This evaluate initially went reside in 2014, and we’re updating and republishing it to mark the sport’s arrival in Swap’s GBA library by way of the Nintendo Swap On-line Growth Pack.
Launched a full eight years after its phenomenal Tremendous Nintendo predecessor, Tremendous Metroid, 2002’s Metroid Fusion is a well-paced, tense, atmospheric recreation and an oft-overlooked GBA traditional that, whereas not as substantial and expansive as different 2D video games within the collection, fits transportable play fantastically.
Naturally, you assume the position of Samus Aran, the legendary bounty hunter answerable for overturning the sinister designs of the Area Pirates and obliterating their natural weapon, the Metroids. Samus accompanies a bunch of scientists to SR388, the Metroid homeworld, planning to survey the planet, however is unknowingly accosted by a virulent organism often known as an X Parasite. The truth of this an infection is defined as soon as Samus loses consciousness and crashes her ship on the return journey – although she escapes the influence unhurt, her physique and tools are teeming with X Parasites, and her probabilities of survival are slim. Her signature attire, the Energy Swimsuit, is surgically eliminated and he or she is injected with cells from the final of the Metroids, saving her from a grim demise however drastically altering her look. Weakened, she is given little time to recuperate when the laboratory containing each the creatures collected within the exploratory mission and her Energy Swimsuit is rocked by an explosion, thus tasking her with the duty of investigating this mysterious house station.
It’s a robust opening sequence, significantly for those who performed Tremendous Metroid. Samus muses that the Metroid vaccine administered to her was derived from (spoilers!) the Child Metroid within the SNES title and, as such, she owes it her life twice over. Metroids have been apparently designed to be the X’s sole predator, and because of the cell infusion, she is now in a position to soak up X Parasites into her physique.
Earlier expertise with the collection isn’t essentially required to get pleasure from this entry, however realizing that Samus’ personal actions in wiping out the Metroids in Metroid II: Return of Samus have not directly brought about the occasions of Metroid Fusion does add some nice flavour. We would advocate taking part in at the very least Tremendous Metroid earlier than this one, (however we might advocate that to anybody who will hear, regardless).
The gameplay itself was additional refined from previous instalments. Samus is as sprightly as ever and nonetheless utilises her signature spinning bounce and 8-directional aiming strategies from earlier video games, however is now additionally in a position to seize ledges and climb sure surfaces. As you’d count on, Samus is stripped of power-ups from the earlier recreation because of the removing of her Energy Swimsuit, and these are regularly unlocked by development within the recreation.
Thus far, so Metroid. Metroid Fusion’s development, nonetheless, is surprisingly linear. Samus is given directions from her ship’s onboard pc, whom she dubs ‘Adam’ after her late commanding officer, and there’s little or no room for deviation from the principle path for many of the recreation. Metroid Fusion has a narrative, one which it insists on telling, and funnels you in a single path. Metroid video games have at all times been linear experiences, after all. Certain, you backtrack and open up new paths as soon as you have acquired a brand new capacity, however there’s usually solely ever one thread to comply with, nonetheless cleverly it is sewn throughout the map.
So it’s maybe somewhat disappointing that Metroid Fusion typically simply seals off sure routes with locked doorways, significantly in the direction of the start of the sport. It’s this lack of ingenuity and originality that retains Metroid Fusion from surpassing its 2D predecessor — Tremendous Metroid — in high quality, nevertheless it does not spoil the sport and arguably fits the shorter play periods usually related to transportable play. To collection followers who know the lore, Metroid Fusion’s narrative is definitely worth the concession, too. It’s a gripping story of suspense and intrigue, completely accompanied by the hostile setting and Samus’ unfamiliar feeling of helplessness.
The analysis station Samus explores is host to plenty of organic specimens now contaminated with the vicious X Parasites. The number of enemies on show is spectacular, and boss battles specifically are gratifying and ingenious. Samus’ bigger foes are fashioned from X Parasites holding one among her earlier power-ups, they usually use this capacity towards her. The opponent holding the Morph Ball, as an example, is an alien armadillo that curls right into a sphere and rolls into Samus, whereas the boss holding the Excessive Soar — and you will by no means guess this — vaults excessive into the air.
It’s a pleasant little contact, one that’s seen once more in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and is utilized in each video games to nice impact to make Samus appear appropriately susceptible with out her tools and suitably empowered as soon as it is recovered. Once more, it is Metroid 101, however Fusion does it very successfully.
An plain spotlight when it comes to enemies is the SA-X, a doppelganger of Samus created by the an infection of her Energy Swimsuit. This cruel clone hunts the bounty hunter and is in full possession of her total arsenal of weaponry, together with the Ice Beam, to which she’s now extraordinarily inclined because of her Metroid DNA. The sport incessantly reminds you that the SA-X is much too highly effective to fight in her present state, and evading the creature while making an attempt to succeed in the subsequent goal is tense and exhilarating.
Graphically, Metroid Fusion is a pleasure to behold, with detailed sprites and moody, atmospheric environments. It is awash with color (partly to assist gamers see the motion higher on authentic non-backlit GBA {hardware}), which is refreshing for a title with a sci-fi setting the place a darkish, muted palette would have been the apparent selection. Environments are distinct and diverse, displaying a superb fusion of natural and mechanical design.
Metroid Fusion could be very removed from the longest recreation within the collection. Following the story itself ought to take maybe six hours for many gamers, however there’s a wealth of hidden power-ups and gadgets for completionists. Collectibles are sometimes fiendishly hidden, betrayed by delicate visible cues that solely essentially the most perceptive gamers will discover. There are fewer head-scratching moments than Tremendous Metroid, for essentially the most half, nevertheless it’s rewarding to uncover a hidden trove utilizing wit and a spotlight to element. Fusion isn’t overly difficult; save factors are littered pretty incessantly throughout the environments, while enemies drop health-restoring X Parasite for Samus to gather. Some bosses can show difficult, however finding a wholesome provide of Power Tanks can enable Samus to tank by most encounters.
Conclusion
Metroid Fusion is partaking, it’s tense, and it’s polished. It isn’t nearly as good because the excellent Tremendous Metroid, however judged by itself deserves it’s a very simple advice. Its relative linearity makes it a fantastic jumping-in level for these new to the collection, while longtime followers will benefit from the narrative focus and the references and delicate winks thrown at them. It is ‘Metroid 4’ — important for followers, but in addition an exhilarating, compact delight for newcomers.