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[BentMyWookiee]

Just finished the game. I loved it! I don't think it was perfect though as I found some of the metroid fights a bit repetitive. But I guess that can't be helped as it was really a remake of the Gameboy game. I think it would have been cool to see a little more reliance on all of Samus' tools in the boss fights, but it's a small complaint. I enjoyed the counter/parry mechanic and thought it was well implemented. Having the second screen with the map constantly on display is probably the best QoL improvement! The precise aiming was a fantastic addition as well; I'm curious to see how Super Metroid will hold up after playing this.

LAST BOSS SPOILERS:

Spoiler

I wasn't expecting Ridley to show up at the last minute and thought that was a really cool bonus. Maybe others saw it coming, but I found it as a great way to bring the game to a close.

Mercury Steam did a great job on this remake and I'd love to see them take another stab at Metroid in the future.

 

[Kindekuma]

It's funny how MercurySteam approached Nintendo for remaking Fusion, but instead

Spoiler

they might end up making the sequel

.

Considering a Fusion mode playthough now.

 

[dcx4610]

I'm a big Metroid fan but I have to say, this game is...boring? I'm playing it and it's fine but there's just something very dull about it. I also really hate controlling the game with the analog slider instead of the d-pad. I'd rather have 8 way shot (with a d-pad) instead of having analog aim and having to use the slider. It really slows down the gameplay IMO and makes it control worse than it should.

I like it enough to finish it but I don't think it holds a candle to Zero Mission or Fusion which is Metroid done right.

 

[ADS]

Another one who just finished, took ~13 hours, got close to 100% but didn't bother backtracking after the final "

Spoiler

item

" to get full 100%.

Really liked it. I'm generally really picky about analogue controls for platformers but the controls for this work really well, outside some morph ball difficulties, and the free aim is a wonderful addition to the series.

Of the recent similar games I've played, I'd rank them:

Hollow Knight > Samus Returns >>> Ori (I found Ori really boring)

I've read some of the criticism in this thread and agree with many of the issues, but in the end the whole package really delivers a great experience.

I'm one of those people who immediately turns off 3D in every 3DS game, but I turned it on and left it on for the entire game here. The depth and detail in the backgrounds is just astounding. There were even a few areas I just stopped to admire the background scenery. When I bought the game I found myself wishing it was on Switch, but after playing it I don't think a 2D version would provide the same experience.

Anyway, rambling aside, everyone should buy this game. I want sequels.

 

[Toxi]

Replaying the original Metroid, it's hard to understate how much more freedom the controls in Samus Returns offer. We've come a long way.

Also holy shit is there a lot of slowdown in the original Metroid.

 

[jorgejjvr]

I legit did the area 6 boss like 25 times

Wow

Felt good finally beating him

It kept changing...I had to be so precise

 

[Hylian7]

Replaying the original Metroid, it's hard to understate how much more freedom the controls in Samus Returns offer. We've come a long way.

Also holy shit is there a lot of slowdown in the original Metroid.

I've tried to play the original Metroid so many times, and gotten frustrated and given up.

Fuck getting stuck in a hatch with an enemy. Fuck the controls. Fuck all the enemies half Samus's size. Fuck all the slowdown. Fuck all the samey rooms with no map.

It was cool at the time for what it brought to gaming, but it's really aged poorly. Metroid II is only more playable because crouching is a thing and while the rooms look even more samey, there's a linear progression so you at least are getting somewhere.

 

[Pasck]

Oh my god, someone just told me (area 8 boss)

Spoiler

you can roll into the queen mouth after a melee counter and set off a power bomb in its stomach

me and two other friends finished the game and none of us realized that, we were only shooting the mouth the whole time.

 

[1upsuper]

I've tried to play the original Metroid so many times, and gotten frustrated and given up.

Fuck getting stuck in a hatch with an enemy. Fuck the controls. Fuck all the enemies half Samus's size. Fuck all the slowdown. Fuck all the samey rooms with no map.

It was cool at the time for what it brought to gaming, but it's really aged poorly. Metroid II is only more playable because crouching is a thing and while the rooms look even more samey, there's a linear progression so you at least are getting somewhere.

I think Metroid 1 has aged very well. It is one of the most atmospheric NES games I've ever played, and the sense of isolation and confusion are second to none. It's an open world game in a very different sort of way than the rest of the series. There are far few obvious progression gates, and it's much easier to get lost.

 

[Realeza]

I'm a big Metroid fan but I have to say, this game is...boring? I'm playing it and it's fine but there's just something very dull about it. I also really hate controlling the game with the analog slider instead of the d-pad. I'd rather have 8 way shot (with a d-pad) instead of having analog aim and having to use the slider. It really slows down the gameplay IMO and makes it control worse than it should.

I like it enough to finish it but I don't think it holds a candle to Zero Mission or Fusion which is Metroid done right.

This game destroys both.

 

[oon]

This game destroys both.

I miss environmental puzzles like this one...

(spoilers for Metroid: Zero Mission)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP2FvmBvTNE

I think there's a lot in Fusion & Zero Mission that was better than Samus Returns - they all have some positives and negatives. I think the level design in Samus Returns was a lot less cohesive, there wasn't as good a flow - and the item placement's part of that, you could pretty much 100% the game just by showing up in each room with the requisite power-up, no thought or skill required.

It's still a fun game! But I don't think it's better than earlier entries on all fronts.

 

[CharminUltra]

Just got the screw attack. This is one of the best games of the year, and top 3 Metroid. The sense of progression and pacing is phenomenal.

I dunno if it's top 3 overall for me (haven't made up my mind about some of the Prime ones yet), but it's definitely up there. It's certainly my second favorite 2D game after Super Metroid.

Most of my complaints come down to the 3DS ergonomics, but the game itself is exceptional. Like somebody said in the review thread (or was it this thread?): it's Metroid without all the bullshit.

 

[Realeza]

I miss environmental puzzles like this one...

(spoilers for Metroid: Zero Mission)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP2FvmBvTNE

I think there's a lot in Fusion & Zero Mission that was better than Samus Returns - they all have some positives and negatives. I think the level design in Samus Returns was a lot less cohesive, there wasn't as good a flow - and the item placement's part of that, you could pretty much 100% the game just by showing up in each room with the requisite power-up, no thought or skill required.

It's still a fun game! But I don't think it's better than earlier entries on all fronts.

Game is cohesive as fuck to me. Certainly more than Fusion at the very least, which I played a little over a month ago for the first time. Transitioning from one area to the next is so smooth thanks to fantastic pacing. And the open-ended nature of the areas, which offer lots of exploration without feeling tedious, highlight the excellent level-design. Then you have the absolute best gameplay of the 2D games, which finally feels punchy and satisfying to shoot.

 

[Lutherian]

Enjoyed the game from start to finish, even if a one time, I had a bad moment with

Spoiler

the autoscroller mecanical boss

where I died a lot. Playing it on Hard now, still a blast to counter and evolve in the underground caverns of SR-388.

 

[Zalman]

I just reached Area 4. My main two thoughts so far:

- I really like the free aiming. I hope it's kept for future games. The melee counter is great too, although I can understand why some people aren't liking it. I also think this should be kept going forward, but maybe make it less essential so it's not used so often.

- Area 3 was where I started feeling the repetitiveness of the bosses. I wish they had come up with more unique fights, but for a remake they get the job done. Enemy variety is also lacking, especially when they start introducing the same ones but in different colors.

Overall I'm really enjoying it so far and I'm happy to see the series back. I forgot how much I missed 2D Metroid.

 

[Benzychenz]

Missing a single item in area 3, and the map looks entirely complete

Edit: What I thought was a recharge station was actually a purple door lol. On to area 4.

 

[Golnei]

- Area 3 was where I started feeling the repetitiveness of the bosses. I wish they had come up with more unique fights, but for a remake they get the job done. Enemy variety is also lacking, especially when they start introducing the same ones but in different colors.

If there was more variety to regular enemy types, the repeated Metroid minibosses wouldn't really be an issue - even with the game as it is, the former tended to bother me more.

I wouldn't have minded them throwing a couple of Fusion bosses in to break things up, though - Serris and Yakuza could have been fun, or do something like AM2R and its Alien-esque take on the Genesis. Or just more original ones in the vein of Diggernaut.

 

[Vaenyr]

Ok, question about area 8 boss. I am getting stuck when

Spoiler

i am on the ground, it makes the back wall fire, there are green orbs and then it stars putting fire on the floor. If out of aeon shield, what do?

Spoiler

I think he is refering to the attack where she traps you between fire in the floor amd in the wall. She doesnt push you to the wall bu the order in wich she puts the fire traps you. hiding under her mouth or power bomb jumping to the ceiling kind of worked but i got hit a few times as well

I can handle the area 8 boss OK, until

Spoiler

There's fire on the back wall, floor AND green bubbles. Give me a break!

The best (and easiest) way to deal with that

Spoiler

is to spiderball on the right wall and powerbomb, you'll fly straight in her face and interrupt every attack.

 

[emb]

I miss environmental puzzles like this one...

(spoilers for Metroid: Zero Mission)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP2FvmBvTNE

I think there's a lot in Fusion & Zero Mission that was better than Samus Returns - they all have some positives and negatives. I think the level design in Samus Returns was a lot less cohesive, there wasn't as good a flow - and the item placement's part of that, you could pretty much 100% the game just by showing up in each room with the requisite power-up, no thought or skill required.

It's still a fun game! But I don't think it's better than earlier entries on all fronts.

Really missed this sort of thing in SR.

Spoiler

After beating the game, I went back to do the cleanup, expecting to find some really tricky stuff. There's not much. Only a few expansion puzzles had me putting forth any effort. I remember a couple that had me trying to fire a missile or something before a block reset, and it was fun to figureout the spiderspark. It never felt like they really pushed the mechanics though. Most things I went to get were just 'go back to this spot with pbs/supers/baby. Which is fine to have, just hoped for more challenges. Ultimately wasn't a big deal since other aspects of this game are so good though.

 

[Bubble Walrus]

The best (and easiest) way to deal with that

Spoiler

is to spiderball on the right wall and powerbomb, you'll fly straight in her face and interrupt every attack.

Thanks. I will try that. My biggest problem now is that my hands hurt too much to last the entire battle!

 

[Simbabbad]

Game is cohesive as fuck to me. Certainly more than Fusion at the very least, which I played a little over a month ago for the first time. Transitioning from one area to the next is so smooth thanks to fantastic pacing. And the open-ended nature of the areas, which offer lots of exploration without feeling tedious, highlight the excellent level-design. Then you have the absolute best gameplay of the 2D games, which finally feels punchy and satisfying to shoot.

100% agreed.

I think Metroid 1 has aged very well. It is one of the most atmospheric NES games I've ever played, and the sense of isolation and confusion are second to none. It's an open world game in a very different sort of way than the rest of the series. There are far few obvious progression gates, and it's much easier to get lost.

And 100% agreed with this too. I'm so tired of reading NES Metroid or Metroid II are "outdated", they're both terrific games that I enjoy replaying MUCH more than Super Metroid, and they both did unique things in the series.

 

[Bubble Walrus]

HOLY BANANAS!!

Spoiler

I finally beat her and got my little buddy! I LOVE THIS GAME!
Now do I face what's ahead or go back and collect everything first?

 

[Hylian7]

HOLY BANANAS!!

Spoiler

I finally beat her and got my little buddy! I LOVE THIS GAME!
Now do I face what's ahead or go back and collect everything first?

You can still use save stations, so if you want to move on go ahead, and you can just load up the file after you finish and get 100% items. Up to you really.

(Spoilers for near endgame)

Spoiler

You'll find the baby can get you through some areas you couldn't before

 

[balladofwindfishes]

HOLY BANANAS!!

Spoiler

I finally beat her and got my little buddy! I LOVE THIS GAME!
Now do I face what's ahead or go back and collect everything first?

Completion is time based, your % has nothing to do with rank, so go and beat the game first, then go back after and collect the rest of the items for 100%.

Spoiler

The final boss is a bit of a jump in difficulty over the Metroid Queen, so you might want to go back and find some more powerups if you have trouble. Mostly health, Super Missile and Aeon meter will be helpful.

 

[GeekyDad]

HOLY BANANAS!!

Spoiler

I finally beat her and got my little buddy! I LOVE THIS GAME!
Now do I face what's ahead or go back and collect everything first?

Just got that myself as well. Now I know how to

Spoiler

break through those blue crystals.

Weeeeeeeeee!!

 

[Teggy]

Is there a non-aeion attack that does extra damage to

Spoiler

Ridley

? I am keeping shields up and can make it to the third stage but my reflexes are not holding up. Or is there a way to get health back during the fight I am missing?

 

[emb]

Is there a non-aeion attack that does extra damage to

Spoiler

Ridley

? I am keeping shields up and can make it to the third stage but my reflexes are not holding up. Or is there a way to get health back during the fight I am missing?

Spoiler

You can shoot super missiles at his face. Not sure it does more damage over time than just spamming plasma at him though.

In the third phase (I think), you can use the counter after the baby interrupts.

 

[Simbabbad]

Is there a non-aeion attack that does extra damage to

Spoiler

Ridley

? I am keeping shields up and can make it to the third stage but my reflexes are not holding up. Or is there a way to get health back during the fight I am missing?

Beam burst is much more effective.

 

[Anteo]

Is there a non-aeion attack that does extra damage to

Spoiler

Ridley

? I am keeping shields up and can make it to the third stage but my reflexes are not holding up. Or is there a way to get health back during the fight I am missing?

Make sure to use aeon burst for the first and second phase. Ridley goes down insanely fast to that and offers a full refill of your aeon gauge. Then you can concentrate on slowly figuring out the 3rd phase.

 

[Teggy]

Beam burst is much more effective.

Make sure to use aeon burst for the first and second phase. Ridley goes down insanely fast to that and offers a full refill of your aeon gauge. Then you can concentrate on slowly figuring out the 3rd phase.

Well I got past the 3rd phase...and it just keeps going, urgghh

 

[Opa-Pa]

Well I got past the 3rd phase...and it just keeps going, urgghh

I'd honestly just focus on learning the patterns. It's a relatively long fight no matter how much damage you do, so unless you can't consistently avoid damage for good portion of it you'll keep dying.

At one point I was avoiding most attacks and just spamming the plasma, it all went smoothly.

 

[Teggy]

I'd honestly just focus on learning the patterns. It's a relatively long fight no matter how much damage you do, so unless you can't consistently avoid damage for good portion of it you'll keep dying.

At one point I was avoiding most attacks and just spamming the plasma, it all went smoothly.

I finished it finally. 16:16 with 100%. And now my 3DS is stuck with a black top screen, I don't know what that's about. Was I supposed to get anything for getting 100%?

Edit: yeah, my whole 3DS froze up lol

 

[Poppy]

too many types of doors and the ice beam was practically useless due to the pacing with which you get other movement enhancing abilities (unless i am bad and am missing some gameplay concepts), other than that i thought it was a quite good metroid game and really enjoyed it

 

[Anteo]

too many types of doors and the ice beam was practically useless due to the pacing with which you get other movement enhancing abilities (unless i am bad and am missing some gameplay concepts), other than that i thought it was a quite good metroid game and really enjoyed it

Well ice beam is the only beam that hurts metroids and can disable some metroid abilities. Also you can 2hko almost anything by freezing and then melee or misile, you dont even have to charge the ice beam for this.

 

[CharminUltra]

Well ice beam is the only beam that hurts metroids and can disable some metroid abilities. Also you can 2hko almost anything by freezing and then melee or misile, you dont even have to charge the ice beam for this.

Yup. Unless I'm low on health or ammo or aeon, I rely on the ice beam + punch combo while running or jumping so I don't have to stop to shoot at all.

 

[Poppy]

Well ice beam is the only beam that hurts metroids and can disable some metroid abilities. Also you can 2hko almost anything by freezing and then melee or misile, you dont even have to charge the ice beam for this.

i guess i only used it on the normal metroids and never the boss ones, i just spam missiled those into oblivion because i felt like it was impossible to run out of missiles

so i never even bothered using the ice beam on any boss metroids

also in terms of normal enemies i suppose i just either counter killed them or ignored them, but thats good to know too

 

[Opa-Pa]

I finished it finally. 16:16 with 100%. And now my 3DS is stuck with a black top screen, I don’t know what that’s about. Was I supposed to get anything for getting 100%?

Edit: yeah, my whole 3DS froze up lol

Congrats!... And that's really unfortunate D: I hope you saved after getting 100%.

100% completion unlocks all chozo memories in the gallery, which you definitely want to take a look at.

 

[Green Mamba]

The Ice Beam is really useful against Alphas and Gammas but I was disappointed that it had no real function on Zetas and Omegas outside of being a weapon of last resort.

I think there should have been some sort of upgrade to the Ice Beam for later in the game. By Area 5 your firepower and movement abilities are to a point where the Ice Beam no longer keeps up in combat and frozen enemies as platforms is something the game forgot about long ago. Gammas and Alphas also stop appearing around then, and you have enough Missiles and Super Missiles that you can down them very quickly without it--and you have enough that you shouldn't be running out against Zetas and Omegas (who have methods of dropping ammo anyway unlike Alphas and Gammas). It's the one upgrade that just feels forgotten by the end in a game that managed to give the Grapple Beam and Spider Ball continued usage even after getting the Space Jump.

 

[Golnei]

The elevator cutscenes would really benefit from being pre-rendered - it'd likely fix the framerate issues, and allow them to use a Samus model more suited to closeups than the ingame one. Alternately, just a 2D animation in a similar style to the opening artwork could have worked.

 

[Bubble Walrus]

The elevator cutscenes would really benefit from being pre-rendered - it'd likely fix the framerate issues, and allow them to use a Samus model more suited to closeups than the ingame one. Alternately, just a 2D animation in a similar style to the opening artwork could have worked.

Just needs classic elevator music.

 

[Teggy]

Congrats!... And that's really unfortunate D: I hope you saved after getting 100%.

100% completion unlocks all chozo memories in the gallery, which you definitely want to take a look at.

Nope, whole system crashed. I read that thread about the ending instead.

 

[freeofgreed]

Am I missing something in regards to map completion? Almost done with the game so I'm backtracking to get stuff I missed. Just spent almost 10 minutes filling in every single square in the surface area and it's still saying I'm only like 75% done. Pretty sure I have all the items as well....

 

[Opa-Pa]

Am I missing something in regards to map completion? Almost done with the game so I'm backtracking to get stuff I missed. Just spent almost 10 minutes filling in every single square in the surface area and it's still saying I'm only like 75% done. Pretty sure I have all the items as well....

Don't worry about the surface for now, you'll know when you'll be able to complete it.

Also, it's only items that affect the completion %. Map filling is optional.

 

[Green Mamba]

Am I missing something in regards to map completion? Almost done with the game so I'm backtracking to get stuff I missed. Just spent almost 10 minutes filling in every single square in the surface area and it's still saying I'm only like 75% done. Pretty sure I have all the items as well....

The map does not count towards percentage, but regarding the surface...

Spoiler

you're not done with it yet.

 

[Golnei]

Something else that kind of bothers me about Lower Norfair - and the reuse of music in general throughout the game - is that it's not associated with any one area like it was in Super and Prime, but instead acts as a general "lava level theme".

Associating specific areas with unique musical cues is important for giving them more of an identity - however since there's less of an emphasis on backtracking here as part of the critical path I can understand the direction they took. Though as a result, areas do blend together more than they would otherwise - distinct names and accompanying music would really help distinguish each sector.

Visually, I quite like what they've done in that regard - the repetition of foreground elements isn't really an issue, and the background details have been covered elsewhere at length. Despite the simplicity of the lighting, the colour grading is effective as well - even if it can tend towards being a little garish, it fits with the overall art direction; and would be preferable to being bland if smaller subtleties would just get lost.

 

[Opa-Pa]

About Lower Norfair^ yeah I agree. I rolled my eyes when I found out the song was in the game, but the fact that it wasn't even associated with a specific place made it even more uneventful to me. There should have been an entire area (or big part of one) that's filled with lava instead, and ideally it'd be the only place where the song plays.

But anyway, I was thinking about the game and one thing I disliked it how the segmented world impacted my interest in getting all the items. One thing I love and think is very satisfying about Metroid is when you naturally end up revisiting places while having new power ups and gaining access to previously inaccessible items.

Key word: Naturally.

In SR because of how progression and SR388 work, you pretty much never, ever need to revisit a previous area at all, making going back for items feel like forced chore instead of, for example, stumbling upon one on your way back to a specific area. So basically the only reason I got 100% item completion was to unlock all chozo memories, and that hour or so it took me to get the ones I was missing felt very dull.

Obviously I understand why they had to do it like this, being a remake and all, and I don't expect it to happen again in Metroid 5, but it was one of the few things that felt weaker than in previous games.

 

[Lord_Byron28]

Nope, whole system crashed. I read that thread about the ending instead.

I had the same thing happen to me. I beat the game. Got the thanks for playing screen and then it just froze on a black screen with a blue morphball screen on the bottom. Had to wait for my 3DS battery to die.

 

[Teggy]

I had the same thing happen to me. I beat the game. Got the thanks for playing screen and then it just froze on a black screen with a blue morphball screen on the bottom. Had to wait for my 3DS battery to die.

I was at least able to hold down the power button to make it shut down.

 

[RPS37]

Still stuck at the beginning of Area 3.

 

[Creamium]

About Lower Norfair^ yeah I agree. I rolled my eyes when I found out the song was in the game, but the fact that it wasn't even associated with a specific place made it even more uneventful to me. There should have been an entire area (or big part of one) that's filled with lava instead, and ideally it'd be the only place where the song plays.

But anyway, I was thinking about the game and one thing I disliked it how the segmented world impacted my interest in getting all the items. One thing I love and think is very satisfying about Metroid is when you naturally end up revisiting places while having new power ups and gaining access to previously inaccessible items.

Key word: Naturally.

In SR because of how progression and SR388 work, you pretty much never, ever need to revisit a previous area at all, making going back for items feel like forced chore instead of, for example, stumbling upon one on your way back to a specific area. So basically the only reason I got 100% item completion was to unlock all chozo memories, and that hour or so it took me to get the ones I was missing felt very dull.

Obviously I understand why they had to do it like this, being a remake and all, and I don't expect it to happen again in Metroid 5, but it was one of the few things that felt weaker than in previous games.

Completely agree, mentioned this in my impressions as well but you put it better. Getting 100% in this game felt like completing a checklist, doesn't feel that way in other Metroids.

The Norfair theme thing is also an interesting point. And while I love that Brinstar (red soil) remix, it doesn't really make sense to be in this game other than for fanservice reasons.

Wrote my review and settled on 3/5, had to be tough but fair here.