I want to preface this with: I absolutely had a blast playing this. I don't think you need me to repeat all of the great stuff about this. So I'm going to leave you with my thoughts as I was going through my playthrough on stream today.
- Default binding of Dash to "B" on X-Box controllers, Left and Right bumpers for switching weapons, and Y for the secondary fire function.
- Higher volume song in the title screen menu for Music Volume comparison, because it doesn't accurately represent the in-game volume. In game, the difference between 6 bars and 7 feels HUGE.
- The text explaining the level shouldn't appear after you've read it once. Being able to skip it is nice, but shouldn't be necessary.
- Chips for the arm upgrade capsule (in Squirrel) costs 15, but the text for it said it was taking 20 from me.
- Make it so you can adjust sensitivity on the right analog stick weapon ring or disable it altogether. I was constantly bumping it and having it change weapons on me by playing with "claw position" (the way the original MMX forced you to by default). If I were playing on keyboard, this wouldn't even be a problem, and it shouldn't be on controller.
- Make it clear that you can hit the weapon swap buttons in the menu to get to Settings (or just put it on another button entirely, like Select). I was originally pissed that I had to leave the stage to adjust music volume, only to find out that I didn't have to later.
- In the flying squirrel stage, if you dash underneath the fans that hurt you and the dash finishes while you're under the fan, you stand up and get hit. That's *really* annoying.
- Nothing should ever obscure the HP bar, like clouds or fog, or the player. The enemy's HP bar shouldn't disappear mid fight either. It's just confusing to the player.
- X's collision box seems slightly different from where it should be. For example, I was able to buy the punch upgrade and use it to get to the heart in the same stage. But when I tried to get up there a second time (after dying and having to redo the stage), I spent probably 5-6 minutes getting *just barely too far away* and not able to get the jump again before I just gave up and went through the lower half of the stage again. It should be easier to achieve this jump and feel like an accomplishment to the player for having gotten the upgrade.
- Script needs to be read through very thoroughly by a proofreader. Part of the dialogue before the squirrel boss has "Maybe not. But giving up on hope is what leads to this." as X's response twice in a row. Several times "Reploid" and "Maverick" were not capitalized. There were many small mistakes throughout.
- If you're underneath and very close to a block above your head, you aren't able to do the punch upward. Feels like a bug.
- The "You Win!" after a boss theme that plays feels too long.
- The squirrel stage's chips felt like they were really well hidden for the most part. The other stages mostly felt like they were in the player's path.
- Arson's stage feels like it needs more checkpoints or less difficult obstacles after the "walls are coming to get you" part starts. Too many lavas, wall spikes and things that seem like they're out to kill you in this level.
- When you get the double jump capsule, the example double jump the game does for you goes through the roof, but the player cannot. Probably a bug.
- Did the Raccoon ever shoot electricity at me? Why was his weapon electric?
- Satellite stage's theme seems like it's almost ripping of "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran. Is it just in the same key? Same chord progression, maybe? I might be crazy.
- Not only are the subtanks REALLY hard to find, but I can't fill them up if I'm never at full health. Everything does TONS of damage until you get the proper armor upgrade.
- Oh, and the Sub Tanks don't fill up the full HP bar? C'mon!
- Desert level. LOVE the snake robot design, but it feels like it's almost wasted and should've been a sub-boss.
- Speaking of sub-bosses. Why have the X3 Bit/Byte doors if you're not going to have sub-bosses? Are you hiding loading here? Because if not, it feels pointless to have them.
- If you select a weapon in the menu and hit start to leave the menu, it should be equipped but is not.
- Some of the upgrades should've been easier to find. Like in the ice stage, I don't think most players will think of the way you get the first upgrade there.
- And it should be made clearer to the player the method to get the secret weapon. I figured out there would be one, and even found the spot where it would spawn. But I had to look up how to get the capsule to spawn online and was disappointed.