Metroid: Samus Returns (2017)
[メトãƒã‚¤ãƒ‰ サムスリターンズ]
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: MercurySteam, Nintendo EPD
Director: Jose Luis Márquez, Takehiko Hosokawa
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Overview:
The bounty hunter Samus Aran is commissioned by the Galactic Federation to exterminate the Metroids on their homeworld SR388.
Gameplay:
This game does for Metroid II what Zero Mission did for the original: present a classic game to a new generation with updated graphics and expanded gameplay that capitalizes on the advances made in the franchise. Thankfully, unlike The Other M, we don't switch between side-scrolling and first-person and instead stick to classic side-scrolling action. While Metroid II already expanded Samus' options, we get some more abilities from more recent entries such as Super Missiles, Power Bombs and the Grapple Beam. It's worth noting that your beams stack except for the Ice Beam, which is kept separate and togglable from the touch screen. You can wall jump and grab ledges, which make getting around easier, and bomb jumping seems to be easier here than in any other Metroid game. You aim with the L button and toggle missiles with the R button, but I almost wish you just used the shoulder buttons to angle up and down as in Super Metroid.
The biggest change in the gameplay is the melee counter system. While there are some impressive players who can go without using it, the game is very much designed with it in mind. I had a lot of trouble early on because I was just treating it as a fun little option than what's arguably the core of what the designers intended for combat. Even the most basic enemies can shave off a lot of health if you don't nail the counter, but once you get the hang of it, it does make combat more rewarding. Another new addition is the Aeion abilities, some of which you can limit or even avoid entirely if you want an additional challenge.
If you're aiming for 100%, there will be plenty of backtracking to do as you've come to expect from the series, but if you're going for a minimalist run, you could probably manage pretty much a straight shot. Also, without spoiling too much, like Zero Mission, there's some additional content after the end of the original game, but there's not as much of it here.
Story/Characters:
After the debacle that was The Other M, this entry wisely takes a note from Super Metroid and leaves most of the story unspoken. We don't need much, just the basic scenario and then watch things unfold via gameplay. Particularly if you didn't like Samus' characterization in The Other M, you can rest assured that there is none of that here.
Graphics:
While the 3D graphics aren't terribly impressive when viewed up close, they're normally more than sufficient at the normal camera distance for gameplay and if I had to choose between more polys and smoother gameplay, I'd pick smoother gameplay any day of the week. I will say, though, that the environments look very nice and there's a lot going on in the background that greatly expands the visuals from the original. Oh, and the baby is super-cute.
Music/Sound:
We get some really nice remixes of tracks not only from Metroid II but also Super Metroid. Naturally, everyone's happy to hear a remix of "Magmoor Caverns", but I also really like the remix of "Lower Brinstar". The sound effects do their job and you'll be thankful there's both an audio and a visual cue for the melee counter.
Conclusion:
When Samus' 30th anniversary came and went with nary a word from Nintendo, it seemed like she might have been put out to pasture, but then this little gem came along. It's classic Metroid action evolved and a respectable entry in the franchise in its own right. If you missed Metroid II or want to see it brought into the modern age, then it's a no-brainer. (Or maybe you're like me and just want another Metroid game.) This one is well worth getting.
Rating:
Own It