Why Video Game Fans Will Always Be Sad When They Hear About Mighty No. 9
Before Capcom finally did right by the Blue Bomber and gifted his fans with Mega Man 11, there wasn't a lot being done with the retro fighting robot. The Super Mario Maker-inspired Mega Man Universe was announced in 2010 but later saw a cancellation in 2011. Mega Man fans were also disappointed by the cancelation of Mega Man Legends 3, which ended that series on a dour cliffhanger.
Former Capcom video game producer Keiji Inafune is known for his extensive work on the Mega Man IP, beginning with his work as an artist on the very first game in the series. After he departed Capcom in 2010, Inafune founded his own development company, Level-5 Comcept. The studio's first project was an ode to Mega Man that got plenty of support on Kickstarter. In fact, 67,226 backers pledged $3,845,170 to it.
However, what fans got from the final product was nothing but disappointment. Here's why gamers and die-hard Mega Man fans will always let out a defeated sigh whenever Mighty No. 9 gets a mention.
Mighty No. 9 was a letdown in just about every way
Mega Man loyalists had every right to be excited about Mighty No. 9. A piece of concept art for the game gave the impression that it would adopt a gorgeous 2D animation style. However, hype for the game began to lower after constant delays and fans' contempt for Comcept's decision to fund another game even though Mighty No. 9 was still in development. Fans' goodwill for the game took a further nosedive after an infamous trailer dropped, which includes an insulting line from the narrator: "And make the bad guys cry like an anime fan on prom night."
Once critics got their hands on Mighty No. 9, they lambasted everything about it. The game's Metacritic score sits at a paltry 52, with reviewers throwing shade at the game's technical shortcomings, uninspired level design, short campaign, etc. The game's user score is even worse, as it sits at a 3.6.
VentureBeat's headline for its review of Mighty No. 9 sums it up perfectly: "Mighty No. 9 is a bland, frustrating game that doesn't deserve to succeed Mega Man."