zone 2
*Galanker Zone 3
*Galanker Zone 4
===Ferronite Caverns===
===Gritarail Island===
*Cragglit Cavern
*Gritarail Zone 1
*Gritarail Zone 2
===The Icewall===
*Abandoned Outpost
*Mont Blizzard
*Aldenwell Chasm
*Shimmering Peak
*Fragment Maze
*Frozen Giant
*The Icewall Zone 1
*The Icewall Zone 2
*The Icewall Zone 3
*The Icewall Zone 4
===Deluleon Island===
*Roaring Wave
*Phased Prarie
*Glyphic Cliffs
*S.S. New Age
*Gravity Labs
*Paragon River Delta
*Deluleon Zone 1
*Deluleon Zone 2
*Deluleon Zone 3
==List of Upgrades==
===Biometals===
Major Biometal 	Location 	Description
Biometal Alpha 	Akadi Island 	The first Biometal in the game, Biometal Alpha serves to allow Cricket to integrate with other Biometals, allowing for the acquisition of the other major Biometals as well as minor Biometals. Biometal Alpha also improves Cricket's general combat abilities over their Reploid Form with superior firing rate for the Mega Buster and the ability to perform an Air Dash.
Biometal Beta 	Tower of Virtue	Biometal Beta allows Cricket to utilize wind based abilities giving them energy-like wings which allow for them to perform a double jump as well as having a generally much larger jumping arc. The Biometal has the fastest firing rate for the Mega Buster although innately reduces damage as a result. Secondary Attacks have Cricket using the Cyclone Boomerang a weapon unique to Biometal Beta which generates a small tornado giving the player a boost to their jump as well as being able to hit enemies twice.
Biometal Delta 	 	
Biometal Theta 	 	
Biometal Lambda	 	
Biometal Rho 	 	
Biometal Psi 	 	
More TBA
==Plot==
TBA
==Enemies==
Throughout Mega Man ZX Neo, the player will come across a wide variety of enemies, varying from one another both in combat capabilities and location. Enemies will typically respawn when defeated after the player leaves the area where they're located in, the exceptions being Mini-Bosses and Bosses, both of which can be re-battled by accessing Data Streams located in their respective rooms.
===Bosses===
Boss 	Location 	Description
Noxious Chrysalis / Noxious Butterfly	Droplet Mines, Akadi Island 	The first boss of the game and an introductory boss, Noxious Chrysalis is a two-phase boss that starts out as an immobile enemy sending out clouds of poisonous gas and shooting spikes from the lower half of its body. Once the boss has lost half its health it transforms into its second form Noxious Butterfly which slowly flies around the arena in a figure eight pattern, periodically landing. It is able to send out the same noxious gas as its first form as well as shoot lasers from its antennae and can generate strong winds to try to blow the player off the platform they're standing on.
Rainbow Thunderbird 	Lightning Spire, Vhiole Island 	TBA
Gigavolt Hyena 	Catfish's Pond, Vhiole Island 	
Mega Man Theta 	Fortress of the Sky, Vhiole Island 	
Starlight Crustacean 	Abandoned Outpost, The Icewall 	
Pyro Timberwolf 	Mont Blizzard, The Icewall 	
Mega Man Rho 	Aldenwell Chasm, The Icewall 	
Whirlpool Otter 	The Aquarium, Garnara Island 	
Atlas Crow 	Skydive Plateau, Garnara Island 	
Maelstrom Albatross 	Firestorm Cove, Garnara Island 	
Mega Man Beta 	Tower of Virtue, Garnara Island 	
Prometheus 	Beneath the Archives, Akadi Island 	
Petrifying Tarantula 	Webbed Woods, Tectrona Island 	
Abyssal Deathstalker 	Hailfell Sands, Tectrona Island 	
Mega Man Delta 	Necropolis Memory, Tectrona Island 	
Esper Dolphin 	Roaring Waves, Deluleon Island 	
Kinetic Hound 	Phased Prarie, Deluleon Island 	
Memorium Parrot 	Glyphic Cliffs, Deluleon Island 	
Mega Man Psi 	S.S. New Age, Deluleon Island 	
Stormhead Sleipnir 	Bamboo Labyrinth, Stagleo Island 	
Coolant Tardigrade 	Stagleo Lakebed, Stagleo Island 	
Deepcore Mole 	Nuppun Cavern, Stagleo Island 	
Mega Man Lambda 	Demon Core, Stagleo Island 	
Pandora 	Temple of Neo, Moramorn Island 	
Copy ZX 	Temple of Neo, Moramorn Island 	
Prometheus & Pandora 	Main Deck, Galitear Airship 	
Pure Model W Core 	Memories of Neo, Ruins of Ouroboros	
==Trivia==
*The idea to scale back the major transformations from ZX Advent was to allow for greater variety for the player and to also not be so limited when it comes to the functionality of each transformation
**It should be noted that unlike Mega Man ZX and ZX Advent, the Biometals are named after letters of the Greek Alphabet
*The game's decision to opt for a more naturalistic set of environments over the more technological ones from the X Series and Zero Series was to contrast with the ever advancing technology and to show how even beyond just Humans and Reploids the line between biological and mechanical life is completely blurred
==Gallery==
WorldMapLabelled.png|Labelled Map of the Locations in Mega Man ZX Neo
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