mardraum's Metroid Fusion review

Interesting point about the game's cutscenes. I loved what Retro did with the first Prime; it was a very immersive game that used its technology to really make you feel the isolation and solitude that made Samus's character. I mean, there's no dialog in the game, but I always felt that there didn't need to be. I didn't mind Samus's narration in Fusion at the time since I liked that they were further developing the character... but you're right, the SA-X scenes were fantastic enough that you really didn't need a script to convey what Samus was feeling. Also, giving her a supporting character to converse with was absolutely the wrong move.

I'm probably never going to write a Fusion review now because you've summed up my thoughts perfectly. It's not bad, and like you said, the problem isn't that the game is too linear. It's that it's too confined, and made me feel caged in. I think Prime is still the series high point in this regard, as it actually leads you along a very linear path, but it never feels that way.

thank you sir. and I agree, as I said in the review I think that people who just bitch that the game was too linear and leave it at that are really missing the point.

Metroid Prime is less linear that you'd think, at least until the player's choice editions where they started adding bendezium blocks and event triggered locks all over the place for no good reason at all. I want to get the plasma beam early and go into the Phazon Mines through the back, damnit! it's still no Super, though, where you can kill Ridley first.

Good call giving the SA-X center stage in the review - it made the game, and my main regret was that the game could have been quite a lot better with more being stalked by it (think RE3 Nemesis style) and less plot exposition that, indeed, didn't exposit a whole lot of plot.

It's been so long since I've played the game that I'd forgotten about the moment when you fall through the ceiling and land right next to SA-X.

You know, Fusion came after an eight-year drought without a Metroid game, but it just occurred to me that we've gone nearly as long since without another 2D entry (disregarding Zero Mission, which was a remake). I wonder if they'll even bother making another one?

I hope so. troll review aside I love Super Metroid, and the others games all at least have good ideas behind them. they could strike gold again.

I'd definitely be up for another 2D Metroid. Prime, from what I've tried of it, is just not something I can do.

Man, that game was way too linear.