Here comes the (one-time) end of an era.  And sadly, it ends not with a bang, but with a whimper.  Like MM7 before it, Mega Man 8 suffered quite a bit of backlash, and this time around it was a result of the rather unbecoming 16-bit-ish graphical structures on the 32-bit wonders of the Sega Saturn and Sony Playstation, and, if you ask me, it was not the title to follow the monstrous Mega Man X4 that came out around the same time.  Still, for all the weeping against statues, MM8 still serves up some classic Mega Man fun with that new-school Mega Man X feel.  The searching for hidden items becomes more important and challenging this time around, the action is still consistently hectic, and the level designs are pretty nicely done with some rich and vivid color work.  However, there's a very cheesy, sugar-coated appeal to this, even more so than MM7 (which, I think, was trying to emulate the American animated series); that and the bosses and weapons don't seem as good as they could have been, Rush's abilities aren't as important as they used to be, and the voice acting is atrocious for certain characters (Dr. Light, Bass, and some of the bosses are the prime sinners in this regard...and Rush Shiraishi did a better job voicing X in X4 than she did Mega Man in this.  It fits better, if you ask me).  Still, there's enjoyment to be had.  Just remember to take it at face value...and consider it a stepping stone to Mega Man 9.