In the late 22nd century, humans have commenced a construction of an orbital elevator to the Moon. A Reploid named Lumine was put in charge of the project. Lumine belonged to the new generation of Reploids, which were apparently unable to become Mavericks (i.e. turn hostile towards humans). Soon thereafter, Lumine was kidnapped by unknown assailants. The team of Maverick Hunters, composed of X, Axl, and Zero, must pursue the abductors and find what they were truly after. However, they will also have to deal with familiar enemies from the past...
Mega Man X8 is a game similar in visual style to earlier Mega Man X games, moving away from 3D gameplay elements introduced by its predecessor. As in classic Mega Man games, the player is free to tackle levels in any order, and must defeat a boss at the end of each. The player can control X, Axl, and Zero, which are distinguished by their gameplay style: X is able to equip body parts and armor, Axl specializes in guns and can also hover and glide in the air, while Zero focuses on short-range attacks.
Mega Man X8 was released for the PlayStation 2 on December 7, 2004, and falls under the genre of Action & Adventure. The game follows the story of the Maverick Hunters as they search for Lumine and confront familiar foes.