There's more to Mighty No. 9 than
elements of Mega Man, however: you're encouraged to be fast and
efficient. You could argue this is just an echo of the Mega Man X
games--where skillful dashing was required in order to complete certain
levels or to reach secret areas--but Mighty No. 9 rewards quick and
nimble play in a new way by allowing you to absorb particles from
damaged enemies that temporarily enhance your speed, armor, and power.
These boosts have an immediate and tangible effect, and the more you
play, the more skilled you become at both acquiring and using them.
Mighty
No. 9's sense of speed evokes intermittent exhilaration and its
nostalgic elements can be charming, but these spurts of joy aren't
enough to carry the game in the face of its standout issues. Its levels
are are too basic and leave you hungry for something new and exciting;
the biggest threats are instant deaths from pitfalls and spikes. As long
as you play smart and with a measure of patience, it's very hard to
fail.
There are a total of 12 stages in story mode, with
four that unlock after you finish the initial eight. These eight levels
can be tackled in any order you wish, but don't mistake this open-ended
level selection as a true callback to Mega Man's punishing structure,
where you had to decipher the "correct" path through stages and
ultimately bosses. Mighty No. 9's bosses can all be defeated using your
default weapon with reasonable effort, and thus you rarely feel
compelled to explore your weapon upgrades out of necessity. The last
four stages are an exception, where particular obstacles demand the use
of one weapon or another, but at that point, you have no attachment to
your newfound tools, and thus only a vague sense of pride in your
progress.
At the end, you have no attachment to your newfound tools, and thus only a vague sense of pride in your progress.
The
real challenge lies in earning high ranks; killing groups of enemies in
a specific way that earns you accolades is an ever-present objective.
Marks are determined by factors like how much damage you take, how many
enemies you kill, and how efficient you are at absorbing their energy.
There are also discrete challenge stages with rules and victory
conditions that force you to think on your feet, putting your reflexes
and problem-solving skills to the test. Sadly, there aren't enough of
these--or variety of rulesets--to sustain their budding allure.
Perfecting your reflexes is a fun pursuit if only because of the
rewarding feelings you get from chaining together attacks and dashes in a
fast and stylish manner, but it's nothing more than a convenient way to
spice up Mighty No. 9's typical action.
Despite its
traditional gameplay, there are some noticeable efforts made to
modernize the experience; everything is modeled in 3D, including
cutscenes where the hero Beck and other characters plan actions and
analyze the overarching conflict. At best, the game's 3D models look
like sharp and expressive recreations of classic game art, but Mighty
No. 9 mostly feels like a compromised effort, failing to deliver either
contemporary flair or classic whimsy. Given this, it's more maddening
that some levels exhibit a surprising amount of slowdown, though it
becomes clear why certain lighting and particle effects are used
sparingly; the game isn't optimized to support them throughout.
The
aforementioned cutscenes are particularly disappointing, with
characters that simply sway in place as they talk through static mouths.
You can choose to hear dialogue in either Japanese or English, but
expect to switch to Japanese regardless of your habitual preference; the
English voice acting is too slow and abrasive to stomach. The best
moments that relate to Mighty No. 9's characters or plot come during
levels, when allies pop in to offer encouragement and dismantle basic
obstacles. These cute moments show signs of promise, but Mighty No. 9
doesn't encorporate its thoughtful touches into the bigger picture.
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.
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.