the original metroid 2 was a game about the mindless genocide of an entire planet, piece by piece. everything about it, intentional or otherwise, felt fit to purpose

the environments lack colour and distinguishing features, the metroid fights are messy and repetitive, the music can be just horrifying

it's not a fun game in the traditional sense, but it sells the themes of the game perfectly and the feelings it elicits are unlike any game i've ever played

it's a long, one way descent into the heart of a dying planet that becomes even more lonely and alien the deeper you go, with plenty of time to be left alone with your thoughts

i resent the idea that this or samus returns are replacements for it; there's a lot of games out there like those two, but none quite like metroid 2

AM2R feels reverant and respectful of the original in the sense that the map and structure and all that literal stuff have been lovingly recreated and modernised, but those very abstract, specific qualities metroid 2 has have been lost i think

but that aside, it's a very well designed, polished, professional and fun game that stands alongside the very best of the official games, and if i didn't know any better i'd probably mistake it for one

it understands on a very deep level what makes the later metroid games so fun and satisfying, but maybe not what made metroid 2 satisfying in its own way

basically what i'm trying to say is, they're both awesome, play both! (and maybe samus returns as well idk i haven't played it)