Rockman EXE 5: Team of Blues is the kind of GBA game that makes you wish your bus ride was longer. You start off with MegaMan.EXE—no surprise there—but the twist is ProtoMan.EXE, his usual rival, actually joins your side this time. The first few battles feel familiar if you’ve played earlier Battle Network games, but the new team mechanics change things up. Instead of just swapping chips, you’re coordinating attacks between both Navis, and figuring out who works best against certain viruses.

The cyber world’s got that same bright, grid-like style, but there’s a bit more depth to the dungeons now—some puzzles actually made me stop and think instead of just rushing through. And yeah, the story’s cheesy in that classic MegaMan way, but ProtoMan’s dry sarcasm balances out Lan’s optimism pretty well. If you’re into deck-building, the chip system’s still satisfying, though I spent way too long tweaking my folder before realizing fire-based chips wreck most early-game enemies.

It’s not perfect—some of the later missions drag—but the battles stay fast and tense right up to the final boss. Definitely one of the stronger entries in the series.