project was created called "Operation Maverick Hunter". Michael McWhertor and Wes Fenlon felt that - with the information available - the game seemed like a "formula for success." They compared the direction to that of Metroid Prime by developer Retro Studios (which Armature Studio spun off from). Thomas Whitehead was also positive about it; he stated that it could have been a "bold, exciting new direction for the franchise." Joystiq's JC Fletcher noted that while Mega Man X didn't need a "gritty" reboot, it is a better alternative than to have no Mega Man games. Tony Ponce compared the redesign of X to that of Bomberman in Bomberman: Act Zero. He also stated that it was a Mega Man X game "in the very loosest sense." He felt that the cancellation was for the best and that a "cold, gritty first-person shooter" was not the ideal direction for the series. He compared it to Metroid Primes design by noting that the art style did not change much while X's redesign was "virtually unrecognizable." He later commented that an early concept design by Adi Granov was "not that bad" if it had no relation to the Mega Man X series. Chris Carter felt that while he didn't think the series needed a "gritty reboot", he would have enjoyed it if it was good. Clint Mize wrote an article for MTV.com's gaming section detailing why Maverick Hunter was a terrible idea. He felt that it could have turned off "core fans" of the Mega Man X series and that X required a "solid core title to reintroduce the character" rather than a "dark reimagining". He added that the decision to make it a first-person shooter made it feel like it was the product of an "out of touch executive". He also criticized it due to the risk involved in competing with big FPS games such as Call of Duty, Halo, and Battlefield. He noted that the perspective introduces other problems, such as reduced emphasis on platform segments. Its art design and gameplay have been compared to the video game Vanquish. References Cancelled video games Mega Man X games