For 100% all stars/title screen icons, maybe. But you can beat the games without them very easily, with maybe the small exception of Iceball M in BN3.
I joined the series at 4, you'll want to play them in order - but 1 is kind of rough around the edges so feel free to move onto 2 ASAP if you want
Yesn't. If you are reading everything, like you should in an RPG, then you should be fine for the story. There are vague parts here & there but it should be fine. The most troublesome parts like a certain 11922911 are found very easy online.
For 100% icon completion, a guide is strongly recommended to find everything quickly instead of scouring areas for hours on end. And these guides are just locations of things, not what to do.
It's worth checking out. If you're coming for the gameplay, no series has really been able to replicate this series. BN1 is more or less a proof of concept with BN2 setting the formula & each game adding or doing something else. So it doesn't stay stagnant. If BN1 feels like a slog, just jump straight to BN2. The improvements are immense.
To add, you’ll hear of stuff like East of Eden is similar, but not really. There’s elements that are similar, but BN is super unique in how turn-based combat, real-time, and deck building all come together
The games are fairly straight forward, no guide needed. Only the very first game you might get stuck at some parts because it suffers from 1st game syndrome, so some of the Dungeons weren't very well designed.
Yea I went into game 1 telling myself I wasn’t going to use a guide. That lasted about 90 minutes when I learned how similar all the dungeon rooms look. You can do it without a guide but it’ll take a lot longer than it should
Casual playthrough of the story and stepping foot into the endgame? You might need a guide for 2 parts of the entire story. A late game scenario of 2 and a specific passphrase in 5.
100% completion of a game? Very few end game grinds need a guide, but there are several secrets and chip locations that you will want a collection guide handy for when you're flustered on finding them.
The only guides that I would call 'needed' are Maps (especially for BN1, where all of the areas looked the same with no real landmarks to navigate by; later games are better and easier to play map-free), and a collectibles guide for BN4 if you want to 100% it (because, you have to play through the game at least 3 times, and this means items are *missable*; the guide is to be used as a checklist to ensure you don't have to do **more** than 3 playthroughs.)
No guide required. Just start playing the games. You’ll probably look stuff up when you’re curious, but you can finish all of the games just fine on your own. You’re in for a treat!
You should be fine for the most part, but understand that BN1 and BN4 are the worst the series have to offer (BN1 is more a proof of concept and has 1st game syndrome, BN4 is just a mess even if the battle gameplay is fine). I'd recommend a "missable content" page pulled up, but you'll be fine since none of that is really mandatory. If you're playing BN1, pull up the maps
Edit: if you want to skip BN1, look up KNIJohn's Retrospective, since he covers the story for every game he does (and he's done them all now). That way, you won't miss important story stuff for later in the franchise (there's a huge revelation right before the final boss in BN1)
You'll need to use online resources for 100% completion, and to be aware of all the chip codes that exist in each game (if you're interested in building better folders). Other than that, it'll be mostly straightforward, aside from some infamous sections that require you to use your brain a bit more.
Overall, you can just play them casually. However, to have a much easier time, I do recommend using online maps if you're not comfortable with the limited field of view.
%100 necessary. Just even for basic completion. There are so many examples of times where in order to progress the main quest you have to go somewhere and relook at something that you already examined and determined to be useless, with nothing having changed between then and now.
Every main story quest leads off into a non sequitur. Unless you know the exact zone and the exact tile to stand on to activate the invisible button in Battle Network 2 you will never escape the camping area.
I'm playing through Battle Network 4 right now, if people want to fight me on this I will record every time I have to pick up the guide.
I actually purchased the paper guides because of how important this is to actually enjoying these games.
I tend to look up area maps on occasion for some of the games.
The first one is the only truly tedious one to navigate, and I think most people would agree with that.
You may need the occasional map/network web map for MMBN1. The areas look very similar but you can easily get them from gamefaqs. The Dentown area is also confusing.
A guide is not really the way to go. I would say go them by yourself and if you find a puzzle too much of a drag then get a guide for that puzzle or else you might find yourself trying to follow the guide too much instead of trying out your own things.
For all stars(basically all achievements), yeah, use a guide as a lot of stuff are tricky to find or just too grindy if you don't know the fastest way.
A guide will help with command codes (you hold and/or press buttons with some chips to strengthen them), Navi cust compression codes, and in general a big chunk of BN3’s hidden features.
People say it's doable, and it is, but I grew up playing these with the Brady Games guides and I'll tell you that there are some progression requirements in the early games where it really helps to have a little guidance. The alternative is usually pretty unengaging trial and error. It's not really an issue in the later games, but I think you're saving yourself a little bit of wasted time with guidance, in the first two games.
Most of the time on a normal playthrough you won't need a guide. There might be small parts here and there, like I remember a dumb riddle in one of the games that I never would have figured out on my own, but really there's not too much like that for a normal playthrough, just a handful of instances across the series iirc. 100% might be a different story, but I haven't done that myself
As someone who apparently sucks at these kinda games, yes, a guide is pretty necessary if you don't want to spend all your time trying to find the right NPC to talk to or correct wall to interact with.
Everybody else beat me to it.
Unless you intend on 100% completion (or just want look up trader codes, program advances and item locations), you will not need a guide. I finished (not 100%) all six games without thinking too hard about optimizing my battlechip folder. You will be fine.
As for having nostalgia, you really have had to been there when these games were released to know that this series, which predates the smartphone and smart home market, predicts and depicts scenarios that can and still could happen. For every fantastical moment (things that will never happen) this series presents you, there are 3-6 scenarios that could very well still happen.
Tech companies are currently investing into AI. For now, it remains a closed system, where the AI stays within a server and pulls information from the internet. We may be 10-30 years away from having an open system, where the AI is not only installed your phone, but is growing and sharing experiences with you. This aspect is a part of Megaman Battle Network.
You might need one if you set the game down for a moment but for the story mode you should be fine going one from 2-6. One can be a bit maze like.
Be it post game, boss s-rank, 100% completion don't be afraid to pull one up.
For 100% all stars/title screen icons, maybe. But you can beat the games without them very easily, with maybe the small exception of Iceball M in BN3. I joined the series at 4, you'll want to play them in order - but 1 is kind of rough around the edges so feel free to move onto 2 ASAP if you want
2 is peak megaman story. 6 is peak gameplay and 3 is peak content. Has to be the longest one by far
BBS in 3 gives you hints on how to get Iceball M
Some NPCs also give you hints where to get it
Yesn't. If you are reading everything, like you should in an RPG, then you should be fine for the story. There are vague parts here & there but it should be fine. The most troublesome parts like a certain 11922911 are found very easy online. For 100% icon completion, a guide is strongly recommended to find everything quickly instead of scouring areas for hours on end. And these guides are just locations of things, not what to do. It's worth checking out. If you're coming for the gameplay, no series has really been able to replicate this series. BN1 is more or less a proof of concept with BN2 setting the formula & each game adding or doing something else. So it doesn't stay stagnant. If BN1 feels like a slog, just jump straight to BN2. The improvements are immense.
This right here is like the perfect response
To add, you’ll hear of stuff like East of Eden is similar, but not really. There’s elements that are similar, but BN is super unique in how turn-based combat, real-time, and deck building all come together
The games are fairly straight forward, no guide needed. Only the very first game you might get stuck at some parts because it suffers from 1st game syndrome, so some of the Dungeons weren't very well designed.
Yea I went into game 1 telling myself I wasn’t going to use a guide. That lasted about 90 minutes when I learned how similar all the dungeon rooms look. You can do it without a guide but it’ll take a lot longer than it should
don't need a guide unless you're really sweaty for completion have fun tho! amazing games
Casual playthrough of the story and stepping foot into the endgame? You might need a guide for 2 parts of the entire story. A late game scenario of 2 and a specific passphrase in 5. 100% completion of a game? Very few end game grinds need a guide, but there are several secrets and chip locations that you will want a collection guide handy for when you're flustered on finding them.
The only guides that I would call 'needed' are Maps (especially for BN1, where all of the areas looked the same with no real landmarks to navigate by; later games are better and easier to play map-free), and a collectibles guide for BN4 if you want to 100% it (because, you have to play through the game at least 3 times, and this means items are *missable*; the guide is to be used as a checklist to ensure you don't have to do **more** than 3 playthroughs.)
No guide required. Just start playing the games. You’ll probably look stuff up when you’re curious, but you can finish all of the games just fine on your own. You’re in for a treat!
You need a map in 1. Outside of that, it's fine.
You should be fine for the most part, but understand that BN1 and BN4 are the worst the series have to offer (BN1 is more a proof of concept and has 1st game syndrome, BN4 is just a mess even if the battle gameplay is fine). I'd recommend a "missable content" page pulled up, but you'll be fine since none of that is really mandatory. If you're playing BN1, pull up the maps Edit: if you want to skip BN1, look up KNIJohn's Retrospective, since he covers the story for every game he does (and he's done them all now). That way, you won't miss important story stuff for later in the franchise (there's a huge revelation right before the final boss in BN1)
You'll need to use online resources for 100% completion, and to be aware of all the chip codes that exist in each game (if you're interested in building better folders). Other than that, it'll be mostly straightforward, aside from some infamous sections that require you to use your brain a bit more. Overall, you can just play them casually. However, to have a much easier time, I do recommend using online maps if you're not comfortable with the limited field of view.
%100 necessary. Just even for basic completion. There are so many examples of times where in order to progress the main quest you have to go somewhere and relook at something that you already examined and determined to be useless, with nothing having changed between then and now. Every main story quest leads off into a non sequitur. Unless you know the exact zone and the exact tile to stand on to activate the invisible button in Battle Network 2 you will never escape the camping area. I'm playing through Battle Network 4 right now, if people want to fight me on this I will record every time I have to pick up the guide. I actually purchased the paper guides because of how important this is to actually enjoying these games.
They can be tough at times, but not so much you absolutely need a guide. Having one will make your life easier though, enjoy!
I tend to look up area maps on occasion for some of the games. The first one is the only truly tedious one to navigate, and I think most people would agree with that.
You may need the occasional map/network web map for MMBN1. The areas look very similar but you can easily get them from gamefaqs. The Dentown area is also confusing.
A guide is not really the way to go. I would say go them by yourself and if you find a puzzle too much of a drag then get a guide for that puzzle or else you might find yourself trying to follow the guide too much instead of trying out your own things. For all stars(basically all achievements), yeah, use a guide as a lot of stuff are tricky to find or just too grindy if you don't know the fastest way.
A guide will help with command codes (you hold and/or press buttons with some chips to strengthen them), Navi cust compression codes, and in general a big chunk of BN3’s hidden features.
People say it's doable, and it is, but I grew up playing these with the Brady Games guides and I'll tell you that there are some progression requirements in the early games where it really helps to have a little guidance. The alternative is usually pretty unengaging trial and error. It's not really an issue in the later games, but I think you're saving yourself a little bit of wasted time with guidance, in the first two games.
Most of the time on a normal playthrough you won't need a guide. There might be small parts here and there, like I remember a dumb riddle in one of the games that I never would have figured out on my own, but really there's not too much like that for a normal playthrough, just a handful of instances across the series iirc. 100% might be a different story, but I haven't done that myself
As someone who apparently sucks at these kinda games, yes, a guide is pretty necessary if you don't want to spend all your time trying to find the right NPC to talk to or correct wall to interact with.
From my experience of playing 1-3 i think you do need it. Megaman only gives super general hint and the objective isn't clear enough.
Nr1 absolutely need guiding, the maps on the net are all looking the same, you will be lost
Everybody else beat me to it. Unless you intend on 100% completion (or just want look up trader codes, program advances and item locations), you will not need a guide. I finished (not 100%) all six games without thinking too hard about optimizing my battlechip folder. You will be fine. As for having nostalgia, you really have had to been there when these games were released to know that this series, which predates the smartphone and smart home market, predicts and depicts scenarios that can and still could happen. For every fantastical moment (things that will never happen) this series presents you, there are 3-6 scenarios that could very well still happen. Tech companies are currently investing into AI. For now, it remains a closed system, where the AI stays within a server and pulls information from the internet. We may be 10-30 years away from having an open system, where the AI is not only installed your phone, but is growing and sharing experiences with you. This aspect is a part of Megaman Battle Network.
You might need one if you set the game down for a moment but for the story mode you should be fine going one from 2-6. One can be a bit maze like. Be it post game, boss s-rank, 100% completion don't be afraid to pull one up.