Play the Red Ash prototype in your browser, though it is not fun

Mega Man Legends spiritual successor

Keiji Inafune and Comcept are really trying to sell Red Ash: The Indelible Legend, Inafune’s follow up to Mighty No. 9 and spiritual successor to Mega Man Legends. Its Kickstarter campaign ends in five days and it is hardly more than halfway funded.

Interestingly, it is struggling to sell in reality where Mighty No. 9 sold in vague promise and premise. Some of the other highest funded Kickstarters, too, sold only on an idea, concept art, and fan fervor (Shenmue 3, Mighty No. 9, Bloodstained).

But people are upset at Mighty No. 9 for not looking like that original concept art (and possibly for other reasons; it is hard to tell) and Inafune’s next project is not receiving much support, even with actual prototypes and much more work already put in.

And it makes sense. People love the idea of something more than the thing. Especially when the thing in question, in its provable existence, is as underwhelming as this playable in-browser Red Ash prototype. Why would it be interesting or good? It’s a prototype. It is like watching the latest super hero blockbuster before they put the CGI in. Or the actors. Excessive transparency seems like Red Ash‘s last grasp at funding success, but it’s not the kind of thing that inspires the sort of folk who back Kickstarters.

Go and kick the can around, though.