There is a lot to say about this one so buckle up.
Everybody has heard of Metroid and seen Samus. It's one of the most iconic main stay titles of Nintendo, or at least that is the perception I and many other people I know always had. But the more I asked around the more I realised that Metroid is a series that people tend to hear a lot about but at the same time never tried for themselves. I was one of those people and to finally discover what all that fuss over Metroid is about, I decided to go and try for myself. I started with the original, which is one of the only games I have ever abandoned. So my first impression went terribly. But I still decided to give the series another shot, skipped Metroid II and went straight over to this game. And oh boy oh boy I am so glad I did.
First up: for a game that released several years before I was even born I gotta say the game's graphics hold up surprisingly well, atleast on emulator. It has this sorta eerieness to it that I can hardly describe and fits well with Metroid's theme of science fiction coupled with horror. I dunno why but the graphics just did it for me. Espeically the first few hours feel very atmospheric, almost unlike anything I have ever seen before in a videogame. It has good controls and, comparing it to the original, a fucking crouch button (which was the least they could have done) and buttons for aiming directionally (which I didn't actively demand, but was still more than glad to take).
The gameplay is, well, what you expect from Metroid and what the series is known for. You run through levels, collect upgrades to access new areas, to then collect more upgrades, rinse and repeat. On top of that the game has also cranked the amount of secrets up to eleven. It's one of those games where you quickly learn to not trust walls. This makes exploration really rewarding, as you collect more ammunition or health upgrades, which strongly convey a sensible feeling of satisfaction that stems form the visible effect that collecting secrets has on your character. Especially considering that some of the bosses are really hard without extra energy canisters and missile containers. The main upgrades offer so much more freedom in the way you move through screens or make you so much stronger, that compairing Samus from the beginning of the game with Samus of the end of the game is a difference a clear as night and day and reflects how far you have come in your jorney through Zebes.
Lastly the level design. As a huge darksouls fan I love non linear level design. I back tracked every chance I got and I was never disappointed to find some new area I couldn't access previously with a hidden missile container in it. Some puzzles also required you to think outside of the box like that one puzzle in Maridia where you had to built up a super jump in one room and then bring it into the next room to be able to break certain blocks and get a missile container. I felt like my few years of Portal community maps experience have paid dividence. There were also several puzzles I outright cheesed by freezing enemies with the ice beam and then using those enemies as platforms to get to places I wasn't supposed to get to at that point in the game. A game that allows for that much freedom just has to be good.
Also, I softlocked myself by making the jump to kraids lair without the Hi Jump Boots, going into the next room, wasting my super missiles and then going back to find the super missile blocks to be back. I also couldn't make the jump a second time because the blocks were in the way and I couldn't build up enough speed to clear the distance a second time. Thank god there are cheats. But honestly the situation was, although really stressful, kinda fun and I look back on it fondly.
So to wrap up my ramble: There are emulators wink wink, there are Rom's wink wink, no need to sue me Nintendo wink wink. I highly recommend this classic, that made me find out, why there are so many Metroid stans out there. I'll be definately playing the other entries of the series. 10/10.
Everybody has heard of Metroid and seen Samus. It's one of the most iconic main stay titles of Nintendo, or at least that is the perception I and many other people I know always had. But the more I asked around the more I realised that Metroid is a series that people tend to hear a lot about but at the same time never tried for themselves. I was one of those people and to finally discover what all that fuss over Metroid is about, I decided to go and try for myself. I started with the original, which is one of the only games I have ever abandoned. So my first impression went terribly. But I still decided to give the series another shot, skipped Metroid II and went straight over to this game. And oh boy oh boy I am so glad I did.
First up: for a game that released several years before I was even born I gotta say the game's graphics hold up surprisingly well, atleast on emulator. It has this sorta eerieness to it that I can hardly describe and fits well with Metroid's theme of science fiction coupled with horror. I dunno why but the graphics just did it for me. Espeically the first few hours feel very atmospheric, almost unlike anything I have ever seen before in a videogame. It has good controls and, comparing it to the original, a fucking crouch button (which was the least they could have done) and buttons for aiming directionally (which I didn't actively demand, but was still more than glad to take).
The gameplay is, well, what you expect from Metroid and what the series is known for. You run through levels, collect upgrades to access new areas, to then collect more upgrades, rinse and repeat. On top of that the game has also cranked the amount of secrets up to eleven. It's one of those games where you quickly learn to not trust walls. This makes exploration really rewarding, as you collect more ammunition or health upgrades, which strongly convey a sensible feeling of satisfaction that stems form the visible effect that collecting secrets has on your character. Especially considering that some of the bosses are really hard without extra energy canisters and missile containers. The main upgrades offer so much more freedom in the way you move through screens or make you so much stronger, that compairing Samus from the beginning of the game with Samus of the end of the game is a difference a clear as night and day and reflects how far you have come in your jorney through Zebes.
Lastly the level design. As a huge darksouls fan I love non linear level design. I back tracked every chance I got and I was never disappointed to find some new area I couldn't access previously with a hidden missile container in it. Some puzzles also required you to think outside of the box like that one puzzle in Maridia where you had to built up a super jump in one room and then bring it into the next room to be able to break certain blocks and get a missile container. I felt like my few years of Portal community maps experience have paid dividence. There were also several puzzles I outright cheesed by freezing enemies with the ice beam and then using those enemies as platforms to get to places I wasn't supposed to get to at that point in the game. A game that allows for that much freedom just has to be good.
Also, I softlocked myself by making the jump to kraids lair without the Hi Jump Boots, going into the next room, wasting my super missiles and then going back to find the super missile blocks to be back. I also couldn't make the jump a second time because the blocks were in the way and I couldn't build up enough speed to clear the distance a second time. Thank god there are cheats. But honestly the situation was, although really stressful, kinda fun and I look back on it fondly.
So to wrap up my ramble: There are emulators wink wink, there are Rom's wink wink, no need to sue me Nintendo wink wink. I highly recommend this classic, that made me find out, why there are so many Metroid stans out there. I'll be definately playing the other entries of the series. 10/10.