Mega Man Zero 2 - 100 Point S Rank Run [Part 3]
283This is the final part of my 100 point S rank run of Mega Man Zero 2. Much like its predecessor, Z2 culminates in a series of Neo Arcadia temple stages. These mini-gauntlets combine intricate platforming with highly unique Guardian rematches. Here are the details.
-The Temple of Fire takes point. Opening up with a puzzle sector comprising Tellybombs and breakable walls, the first room can thankfully be sped through with a few Chain Rod swings. The second room is fully sealed, forcing players to engage with the mechanic. Finding a quick path through is rather specific but consistent. A combination of rolling slashes and EX Skill usage divvied up among the various enemies present will see you speed through the remainder of the stage. Armed Phenomenon Fefnir is dealt with in a fashion polar opposite to my existing challenge video. This time, I utilize what is, in my opinion, the most unique hit reaction in the series. Striking Fefnir’s cannons with Tenshouzan will completely lift them out of the way, removing his tedious contact damage hitbox and leaving him entirely exposed. This allows Zero to jump directly into Fefnir without consequence; only the lower part of the tank can still deal contact damage during the stun. With the Z-Saber relegated to a utility weapon, another source of fast damage must be found. The Chain Rod spin fulfills this role perfectly, dealing the same 12 damage as the charged Saber, though in a 4-hit combo rather than a single strong strike. This stunlock is immensely satisfying; I highly recommend practicing it.
-The middle fort is the Temple of Ice. Were it not for the alarmingly high enemy requirement, this stage could be over in less than a minute. As it stands, I need to farm the fish for the 100 points. In this level, the expectation is that you wait for the ice platform to carry you to the top of the tall room; it’s effectively an elevator section. However, this, alongside an earlier room laced with ice and spikes, can be skipped with judicious Chain Rod usage. Playing through these sections as intended would necessitate less farming at the start, but where’s the fun in that? Armed Phenomenon Leviathan is bizarrely vulnerable to the exact tactic used in her first battle. Tenshouzan almost entirely shuts down her repertoire; in particular, her ice dragons are instantly destroyed by it, simplifying the battle to an almost comical extent. Regarding spacing, use the bricks in the background layer to orient yourself properly before executing Tenshouzan. When following up with a Chain Rod spin, remember to wait for the uppercut animation of the Saber to finish, as releasing the charge too early will have it uselessly dissipate.
-The Temple of Wind is the most straightforward, though its last sector pulls no punches, being positively inundated with irritating enemies. I select the Active Form for this stage, using its radial coverage to cut through enemies briskly. This has a knock-on effect though: the small Chain Rod skip performed near the end becomes untenable with the additional running speed bestowed by the Active Form. It’s very easy to run right into the plant when positioning yourself for the skip. There were two solutions: either use a different Form or equip the flame chip and nuke that plant into oblivion; I chose the latter. I struggled immensely searching for a method to make Armed Phenomenon Harpuia an interesting fight, a task whose difficulty is further augmented by the presence of an unskippable cutscene beforehand. I settled on a pseudo hard mode style while also showcasing a daring escape method for the lightning beams that emanate from his talons. Said talons also possess a hitbox much larger than their actual sprite, so be careful when using uncharged slashes against him.
-Clad in silver armor, Rise From Zero storms Yggdrasil, ascending the cybernetic world tree and slicing apart the resurrected Reploids who would deign to stand in his way. Rise Form is the best choice for this stage; it shreds everything, including the new unique boss: the Beetle Bros. The greatest danger posed in this fight is Kuwagust’s wind tunnel, though the EX Skill has a nasty habit of catching you off guard with a potential direction change occurring abruptly. The platforming present is surprisingly perilous, especially the last section littered maliciously with Securispiders. Elpizo is decidedly easier than Copy X, though he shares a penchant for arcing jumps. With only two health bars, he falls rather quickly. The less said about the second form, the better. That gold platform might be the most ineffective attack ever conceived.
Here are the timestamps for this part:
00:00 - Temple of Fire | Armed Phenomenon Fefnir
02:09 - Temple of Ice | Armed Phenomenon Leviathan
04:39 - Temple of Wind | Armed Phenomenon Harpuia
08:35 - Yggdrasil | Elpizo
I hope you enjoyed this run of MMZ2! Questions and comments are welcome as always.
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