Mighty No. 9

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Mighty No. 9 are quite varied. Some critics, such as GameSpot and Digital Spy, appreciate the light-hearted and cartoony nature of the story, with elements reminiscent of the Mega Man series. This adds a sense of nostalgia and familiarity for fans of the genre. Additionally, MondoXbox highlights the tournament aspect of the story, which adds an interesting dynamic to the gameplay. However, there are several critics who express negative opinions about the story. Game Informer and Cheat Code Central both criticize the story, describing it as terrible, cringe-worthy, and uninteresting. Brash Games goes further to say that the story is incoherent. Examiner and Metro GameCentral mention that the story fails to expand beyond nods to the history of the Mega Man series, making it feel unoriginal. Gaming Nexus and DarkZero also criticize the dialogue and voice acting, recommending switching to Japanese audio for a better experience. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the story of Mighty No. 9 is lacking. While some appreciate the light-hearted and nostalgic elements, many critics find the story uninteresting, incoherent, and generic. The awkward cutscenes, slow voice acting, and lack of engaging content contribute to the overall negative sentiment towards the story. The simplistic nature of the plot is also mentioned by several critics, with NZGamer describing it as a tribute act cynically banking on nostalgia. The Jimquisition goes as far as to say that the writing is constantly contradictory, stilted, and disjointed. Despite a few positive aspects, the majority of critics express disappointment with the story of Mighty No. 9.

The opinions of the critics regarding the gameplay of Mighty No. 9 are quite varied. Some critics, such as GameSpot and Destructoid, praise the gameplay for its rewarding and skill-based mechanics. They mention the ability to absorb particles from damaged enemies to enhance abilities, as well as the combo system and the use of pre-charging into enemies and Action Shifts. These elements are seen as key to the gameplay experience. Digital Spy also highlights the fast-paced, skill-based action and the ability to unlock new abilities by defeating bosses. On the other hand, there are critics who express disappointment with the gameplay. Game Informer criticizes the gameplay for being uneventful and having boring level designs. Forbes mentions that the dash absorption setup works fine on standard enemies but is annoying on bosses, and the level design is obtuse and unclear, leading to blind instant death. Gaming Nexus criticizes the stiff controls, inconsistent dash move, and the game feeling like a battle with itself at times. Twinfinite mentions stiff and slow movement, lack of a full tutorial, and unbalanced gameplay. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While some critics appreciate the gameplay mechanics and the nostalgic feel reminiscent of the Mega Man franchise, others find the gameplay lacking in excitement and plagued by frustrating mechanics. The positive aspects mentioned by critics include the skill-based nature of the gameplay, the ability to absorb powers, and the challenge presented by the game. However, negative aspects mentioned include uneventful levels, obtuse level design, and inconsistent mechanics. It is clear that Mighty No. 9 has its strengths and weaknesses, and opinions on the gameplay are divided among the critics.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Mighty No. 9 are quite varied. Some critics, such as GameSpot and Game Informer, acknowledge that the game's 3D models are sharp and expressive. MondoXbox also highlights the diverse environments and specific traps and enemies for each area, which adds depth to the visual design. Additionally, Forbes mentions that the characters and enemies look fantastic. These positive aspects suggest that there are elements of the visual design that are well-executed and visually appealing. However, the majority of critics express negative opinions about the Graphics and Visual Design of Mighty No. 9. Many critics, including ZTGD, CGMagazine, Cheat Code Central, and Digital Spy, criticize the visuals for being lackluster, unmemorable, and generic. They mention dated-looking graphics, unappealing character design, and uninspired level layouts. The visuals are described as flat, lifeless, and lacking in detail. Some critics, like Examiner and Metro GameCentral, specifically mention that the backgrounds lack depth and are unfinished. The inconsistent and poor visual quality, as mentioned by Shacknews and TheSixthAxis, further contribute to the negative sentiment towards the visuals. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the Graphics and Visual Design of Mighty No. 9 are disappointing. The game fails to deliver on its initial promises of better visual design, as mentioned by Gaming Age. The graphics are often described as subpar, hideous, and worse than a PS2 game, according to VideoGamer. The lack of contemporary flair or classic whimsy, as pointed out by GameSpot, further contributes to the overall negative perception of the visuals. The visuals are often criticized for being uninspired, generic, and lacking in ambition. While there are some positive aspects, such as sharp 3D models and diverse environments, the negative opinions outweigh the positive ones, resulting in a general consensus that the Graphics and Visual Design of Mighty No. 9 are underwhelming.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Mighty No. 9 are quite varied. Some critics had positive things to say about the music and sound design. For example, God is a Geek praised the soundtrack, describing it as wonderful and authentic to its roots, with tracks composed by former Capcom musicians. Gaming Nexus also mentioned that the game's soundtrack was pretty good and appreciated the option to select a retro soundtrack. The SixthAxis praised the retro music for hitting the right chiptune notes and capturing the spirit of the Mega Man franchise. These positive opinions highlight the game's ability to evoke nostalgia and stay true to its genre. On the other hand, several critics had negative opinions about the Sound Design and Music of Mighty No. 9. Game Informer criticized the game's music and sound effects, stating that they do not get the player involved. ZTGD criticized the voice acting, describing it as some of the worst the reviewer has heard, and the dialogue as cringe-worthy. Brash Games also criticized the voice acting, describing it as bad and grating. Metro GameCentral and NZGamer both mentioned that the voice acting was awful and obnoxious. These negative opinions emphasize the game's shortcomings in terms of voice acting and sound effects, which can greatly impact the player's immersion and enjoyment. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the Sound Design and Music of Mighty No. 9 have both positive and negative aspects. While some critics praised the retro chiptune soundtrack and its ability to trigger nostalgia, others criticized the English voice acting for being slow, abrasive, and not fitting well with the game. The voice acting was a major point of contention, with multiple critics highlighting its poor quality and lack of emotional connection to the characters. Additionally, some critics mentioned issues with the sound mix and lack of balance in sound levels. These mixed opinions suggest that the Sound Design and Music of Mighty No. 9 were not universally well-received and could have been improved to enhance the overall experience of the game.

In analyzing the opinions of multiple reviewers regarding the voice acting in Mighty No. 9, it is clear that there is a consensus among the critics that the English voice acting falls short of expectations. Some critics, such as GameSpot and Game Rant, specifically mention that the voice acting is slow and abrasive, while others, like ZTGD and Brash Games, go so far as to describe it as some of the worst they have heard. The lack of appeal, emotion, and fittingness are also highlighted by Cheat Code Central and Destructoid respectively. On the positive side, there are a few critics who express satisfaction with the voice acting. Examiner, for example, praises the English voice cast as great, and God is a Geek mentions that the spoken dialogue is delivered in a manner that suits the style. However, these positive opinions are outweighed by the negative ones, as the majority of the critics find fault with the voice acting in Mighty No. 9. The overall consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Mighty No. 9 is subpar. The English dub is criticized for being slow, abrasive, grating, and lacking energy. The dialogue is described as wonky, the script as terrible, and the cutscenes as poorly executed. The obnoxiousness, lack of lip synching, and the absence of a skip button for cutscenes are also mentioned as drawbacks. Some critics even suggest switching to the Japanese audio, as Gaming Nexus and Game Rant do. While there are a few positive opinions, the negative feedback from multiple reviewers, such as ZTGD, Brash Games, and GameGrin, indicates that the voice acting in Mighty No. 9 is generally considered to be a significant flaw in the game.

In terms of the technical performance on Xbox One, the critics have mixed opinions. GameSpot and ZTGD both mention issues with slowdown and optimization, which can affect the overall experience of the game. However, no specific positive aspects are mentioned for this platform. Moving on to the PlayStation 4, the critics unanimously point out several technical issues. CGMagazine, Easy Allies, and Gaming Nexus all mention frame rate issues, with Easy Allies specifically highlighting the difficulty in discerning on-screen action due to inconsistent frame rate. Examiner goes a step further and describes the network code for the online mode as broken. TheSixthAxis mentions occasional slowdowns, but expects a day one patch to address these issues. Overall, the PlayStation 4 version seems to have more technical problems compared to Xbox One. On the PC platform, GameCrate mentions specific technical issues such as no sound when connected to a TV and sound coming out of the laptop instead. GameWatcher adds that the framerate is choppy and doesn't stay at 60. These technical issues can significantly impact the gameplay experience on PC. Taking into account the opinions of the critics, it is clear that Mighty No. 9 suffers from various technical performance issues across all platforms. Frame rate issues, slowdowns, and optimization problems are mentioned consistently by multiple critics. While some critics mention potential fixes through patches, the overall sentiment suggests that the technical performance of the game is subpar. It is important for players to be aware of these issues before deciding to purchase and play Mighty No. 9.

The opinions of the videogame reviewers regarding the replay value of Mighty No. 9 are varied. Some critics, such as MondoXbox and CGMagazine, highlight the positive aspects of the game's replayability. MondoXbox mentions customizable level order, boss powers, and an EX mode with time and skill challenges, while CGMagazine mentions optional challenge modes, co-op mode, boss rush mode, and New Game Plus. These features provide additional content and challenges for players to engage with beyond the main campaign. Additionally, NZGamer mentions the ability to see how each ally appears in previously beaten levels, adding a layer of replayability. However, there are also several critics who express negative opinions about the replay value of Mighty No. 9. GameSpot criticizes the lack of enough high ranks and challenge stages to sustain interest. Easy Allies finds the challenge mode, boss rush mode, and online race battle mode to be sterile and barebones, lacking the depth to hold attention. VideoGamer mentions that the special abilities gained from defeating bosses are largely pointless, diminishing the motivation for replaying the game. GameCrate states that additional modes and features included in the game are pointless because the core gameplay is not enjoyable. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While some reviewers appreciate the additional modes, challenges, and customization options that enhance the replay value of Mighty No. 9, others find them lacking in depth and substance. The general sentiment seems to be that while there are some positive aspects to the replay value, such as the customizable level order and the ability to see how allies appear in previously beaten levels, the overall replayability of the game falls short of expectations. The lack of engaging content, meaningful rewards, and enjoyable core gameplay are cited as the main drawbacks that prevent Mighty No. 9 from providing a truly satisfying replay experience.