Mighty No. 9 Reviews
Even with dull visuals and a little too much reliance on the past, in a world where Capcom has seemingly forgotten that the Blue Bomber exists, Mighty No. 9's enthralling boss battles make it an okay substitute to fill that void for the time being.
Mighty No. 9 appears to be caught in two minds about whether it wants to make a Mega Man-style game for novices or veterans, and that indecision unfortunately prevents it from being anything close to mighty. Combine the release's well-meaning but misguided attempts at accessibility with sub-par graphics, puzzles, and an insane difficulty spike towards the end, and you end up with a title that's not very mega at all.
Mighty No. 9 fails to fill the shiny blue, metallic, oversized boots of its predecessor. The game manages to capture the essentials of the previous titles without capturing the essence. Remaining true to the original design ethos from a decade ago has perhaps been too restrictive and it feels more like a HD remake or re-imagining of the Mega Man games than an attempt to breathe new life into an aged franchise, advancing it and introducing it to a new generation of players.
This game will not be heralded as a classic in the same vein as Mega Man. However, the original Mega Man isn't the best either. Fans debate back and forth between Mega Man 2 and 3 as their favorites (MM3 for this writer's money). Another example is the first Assassin's Creed. Great concept, failed delivery. The point is, despite its flaws, Mighty No. 9 is a good step toward reviving the Mega Man style in all but name. Hopefully the team will learn from their mistakes and make the next game the classic fans want it to be.
Comcept and Keiji Inafune didn't knock it out of the park with Mighty No. 9, but they damn sure took a good swing at it. If people can pull their heads out of a certain part of their body and judge the game for as it is, I'm sure this game could, in the long run, be successful enough for a sequel and if that day comes, let us hope and pray that Comcept has learned many valuable lessons from this endeavor and do Mighty No. 9-2 the right way.
Mighty No. 9 is a serviceable callback to the original Mega Man that is brought down by baffling design decisions and a strict adherence to mechanics that were phased out for a reason.
There aren't enough delays to save this game
Mighty No 9 has been created in such a way that it's impossible for it to escape the Mega Man comparisons, a contrast that it doesn't get away from throughout. That's not to say it's terrible though. Mighty No 9 is an enjoyable, albeit tough, game to play through and despite what you may see elsewhere, it isn't a bad game. With a little bit more originality and a different direction, Mighty No 9 could've been a fresh addition to the usual 2D shooter games we see, but you won't find a true evolution of the Mega Man style game here. Mighty No 9 is not a bad carbon copy of Mega Man, but a missed opportunity to expand on its legacy.
Mighty No. 9 is a decent platformer dragged down by some poor design decisions.
Mighty No. 9 was a long time in the making and with lots of discussion and chatter before release. I think there is a solid foundation for a shooting/platforming type game here and it clearly has some great elements to it. It doesn't quite invoke any originality though neither from a gameplay perspective or even a visual one as, but as a whole and for the price of $19.99, I think it's suitable.
The concept of Mighty No. 9 definitely had potential, unfortunately the reality Comcept have delivered to us is not upto the quality we have come to expect - making you appreciate those classic Mega Man titles all the more - but Mighty No. 9 accomplishes one thing in spades; being your average, budget platformer.
Despite its pedigree, Mighty No. 9 doesn't seem to have a good sense of what was fun about Mega Man, or 2D action-platformers in general. There are brief moments where its pieces come together, but even then it's hamstrung by its visually joyless art and animation. The soul of the Blue Bomber just isn't here, and worse yet there's no endearing personality of its own, and as a result, Mighty No. 9 feels much more like a second-rate imposter than a spiritual successor.
Mighty No. 9 is a disappointment. As I went through the game, I saw all the things going wrong and began going through possible corrections in my head. It should have looked like the original prototype. The character designs and lighting were better there. The dialogue and story segments should have been more engaging and dynamic. The special abilities needed more heft. Some last minute polish could have fixed these framerate issues. That made me mad, because if I could see all of these issues that needed to be addressed, why couldn't the developers? With all of the delays this game has seen, why do these problems still exist? Mighty No. 9 isn't a terrible game, but it isn't a good one either. With an end result like this, I feel pity for every person who backed it.
Mighty No. 9 is a game hamstrung by its own hubris. By choosing to rely upon archaic design decisions and outdated level design it fails to achieve the level of success so clearly desired by the developers. The passion behind the project is clear to see, even if one can't shake the feeling that a few too many shortcuts were taken in order to release on multiple platforms, but the legacy of the Mega Man series looms over the game and it's unable to pull itself out of its shadow. If Comcept hadn't so stubbornly adhered to the source of its inspiration and were willing to take more risks with the title then maybe it could have been something really special but at the moment it's let down by some baffling creative decisions.
Uneven in tone and execution, Mighty No 9 is equal parts fun and frustration. Inafune won't reignite the fire of his famed franchise with this initial effort. We can only hope that subsequent attempts to reboot the blue bomber turn out better.
Mighty No.9 fails to recapture the spark of its Mega Man heritage in any meaningful way. There's not much inherently wrong with how it plays, but it is haphazardly presented and not quite as enjoyable as it could be.
Ultimately, Mighty No. 9 is just not worth the price. It has a satisfying set of mechanics, but that is all it has going for it. The visuals are atrocious, the music unmemorable, the story painful, and the level design mediocre.
If you've got a hankering for old-school platformers (albeit ones bastardised by a few modern conventions) Mighty No. 9 is a game for you. If you were going to pick it up on a whim because you fancied a taste of Capcom's golden age, you're better off looking elsewhere. Hardcore gamers eat your heart out, but don't expect to sleepwalk through this one.
This boring and bland game isn't the spiritual sequel to Mega Man we were hoping for. Mega Man is dead, long live Mega Man!
Look for this to become a cautionary tale for crowdfunded projects from now until the end of time. Sometimes a legacy of success isn't enough to guarantee quantifiable quality in the future. Caveat emptor, friends. This is not the spiritual successor you're looking for.