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[ShogunDarius]

“It’s better than nothing”. That’s the assessment of Keiji Inafune following the damning critical reception of his new platformer Mighty No.9.
The reviews for the game have not been kind, with the title currently carrying a Metacritic rating of 60 per cent. There has also been some frustration about the game’s visuals, which – as per this Eurogamer video – are nothing like the quality previously hinted at.
To celebrate the Mighty No.9’s North American and Japanese launch, developer Comcept ran a live stream in which Inafune himself appeared to admit that things hadn’t panned out as expected.
"The reality is they put everything into making this game,” Inafune said, as translated by Comcept’s Ben Judd, Vice reports. “They didn't try to microtransaction it out, they didn't try to DLC it out for extra money. They put it all in.
“So, for now, this is what you see and what you get, for the Mighty No. 9 world. But, again, we can hope that if things go well, there'll be sequels. Because I'll tell you what, I'm not getting my 2D side-scrolling fill. And at the end of the day, even if it's not perfect, it's better than nothing. At least, that's my opinion."
Judd also explained how Inafune began work on other projects once the game had hit around the 70 per cent completion mark and was not involved in its porting to various platforms.
Mighty No.9 was crowdfunded to the tune of $3.8m back in September 2013, but has since been hit with a string of delays, as well as questions about the campaign’s sincerity. Note that the Xbox 360, Mac and Linux versions have been delayed, with 360 backers instead being offered a Steam code for PC.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/inaf...of-mighty-no-9-is-better-than-nothing/0168798

 

[OrbitalBeard]

Well, there's nothing else he could really say.

Of course, that doesn't make those comments any less disgusting.

Edit - Maybe "disgusting" isn't the right word..."depressing" might be a better fit.

 

[Grexeno]

 

[SliceSabre]

I'd rather have nothing because that would mean I never chipped in to help make this game.

 

[Zalman]

Because I'll tell you what, I'm not getting my 2D side-scrolling fill.

Kirby: Planet Robobot just came out and it's excellent.

 

[liquidtmd]

Errrrrm that's not how launch PR works Inafune

 

[thuway]

I just want some indie developer to come out and make a game in the vein of Mega Man X. Cuphead is effectively the Contra we never got.

 

[zoukka]

Errrrrm that's not how launch PR works Inafune

It's better than trying to pretend the game got great response from gamers and critics.

 

[qualitydisc]

Was this actually a statement from Inafune translated, or just the opinion of the Comcept employee?

 

[Carl]

I think nothing would be better

 

[Jintor]

Onion tier headline

 

[rjc571]

I disagree, I'm not even gonna bother downloading my copy

 

[BassForever]

He's not wrong not like anyone else is stepping up to the plate to make a Mega man esque game outside of gunvolt.

 

[Zereta]

I have no personal stake in any of this but you can't just respond to the criticism of the state of your game with a:

That's not how this works, Inafune.

 

[Death Metalist]

Was this actually a statement from Inafune translated, or just the opinion of the Comcept employee?

That was just Ben Judd's opinion(producer). Going on something along the lines with not enough 2D side scrolling games on the market and all.

 

[Hasney]

Errrrrm that's not how launch PR works Inafune

Slap it on the back of the box immediately.

 

[woopWOOP]

lmao

Now there's a quote for the back of the box!

 

[Oxx]

New OT title.

 

[xevis]

I'd rather have nothing because that would mean I never chipped in to help make this game.

I think "better than nothing", in this case, means "better than not releasing anything at all" rather than "better than if none of this had happened".

 

[killatopak]

Nothing is better than you Inafune.

 

[Drencrom]

But, again, we can hope that if things go well, there'll be sequels.

Good luck with that, Inafune.

 

[The Broken Ska Record]

He's not wrong not like anyone else is stepping up to the plate to make a Mega man esque game outside of gunvolt.

20XX is good from what I hear.

 

[Alienous]

It it?

I'm sure some players would have preferred the dream.

 

[DSix]

I guess now he's going for the pity vote. But that's Molyneux tactics...

I don't really know what to think of this really. Where has the money gone? We know for a fact that many indies are capable of far better for just a tenth of his budget.

 

[pswii60]

I got an amazing side scrolling fix with the Strider remake, which is a great example of the right way to do it.

 

[qualitydisc]

That's was just Ben Judd's opinion(producer).

Thread title should be edited if it's the producer's sentiment and not Inafune's.

 

[Kenzodielocke]

Nothing is better than you Inafune.

No reason to get personal here buddy. Critisize the work, not the person.

 

[nynt9]

This game is just the perfect storm of a shitshow, and it's amazing how Inafune doesn't even give enough of a shit to own up to it.

No reason to get personal here buddy. Critisize the work, not the person.

The lying surrounding the Red Ash Kickstarter is definitely a work.

 

[m4st4]

4 mil - it's better than nothing.

He can only look up to WayForward's Shantae and beg for scraps from now on.

 

[Chaos17]

I just want some indie developer to come out and make a game in the vein of Mega Man X. Cuphead is effectively the Contra we never got.

He had 4 millions, even Bloodstained from IGA look more promising and done with love and it had less money (1M ?).

 

[KingBroly]

Ben Judd needs to buy a 3DS.

 

[Death Metalist]

Thread title should be edited if it's the producer's sentiment and not Inafune's.

I'll check the livestream again just to be sure.

 

[Kouriozan]

Good luck with that, Inafune.

Didn't he say before that a sequel was already in the work?

 

[MrBadger]

Hey, you. Looking at the screen.
Do you like average games that are average?
Then you gotta play this game dude. It's better than nothing.

 

[JP]

And yet, here's me with "nothing" feeling happier about that than what many are feeling with "better than nothing".

 

[texhnolyze]

Errrrrm that's not how launch PR works Inafune

I'm starting to doubt his business skills. Is he really a businessman?

 

[KAP151]

Thats 'everything'?

Cmon. It looks horrible.

 

[bman94]

It's better than nothing. Fucking really? The 2D platformers market is not dead. It may not be huge retail releases like back in the 90's but it's definitely not dead. We've got so many quality 2D platformers from Nintendo and talented indie developers that you releasing an inferior product shouldn't be a fucking favor to the gaming industry.

 

[Codeblue]

Hey, you. Looking at the screen.
Do you like average games that are average?
Then you gotta play this game dude. It's better than nothing.

I'd rather he come out and say "look, we screwed up" than try to deny every printed word about the game. I'll never get my money back, but I'd feel a modicum of consolation if Comcept is a better company for wasting my cash and puts out something good eventually with the lessons learned.

 

[qualitydisc]

I'll check the livestream again just to be sure.

I only saw Wario's clip, so I don't know the context. But I feel that the attribution should be double-checked before it gets misattributed.

 

[spindoctor]

Because I'll tell you what, I'm not getting my 2D side-scrolling fill.

Mate, open up Steam once and have a close look. There are enough 2D side scrollers to last until the end of days.

 

[Orniletter]

That's was just Ben Judd's opinion(producer). Going on something along the lines with not enough 2D side scrolling games on the market and all.

Which is kind of a dumb point.

There are enough nintendo published really high quality 2D platformers. And then there are indie games.

 

[Mugen08]

Was that really something Inafune said and Judd translated? Watching the stream now and it felt like Judd's own assessment? Not that it helps much but still.

 

[The Broken Ska Record]

He had 4 millions, even Bloodstained from IGA look more promising and done with love and it had less money (1M ?).

BS made over $5million on Kickstarter plus additional funding it got of it made its initial goal.

 

[DownGrader]

I'd rather he come out and say "look, we screwed up" than try to deny every printed word about the game.

Hasn't Inafune basically made a postmortem for Mighty No. 9 during the stream?

 

[Deleted member 125677]

Well that's reassuring! Get hype

 

[nubbe]

Gaming in 2016 will be remembered as
¯\_(&#12484_/¯

 

[I-hate-u]

Good luck with ever trying a new ks.

 

[MrBadger]

Which is kind of a dumb point.

There are enough nintendo published really high quality 2D platformers. And then there are indie games.

True, and there are lots more sincere attempts at recapturing the NES era of sidescrollers. Mighty No 9 just feels rather outdated, like that story and those characters would have been cool in the early 2000's, but some self awarenesses is needed to make it work in the modern day if you're even going to put a story in a platformer.

 

[Deleted member 30609]

he also said, "I'll own all the problems the game has, and if you'd like to hurdle insults at me, you're welcome to"... I don't know, the tone of that in writing feels aggressive, but it didn't seem cynical to me at the time. I don't know every part of this story, but I have some sympathy for everyone here.