In a year that's rich with wonderful new releases, it might be hard to think back on a game that missed the mark from years past. However, most gamers would be hard pressed to forget Mighty No. 9, the seemingly cursed Kickstarter game that fell far short of its ambitions to become the next Mega Man.
Our own reviewer gave the game a 6/10, stating that it "was brought down by baffling design decisions and a strict adherence to mechanics that were phased out for a reason." The mediocre reception was not helped by the game's well-documented problems coming out of crowdfunding, including nonworking keys and delayed rewards.
That brings us to today, over a year past the game's launch, with backers of the $60 Physical Game Box tier receiving their award. The immediate reaction has been less than positive.
The package includes a physical box meant to replicate NES/Famicom era packaging and a manual that doesn't fit within said box.
This matches with what was promised on the Mighty No. 9 Kickstarter way back when, and that message may have been muddled by Deep Silver choosing to publish the title with a physical version. In any case, this reward is likely to be too little too late for many disheartened backers.
Quick Take
I feel for anyone who was misled by the Kickstarter's wording, and I don't blame anyone for forgetting what they signed up for so many years ago. Those fans can now cheer themselves up with games like Mighty Gunvolt Burst and 20XX. It's 2017, and there are plenty of experiences that get far closer to replacing the Mega Man-sized hole left by Capcom.
Still, this is one of the last loose ends on the entire Mighty No. 9 saga. We must consider all the strife caused by a single game and put it all into perspective.
At least it's better than nothing.
