Johnny vs. The Mega Man Zero Series

[@SomecallmeJohnny]

Neo Arcadia approved: For 21 FREE meals with HelloFresh plus free shipping, use code SCMJ21 at bit.ly/3j00VCA

[@chadthundercock455]

Can we PLEASE get a "SomecallmeJohnny"/"Nostalgia Critic" crossover?

[@Jackattack359]

@@chadthundercock455why?

[@aethersky6493]

Ur my favorite youtuber.

[@kingslayer2999]

POGGERS 😯

[@Alexman47]

The thing is, you have to purchase a subscription to use those 21 free meals...

[@esteban8471]

In Zero's defense, he never showed much interest in his past. Or at the very least, he never let it affect him in the present. Back in X4 when Sigma revealed to him that he was originally a psychopathic Maverick who slaughtered a squad of Hunters, Zero's reaction was "So what?" Who Zero was doesn't matter to him. He only cares about who he is in the here and now.

[@TheKpa11]

You can’t say that in X4, you do remember how he acted after the fight and before Sigma revealed that His gameplay and cutscenes were very detached from one another

[@englishgiraffe2124]

I will generally agree with this, but it doesn't stop me from preferring Zero's cool character in the X games as opposed to his stoicism in his own Series (tho I prefer the stories in the Zero Series more)

[@Sukaiba69]

@@englishgiraffe2124 Well being fair it makes sense, in Z1 he's a slab of concrete until the ending and through the rest of the series he's just pragmatic and straight with his dialogue, which can come off as bland compared to X series more big-brotherly depiction

[@MH_Zard]

@@Sukaiba69 I honestly like his 'blandness' in the series. He still retains his no-nonsense, mission focused attitude. He knows what's important and he doesnt allow emotions to cloud his objective. Zero isnt a thinker/idealist, he's a knight, a war-machine, upholding his friend's ideals the one way he only knows how. He also gets more of his sass as the series progress, notably with interactions with bosses like Cockapetri. Plus, having lost everyone he's known throughtout his slumber, all the battles, amnesia, and his memories likely of many awful incidents, I'd say he's even more numb from everything else at this point.

[@Imfphas20]

Definitely. He was the walking definition of indurate. As a kid he was a character you thought was cool because he'd face every situation without ostensible markers of regret or hesitation although you always knew what he was feeling on the inside during the really tense points.

[@SuperLlama42]

I fucking love Zero 4's story. The first time that humans as a whole show up and are actually important. You'd think that would happen more often, but apparently not.

[@karenamyx2205]

The minute X first stepped into that dr light time capsule and came out with motorcycles for boots, yeah, regular humans kinda left behind for while.

[@grandruby5343]

Just casually dropping the entire Zero series on us? Amazing

[@IronBlaze77]

Right?! I was _not_ prepared for this. I thought they’d be separate videos.

[@thetrophygamer3606]

@@IronBlaze77 he let Patreon members know that was gonna happen.

[@IronBlaze77]

@@thetrophygamer3606 Oh, okay. That makes sense.

[@Josuh]

Surprisingly im sure this has happened at least a couple times with other reviewers for some reason

[@williamrodriguez8957]

They all play roughly the same. The story itself could fit into one game if they weren't GBA games.

[@superbodoque7860]

C'mon Johnny you're not gonna mention that Wily's greatest creation achieved Light's dream of world peace by literally going Maverick at the end of Zero 4? That's just poetically beautiful (and also the fact that he finally understood what he was fighting for)

[@noahmeyer9756]

His younger self's dream too taking Mega Man 11 into account.

[@KuroNoTenno]

I don't think Johnny was that invested in the series.

[@kat_lynx]

He also didn't mention Area Zero is the Eurasia Crash Site, after centuries of pollution it had given real natural life once more (the rest of the planet is either wasteland OR artificial forests) and we still see the colony's ruins in the intro stage, calling back to what was supposed to be the X series' final conclusion. Or calling the OST forgetable while calling Crash I the most memorable theme. It's not even the best of the Crash themes (that's be Crash IV ngl). IDK, I looked forward this review a lot as well, but it felt a bit, ironically given what he said about MMZ4, going by the motions. Like, all 4 games down. The fact it took until the second game to understand the weakness triangle or he wasn't noticing Cyber Elves die when that's the very first thing we're shown in Z1 when Ciel uses Passy to revive Zero makes me wonder if Johnny wanted to do this review, or wanted it done with so the could go back to reviews that enjoy a wider audience. I'm very disappointed about how the OST just got disregarded like that when there's Departure, the one track of MMZ that's constantly remixed by fans, as well as compositions like Esperanto, Prismatic, Holy Land, Ice Brain, Resistance, Mother's Light, Awakening Will/Clover, Cannon Ball, Falling Down... Also, the whole "If you can consistently get A Rank do you need EX Skills" remark is a bit odd. It's like saying "If you constantly get SSS in DMC, do you need to buy upgrades"? It's better to have combo movement options. That's probably the thing, MMZ is more of a 2D DMC than people give it credit for with the combo chains present in the games, probably didn't figure that out during his first time playthrough.

[@MH_Zard]

@@kat_lynx I personally take a lot of these reviews with a grain of salt that 'newcomer perspective' is the focus, which of course is important to have. At the same time, yeah it sucks seeing stuff like the oh so good OST being glossed over. Or the combo system because it isnt exactly taught to you. So much depth that isnt being addressed when there is plenty of resources for it already. Hell, Magnus Zero has a channel for tech, and more people should be told about it. Made me appreciate Z1 so much more. Also, I prefer Crash I over Crash IV.

[@superbodoque7860]

@@MH_Zard fr Crash 1 sounds haunting and overwhelming, sounds like youre actually fighting for your life against a much bigger threat

[@brandontherabboat4850]

Not even gonna lie, Zero’s entire arc, from when he first awakened in the pod Sigma found to his final battle on the falling pieces of Ragnarok, was one of the coolest I’ve ever experienced in my life. He really is a legend.

[@Klonoahedgehog]

A man born just to be a supervillain eventually grows to become a hero in the worlds darkest hour. A simple story but an effective one.

[@Nintendrone42]

My favorite part is how by Zero outlasting X and beating everyone, it's proven that in the end, Dr. Wily was a superior roboticist to Dr. Light. And since Wily obviously didn't intend for Zero to turn good, he accidentally beat Light at his own game of making the world's savior.

[@Josuh]

And then he turns into a rock, funniest shit i've ever seen

[@huynhvuongviet2410]

@@Nintendrone42 I think it's safe to say, the world benefits a lot more when both of their geniuses combined like how Dr Light said it at the end of MM11.

[@marcellosilva9286]

When I was a kid, I used to think that Zero was the coolest mf ever, and now as an adult, not only is he _still_ the coolest mf ever, but I also want him to bone me. So all in all, not much has changed, he's been an inspiration for me throughout my entire life.

[@TheNileNator]

“Forward and back” is now a staple to the SCMJ universe. And I’m all for it

[@toamatoro570]

Something had to fill the void left when he shot the Screw Attack guy.

[@BH-98]

@@toamatoro570 At least the tails doll is still alive

[@JoshuaGuthrie]

Any idea what the background song was? I know I heard it but cannot recall it, it's driving me mad >

[@BH-98]

@@JoshuaGuthrie it’s from Final Fantasy 14, exponential entropy

[@TheNileNator]

@@BH-98 See I was gonna say it was from a final fantasy game, just didn’t know which one

[@Rodolphin]

The whole series?! I was expecting 4 videos. Johnny always delivers the goods.

[@Da_ComputerMonster]

Churn em out like buttah. (Got places to be, got people to see. And something else.)

[@weegee9072]

Well Im for one very apriciated that johnny made the effort

[@niclaswa5408]

I’m more concerned when someone does that, since that means there’s a risk they won’t go as in debt as if the videos where separated.

[@Obscure_man31]

@@niclaswa5408 theese games arent very long

[@esmooth919]

I was expecting six.

[@scottduncan5525]

Full Story 7:36 Zero 1 19:24 Zero 2 27:32 Zero 3 30:34 Zero 4 34:29

[@Sonicfalcon16]

This game series has more story than i thought it did.

[@Sonicfalcon16]

X4 Zero: WHAT AM I FIGHTING FOOOOOR! Megaman Zero 4: I never cared about justic, and I don't recall ever xalling myself a hero...I have always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate...If an enemy appears in from of me, I will destroy it!

[@kaphizmey6229]

thanks for the timestamps, they were very helpful for me when i finally got around to watching this video lol

[@X_Gon_Give_It_To_Ya]

@@Sonicfalcon16 Technically Zero already got his answer for what he was fighting for when he and X defeated Omega the first time during the Elf Wars. Quote from the Megaman Zero Audio Drama Retrospective1 Elf Wars. Zero : "Omega...after fighting against myself I finally understand. Now I know what I've been fighting for until now. Now I know what my hesitation was until now. Now I can finally say it. My power is not meant for destruction. My power...is for protecting the things my friends and I believe in!"

[@NeO_SaNdMaN4040]

A true 🐐

[@rubydragoon720]

Zero Vs Omega with Cannonball blasting in the player's ears will forever be the crowning moment of the Zero Series for me.

[@danielramsey6141]

Hell, there’s an animated Vs Video done by UltimatemaverickX that really Kicks this Battle and Theme Song up to 11! I mean, it’s some seriously good Shit to watch on KZbin!

[@rubydragoon720]

@@danielramsey6141 Yeah I know, thanks.

[@anthonylooyen4855]

The Zero series? The entire franchise!

[@ZeroX7649]

The whole point of Elpizo is that he didn't believe this conflict would resolve peacefully with Ciel's new energy form and wanted to strike while they could. When Copy X is revived in Zero 3, he's proven right as he already deployed armies to wipe out the Resistance as soon as she handed over her research.

[@gamechanger8908]

Yet what Elphizo did was a reckless manuever. They were walking into a meatgrinder, they could of had Zero scout which is what he was best at since the X series. Which made operation righteous strike a disaster.

[@ZeroX7649]

@@gamechanger8908 Yeah, I'm just saying Elpizo deserves more credit. He's pissed off they slaughter most of his soldiers and wants revenge.

[@Mars_over_seer]

While I do agree fixing the energy crisis in the middle of the war wouldn’t create peace, it was Elpizo that escalated the conflict by releasing the Dark Elf, destroying the original X body, and indirectly empower Omega, leading to the loss of a human city on the third game.

[@DarkEinherjar]

Actually, Ciel refused to hand them her research after they blew up an entire city just to get the Dark Elf, though I'm pretty sure Weil and Copy X would've attacked the Resistance even if she did. There was a proposal of peace in the making when Harpuia was in charge of Neo Arcadia, but that went out the window the moment Weil came into the picture. As for Elpizo, IIRC, there was a whole audio (Japan only, of course) on his backstory, explaining how he was caught seeing something he shouldn't have, how he was sentenced to death for what he saw and how he wanted revenge on Neo Arcadia over it.

[@meathir4921]

​@Mars_over_seer By that point Elpizo has been driven insane by the Dark Elf.

[@tsyumamatsuthehavenofguard32]

The fact he managed to do the entire series is a couple of weeks is sincerely impressive

[@ejelecflametails6657]

Maybe not the Battle Network and Star Force games yet Oh the Zero series. Well, it's impressive to see the original timeline being completely done within the year as well

[@acesartgallery9117]

I did it in one week when I was 15. Homeschooling does things to you. Mostly no life

[@abraham3673]

i dunno, they’re pretty short games, every one can be beaten in a single day

[@Sukaiba69]

@@abraham3673 Well yea, assuming you don't give a shit about high ranking Also honestly Megaman games in general are really thin on the meat

[@abraham3673]

@@Sukaiba69 yeah, because they’re designed to have high replayability. not really a bad thing.

[@legendarycryptid2629]

8:22 The German Wily gag never fails to make me laugh.

[@Evilriku13]

but that's a french Wily... you can even see the "fr" initals in the bottom right D:

[@SuperHedgehog910]

17:59 What will most likely be Johnny's best moment this year.

[@easiestcc6451]

This and that multiplayer part of the DK64 video where they try to imitate dk's grunts are tied for the funniest johnny moments for me

[@ripleyandweeds1288]

I will always find Zero's new design in the Zero series so funny. They put him in a skin-tight suit, knee high boots, a crop top, and reploid spandex. Somebody at Capcom's art team found Zero _really_ attractive methinks.

[@davidgn40]

The character designer for the Zero games drew and still draws quite a bit of NSFW material. Very NSFW material.

[@badbeardbill9956]

@@davidgn40ayo?

[@davidgn40]

@@badbeardbill9956 I wasn't exaggerating, he's made some freaky stuff.

[@Alanis1337]

​@@davidgn40 who?

[@davidgn40]

@@Alanis1337 Toru Nakayama He has other aliases that he's done other work under.

[@NewController01]

One thing about the Z Sabre, in the Japanese version, when you slice enemies in half, they actually see blood coming from them. It was edited out in the International release

[@ZeroDeMighty]

I always found it weird how in the beginning cutscene of Zero 1 they kept in the blood splatter of when the resistence soldiers were shot down by the pantheons or the golem's laser..Was it an oversight, or did they have to edit it last minute to keep an E rating? It just doesn't make sense.

[@SilimSavertin]

@@ZeroDeMighty Oversight - iirc, in the European version even that blood splatter got edited out.

[@joseegreg]

I always found it weird that robots had blood, I guess it's some kind of red oil, maybe?

[@ZeroDeMighty]

@@joseegreg Well it could be an aesthetic decision for some reploids to appear more human. there does exist red-dyed cooling fluids, so maybe it's that

[@Cyber0bliterator]

@@joseegreg It could be transmission fluid or some sort of Artificial blood.

[@TTB976]

Shame the music didn't stick much with you, there's so much good tunes in the series. Z2 Departure and Z3 Cannonball have been stuck in my head for years with how badass they are.

[@ignorantfoolartur9242]

I have a feeling that Johnny will like the ZX and ZXA soundtracks more

[@ErebosSpiral]

Honestly the entire OST is massively held back by the cursed GBA soundchip. The Remastered tracks sound way better and the Mythos stuff is downright legendary.

[@TTB976]

@@ErebosSpiral God Mythos Cannonball is just peak.

[@MrMadOfficial]

Everyone I know online who’s played the Zero series praises Z2’s Departure. It’s a great song, but I think I love Z4’s Esperanto just a LITTLE BIT more.

[@atari9477]

Copy X stage, Esperanto, Prismatic and moree

[@Nic5Cyprus]

This was my most anticipated Johnny video believe it or not

[@SergioRodriguez_3659]

Makes two of us. Been waiting for this since the X marathon

[@habibahmed9389]

3 here, been waiting for the zero series review for ages

[@megamanzero29]

Same here I’ve been waiting for this since the X series

[@afroblaziken4562]

Same

[@Bankai2169]

This was 2nd for me behind the DKC marathon

[@Onanastic]

Why tf are Johnny’s videos always so cozy? Had a rough last couple days and this is really helping

[@corbeliousfudge3100]

Never clicked so fast, can't wait to see what Johnny thinks of this series about a robot that just won't stay dead

[@taecampus]

It's not that he won't stay dead, he just seems to hide himself to repair himself essentially 😄

[@Josuh]

Even when he finally died they turned him into a floating rock that will sacrifice itself at the first opportunity

[@lucinavonnolaran8728]

@@Josuh you and the joke miss each other dearly. I hope the two of you reunite.

[@corbeliousfudge3100]

@@Josuh "WHAT AM I FIGHTING FOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRR"

[@kat_lynx]

@@taecampus I know that's the meme, but unironically the Japanese voiceover says "You're asking me how I came back when you took the same beating, and yet you stand before me?" i.e. "I don't know", and then he asks Dr. Light if he knew who saved him. The implication being that it was Isoc of course since he's Dr. Wily, but alas.

[@sussy3778]

The design changes were actually canon and not an art-style only thing, it was supposed to represent how Reploids are advancing and becoming almost indistinguishable from humans which will eventually lead to the Legends series, in X8 you can see that X and Zero already got their bodies updated with a more sleek design that eventually would evolve into what we see in the Zero series.

[@Sukaiba69]

Well that would make sense but then ZX designs are almost like little kids cosplaying Zero and the Guardians, they become nearly as bulky as in the X series

[@sussy3778]

@@Sukaiba69 To be fair, they are being used as armor.

[@GameboyFanatic]

@@Sukaiba69 You know that the Reploids in ZX are literally undistinguishable from humans aside from the forehead gem marking right

[@rokia360]

"I never cared about justice, and I don't recall ever calling myself a hero...I have always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate...If an enemy appears in front of me, I will destroy it!" Zero finally have his answer to his question in X4.

[@seakladoom]

It’s kinda weird to say, but my favorite story of the 4 is still 1. Not from like, events, because like you said nothing really happens, but I just fucking love the melancholic vibes of the entire game. I love that nobody even knows if this is the “real” Zero, I love that you can canonically get your ass beat and fail missions in Zero 1 (without just being told “ahh try again, youll get em next time”), I love how quiet and muted the soundtrack is, and above all else, I fucking love Ciel in the intro. She doesn’t know for certain if Zero is the original, but she doesn’t care. Zero’s one act of heroic kindness is enough to make her believe in him. It’s a really great moment that shows that she’s quick to see the best in people (even when it works against her like with Elpizo and even Copy X to an extent). It’s just a very solemn game that kicks off the series with this huge contrast to the X series. Things are so fucked in the Zero series that fucking X, the one person who above all else you know is a pacifist, looks at Copy X and says “Fucking kill this guy. Make it fucking personal.” It’s a genuinely amazing kickstart to the series that really doesn’t get expanded upon in the following games, which is kind of a shame. Truthfully, I’m actually a bit miffed that we get an objective answer to “is Zero the real thing” in 3. I think the game would’ve been stronger if it remained a mystery throughout, especially since Zero doesn’t really act at all like his X-era self. It would be a great setup for it to remain ambiguous, since the plot of ZX/ZXA is that basically anyone (who can get their hands on the ROCK/MEGA system) can basically be as much of a hero as Zero was.

[@Imfphas20]

1 has excellent atmosphere. As a kid having played a mix of old MM games and jumping straight to MZ1, I could immediately and thoroughly tell the world had gone to heck. Everything was wreckage, the base was barley stringed together and every mission was small in scope and told of an organization barely able to operate. Everything felt as you described, which is a rare atmosphere in the entire franchise.

[@HydraBread]

I think X7/X8 Zero have the same personality, he stops giving the smile and thumbs up after Iris dies so he has been becoming more stoic throughout the series as sad stuff happens to him

[@MrMeowMeowSaysPurr]

@@HydraBread X7 Zero is 1 to 1 like Zero z. But X8 Zero had his old school personality. My favorite line from Zero was, "don't you ever get tired of being Sigma''s lap dog?"

[@2010ngojo]

The first game is very replay-able. When you realize you still continue after failing a mission and see the consequences, make you want to try again. And then more routes and areas are opened when you do complete the mission. Also the game is almost free roam, not just some stages like the more classic style megaman games.

[@MrMeowMeowSaysPurr]

@@2010ngojo The stages are not free roam at all. It's basically just like MM&Bass in terms of stage progression. And the fact that failing a mission means you lose out on potentially important items like the elemental chips is just stupid. It makes the player not wanna continue on the game without resetting. It's very annoying to replay and recommend.

[@jay4gamers1]

37:19 Forever loving this moment.

[@BonkBro]

Johnny you have no idea how special this is to me. I've started watching you since I was 10 at the start of the Mega Man X Marathon from beginning to end. Ive waited ages for this and I'm happy its here. I'm 15 now and happy as ever to watch this after years and what feels like memories worth for waiting!

[@datamanmachine]

Jeeeez i was 15 in '97 :) But you are on the right path. Megaman is the thing we both grow up on! ;)

[@jesusa.adorno6933]

Yo that’s cool. I remember being like in 6th grade when I was 12 watching Johnny’s Classic Mega Man reviews. I think when the Mega Man X reviews came, I was 16. Now I’m at college, weird how time flies. Mega Man is one of my favorite franchises and I’m happy that you’re sharing your stories now.

[@arcturus1231]

It's always a little strange to me that so many people interpret the ending as being ambiguous when it shows you what is essentially Zeros corpse Like, you see his Spine, a pile of chips and his helmet. Seems about as straight as you can be with Zero being burnt up on reentry

[@Imfphas20]

I think a lot of people just had a mixture of hope and denial back then. For a kid it was a shock that the unwavering hero who you felt could do anything was ever in jeapordy of dying himself. It was really rare for franchises to do around that time and it was a pretty big deal, many kids like me at the time couldn't fully accept it. I remember people spreading rumors around using screenshots of a Japanese fancomic where Elpizo came back and as a cyberelf healed Zero.

[@HydraBread]

Yeah, and ZX is supposed to confirm that ofc as Ciel made his remains a biometal :P

[@kirbyofthestarsfan]

@@Imfphas20 It's also cause of the fact Zero had died twice in the series, so those familiar with X didn't buy it Still a beautiful death tho, the song Freesia just warms my heart so badly

[@princessc.j.6192]

Lmfao I was hoping to see this comment , yes back then I believed he could survive to, until I was told he can't survive the re entry from out space, then I realized he's dead and I'm not gonna lie a I cried a bit

[@nabilsalha1941]

@@kirbyofthestarsfan me too i need to finish them ;-;

[@linuxrobotgeek]

The ending of Zero 4 did make me cry because of the music and everything he went through. It was like an end of an era.

[@joegreen3802]

Kind of was. With both X and Zero gone, the legacy of Light and Wily finally ends.

[@bet0v966]

@@joegreen3802 End? Don’t the essence of X, Zero, & the Guardians get turned into the biometals

[@joegreen3802]

@@bet0v966 eh, kind of not really. I think it’s more of Ciel just made them with their data rather than turning them into Biometal. And even then, I don’t really count them as the actual X and Zero personally.

[@bet0v966]

@@joegreen3802 Oh snap you right it was Ciel. Forgot it was her who used Zero, X , & the guardians data to make em. It’s been so long since played the 2 ZX games. You right it’s not technically them, the biometals just have their personalities

[@joegreen3802]

@@bet0v966 There is a hinting at the end of Advent that Model Z might have the soul of Zero inside him, but it could also just be that Ciel programmed it to act like Zero. It wouldn't surprise me if Model Z was the first one she made.

[@MasterArchfiend]

Absolutely love that so many people jumped on supporting him on the highest tier.

[@rezonace8628]

When it comes to the Mega Man series, Zero is my favorite story-wise, especially since it has a lot of subtle callbacks in its story. Plus, the question that Zero asked in X4 is finally answered...he knows what he's fighting for now.

[@gamechanger8908]

In the audio drama, he technically learned what he was fighting for since the Elf Wars. But forgot then remembered it in his last moments.

[@rezonace8628]

@@gamechanger8908 Still counts.

[@megasoniczxx]

The cool thing about satellite elves is that using them that way doesn't take away from your end of stage total. This I feel was a really good change since if you rank run these games it was essentially a mechanic that you just never touch.

[@thecommenter6773]

One thing to note about the EX skills is that they aren't intended to be used as regular copy abilities like in classic and X, but as extensions of Zero's moveset. Because every attack you can do has a 'level'. For example, the first saber slash and the charge slash is level 1, the second slash is level 2, and the third slash is level 3. And when an enemy gets hit, if you attack them with something with a higher level than what they got hit with before, that attack will ignore invincibility frames. For example: If you go charge slash -> the triple saber combo. The first saber slash won't do any damage since it has the same level as the charge slash, but the second and third slashes will. So the idea is to further chain attacks with the EX skills and do more damage and kill the bosses faster, which is really satisfying to do, to do the point where going back to charge spam is kinda hard. Although, it still is a perfectly valid way to play. The same system exists in the ZX series, albeit, returning weapons may not all have the same values as the zero series. And yes, neither series ever explains this mechanic at all, so I don't blame anyone for not realizing it exists. Anyway, anyone who's interested should watch Magnus Zero's tech guide on the Zero series.

[@lochnloaded6905]

Sunday and a Johnny video is always a good day.

[@z3Carlos]

If he tackles Zero 3 again in the future i hope he researches or at least learns about the combo system in the game

[@Villain_of_Overhype]

Honestly surprised Johnny didn’t vibe with the soundtracks as much. I’d argue Z2 and Z3 have some of the best music in the entire franchise. Ice Brain, Power Bom, High-Speed Lift, Hell’s Gate Open, and Cannonball are some of my favorites.

[@KomotoRaynar]

Departure, the version that plays in the Zero 2 opening stage, is one of my favorites. It's both motivational and haunting and it sticks with me to this day.

[@demi-fiendoftime3825]

Cannonball, Straight Ahead, Departure and mother fucking FALLING DOWN how can those not be memorable to him!!!!

[@ignorantfoolartur9242]

Zero 4's OST is no slouch either, but I think it's held back by the GBA sound limitations the most out of the 4 games. Straight Ahead, Holy Land, Esperanto, Max Heat, Nothing Beats, Falling Down, and Freesia are my favorites from this game

[@MrMadOfficial]

Don’t forget Z3’s Break Out, Trail On Powdery Snow, Scrapped Beat, and Judgement Day. All bangers, too.

[@HOP8123]

Most people dont know about the ost replacement mods so they wont be able to enjoy them to their fullest. They shouldve added the remastered tracks in the rereleases.

[@shelbybayer200]

Fun Fact: The VA that did all of Ciel's Little voice Sound bites Is Rie Tanaka The VA of Neptune/Purple Heart from HyperDimension Neptunia Fun Fact 2: The Japanese Only Audio Drama, Elpizo is revealed to have gotten his name from a Neo Arcadian project called wait for it............................. Project: Elpis

[@TheKpa11]

Narrative wise, seeing the change in the resistance base between 1 and 2 was rather satisfying to me. Going from the struggle in the first game for resources to a more sleeker base was nice development to see The old man reploid was a wholesome touch too and the anniversary collection adding in those flavor design options for the base in Zero 3 was amazing to me Snowy weather, cats everywhere, kid drawings, the wooden elevator design, made the base pop more, made me care about it and it felt a bit more full (Though the multiple rooms were stupid, waste of time going in and out for small flavor)

[@Imfphas20]

It was thematically accompanied with a change is mission objectives and structure, too. You felt like (and actually were) really going on the offensive for the first time. Epizod requests were also focused around tying up loose ends to make things easier for his own forces which were already prepping for a serious offensive against a leaderless Neoarcadia

[@alicevioleta3184]

tbf those additions in 2 and 3 were in the gba versions with an e reader

[@TheKpa11]

@@alicevioleta3184 That’s pretty cool to see take effect I’ll admit.

[@gericross]

The final battle in Zero 3 still gives me goosebumps after all these years

[@SolFloral]

25:15 I couldn't help but pause and appreciate one of the most genuine laughs I've heard from Johnny in a video like this. I agree with everything that was said in the video, honestly I just love Mega Man Zero and I love Johnny+his content. But that laugh was the purest laugh I've heard escape Johnny, resident best man kind of laugh. It was wholesome even.

[@GuyThatLikesYohane]

Fun fact originally in the first game copy X was supposed to be the real X which was supposed to tie into X’s ending in X4 it was only until the last few weeks in development they decided to make it not the real X.

[@jouheikisaragi6075]

Which I honestly prefer. Copy X being this X wannabe who doesn't understand who X is further makes me sorta like X, whining and all. Cause all that whining does show that he *cares* unlike Copy X who is a self righteous brat

[@Rodolphin]

It goes against X’s character being the main villain. Honestly if X4 wanted a Maverick X, it should’ve been on X5 and Zero’s reason of fighting X. The Sigma virus slowly corrupting X and Zero being immune, stops his best friend instead of “Zero you need to go back to the base.” Zero: “No lol” *Fight starts*

[@jouheikisaragi6075]

@@Rodolphin yeah. X5 was written very stupidly

[@agreedboarart3188]

@@jouheikisaragi6075 X5 was pretty terrible overall.

[@GuyThatLikesYohane]

@@Rodolphin i think it wouldve been cool if that happened if u picked zero and they had the x4 route of X and zero being two separate campaigns

[@RyuseiiTheCrimsonKing]

Not liking Esperanto, Departure, Falling Down, or Cannonball? That's a cardinal sin for not liking MMZ music.

[@spasticswitcheroo9004]

Man, this was a major nostalgia trip. I played the HELL out of the mega man zero series as a 9 year old. Never watched any of your videos before, but you covered it very well! Excellent video.

[@exeC758]

Johnny's face at 3:48... his mere facial expression alone had me almost dead.

[@squangleproductions1382]

The legend has returned! I jumped on that Patreon the second I saw it was opened! I’m glad the support has been so wonderful, and it’s all well deserved, good sir!

[@freshlybakedfeline]

At your point on that one Mega Man Zero 4 song: absolutely give the Official Remastered Tracks a listen! For Zero 4 specifically it does the songs so much justice and helps make it one of the best soundtracks in the whole series for me. Shit's awesome.

[@victorhugocosta1127]

The abundance of fan covers show how beautiful these games' OST's were. The gba really sold the tracks short.

[@crudalicious]

25:14 i did NOT expect a gif like this in a somecallmejohnny video

[@barrybend7189]

About Zero it was stated by the developers that Omega is the original body that was upgraded during the Elf wars. So Zero is in the copy of that body.

[@Mister100Percent]

The entire series in one video!? Johnny be feeding us today! Also holy shit that thumbnail is so fucking amazing. Gotta love the upgrades in productions over the years.

[@BenOlsberg1995]

I was losing it during the "drunken guitar" bit. And yeah you know what? The guitar in that particular stage does certainly sound like it's had a few too many. But if we're talking music standouts I think Cannonball (Omega's theme during the second phase of the final boss in Zero 3) beats out all other tracks in the entirety of the Zero series. It's such an exquisitely adrenaline infused boss theme and so appropriate for the context of that particular final battle. Man it's always great to see Johnny doing another Megaman video. Glad you had fun with the Zero series man. Looking forward to what you've got on the way this year.

[@LordlyWeeb]

Ciel looks the way she does because of the art style, the artist just liked drawing eyes that way. She is indeed the age the series says she is.

[@kellenwong1321]

SomecallmeJohnny finally covering MegaMan Zero and uploading it on Lunar New Year has made me really happy.

[@TotallyCluelessGamer]

Zero as a series is probably the subset of Mega Man that grows on players the most with experience. Going from barelt squeaking by with F-D Ranks to managing to clear whole stages while grabbing everything you want from them with an A-S Rank feels so satisfying(especially in Zero 3 with the selection of EX-Skills and how the combo system works). It feels like the sky is the limit and if you watch some people playing you can really see that(I'd recommend Magnus Zero).

[@saxxy318]

So I just want to add there are four CD audio tracks only releases in Japan called the Rockman Zero Remastered Tracks. They are fantastic rock tracks and they have side stories that expand the lore of the Zero universe. Definitely worth looking into.

[@draculactica]

To be perfectly honest, I think zero in the desert wandering with his cloak (then whipping it off) at the beginning of mmz2 is the coolest shit I've ever seen.

[@gamer_thinks]

Thank you so much for looking after this underrated masterpiece! You have no idea how much I needed this kind of support.

[@Evan.13239]

Well this was a hell of a nostalgia trip for me. I was introduced to the Mega Man franchise as a whole by Clement's let's play videos on the Zero series. I still read Zero's dialogue in the lower gruff voice that Clement's read them in.

[@jgonzalez210]

There's an amazing video called Zero vs Omega Zero Decisive Battle that's over a decade old but showcases how epic this series felt.

[@TheKpa11]

The Phoenix is the only boss I think to actually change in tone the more you damage him Goes from a stolid “Muda” and ups his tone and seriousness as you take his health down, it was nice to hear

[@LarryButz]

The Cyber Elves that force your rank to A are the best ways to earn EX skills with no penalty. You only have a small amount of em so you can’t earn all EX skills, but it’s enough to give you some freebies.

[@Boostguardian1127]

This is my favorite megaman series out of them all. I love the tone, the story, the characters, and the gameplay is the most refined version of the X games in my opinion. I was so pleased to see you finally cover them. I hope you enjoy the ZX games

[@risel56]

Given Johnny's storied history with Slicers in the Sonic franchise, I was expecting him to have a stronger reaction to the mantis boss in Z3.

[@demi-fiendoftime3825]

Yeah as he's basically super slicer

[@MaxusFox23]

Here you have some fun behind-the-scenes of this series: - As you might've heard, the original X was meant to be the final boss of MMZ1, with supervisor Yoshihisa Tsuda saying Inafune's literal response to that being: "Sure, why not?". However, Capcom caught wind of that plan and made the devs change it to not tarnish X's heroic image in the eyes of kids... *a mere month before the game went gold!* Cue the quick "Ciel was a prodigy among many genetically engineered babies with enhanced intelligence in order to assist with Reploid R&D, having made a copy of X at 5/6/9 (depending on the source)" rewrite. - Ciel was originally meant to have the role of summoner with the Cyber Elves. *Yep, she was gonna be present in the battlefield as your support,* but was later dropped. - At one point in MMZ1, Ciel was gonna be kidnapped during the base raid, with the Rainbow Devil boss posing as her (Concept art named the Rainbow Devil as "Fake Ciel" initially) while intentionally making your missions take wrong turns. *Hell, Fake Ciel was gonna go as far as to NOT LET YOU SAVE YOUR GAME.* Luckily, the devs realized that was just too cruel on the player. - When asked for a 4th game, the devs originally wanted to make a MMZ1.5, showing Zero's restless battle against the pursuing forces of Neo Arcadia (he was on the run an entire year after all). It would serve to explain why he lost half of his weapons and all Cyber Elves. Which is... a bit weak for a premise imo. Good thing they dropped it in favor of MMZ4. - MMZ4 was gonna feature the remaining Guardians helping with the evacuations from Weil's regime and even assisting in your missions, but it fell through. To explain their absence, they were officially confirmed dead having shielded Zero from Omega's explosion. - MMZ4's final boss lasts 2 mins thanks to Shinichi Itakura (one of the composers). The reason? "I wanted everyone to listen to this song about twice in the final battle." The original sound demo IS a little bit over a minute after all. - Rockman X Dive gave us a little truth behind Zero's copy body: For a long while, everyone believed Ciel's ancestor made it... but nope. *It was, in fact, none other than Dr. Weil.* Yep, he made that body originally for Omega, but ultimately favored Zero's original body because of its power output. Oh, the sweet, sweet irony of being killed by your own creation now, amirite?

[@elijahbruno2814]

Which scene in Zero 4 discusses the Guardian's death?

[@MaxusFox23]

@@elijahbruno2814 They don't, it was revealed in an interview.

[@elijahbruno2814]

@@MaxusFox23 Ahh I see. I actually really want to read it do you know where it is?

[@MaxusFox23]

@@elijahbruno2814 in the Megaman Zero Official Complete Works artbook.

[@elijahbruno2814]

@@MaxusFox23 Thanks

[@BugsyFoga]

Johnny making his first review a complete retrospective on the mega man zero series is definitely a very pleasant surprise.

[@ya-kiri794]

I was looking forward to this, the Zero series holds a special place in my heart. The first game hasn't aged well but it only got better with each game (3 and 4 are my favs). I love the story and the artstyle. Also, the combat and smooth and speedy gameplay complemented by the fluid sprites is so satisfying. Also, there is a theory that reploids update their bodies (like newer phone models getting slimmer as time goes on and/or upgrading a car or PC) overtime and that is why Omega is called Zero's original body despite looking different; Zero's body been changed and upgraded before like in X2 and so did Classic MM in 11.

[@ASkeleton]

That pogo jump with the tonfas looks rad and fun. They should've capitalized more on that.

[@davidgn40]

High-level Zero players take advantage of it in a lot of creative ways.

[@imdone439]

Megaman zero is my favorite series in the Megaman franchise. So seeing Johnny doing a video about it is a lovely suprise.

[@Bazoinkerz]

Unrelated to the video, but that thumbnail art is absolutely godlike! Shoutout to the artist!

[@robkuro8564]

Even to this day, the Zero series were some the most toughest and challenging games in the MegaMsn series. But I had a blast with all 4 overall

[@chesspunk489]

The Zero games aren't that difficult if you ignore the ranking system.

[@robkuro8564]

@@chesspunk489 yeah, I was hard on getting A-S rank on all stages lol.

[@chesspunk489]

@@robkuro8564 I bet it was hard. That's why I never bothered with any of that just like Johnny. I still think the classic megaman games are the most difficult.

[@VicHD]

16:28 Say what you want about Ciel, she's still adorable!

[@GuyThatLikesYohane]

Ngl as much as I love the mega man zero series I still feel like it was such a missed opportunity having the main villian not be dr wily. Like in the Japanese versions of x2 and x6 it’s hinted he’s still alive zeros final fight being against the man who created him would have been amazing.

[@train4292]

I think they might’ve kept that too the X series. Dr.Light’s hologram is nowhere to be seen after the X series, so the same could probably be assumed for Wily somehow.

[@northwindkey]

*Puts on nerd glasses* Akshully, by the time of the Zero series, Wily was either good, or dead. Wily does exist in the future, as a future version of Rock knew a Wily who found redemption. That future Rock was kidnapped by evil Wily from the past to become Quint in the Classic Era. This not only means Rock actually lived through the X series, but was not killed by Zero as many people think. He lived long enough to see the creation of Biomedals at least, as Model lowercase a is Rock's consciousness. *Takes off nerd glasses* Or you could go with the fan theory that Weil is Wily. That actually would've made perfect sense too.

[@FATtulk123gaming]

Cheers for the shoutout dude, keep on doing what you're doing! Videos like these help restore some much needed sanity in the chaos that is life 😁💛🧀

[@yoster39]

Zero 4 really perfected hard mode, it forces you to play in a more intresting way with the knuckle

[@AngryLittleAmericansCartoons]

I've been a fan of SomecallmeJohnny for over 10 years now and I just love all the hardwork he has done to get to where he is. Thank you for all the reviews Johnny and hope to see more from you in the future

[@Dra9ondemon]

Lmao, he basically skips over the ENTIRETY of Z4 in the story synopsis.

[@nekkomanshi]

Alot felt rolled over trying to fit all the games in one video. Certainly felt like a weak video altogether.

[@aformerchannelwhomoved]

I’d like to point out the discrepancy with Omega having the original body. It’s been explained in a video made by Reploid REVO (check him out, he’s p cool.) But the theory goes that, Omega’s body is indeed the original Zero’s, and that it isn’t *just* an art style change. You could see this in the X games too. If you compare X and Zero from X1 to X8; they’ve started to streamline and slim down. Not to mention, one of the Zero Mavericks uses projections of Vile and the Colonel who still utilize their designs from the X-series, and weren’t refit to better match the style of Zero. Biggest takeaway is that, Omega is in the original Zero body, but when that switch was made, Zero (and the others) had already changed their designs and armor to better fit with the times, at that time.

[@Pokechao]

On the topic of Zero being more stoic, I feel it makes sense here, because Zero at this point has already been through so much shit, he's been around for hundreds of years, he's basically an experienced old man in a reploid body.

[@victorhugocosta1127]

I suppose Johnny's point is that there's little to no instrospection on Zero's part, so we aren't really shown what's behind that stoic exterior. It feels a bit one note, specially given the amount of traumatic things that happens throughout these games (i.e. real X's death in 3, him being a copied body, Weil's destruction, his relationship with Ciel and the resistance, etc).

[@heyitsyaboi8419]

@@victorhugocosta1127I feel like Zero’s never been one for introspection though, that’s always been X’s thing. Zero is direct, determined, and no-nonsense. There are rare moments throughout the games when we see him question himself (what am I fighting for) but part of his development throughout the X series is becoming more hardened and stoic over time, a trait that the Zero series seeks to rectify through his adventures with the Resistance. The beauty of Zero in the Zero series is in the subtext in my opinion. He still possesses the core of his personality in the first two Zero games, but something feels like it’s missing, which feels intentional given his memory loss. As the series progresses he starts to act more in line with his X series personality, culminating in Zero 4 which is pretty much exactly the Zero people remember. From the dialogue in Zero 3 it definitely looks like he had some doubts about his identity as the “real” Zero, which is backed up by when he asks Ciel how she knows that he’s really the Zero from the legends. Him overcoming those doubts and finally acting completely like his X series self in Zero 4 is satisfying to see in my eyes.

[@KaitouKaiju]

Omega being Zero's original body makes more sense when you remember that Copy X was supposed to be the actual X turned evil

[@didistone8482]

Departure is one of the best tracks in the franchise, and you felt nothing? OK I guess

[@ldsantiago]

Your cut at 7:32 was great! Going from showing us gameplay, to showing us the almost exact cut of the gameplay in your hand… was great editing!

[@pixelgoat7317]

18:00 (Screams drunkenly) "FREEEEBIIIIRD!!"

[@jerppursh7570]

For the EX Skills, if you can keep the rank, the EX Skills are very helpful because they make it easier to keep up the pace. You can just kinda snowball with them, especially in zero 3

[@Shadgeta]

Another note about the DS collection is it has easy scenario(i don't remember the full name) but it allows u to play through zero 1-4 in 1 play through removing the grind needed for elfs and weapons. It is easy mode as u start with max hp(not a huge deal to me), all cyber elfs(max elf level in 4(instead of elfs u find records and art to view so it still wants u to explore)), and all the forms in 3 but overall I recommend that if u r first getting into the zero series. Then after u r ready hop into the games stand alone if u want to taste the original games grind and all

[@wesleybcrowen]

Mega Man Zero is my favorite subseries of that franchise. It has fun and blazing fast energetic gameplay that tickles my aggressive fancy (despite some.. questionable design in some entries) but it also has a much more intricate and engrossing plot that holds up even now to me, a thousand tiers above Mad Scientist being mad again and Neo-Darwinist robot being sneaky once again. I love MMZ and can't stop revisiting it alongside X.

[@amphicyon4359]

So happy to see the Patreon getting tons of support. This man Johnny is more than deserving of it!

[@TheDarkAngel969]

In the case of Omega being in Zero's original body, at least from my memory, the character designer for the zero series stated despite the change in style, it was supposed to be his original body. Plus for X's body before elpizo destroyed it, it was the same design as Zero's and the four guardians

[@victorhugocosta1127]

Yeah, I get Johnny's point, but bringing the old X designs wouldn't make any sense, given the world building (which these games are surprisingly consistent about). It's an artstyle switch that doesn't have anything to do with the actual narrative.

[@SuperSonicMaster17]

20:46 Didn't think he'd bring that back

[@theimpersonator7086]

The Recoil Rod is pretty good with EX skills, especially once you get how to combo bosses in Zero 3. Glad you enjoyed Zero 3, one of the best Megaman games around imo.

[@victorhugocosta1127]

The Zero games have some combo depth that I'm not sure Johnny quite grasped yet (specially in Zero 3). Would be cool to see him speedrun them on future livestreams with a bit more information over these obscure aspects of the games

[@niclaswa5408]

“I won’t review the classic Game Boy games. One day, but not now” -SomeCallMeJohnny 2011 I’m still waiting, John

[@mac9365]

2 things you should have mentioned, 1: The art for this series is arguably the best art Capcom has ever made, it vibes with me SO much! 2: You didn't mention the Final Boss for Z4, and it's killer boss theme "Falling Down". That song alone is what sparked my interest in the series to begin with and anyone reading this should give a listen to the arranged version you can find on KZbin.

[@Saxdude26]

3. Easy Scenario Mode in the DS Collection as a means to mitigate the grinding. With how frequently the weapon levelling system came up, I was surprised it was never mentioned.

[@sirwolfy9372]

0:40 Jhonny... you're showing youre Scott here

[@TheFirehands150]

The Zero series, the pinnacle of Mega man series' story writing.

[@Game_Hero]

Star Force is not far behind, is it?

[@RyukoFanBoy]

This video was amazing, always love hearing you talk about MegaMan, also yeah that Ragnarok song straight up sounds like if you got Thor drunk, gave him a guitar and asked him to play something

[@mruchiha0209]

Damn he did a full video for every one. Good shit Johnny

[@blizzardforonline1954]

18:05 Johnny: -or, at least, the guitar sounds drunk. Me: *dying from laughing while the music plays*

[@ChaosMissile]

NGL; not your best video imo. Case in point 18:06 >Talks about how bad the music is. >Does not realise you're hearing this kind of music on THE EQUIVALENT OF A SNES SOUNDCHIP. Basically imagine hearing this kind of quality on the NES or even the SNES. Hint: you dont. Also, not using Cyber Elf isnt 'challenge mode'. Its how you're expected to play it. Megaman games are meant to be tough but fair. There's a reason why the collections that include the difficulty not penalizing you for it is called 'Casual'' Mode.

[@ignorantfoolartur9242]

Inti Creates at least had the balls to keep Zero dead in this series. I do feel bad for Ciel

[@marcellosilva9286]

You really should've tried the EX Skills in Zero 3, Johnny, that's when they were at their best and did the most amounts of damage, without having janky hitboxes (Zero 2) or forced elemental affinities (Zero 4). Zero 3 also did so much in order to make it easier for you to get better ranks, like the introduction of Satellite Elves, and yet you didn't get the hint.

[@HyperShadic100]

So something interesting that is expanded upon in the supplementary materials. That's not his Z-buster. That's the same piddly little gun that the resistance soldiers had, except made awesome by Zero touching it.

[@PH96Official]

"It's January" part of the broke me I don't know why 😂 Whoever's name is "free f***s for v-bucks" brilliant name.

[@joaquinparedes899]

i do have to defend the zero body being the same, there is a video on youtube that it explains why it isnt different, it is zero's original body, but its different due to the changes in technology, from being bulky and "outdated" to slimmer and more advanced, just because it is "original" doesnt mean it has to be the old one, upgrades and changes are a thing in the game, its shown as well from megaman x to megaman x8 how everyone is slimmer and less bulky and they have better movement in general

[@rodolforodriguez4447]

Somecallmejohnny:Who knows I might even tackle on the legends series. Me: Your going to be very disappointed,man.

[@akiradkcn]

Three games he says.... So, how do we tell him

[@rodolforodriguez4447]

By saying John, There is no legends 3