Mighty No. 9 Review Roundup

After years of development and multiple delays, Mega Man and Dead Rising designer Keiji Inafune's Mighty No. 9 arrives this week across console and PC.

You play as Beck, the only one of nine Mighty Number robots that is not infected by a virus. Players must fight the other eight to ultimately uncover the mystery of what went wrong.

Mighty No. 9 was announced at PAX Prime in 2013, at which time the Kickstarter campaign went live. Crowdfunding was a quick success, eclipsing its $900,000 target in under 48 hours.

As alluded to, however, it wasn't entirely smooth sailing for the project after that. The game was delayed multiple times, and most recently, the head of developer Inti Creates publicly criticized a trailer that publisher Deep Silver made for it.

Ahead of its launch tomorrow, June 21, reviews for the Mega Man-inspired platformer have now come online. We've collected them here to help you decide if the Kickstarter-funded and at times controversial game is worth your time and money.

You can also visit GameSpot sister site Metacritic for a further breakdown of Mighty No. 9's critical performance.

As for the future of the Mighty No. 9 brand, Inafune has said he has ideas for a sequel, while a live-action movie based on the series is also in the works.

• Game: Mighty No. 9
• Developer: Comcept, Inti Creates
• Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii U
• Release Date: June 21 (TBA for 3DS and PS Vita versions)
• Price: $20 (digital), $30 (physical)

GameSpot -- 5/10

"For a game that's meant to bear the legacy of a classic series, Mighty No. 9 barely succeeds. It may rouse excitement from time to time, but by and large, it lacks a pervading sense of artistry, both in its level design and presentation. Platformers--and even Mega Man-like games in particular--are readily available. For one to stand out and leave a mark, it has to do something novel that speaks to the player and the conventions of the genre; something to spark wonder and excitement. Mighty No. 9 is an inoffensively average game sprung from the memories of the past, with little to show for its position in the present." -- Peter Brown [Full review]

IGN -- 5.6/10

"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." -- Vince Ingenito [Full review]

Destructoid -- 6.5/10

"Following Mighty No. 9 has been one hell of a ride. Having backed it in 2013 at a low pledge level, I can't say that I'm exactly disappointed with the end result. It still has a lot of baggage to unload (the 3DS and Vita ports aren't even dated yet), but most Mega Man fans will find solace in the fact that it didn't end up being a disaster. Other than the art style, of course." -- Chris Carter [Full review]

PlayStation Universe -- 5.5/10

"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." -- Neil Bolt [Full review]

Game Informer -- 6/10

"Mighty No. 9 was supposed to be the game that sated our long-starved appetite for a new Mega Man entry, but it instead just made me want to play the old games again. I still think there's room in the gaming world for a new, classically designed Mega Man experience, but it can't just be a faceless and creatively sapped clone. Games like Shovel Knight feel more like a spiritual successor than this half-baked misstep." -- Andrew Reiner [Full review]

Xbox Achievements -- 55/100

"If you've got a hankering for old-school platformers (albeit ones bastardized 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." -- Dom Peppiatt [Full review]