History YMMV / MegaManX8

** Regarding Sigma and his relationship to the New-Gen Reploids. [[spoiler:Were Lumine and the New-Gen Reploids ultimately using him and intending to dispose of him, seeing as Sigma was an "inferior" old-gen Reploid? Or was Sigma in charge of them all along, due to his DNA inside of them exerting a controlling HiveMind effect in them? Alternatively, did Sigma ''intend'' for the New-Gen Reploids to succeed him to further his stated goal of Reploid evolution?]]
* AssPull: Some may feel that the twist of [[spoiler:Lumine being EvilAllAlong is boring and contrived, having little to no {{Foreshadowing}} besides the ham-fisted opening cutscene, and that it came out of nowhere for no reason besides having a final boss that wasn't Sigma.]]

** Among many the changes that got Axl RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap is his new arsenal of firearms. In ''X7'' he only had three unique firearms, while the rest of his Special Weapons were used with his default A-Bullets. Now every single Special Weapon has a unique firearm alongside it, greatly expanding on the interesting yet underused concept.

* CommonKnowledge: [[spoiler:Lumine is commonly misinterpreted as TheManBehindTheMan to Sigma]], in control from the very start. It'd be more accurate to say [[spoiler:Lumine's plan was HijackingCthulhu, taking advantage of his leadership and ambition to hasten the supremacy of the New Generation Reploids. He believes that the reign of the New Generation Reploids is the inevitable future of the world, and is merely using Sigma's rebellious nature to accelerate the process]]. Of course, then there's the fact that [[spoiler:Lumine is technically one of Sigma's children, so he's basically just OverlordJr taking over for daddy]].
* ContestedSequel: Is ''X8'' a good game in its own right? Or does it only look good after coming off the [[PolygonCeiling complete disaster]] that was ''VideoGame/MegaManX7''[[labelnote:*]]and arguably ''VideoGame/MegaManX6''[[/labelnote]]? Pros include more solid level design, return to 2D gameplay, ''vastly'' improved voice acting, [[spoiler: having a FinalBoss[=/=]BigBad that ISN'T Sigma]] and giving all the characters distinct playstyles without none of them feeling redundant. Cons include overuse of gimmick levels[[labelnote:*]]Which, depending on what you count as a gimmick, could mean there's only ''two'' levels that play like "true" Mega Man X levels[[/labelnote]], extremely [[GuideDangit frustrating 100% completion]], a rather [[ExcusePlot aimless plot]] and the [[ScrappyMechanic retry chip system]][[labelnote:*]]Unlike in the previous installments where players are given VideoGameLives, the Retry Chips function similarly to lives found in the first ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' where they act more like mid-mission continues, and not having any Retry Chips at all means you'll be forced to start over a stage every time you lose.[[/labelnote]].

* EpilepticTrees: [[spoiler:After Lumine's defeat, Axl gets knocked out by a creepy tentacle that comes out of Lumine's chest. In the final shot of the game, it shows that a little fragment of it is still left in Axl's forehead gem]]. What exactly this means is [[LeftHanging still a mystery]], but his absence from the ''Zero'' series has led to many fan theories about what happened to him. [[spoiler: Did he simply die off-screen from the injury? Did he get better after a good night's sleep?]] An especially popular theory is that [[spoiler: Lumine [[GrandTheftMe took over his body]] and turned him evil, necessitating his destruction; this theory is supported by the "White Axl" armor which mysteriously shares its color scheme with Lumine]]. Only a ''Mega Man X9'' will give us the true answers.
* FanNickname: [[spoiler: Sigma's broken-down devil form has gotten the name "Belial Sigma"]] despite never being referred to as such in official material. This is likely because someone put it on the [[spoiler:Sigma]] page on the Mega Man Knowledge Base wiki, and it stayed up there for years before anyone fact-checked it.

* ItWasHisSled: [[spoiler:Lumine is the FinalBoss.]] His [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic second form's battle theme]] tends to be the first thing new players think of nowadays when they think of ''X8''.

* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound: The little "ding" that plays whenever you finish a MultiMookMelee room. Even more satisfying if you had to fight Vile instead, [[spoiler:and ''especially'' if it's for the final time]].

** [[MissionControl Alia]] also got better in ''X8''. She went from being an [[ExpositionFairy interrupting]] [[AnnoyingVideoGameHelper nuisance]] in ''X5'' to a playable [[SecretCharacter bonus character]] (as [[DistaffCounterpart a female counterpart]] of X) who's capable of taking on Sigma [[spoiler:and Lumine]].

* ShockingSwerve: The twist that [[spoiler:Sigma ''isn't'' the BigBad this time, but an unwitting pawn of Lumine.]] While its an interesting change of pace for the series, there is almost no foreshadowing to this aside from [[spoiler:Lumine's rather dissonant introduction while talking about how the New-Gen Reploids have Sigma's DNA while they're surrounded by fire, and that could easily be seen as pointing to Lumine just being another pawn or servant of Sigma rather than the other way around.]] It also creates some FridgeLogic because [[spoiler:Sigma is said to be the creator of the New-Gen Reploids, but the way Lumine describes everything makes it sound like he himself had been behind everything]].

** The entire plot hinges on the fact that [[spoiler:no one bothered to check that there was Sigma's viral DNA inside of the New-Gen chips. Even if Sigma was secretly behind the Jakob Project all along, you'd think someone would delete it anyway since immunity to the virus was one of the entire points of the project.]]
** A text epilogue at the ending says that [[spoiler:despite the New-Gen Reploids being extremely dangerous due to having Sigma's viral DNA inside of them, the human government demanded that production of them be resumed anyway. Gee, do you ''want'' Sigma to come back or something?]]

* WinBackTheCrowd: This game was back to form after the incredibly divisive ''X6'' and near-universally despised ''X7''. [[DownplayedTrope Unfortunately]], low sales rendered it the final ''Mega Man X'' game as of this writing.[[labelnote:*]]Not counting ''VideoGame/MegaManXCommandMission'', remakes, and compilations.[[/labelnote]]

** In the North American [=PlayStation=] 2 version, it is possible to buy a Life Charge for your Sub-tanks while having less than 50 Metals, causing your Metal count to dip into negative values. Picking any Metal while in the negative will skyrocket your Metals to its maximum of '''9,999,999''', effectively axing [[MoneyGrinding Metal Grinding]] out of the game. This was fixed in Japanese [=PlayStation=] 2 release, the original PC version, and in the ''Legacy Collection 2'' version.

* WinBackTheCrowd: This game was back to form after the incredibly divisive ''X6'' and near-universally despised ''X7''. [[DownplayedTrope Unfortunately, low sales rendered it the final ''X'' game as of this writing]].[[labelnote:*]]Not counting ''VideoGame/MegaManXCommandMission'', remakes, and compilations.[[/labelnote]]

** "Jakob", the stage music for the Jakob Orbital Elevator will have rocking out while you turn Mavericks into scrap metal.
** Booster Forest has two themes, including [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIGnkpxZu0g a particularly awesome one specifically for piloting a Ride Armor.]]
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIGnkpxZu0g The default mid-boss theme]] is also pretty great.

** Since ''X5'', it introduced injured Reploids whom the players can rescue, but they ultimately amounted to glorified [[OneUp 1-Ups]] and life recovery. ''X6'', however, made this feature worse by making them susceptible to the Nightmare Viruses and players could potentially lose whatever power-up items they may have forever (some of which were ''essential'' for clearing the game), and ''X7'' managed to make this feature even worse by making them vulnerable to [[EverythingTryingToKillYou virtually everything that can kill them]] [[OneHitPointWonder in one hit]]. ''X8'' finally did away with injured Reploids altogether, allowing players to focus on the action and find secret power-ups and upgrades hidden throughout the stages similarly to the earlier games in the ''Mega Man X'' series.

--->'''X''': Axl's right. There's no time to be wishy-washy. Even as we speak, Mavericks are causing havoc.

** Pressing both the down and up directions while using Zero's Rasetsusen will cause him to fly. However, this was also fixed in ''Legacy Collection 2''.

** Unlike ''X7's'' [[PortingDisaster disastrous]] Korean-only PC port, the ''X8'' PC port was programmed much better. On top of being playable on modern operating systems, it has higher resolutions (up to 1280×1024, although hacks can make it higher but comes with some side-effects), mouse support for the menus, gamepad support, and rebindable keys. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking It also changes the mouse cursor to look like X from the SNES games.]]

* CommonKnowledge: [[spoiler:Lumine is commonly misinterpreted as TheManBehindTheMan to Sigma]], in control from the very start. It'd be more accurate to say the former's plan was HijackingCthulhu, taking advantage of his leadership and ambition to hasten the supremacy of the New Generation Reploids. He believes that the reign of the New Generation Reploids is the inevitable future of the world, and is merely using Sigma's rebellious nature to accelerate the process. Of course, then there's the fact that [[spoiler:Lumine is technically one of Sigma's children, so he's basically just OverlordJr]].

* CatharsisFactor: Vile is infamous due the fact that in [[VideoGame/MegaManX1 previous]] [[VideoGame/MegaManX3 games]], he had access to a ride armor before the battle, giving him an unfair advantage against you. In this game, in Bamboo Pandamonium's level, you can carry a Ride armor during all the stage. If you have the ride armor inside of the second mini-boss room and Vile appears, [[https://youtu.be/mdoyQQinsYg?t=5m55s you can finally turn the tables against the bastard and make him pay for all the previous pain]].
* CharacterRerailment: X in ''X7'' was criticized for being DemotedToExtra and for his constant complaining about violence. Here, not only is he playable from the start, but in the one scene he laments fighting, he agrees with Axl that in some situations, fighting is the only solution.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: The Navigators became this. Making them all {{Action Girl}}s helped a little, but there are other things as well, such as Alia's [[FanservicePack re-design]], [[MsFanservice Layer's]] secret crush on Zero, and Pallette being a TokenMiniMoe to the cast. Capcom seems to have anticipated this, as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cEOsLmzKoU there were figures of the girls made alongside the guys]], as well as an alternate title sequence when you unlock the Navigators for play. They were even prepared to bring all three back (along with a fourth) for ''Mega Man Online'', and even offer a poster of the three in swimsuits as a reward for beating ''X Legacy Collection'''s X Challenge Mode on Normal difficulty.

* SugarWiki/SuperlativeDubbing: After [[VideoGame/MegaMan8 three]] [[VideoGame/MegaManX4 disastrous]] [[VideoGame/MegaManX7 attempts]], this, along with ''VideoGame/MegaManMaverickHunterX'' and ''VideoGame/MegaManPoweredUp'', had some of the best voice acting in the series. Lucas Gilbertson as Zero in particular has been considered [[CantUnhearIt the definitive voice for him]].

* ViewerGenderConfusion: Many a fan has mistaken Lumine for female upon first inspection due to their feminine appearance and voice.

* MostWonderfulSound: The little "ding" that plays whenever you finish a MultiMookMelee room. Even more satisfying if you had to fight Vile instead, [[spoiler:and ''especially'' if it's for the final time]].

* BrokenBase: The game's new art style and character redesigns. In general, are the slimmer designs better, being more realistic and humanoid, or is it too different from the older styles in the series?

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Regarding Sigma and his relationship to the New-Gen Reploids. [[spoiler:Were Lumine and the New-Gen Reploids ultimately using him and intending to dispose of him, seeing as Sigma was an "inferior" old-gen Reploid? Or was Sigma in charge of them all along, due to his DNA inside of them exerting a controlling HiveMind effect in them? Alternatively, did Sigma ''intend'' for the New-Gen Reploids to succeed him to further his stated goal of Reploid evolution?]]

* PolishedPort: Unlike ''X7's'' [[PortingDisaster disastrous]] Korean-only PC port, the ''X8'' PC port was programmed much better. On top of being playable on modern operating systems, it has higher resolutions (up to 1280×1024, although hacks can make it higher but comes with some side-effects), mouse support for the menus, gamepad support, and rebindable keys. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking It also changes the mouse cursor to look like X from the SNES games.]] The version of the game included in ''X Legacy Collection 2'' also cleans the game's visuals up to HD standards, giving the game much crisper and sharper look than ever before (although the 2D assets haven't been updated), and drastically cuts down on the loading times as well.

* ThatOnePuzzle: In Gravity Antonion's level, one room involves avoiding being crushed to death by spiked cubes that keep going up and down several times, and there's no indication when it will even ''stop''. Many players would actually prefer a Vile encounter in the same room than go through this obstacle.

** X in this game doesn't complain about violence anywhere near as often as he did in ''X7'', much to the delight of players.

* AssPull: [[spoiler: Some may feel that the twist of Lumine being EvilAllAlong is contrived, having little to no {{Foreshadowing}} besides the hamfisted opening cutscene, and that it came out of nowhere for no reason other than to have a final boss that wasn't Sigma.]]

* AssPull: [[spoiler: Some may feel that Lumine being EvilAllAlong is contrived, having little to no {{Foreshadowing}}, and came out of nowhere for no reason other than to have a final boss that wasn't Sigma.]]

* CommonKnowledge: [[spoiler:Lumine]] is commonly misinterpreted as TheManBehindTheMan to [[spoiler:Sigma]], in control from the very start. It'd be more accurate to say his plan was [[spoiler:HijackingCthulhu on Sigma, taking advantage of his leadership and ambition to hasten the supremacy of the New Generation Reploids]]. He believes that [[spoiler: the reign of the New Generation Reploids is the inevitable future of the world, and is merely using Sigma's rebellious tendencies to accelerate the process]]. Of course, then there's the fact that [[spoiler:Lumine is technically one of Sigma's children, so he's basically just OverlordJr]].

* EnsembleDarkhorse: The Navigators became this. Making them all {{Action Girl}}s helped a little, but there are other things as well, such as Alia's [[FanservicePack re-design]], [[MsFanservice Layer's]] secret crush on Zero, and Pallette being a TokenMiniMoe to the cast. Capcom seems to have anticipated this, as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cEOsLmzKoU there were figures of the girls made alongside the guys]], as well as an alternate title sequence when you unlock the Navigators for play. They were even prepared to bring all three back (along with a fourth) for ''Mega Man Online'', and even [[spoiler: offer a poster of the three in swimsuits as a reward for beating ''Mega Man X: Legacy Collection'''s X Challenge Mode on Normal difficulty.]]
* EpilepticTrees: The ultimate fate of [[spoiler:Axl]]. After [[spoiler:Lumine's defeat, Axl gets knocked out by a creepy tentacle that comes out of Lumine's chest. In the final shot of the game, it shows that a little fragment of it is still left in Axl's forehead gem]]. What exactly this means is [[LeftHanging still a mystery]], but his absence from the ''Mega Man Zero'' series has led to many fan theories about what happened to him. [[spoiler: Did he simply die off-screen from the injury? Did he get better after a good night's sleep?]] An especially popular theory is that [[spoiler: Lumine [[GrandTheftMe took over his body]] and turned him evil, necessitating his destruction; this theory is supported by the "White Axl" armor which mysteriously shares its color scheme with Lumine]]. Only a ''Mega Man X9'' will give us the true answers.

** Axl was the ReplacementScrappy for X in ''X7'', with a whiny voice and his story consuming the entire plot. In ''X8'' his status is still important but not all encompassing. He also manages to [[ShutUpHannibal interrupt]] the BigBad's BreakingSpeech with [[TalkToTheFist a well-placed bullet to the chest]]. He plays similarly to Bass from ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass'' instead of a crippled X, letting him [[DivergentCharacterEvolution have his own playstyle]]. Finally, he matured a bit inbetween games, giving him a youthful but more mature voice.

* CommonKnowledge: [[spoiler:Lumine]] is commonly misinterpreted as TheManBehindTheMan to [[spoiler:Sigma]], in control from the very start. It'd be more accurate to say his plan was [[spoiler:HijackingCthulhu on Sigma, taking advantage of his leadership and ambition to hasten the supremacy of the New Generation Reploids]]. He believes that [[spoiler: the reign of the New Generation Reploids is the inevitable future of the world, and is merely using Sigma's rebellious tendencies to accelerate the process]].

* CommonKnowledge: [[spoiler:Lumine is commonly misinterpreted as TheManBehindTheMan to Sigma and that he was in control from the very start]].

* CommonKnowledge: [[spoiler:Lumine]]'s FaceHeelTurn is often misinterpreted as him being the [[spoiler: TheManBehindTheMan to Sigma and that he was in control from the very start]].

* EnsembleDarkhorse: The Navigators became this. Making them all {{Action Girl}}s helped a little, but there are other things as well, such as Alia's [[FanservicePack re-design]], [[MsFanservice Layer's]] secret crush on Zero, and Pallette being a TokenMiniMoe to the cast. Capcom seems to have anticipated this, as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cEOsLmzKoU there were figures of the girls made alongside the guys]], as well as an alternate title sequence when you unlock the Navigators for play. They were even prepared to bring all three back (along with a fourth) for ''Mega Man Online'', and even [[spoiler: offer a poster of the three in swimsuits as a reward for beating Mega Man X: Legacy Collection's X Challenge Mode on Normal difficulty.]]

* AssPull: [[spoiler: Some may feel that Lumine being EvilAllAlong is contrived and came out of nowhere for no good reason other than to have a final boss that wasn't Sigma.]]

* ReplacementScrappy: Inverted. Because players were getting tired of the games being HijackedByGanon, [[spoiler: Lumine]] being the game's final boss was a welcome change in pace.