Tag: metroid

Metroid Dread

There are points that could have been improved, but Metroid Dread is a rare combination of Nintendo’s usual nearly untouchable level of polish and design cleverness with old-school gaming staples like brutally challenging bosses and the absence of any sort of handholding. In other words, it is precisely what devoted fans of the property had been waiting for. Meanwhile, to those outside that tight circle, the quest works to prove that even if the genre the franchise originated is now overpopulated by efforts that used its basics as a trampoline to various creative ideas, the presence of this pioneering saga remains essential. After all, although its offspring have done quite well in carrying the torch, the truth is no other game delivers the type of experience found in Metroid. And for that reason, it is absolutely delightful to have it return in such a spectacular shape. All players can do now is hope that, this time around, Samus has come back with the intention of sticking around for good.

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by Matt

Metroid Prime Hunters

Much of the incredible success of the Metroid Prime franchise can be attributed to its decision to embrace a first-person perspective while keeping true to the saga’s roots, therefore ignoring the shooting tendencies that dominated the market at the time. As a game that jumps on that initially undesirable action bandwagon, it is easy to look down on Metroid Prime Hunters like a quest that abandons the series’ idiosyncrasies in favor of more straightforward gameplay. Making that judgment too quickly, though, could be a mistake, because although it is undeniable the title presents that transition, it does not shun the Metroid aura completely. Certainly, it has much more blasting foes than exploring and backtracking; it can be too formulaic; and it has key flaws that most of the top shooting games would not have. However, the thrill it produces cannot be overlooked, and by creating a Metroid experience that obviously favors shooting but that does not forget the value of eventually making players question where they need to go to, Metroid Prime Hunters is a smart detour with respectable quality. It could not possibly compete with its console peers, so it chose to build a niche of its own. And even though the operation is not perfect, it is good enough not to be dismissed.

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by Matt

Metroid II: Return Of Samus

Metroid II: Return of Samus is, quite obviously, not the point when the property matured into the gaming juggernaut it is today, for that moment was still in its future. Nevertheless, the progress it achieves in relation to its prequel is noticeable. The adventure carries an overall design that is much smoother; introduces abilities that would go on to become major staples; puts together a larger world of equally intricate setup; and implements small improvements that, when added up, create an experience that is more pleasant and fun to go through. Consequently, although it is hard to deny the Game Boy’s limitations and the lack of a map considerably hold the quest back, the title also represents a weird instance when the translation of gameplay from a console to a portable resulted in a superior product. And thanks to its distinct premise and ultimate goal, which give birth to a different sort of progression, Return of Samus stands as a somewhat unique take on the Metroid franchise, and its position as an overlooked entry in the series ends up being unfortunate not just to the game itself, but also to those who miss out on playing it.

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by Matt

Metroid: Other M

That, however, does not mean Metroid: Other M is bad. It is clear that the shifts in gameplay and plot that it brings into the franchise do not work entirely, as they sometimes frustrate and occasionally go against essential elements of the series. Nevertheless, its successful parts come together to forge a very distinctive Metroid experience. Its focus on action may generate an adventure that is shorter and simpler than those of its 3-D counterparts, but it brings a physical thrill to combats that did not exist before it. And its dedication to storytelling may at times veer towards the cheesy and incongruent, but it is responsible for a compelling tension-inducing mystery and an interesting – even if irregular in quality – glimpse into the past of Samus Aran. Therefore, although it does have many rough spots and holds a nature that is unlikely to satisfy everyone, it is an adventure that deserves either a try or at least a pat on the back for the different path it takes.

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by Matt

Metroid

Given it has a remake that gets rid of nearly all its frustrating issues and that makes its adventure, which is in essence quite good, accessible and fun to modern gamers, revisiting the original Metroid is only really justified by the curiosity to catch a glimpse of the franchise’s start in its pure state. Those who choose to do so, will be able to witness how an NES game was able to succeed in creating an astoundingly immersive atmosphere inside a technically limited scope, and they are bound to find the game’s mixture of action and non-linear exploration to be engaging to a certain point. Nevertheless, they are also likely to come across a myriad of issues in presentation and design that severely harm the overall experience. Metroid is a strong game, and it is certainly one of the system’s most alluring efforts, whether one takes into consideration the franchise it spawned or not; however, time has not been too kind to it, as it has amplified the problems that existed on the day of its release and brought new shortcomings to light.

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by Matt

Axiom Verge

Axiom Verge, therefore, could have certainly benefited from additional, and more specialized, help in some of its supporting elements. Nonetheless, when judged in terms of gameplay, by far the most important component of the medium it belongs to, it amounts to a title that is downright stunning, especially when one considers it was entirely built by a pair of hands. The eight-hour adventure that takes place in its dark caves and shafts, which can last for far more in case players look to achieve full completion, easily stands side-by-side with the installments from the classic saga that inspired it. While Nintendo infinitely delays the release of the next sidescrolling Metroid, Axiom Verge rises as an excellent option to anyone craving for an adventure of the sort; and, truth be told, when that long-awaited game does arrive, Thomas Happ’s creation will not be too far behind in terms of level design intricacy.

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by Matt

Metroid: Samus Returns

Metroid: Samus Returns, however, has some quirks of its own, which make it somewhat unique when compared to the sidescrollers that represent the pure and classic Metroid gameplay: namely, the original game and Super Metroid. While some of its defining traits come from the source material on top of which it is built (Metroid II), others are new ideas implemented by Nintendo and MercurySteam. And those two sets of elements come together to form quite an experience.

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by Matt

Forgiving The Unforgivable

Through so many years of so many letdowns, it is clear that some fans turned their backs on Nintendo either due to one of those doubtful moves or because of the sum of all parts. However, the number of people who decided to forgive, wait and develop – once more – trust in the company’s abilities were fairly rewarded. For every appealing Eastern game that was not localized to the West there was an incredible RPG; for every year that Samus stayed in the limbo there were five hours of gameplay in the fantastic trilogy that followed the lull; for every horrible Mario game there was an adventure featuring the plumber that blasted into historical greatness; for every ridiculous song in Donkey Konga there was a stage exploding in creativity in Donkey Kong Country Returns and its sequel; for every CD-i Zelda game there were many unforgettable Hylian adventures; for every inadequate Star Fox game there was a new IP or a fun adventure starring a reborn Kirby; for every botched up relationship with third-parties there were unexpected partnerships that resulted in incredible titles; and for every disastrous system there were more than plenty of successful ones.

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by Matt

E3 2017: Thoughts And Words

If during E3 2016 Nintendo did not have much to show other than The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which was pretty understandable given the colossal impact the game had, E3 2017 was a quite different scenario. Looking to power the Switch through its first year of life while keeping the flame of its sales phenomenon pretty well-fed with oxygen, and trying to show gamers that the 3DS is still a system that will receive their support, the company gave fans quite a bit to look forward to. Games that were still unknown to the general public were revealed, and upcoming projects whose names have been written on people’s calendars for quite a while were further detailed.

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by Matt

Metroid: Zero Mission

Consequently, if there was a game in the Nintendo lore that claimed for a remake, that game was Metroid. In 2004, amidst a rather bountiful period that saw the franchise gain four new installments in the span of just two years, Nintendo delivered that overhaul under the appropriate moniker of Metroid: Zero Mission. Metroid, then, supported by hardware whose strength was more than appropriate to house an undertaking of its stature, got its second chance to prove itself. The opportunity was not forfeited: the series got one of its strongest and purest outings, and the Game Boy Advance became the home to one of Nintendo’s greatest portable titles.

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by Matt