Reception
Maverick Hunter X received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic, averaging 79/100.[29] The gameplay was generally praised; Juan Castro of IGN stated that it would appeal to new gamers and fans of the original, calling it "intense, fun, and very challenging".[30] Phil Theobald of GameSpy praised the large game content and game design, saying the formula of the original series still works properly, but found it too short and familiar for a remake.[31] Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com said the visuals were similar to content in Mega Man X8 and live up to the popularity of Mega Man X, expanding on the story without recycling material because Vile's mode relies on new enemies and weapons.[34] Matt Keller of PALGN praised the design of the bosses and tactics as well as explained lore. He found the main game to be short but noted the extra content, saying Vile stands out for new weapons the player has and his unique story.[33] Alex Navarro of GameSpot found the remake faithful enough to the original game enough to appeal to players but noted some upgrades for the main characters were moved to trick them and make the experience unique; he also called Vile's sidestory and Sigma's backstory the most-surprising new materials.[32]
Critics had mixed feelings about the narrative. Castro praised the animated cutscenes for adding "extra story and character depth" with good production values, but had mixed feelings about the quality of the English voice acting.[30] Joe Dodson of GameRevolution initially praised the setting and story for resembling the film Blade Runner (1982) but criticized the voice acting and localization, saying these might ruin the appeal of the concept.[3] Parish said Mark Gatha's performance in Mega Man Maverick Hunter X sounds "frothingly pissed-off all the time and feels the need to shout the name of his special weapons every single time he uses them".[34] Navarro compared the production values with those of PlayStation 2 games in the series, especially the cutscenes, and found the voice acting not as impressive as the game visuals.[32] Keller praised the animated cutscenes and OVA as good bonus material, and compared the voice acting to that of localized anime series.[33]
Despite the positive reviews, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X was a commercial failure.[36] Inafune had planned to make future remakes of Mega Man games but poor sales of both Mega Man Maverick Hunter X and Mega Man Powered Up shelved future remakes permanently.[37] Mega Man Maverick Hunter X became more successful following its inclusion on the PlayStation Store; in April 2014, it was the tenth-best selling game on the PlayStation Network.[38]
In 2011, Capcom announced Mega Man Powered Up and Mega Man Maverick Hunter X would be included in a double pack.[39] In 2018, The Day of Σ was included in the video game compilations Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 and 2; the full anime was included and remastered in high-definition video but the game was not included, making it and Mega Man X: Command Mission the only 3D entries not included.[40] Ollie Reynolds of Nintendo Life listed Mega Man Maverick Hunter X as a game he would like on the Nintendo Switch alongside Mega Man Powered Up.[41]
In retrospect, IGN ranked Mega Man Maverick Hunter X as the nineteenth-best PSP game ever made.[42] Joe Juba of Game Informer regarded the game as one of the best to play on a handheld console due to the impressive new visuals and the innovative inclusion of Vile as playable character.[43] Mike Spletchta of Game Zone found the remake as enjoyable as the original and suggested gamers try it on the PlayStation TV.[44] Retronauts praised the game's faithfulness to the original, and found the inclusion of Vile "strange" and "interesting". The site also praised the narrative, which is expanded through lore-extending cutscenes.[45]
