<s>
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
,	O
originally	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
as	O
,	O
is	O
an	O
action-platform	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Capcom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
fourth	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X	I-Application
series	O
and	O
the	O
second	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
North	O
America	O
release	O
followed	O
sometime	O
thereafter	O
,	O
while	O
Europe	O
received	O
only	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
in	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
allows	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
choose	O
between	O
the	O
two	O
mechanoid	O
"	O
Reploids	O
"	O
protagonists	O
at	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
:	O
X	O
,	O
who	O
uses	O
traditional	O
,	O
long-range	O
attacks	O
;	O
or	O
Zero	O
,	O
who	O
wields	O
a	O
short-range	O
sword	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Taking	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
22nd	O
century	O
,	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X	I-Application
series	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
society	O
populated	O
by	O
humans	O
and	O
intelligent	O
robots	O
called	O
"	O
Reploids	O
"	O
with	O
several	O
having	O
been	O
labeled	O
"	O
Mavericks	O
"	O
as	O
a	O
result	O
committing	O
crimes	O
crimes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
Maverick	O
Hunters	O
,	O
X	O
and	O
Zero	O
,	O
become	O
with	O
a	O
Reploid	O
army	O
called	O
the	O
"	O
Repliforce	B-Application
"	O
who	O
aim	O
to	O
take	O
down	O
mankind	O
and	O
take	O
the	O
planet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critical	O
reception	O
for	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
has	O
been	O
generally	O
positive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
praised	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
play	O
as	O
either	O
X	O
or	O
Zero	O
,	O
a	O
concept	O
many	O
found	O
to	O
expand	O
upon	O
the	O
then	O
perceived	O
exhausted	O
gameplay	O
formula	O
of	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X	I-Application
sub-franchise	O
during	O
the	O
1990s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
its	O
console	O
versions	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
Windows	B-Application
worldwide	O
in	O
1998	O
and	O
1999	O
and	O
on	O
Japanese	O
mobile	O
phones	O
in	O
2011	O
and	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
in	O
compilations	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
GameCube	I-Application
in	O
2006	O
,	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
in	O
2014	O
,	O
and	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
as	O
part	O
of	O
Mega	B-Device
Man	I-Device
X	I-Device
Legacy	I-Device
Collection	I-Device
released	O
in	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
in	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
is	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
previous	O
installments	O
of	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
is	O
presented	O
with	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
action-platforming	O
stages	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
cleared	O
in	O
any	O
order	O
desired	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
New	O
to	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
is	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
play	O
through	O
the	O
game	O
either	O
as	O
X	O
or	O
Zero	O
fully	O
,	O
(	O
while	O
Zero	O
was	O
playable	O
in	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X3	I-Application
,	O
he	O
acted	O
only	O
as	O
a	O
backup	O
for	O
X	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
an	O
ambiguous	O
year	O
in	O
the	O
22nd	O
century	O
(	O
21XX	O
)	O
,	O
where	O
humans	O
coexist	O
with	O
intelligent	O
androids	O
called	O
"	O
Reploids	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
army	O
,	O
called	O
the	O
"	O
Repliforce	B-Application
"	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
military	O
regime	O
led	O
by	O
the	O
giant	O
Reploid	O
General	O
and	O
his	O
second-in-command	O
,	O
Colonel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Colonel	O
denies	O
Repliforce	B-Application
's	O
involvement	O
in	O
the	O
Sky	O
Lagoon	O
destruction	O
,	O
and	O
refuses	O
to	O
disarm	O
out	O
of	O
pride	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Repliforce	B-Application
thus	O
begins	O
a	O
movement	O
to	O
claim	O
independence	O
from	O
the	O
human	O
government	O
and	O
create	O
a	O
nation	O
for	O
Reploids	O
only	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Once	O
all	O
eight	O
Mavericks	O
are	O
beaten	O
,	O
X	O
and	O
Zero	O
are	O
sent	O
to	O
a	O
space	O
port	O
where	O
Colonel	O
guards	O
Repliforce	B-Application
's	O
launch	O
into	O
outer	O
space	O
;	O
Colonel	O
dies	O
after	O
an	O
ensuing	O
battle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
X	O
and	O
Zero	O
infiltrate	O
the	O
Repliforce	B-Application
's	O
space	O
station	O
,	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Final	O
Weapon	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Maverick	O
Sigma	O
then	O
reveals	O
he	O
caused	O
the	O
Sky	O
Lagoon	O
crash	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
instigate	O
the	O
conflict	O
between	O
the	O
Maverick	O
Hunters	O
and	O
Repliforce	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Meanwhile	O
,	O
Zero	O
is	O
wrought	O
with	O
pain	O
and	O
guilt	O
for	O
being	O
unable	O
to	O
save	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
Repliforce	B-Application
members	O
,	O
most	O
notably	O
Iris	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
,	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X3	I-Application
team	O
had	O
no	O
plans	O
to	O
provide	O
a	O
sequel	O
until	O
their	O
superiors	O
from	O
Capcom	O
aimed	O
to	O
try	O
the	O
X	O
series	O
on	O
new	O
hardware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
order	O
to	O
get	O
the	O
approval	O
to	O
make	O
Zero	O
playable	O
,	O
the	O
developers	O
gave	O
him	O
special	O
moves	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
fighting	O
game	O
series	O
to	O
compensate	O
for	O
lacking	O
X	O
's	O
powers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
was	O
also	O
involved	O
in	O
creating	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
storyline	O
,	O
a	O
role	O
he	O
described	O
as	O
"	O
only	O
slightly	O
less	O
than	O
it	O
was	O
for	O
X1	B-Device
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instead	O
of	O
presenting	O
Repliforce	B-Application
as	O
blatantly	O
evil	O
villains	O
like	O
Sigma	O
,	O
the	O
writing	O
staff	O
decided	O
to	O
leave	O
them	O
some	O
"	O
moral	O
leeway	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
did	O
not	O
want	O
the	O
ideals	O
of	O
Repliforce	B-Application
and	O
the	O
Maverick	O
Hunters	O
to	O
be	O
so	O
black-and-white	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Inafune	O
left	O
his	O
former	O
design	O
responsibilities	O
up	O
to	O
other	O
artists	O
that	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
unknown	O
author	O
was	O
responsible	O
for	O
designing	O
X	O
's	O
secret	O
"	O
Ultimate	O
Armor	O
"	O
featured	O
in	O
both	O
the	O
game	O
after	O
inputting	O
a	O
cheat	O
code	O
and	O
as	O
a	O
Japanese	O
Bandai	O
action	B-Application
figure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
tinkering	O
with	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X3	I-Application
armor	O
parts	O
,	O
he	O
noticed	O
that	O
attaching	O
them	O
in	O
specific	O
ways	O
made	O
it	O
look	O
like	O
an	O
airplane	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FMV	O
cutscenes	O
in	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
were	O
produced	O
by	O
IG	O
Port	O
's	O
subsidiary	O
Xebec	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
instrumental	O
and	O
vocal	O
music	O
was	O
compiled	O
on	O
the	O
Capcom	O
Music	O
Generation	O
:	O
Rockman	O
X1	B-Device
~	O
X6	O
soundtrack	O
released	O
by	O
Suleputer	O
in	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
was	O
initially	O
developed	O
as	O
a	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
exclusive	O
and	O
slated	O
for	O
a	O
June	O
1997	O
release	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
was	O
delayed	O
and	O
made	O
multi-platform	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
console	O
versions	O
of	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
were	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
August	O
1	O
,	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
cover	O
art	O
for	O
the	O
Japanese	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
depicts	O
Zero	O
standing	O
alone	O
in	O
a	O
dark	O
setting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
"	O
Special	O
Limited	O
Pack	O
"	O
edition	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
included	O
the	O
Ultimate	O
Armor	O
X	O
action	B-Application
figure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
American	O
localization	O
of	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
was	O
originally	O
put	O
on	O
hold	O
after	O
Sony	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
America	O
denied	O
Capcom	O
permission	O
to	O
release	O
it	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
reportedly	O
due	O
to	O
their	O
policy	O
against	O
2D	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
a	O
Capcom	O
spokesperson	O
,	O
the	O
reasoning	O
behind	O
the	O
delay	O
was	O
that	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
"	O
had	O
just	O
gotten	O
lost	O
in	O
Sony	O
's	O
back	O
log	O
of	O
games	O
waiting	O
for	O
approval	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
August	O
1	O
,	O
1997	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
came	O
out	O
in	O
the	O
early	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
following	O
week	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Capcom	O
's	O
designated	O
European	O
distributor	O
,	O
Virgin	O
Interactive	O
,	O
opted	O
not	O
to	O
release	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
though	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
port	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
that	O
region	O
on	O
October	O
13	O
,	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
later	O
ported	O
to	O
the	O
Windows	B-Application
in	O
1998	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Japan-exclusive	O
Windows	B-Application
reissue	O
by	O
MediaKite	O
Distribution	O
in	O
1999	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviews	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
and	O
Saturn	B-Device
console	O
versions	O
of	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
have	O
been	O
generally	O
positive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
critics	O
concurred	O
that	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4s	I-Application
2D	O
side-scrolling	O
gameplay	O
was	O
tired	O
and	O
overdone	O
well	O
before	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
particular	O
,	O
GamePro	O
and	O
Next	O
Generation	O
both	O
gave	O
it	O
negative	O
reviews	O
on	O
the	O
sole	O
basis	O
of	O
its	O
perceived	O
lack	O
of	O
series	O
innovation	O
;	O
GamePro	O
asserted	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
gameplay	O
's	O
none	O
removed	O
from	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
for	O
the	O
NES	B-Language
-	O
things	O
are	O
just	O
a	O
little	O
bigger	O
and	O
a	O
little	O
louder	O
,	O
"	O
while	O
Next	O
Generation	O
suggested	O
that	O
those	O
interested	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
should	O
instead	O
"	O
pick	O
up	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X3	I-Application
in	O
the	O
used	O
bin	O
for	O
a	O
third	O
of	O
the	O
price	O
,	O
since	O
you	O
wo	O
n't	O
miss	O
much.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
a	O
different	O
GamePro	O
critic	O
reviewed	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
and	O
gave	O
it	O
resoundingly	O
positive	O
review	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
an	O
impressive	O
32-bit	O
debut	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
a	O
definite	O
must-have	O
for	O
any	O
action	B-Application
gamer	O
's	O
library.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
took	O
more	O
of	O
a	O
middle	O
ground	O
,	O
concluding	O
that	O
despite	O
its	O
improvements	O
to	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X	I-Application
formula	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
still	O
a	O
2D	O
sidescroller	O
that	O
did	O
might	O
not	O
age	O
well	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
listed	O
the	O
console	O
versions	O
at	O
number	O
78	O
on	O
its	O
"	O
100	O
Best	O
Games	O
of	O
All	O
Time	O
"	O
in	O
the	O
100th	O
issue	O
of	O
the	O
magazine	O
in	O
1997	O
,	O
the	O
same	O
issue	O
in	O
which	O
they	O
reviewed	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
,	O
citing	O
its	O
"	O
significant	O
improvement	O
over	O
X3	O
,	O
with	O
amazingly	O
detailed	O
2-D	O
graphics	O
,	O
well-balanced	O
(	O
although	O
slightly	O
easy	O
)	O
gameplay	O
and	O
an	O
awesome	O
story	O
with	O
very	O
well-acted	O
animated	O
cut	O
scenes.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
listed	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
as	O
a	O
runner-up	O
for	O
"	O
Side-Scrolling	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
(	O
behind	O
Castlevania	B-Application
:	I-Application
Symphony	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Night	I-Application
)	O
in	O
its	O
1997	O
Editors	O
 '	O
Choice	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Windows	B-Application
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
met	O
with	O
much	O
lower	O
review	O
scores	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tom	O
Price	O
of	O
Computer	O
Gaming	O
World	O
felt	O
appeal	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
itself	O
is	O
limited	O
to	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
and	O
platformer	O
fans	O
,	O
who	O
likely	O
already	O
own	O
at	O
least	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
console	O
versions	O
of	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	O
Games	O
Magazine	O
found	O
it	O
superior	O
to	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X3	I-Application
but	O
without	O
any	O
sense	O
of	O
the	O
sequel	O
having	O
noticeable	O
improvements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
while	O
holding	O
Iris	O
 '	O
dead	O
body	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
worst	O
parts	O
in	O
voice	O
acting	O
in	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
history	O
alongside	O
some	O
cutscenes	O
from	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
8	I-Application
to	O
the	O
point	O
of	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
horror	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Famitsu	O
sales	O
information	O
,	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
sold	O
197,385	O
copies	O
in	O
Japan	O
alone	O
in	O
1997	O
,	O
making	O
it	O
the	O
61st	O
best-selling	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
region	O
for	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2002	O
,	O
Capcom	O
re-released	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
Greatest	B-Device
Hits	I-Device
range	O
,	O
confirming	O
that	O
it	O
had	O
sold	O
at	O
least	O
350,000	O
units	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
has	O
also	O
been	O
re-released	O
in	O
multiple	O
budget	O
versions	O
in	O
Japan	O
including	O
PlayStation	B-Device
the	I-Device
Best	I-Device
,	O
PSone	B-Device
Books	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
Collection	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
decision	O
for	O
retaining	O
the	O
same	O
gameplay	O
formula	O
that	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
franchise	O
had	O
been	O
using	O
for	O
a	O
full	O
decade	O
,	O
Capcom	O
continued	O
to	O
use	O
2D	O
side-scrolling	O
for	O
another	O
two	O
installments	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X5	I-Application
and	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X6	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
three	O
games	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
three	O
installments	O
that	O
precede	O
them	O
,	O
were	O
included	O
on	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
GameCube	I-Application
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
in	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
mobile	O
edition	O
of	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
for	O
au	O
and	O
DoCoMo	O
customers	O
was	O
made	O
available	O
for	O
purchase	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
was	O
also	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
,	O
and	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
PSOne	O
Classics	O
line	O
in	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Finally	O
,	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
X4	I-Application
was	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
Mega	B-Device
Man	I-Device
X	I-Device
Legacy	I-Device
Collection	I-Device
,	O
a	O
compilation	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
.	O
</s>
