Metroid Dread is coming out and I need to finally play the Metroid games. One problem though (aside from Zero Mission and Fusion having hard to find authentic physical copies): I don't really enjoy Metroidvanias. Well, tell a lie, I like the "vania" half of Metroidvanias. I'm way more into the Symphony of the Night-style combat and character progression through tiny increments rather than big strides and obscure secret-hunting in Metroid. You can make the argument that Metroid is more satisfying in the long term, but the thing is, that's a really long time between terms. In something like Bloodstained, I felt like I was getting slightly stronger and better at the game with each level up and new shard ability/weapon. In Zero Mission, I unlocked the Screw Attack and went "oh boy, now I can get past hidden Screw Attack blocks to find more secrets that I won't be hunting down."
Metroid is notorious for being a fucking asshole when it comes to the critical path. On top of forcing you to backtrack through large parts of the map because Dad didn't get the big promotion so we couldn't afford fast travel for your birthday, they occasionally decide to put the way forward through the rest of the game in a cryptic, bullshit spot, such as the infamous hidden wall in Super Metroid, or in Zero Mission's case, the fucking lava illusion.
"I seem to be stuck, Zero Mission. How do I progress the game?"
"Okay, you know how you just got the Varia Suit? Which protects you from heat, but it doesn’t protect you from the fire juice?"
"Yes, Zero Mission, I understand that there must be a suit upgrade later that allows me to move through lava free of harm, so for now I should avoid the fire juice."
[SLAP]
"Wrong, stupid. You see that fire juice that looks indistinguishable from all other fire juice ponds? It’s not actually real, you retard."
"Forgive me, Zero Mission. I was under the impression that Samus had already learned basic human caveman instincts, i.e. 'fire hot ow.'"
More than once, the game likes to pull this kind of illusion shit and while 4 times out of 5 I would stumble through them on accident without registering that they were illusions, it's still no less of a dick move to hide actual game behind fake game that looks no different from actual game. It's like the Road Runner running through the tunnel Wile E. Coyote painted on the side of the cliff wall. The game also likes to play loosey-goosey with its own rules sometimes. Why is that I can break Mother Brain's glass with my missiles, but this glass tube between doors needs a power bomb? Come to think of it, what's the logic behind some blocks only being breakable with a missile but others being breakable with a morph ball bomb? If the point of getting Super Missiles is to have them be better missiles and unlock Super Missile-sealed areas, why don't they destroy weaker blocks? That's like having a different key for every door inside your own house. I know the answer is "because it is a video game," but that's why I prefer Metroidvania games like Bloodstained or SteamWorld Dig 2, where areas that are currently inaccessible are because I don't have a traversal power, like a glider or double jump. I also don't like how the game tells you where to go, yet opens up pathways for you to explore anyways... only to be met with dead ends because you don't have the proper items yet. Serves you right for going off the beaten path we literally paved the way for... by going down these other paths we also technically paved the way for but you gotta show up with later the tarring machine to finish them.
The sense of character progression is strong when it matters. Going from your puny pea shooter beam to the long wave beam near the end of the game does feel empowering, but nothing empowers you more than the ending sequence. First off, the stealth was surprisingly good. A little too happy with the scripted "you've been spotted" sequences where the Space Pirates follow you relentlessly and 50% of the time decide that your hiding spot that worked last time wasn't good enough this time, but it got the blood pressure going. And then when you get your suit back and all those unknown items you've been collecting turn into your final upgrades that transform you into a flying ball of electric death to which walls provide no cover and gods provide no mercy all while your theme music is triumphantly blasting, is quite sugoi.
I like the story bits sprinkled in occasionally. Seeing brief glimpses into Samus' childhood with the Chozo and the ensuing threat of the Space Pirates and Metroids gives the game just enough context within the greater Metroid canon (which structurally is all over the place but whatcha gonna do it's basically a prequel now). Soundtrack is pretty great, too. Shout out to Kraid's area theme, God damn.
Zero Mission is fun and a good way to ease people into Metroid in preparation for Dread. If Dread's stealth is even better than the segment from this game, we might just have a slam dunk on our hands. This is actually the first Metroid game I've beaten all the way through, because I have tried like three different times to play Super Metroid and for one reason or another, I can never finish it. But soon, the demon will be put to rest...
Metroid is notorious for being a fucking asshole when it comes to the critical path. On top of forcing you to backtrack through large parts of the map because Dad didn't get the big promotion so we couldn't afford fast travel for your birthday, they occasionally decide to put the way forward through the rest of the game in a cryptic, bullshit spot, such as the infamous hidden wall in Super Metroid, or in Zero Mission's case, the fucking lava illusion.
"I seem to be stuck, Zero Mission. How do I progress the game?"
"Okay, you know how you just got the Varia Suit? Which protects you from heat, but it doesn’t protect you from the fire juice?"
"Yes, Zero Mission, I understand that there must be a suit upgrade later that allows me to move through lava free of harm, so for now I should avoid the fire juice."
[SLAP]
"Wrong, stupid. You see that fire juice that looks indistinguishable from all other fire juice ponds? It’s not actually real, you retard."
"Forgive me, Zero Mission. I was under the impression that Samus had already learned basic human caveman instincts, i.e. 'fire hot ow.'"
More than once, the game likes to pull this kind of illusion shit and while 4 times out of 5 I would stumble through them on accident without registering that they were illusions, it's still no less of a dick move to hide actual game behind fake game that looks no different from actual game. It's like the Road Runner running through the tunnel Wile E. Coyote painted on the side of the cliff wall. The game also likes to play loosey-goosey with its own rules sometimes. Why is that I can break Mother Brain's glass with my missiles, but this glass tube between doors needs a power bomb? Come to think of it, what's the logic behind some blocks only being breakable with a missile but others being breakable with a morph ball bomb? If the point of getting Super Missiles is to have them be better missiles and unlock Super Missile-sealed areas, why don't they destroy weaker blocks? That's like having a different key for every door inside your own house. I know the answer is "because it is a video game," but that's why I prefer Metroidvania games like Bloodstained or SteamWorld Dig 2, where areas that are currently inaccessible are because I don't have a traversal power, like a glider or double jump. I also don't like how the game tells you where to go, yet opens up pathways for you to explore anyways... only to be met with dead ends because you don't have the proper items yet. Serves you right for going off the beaten path we literally paved the way for... by going down these other paths we also technically paved the way for but you gotta show up with later the tarring machine to finish them.
The sense of character progression is strong when it matters. Going from your puny pea shooter beam to the long wave beam near the end of the game does feel empowering, but nothing empowers you more than the ending sequence. First off, the stealth was surprisingly good. A little too happy with the scripted "you've been spotted" sequences where the Space Pirates follow you relentlessly and 50% of the time decide that your hiding spot that worked last time wasn't good enough this time, but it got the blood pressure going. And then when you get your suit back and all those unknown items you've been collecting turn into your final upgrades that transform you into a flying ball of electric death to which walls provide no cover and gods provide no mercy all while your theme music is triumphantly blasting, is quite sugoi.
I like the story bits sprinkled in occasionally. Seeing brief glimpses into Samus' childhood with the Chozo and the ensuing threat of the Space Pirates and Metroids gives the game just enough context within the greater Metroid canon (which structurally is all over the place but whatcha gonna do it's basically a prequel now). Soundtrack is pretty great, too. Shout out to Kraid's area theme, God damn.
Zero Mission is fun and a good way to ease people into Metroid in preparation for Dread. If Dread's stealth is even better than the segment from this game, we might just have a slam dunk on our hands. This is actually the first Metroid game I've beaten all the way through, because I have tried like three different times to play Super Metroid and for one reason or another, I can never finish it. But soon, the demon will be put to rest...