Mega Man X2 is the direct sequel to Mega Man X, released one year previous. Mega Man X2 takes place in the near future in which humans try to peacefully coexist with intelligent robots called Reploids, with some of the Reploids going Maverick and threatening daily life. The plot follows the android protagonist Mega Man X, a Maverick Hunter who has saved humanity from the evil Sigma six months earlier. A trio of Mavericks calling themselves the X-Hunters has arisen, intent on destroying X by luring him with bodyparts of his comrade Zero, who died in the conflict with Sigma.

Mega Man X2 features much of the same action-platforming elements as the first installment of the series, following the traditional gameplay of the original Mega Man series. The player is tasked with completing a series of stages by destroying enemies, gaining various power-ups, and winning the special weapon of the each stages boss. Like the first Mega Man X, this game lets the player dash, scale walls, and obtain access to special abilities via optional pieces of armor.