Metroid

[Exatron]

Just beat the game last night. Finished at a little over 10 hours with a little under 70%. Was a fun ride, and especially letting my daughters experience at least some of it with me. Probably the most entertaining part of it was watching my 11-year-old start panicking whenever I approached an EMMI zone.

This game definitely doesn't pull its punches. Like someone mentioned, either you figure out the bosses' patterns well enough to avoid the attacks pretty consistently, or you're dead. I definitely noticed it becoming a pattern where I'd die a bunch of times to a boss, then I'd hit the point where everything clicked and suddenly wipe it out while barely getting touched. That was really satisfying.

I'm kind of amazed at Samus's power growth throughout the game. I mean, she definitely gets stronger in each game, but not like this. In previous games, you can take out enemies a bit quicker and can tank a bunch more hits, but I don't remember massive swings in how I'd play from start to end. Like in Zero Mission (most recent game I played through before Dread), the only real difference in how I went through the end of the game on my Normal 100% run and my Hard 15% run was how careful I was to avoid enemy attacks, and how carefully I aimed my precious few missiles against bosses in that 15% run. But in Dread? I'm now going through areas while looking at the minimap without even looking at the screen, when earlier in the game I'd be sweating bullets. Where I had to live and die by my melee counter earlier, those enemies that used to make my thumb hurt from repeated shots now just melt away when I wave my cannon at them. And taking out one of those flying whales with a single screw attack after previously having to dump at least a dozen or two missiles into them is oh so satisfying.

Anyway, going through finishing up 100% now. I have three zones left to clear. One has one item behind some speed blocks that are giving me trouble, and the other two have items to find that aren't showing up on my map and don't have any flashing screens. I think I'm going to spend some time exploring those with the radar for a while to see if I can find what I'm missing.

Oh, almost forgot. Don't have any pictures of my collection, but here's what I have:

All four of the classic games, all without boxes. My original Metroid is the later yellow label version.
Zero Mission, also no box, but the game won't boot. Only game I bought second hand. Can't remember why I never got it new. Had to play on a flash cart.
Samus Returns.
All three Prime games. No trilogy collection.
Prime Hunters, both First Hunt and the full game.
Federation Force.
All the amiibo.

 

[Caldwin]

I got to the final boss last night. Today was all chores and I'm too exhausted to play now. But it is thrilling to be at the final boss.

 

[Caldwin]

Also just realized since my NES and SNES games are in cases, you couldn't see this.

Original non-yellow release!

 

[Caldwin]

Well, I did it for Zelda, I guess I should do it for Metroid. Apologies in advance for the wall of text.

Metroid (original NES)
Okay, I understand there's probably a lot of nostalgia goggles on this. But I still love this. It's the first of its kind. I love how the Morph Ball came about because they couldn't figure out how to make the hero crawl. Necessity is the mother of invention, and they invented a hell of an iconic mechanic. I hear a lot about how easy it is to get lost. But I think, like Zelda, because I grew up with it, I just learned how to memorize the map. I never had a problem with it. Of course, there are some problems that come with it being the first of its kind. There's no world map, no save rooms (which introduces other issues). In some ways it shows its age. But I still love it
-- A++

Metroid II Return of Samus (Gameboy)
I never had a Game Boy. I had to borrow my brothers Gameboy until I got the Super Gameboy for the Super Nintendo. Everyone says how they got so lost in the first game, but I always got more lost in the second one. A lot of rooms looked exactly alike and it was all black and white. I will say that for a portable game at the time, it was really advanced. It also introduced shooting while ducking and shooting downwards while jumping...not to mention space jump, spider ball and Samus's new shoulder pauldrons. Also, the soundtrack is hugging awesome. Black and white as well as getting lost still kills a lot of it for me, but there's no denying it's place in the Metroid franchise.
-- A-

Super Metroid (SNES)
Finally they introduced the game map. They also introduced super missiles, power bombs, speed booster, shooting at angles. They brought back Kraid and Ridley. This game was everything the original Metroid was only...MORE. If I have to find fault with it, I will say the button mapping feels a little awkward coming back to it after playing other Metroid games. But honestly, that is it. Everything else is pitch perfect. The difficulty of the bosses, the new and returning abilities...everything was so perfect!
-- S

Metroid Fusion (Gameboy Advance)
At the time I was glad just to be getting another 2D Metroid...or any Metroid at all for that matter. But going back to it, it is far more linear than any Metroid game before or since. It also tried to do a lot of what Super Metroid did, but with fewer buttons. It worked well enough, but there's absolutely no way it could stand up to Super Metroid, and that just kinda hurt. Metroid skipped over the N64 entirely (which now I'm kinda glad for but back then it hurt). So to have the first Metroid game in so long just not measure up to its predecessor, it hurts. Still, it was the shot in the arm the franchise needed. I also love the Fusion Suit. And while Prime would take place between the time of two earlier games, Fusion continued the franchise story.
-- B-

Metroid Zero Mission (Gameboy Advance)
A remake of the original with a map and updated sensibilities. To be clear though, you may get the story of the original game, but this absolutely does not in any way replace the original. A remake is not a remaster and this is a very different game from the original, for better and for worse. It just doesn't have quite the feel of the original, which being a retro game loving guy that I am...eh! But it did upgrade it to a point where newer players could get the story without playing a game that, without my nostalgia goggles, just wasn't up to the standards of the time. So maybe it was needed. And honestly, I enjoyed playing it, so I can't really say anything against it. It was a fun game. And playing after the end with the Zero Suit, as much as I usually hate stealth section in otherwise action games, it was a treat.
-- A+

Metroid Prime (Gamecube)
I'm just going to say it. I like the 2D Metroids more than the 3D games. Just call it personal preference. Whereas I have finished every 2D Metroid Game I've played (except for Dread at the time of writing), I've Never beaten any of the Primes. I just don't like them as much as the 2D games. Still, it kept the Metroid franchise alive for as long as it ran. And I can't deny, that actually playing it, it was much better than it had any right to be. Something about it just...worked. My own personal bias aside, I just can't deny this did a lot to keep the franchise breathing when it desperately needed it.
-- S

Metroid Prime 2 Echoes (Gamecube)
Eh. I may have never finished any of the Prime games, but at least with 1 and 3 I was able to get to the final bosses before they kicked my ass so hard I just had to stop. Echoes...I just couldn't keep with it. It just wasn't pleasant, at all.
-- C

Metroid Prime Hunters (DS)
I didn't like this one...at...all. Look, I know that escape sequences are a part of Metroid. It's always been a part of Metroid. I expect that. But to have an escape sequence after every...single...hugging...area...gah! Also, doesn't matter what size your DS is. I've played it on both sizes. Having to hold the DS in one hand while constantly pressing down in the center screen with the other tires out the wrists faster than anything. I just couldn't play for long before my wrists started hurting. And the graphics sucked. They tried to put a prime game on the DS. In a lot of ways they succeeded. But I just can't call this a fun game in any way.
-- D

Metroid Pinbal (DS)
It's a gaiden game. But I absolutely love Pinball and I absolutely love Metroid. So Metroid Pinball? Yes please!
-- B+

Metroid Prime 3 Corruption (Wii)
Remember how I said I just don't like 3D Metroid Games as much as 2D Metroid games? This one was the closest one to change my mind. The Wii motion controls may have been a gimmick that, as a whole, I will not miss any time soon. But for this, it really worked. This thing was fun to play. A also really like Gandrayda at the beginning of the game. I really think she and Samus were close. Just watch Samus's fist clenching when she's forced to kill her. It's gut wrenching!. I got to the final boss and just ran into a road block. But everything right up to that moment was just excellent. This is easily my favorite of the Prime games.
-- S

Metroid Prime Trilogy (Wii)
Again as much as I will not miss motion controls, something about adding them to a first-person shooter just feels too right. I didn't play Prime 3 on this since I already had my save data on its individual release. But in my personal opinion, it's the best way to play the first two. It even made me like Prime 2. I can't really bump Prime 1 up seeing as how I already gave it an 'S' rating. But this version of Prime 2, I'll bump it up to a B. The Wii Trilogy is just that good.
-- S

Metroid Other M (Wii)
I never defended the story. In my most fan boyish moments, I tried to say "story good, gameplay bad." But let's be honest. That was me being a fanboy because after all the Prime games, Metroid finally returned to 2D. But I never defended the story and I never will. And when it comes to the gameplay, I defended it at the time because I was a fan boy. But the pixel-hunt sections? Having to stand prone while using missiles? The whole authorization mechanic instead of having to explore and find things? This game fails on every level. I still maintain that voice action CAN work on a Metroid game. It worked on Prime 3. All they have to do is find someone decent for Samus and have a decent script. But this game wasn't it. It just fails on every level.
-- F (and I'm not even sorry)

Metroid Samus Returns (3DS)
I think it relied on the parry mechanic a little too much. But in every other way, it was the Metroid game I'd been waiting for. It even managed to wash the taste of Other M out of my mouth. You know how I was ragging on Zero Mission for not being close enough to the original? It think this time around it was needed. The original, I just got lost way too easily to the point I had to set it aside for a long time before picking it back up and playing it to the end. This one, I couldn't put it down. The graphics are awesome. The added game mechanics, though maybe more heavily relied on than they should have been, were still great additions to Samus's move set. The end fight with Ridley was a bit of a 'hug you' slog. But final bosses are supposed to be tough. I still had a hell of a time playing this.
-- S

Metroid Dread (Switch)
Oh boy, how do I rate this one? I'm still on the final boss. I didn't play today because I was too worn out after chores and even now I just don't feel up to it. This is one of those games where its like "I love this game. I hugging hate this game. Hug you game. Yes! I hugging love this game. This is the best Metroid ever. Hug you! Hug this game. I hugging hate this game." It's truly back to the 2D Metroidvania basics that I've been missing so long. Samus Returns was a step in the right direction, but it was still a remake. This is a brand new game that closes out the story started all the way back in the 80's. It's so good in so many ways: graphics, controls, story, exploration, new and returning mechanics. It does everything right. BUT...there is a fine line between challenging and frustrating. I'm not sure where that line is to be honest. It is so satisfying when I finally beat a boss. But this game makes you fight every.single.hugging.inch you take. It absolutely does not let up, even between bosses. I like a challenge, but this game forgets to let you breath. You need to be able to breath or else you just get exhausted. And right now, I'm just so exhausted by this game. I've gotten pissed off at games before, but I've never been the literal 'throw the controller across the room' type. I still haven't done that, but thank goodness I have a soft couch right here, because the controller did get thrown. It does not let you breath. So...exhausting, punishing difficulty on the one hand...everything else being absolutely perfect on the other. Where does that leave me?
-- S on a good day
-- A when I'm pissed off at it...which is often

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Why was Dread so hard? Does it feel like Nintendo is just out of practice making a 2D Metroid, or does it feel like they did it on purpose?

 

[Sjogre]

It's hard so that you're encouraged to learn how to play the game. When you've learned how to handle the enemies, it's actually surprising how quickly they die.

 

[Kup]

Ravens Beak made me angry tonight. Finally gave up. I never mastered the melee counter (I cable figure out the timing — is it the moment before the flash, the flash itself…?) and for so much of this battle based around it it’s incredibly frustrating.

Dread is great. It’s been a challenge. I’m not sure I’m skilled enough for this fight. I’m 40, not 13 like I was with Super, and I just don’t have the reflexes I used to.

 

[Exatron]

Ravens Beak made me angry tonight. Finally gave up. I never mastered the melee counter (I cable figure out the timing — is it the moment before the flash, the flash itself…?) and for so much of this battle based around it it’s incredibly frustrating.

Dread is great. It’s been a challenge. I’m not sure I’m skilled enough for this fight. I’m 40, not 13 like I was with Super, and I just don’t have the reflexes I used to.

For everything other than the EMMIs, you press the counter button right after you see the flash. So it's all about recognizing the tells that a counterable attack is coming, then wait for the flash, and hit the button.

The EMMIs are a whole 'nother story. There are two opportunities to counter, but you're supposed to hit the button right when the flash occurs, if not slightly before it. So you have to anticipate rather than react. Which would probably be fine, except that they vary the timing of the flash each time you get caught. E.g., for the second opportunity when Samus actually gets stabbed, sometimes you'll get a flash when the spike comes out and get impaled at the same moment, and sometimes the spike will come out and the flash and stab will come a second or two later. So basically, guess a time to hit the button and hope you get lucky.

As far as I've been able to tell, none of the attacks that don't have that flash can be countered.

 

[Caldwin]

Why was Dread so hard? Does it feel like Nintendo is just out of practice making a 2D Metroid, or does it feel like they did it on purpose?

It's hard so that you're encouraged to learn how to play the game. When you've learned how to handle the enemies, it's actually surprising how quickly they die.

Basically this. It's absolutely deliberate. And it's not a bad thing...totally.

There is a tendency today where except for Souls type games where difficulty is an advertised feature, most games are made so that you absolutely will finish it if you're at all persistent. Dread does go back to the days were games were made to be hard and you just have to "git gud."

The one and only problem I have with Dread is that it's so unrelenting. You go from boss to EMMI to boss to EMMI. It doesn't give you any time to breath.

BUT, it's also so very satisfying when you do figure out the patterns and finally nail the bastards. Like I said, I've been angry at games before. But this is the first time I've literally thrown my controller. On the other hand, there've been so many times I've leapt up screaming "YES, I HUGGING BEAT YOU, MOTHER HUGGER! I HUGGING DID IT!" and it's a great feeling of achievement to have.

So yeah, it's a very "I love this game" one moment and "I hate this game" the next.

_______

On another note, is this better than Super Metroid?

It's probably not fair to ask now, because the fact that it's new really can paint how much you like something. But like, it took Breath of the Wild before I would admit that there's a Zelda game better than Ocarina of Time. In the same way, I have never seen a Metroid game to unseat Super Metroid as the best Metroid. But Dread is raising the question.

Now yes, Dread is new and that does have a tendency to make a person unduly judge something as "best (insert franchise here) EVER!" So really, it is a time will tell type thing. But this is the first Metroid game to actually make me consider the question.

 

[Kup]

What about Prime 1? It’s a masterpiece, but is it better than Super? That’s tough.

 

[Haze Arquebus]

These bosses absolutely do not play around, but I really can't say I feel the game is overly difficult given the generosity with the checkpoints, so you can just keep at it until you get it, and not be subjected to having to run through a gauntlet of BS every time, unlike say, the damned spider boss in Fusion.

 

[Caldwin]

What about Prime 1? It’s a masterpiece, but is it better than Super? That’s tough.

Well, just MHO, but I gave my opinion on the 3D Metroids up there. I know a lot of people probably like the Primes more than the 2D games, I'm just not one of them.

 

[Thefakelink]

I’d go so far as to say Prime 1 is to the 3D games as Super is to the 2D games. Both the best they had to offer and whatever came after tried to build on it, for better or worse (cough*Other M*cough).

 

[Caldwin]

Hey! Other M was a...great...game...with a lot of...awe...some...bwah! I just can't do it. I can't do it. Is there anyway we can just erase it's existence from history?

 

[Thefakelink]

Other M had one good idea for every 10 bad ones. It’s like a candy apple you bite into and discover it’s an onion.

 

[Caldwin]

Well, I just paid way too much for the Dread Amiibo on Amazon. I hate feeding the Scalpers, but Nintendo has as much precedent for "once Amiibos are gone they're gone" and they do "will release so many more later that they warm shelves." I've seen them do both and honestly, I rather pay way too much than to not ever get them...to a point. So...mine should be coming. I only hate myself a little.

 

[Xellos]

I dunno, I still liked Other M. I was fine with the story, the only thing that felt disjointed was the first person view when you go to missles. I mean, I know they liked to really experiment at that time with the Wii gimmicks, but it definitely messed with the flow, and made a few battles annoying. Otherwise I am fine with the game.

I was gonna replay all the non-Prime games when they announced Dread, but I did not feel like finding and hooking up my Gamecube for the Game Boy Player, and did not want to play ZM and Fusion on my 3DS, so I only replayed Samus Returns (on said 3DS), Super, and Other M. I had great fun with all of them, but damn, I absolutely love how fast and fluid Samus controls in Dread.

 

[Daith]

Man though super heavy Nostalgia Goggles on the original Metroid and II there. I'll give them credit for the games they are to the franchise but I couldn't give them more than a B each when their remakes vastly improved both games. Though Samus Returns or AM2R? Official or Fan made which is the better?

Other M I feel gameplay wise isn't the worst and to me that trumps the horrible light they put Samus through in the story. Everyone hates the search sequences for sure, and the missile firing was bs. And directly ripping off the Space Station cloning Metroids from Fusion was so bad. The MB android I feel was an interesting twist but it didn't go into it enough. I'd at least give it a C-.

But MP: Hunters was a fail. I aplaud the effort, but that control scheme was garbage.

 

[Sjogre]

I kinda want a remake of Other M, or maybe a sequel.

The story... There were some good, or at least interesting ideas, but the execution was a mess. Taking the broad strokes and rewriting them into something stronger is at least possible.

The gameplay though, definitely had some things worth trying again, that could have used a second pass to iron out the kinks. Concentration and Sense move were uneven, but the Overdrives were a great idea, and I actually liked the way that it shifted from 2D to 3D gameplay.

 

[Caldwin]

Daith:
Hey, I freely admit to having nostalgia googles. Sometimes they're just on there so firmly that you can't help but seeing through them. That was just my own personal ranking. I would certainly love to see how other people rank things.

Other M:
While I was playing it, I was firmly "Gameplay good, story bad." There are whole YouTube essays that explain it so much more thoroughly than I could on a simple message board post. But the story... it was a hugging mess!

Gameplay, I liked it at the time, except for how they implemented missiles. I never liked that. But the whole thing of only being one plane at a time while still having moments of left/right, away from camera/towards camera...I'll admit it had some good ideas.

But even at that, I still go back to pixel hunting, prone missle launching, and one other thing I forgot to mention, holding the Wiimote sideways.

Wiimote did motion controls well. But it was never meant to be used like a normal controller. It's just not ergonomically built to be held like that. It was very uncomfortable to use. That's why they made the classic controller and the nunchuck.

So I'm going to have to stand by my previous rating. Heck, most fans were worried about it being a franchise killer. Right up until we saw that Prime 4 logo at E3, it seemed like a warranted fear. I just can't give it anything more than an 'F' and I'm going to have to stand by that.