Metroid: Samus Returns is a 2D Side-Scrolling Adventure game only for 3DS, which was developed by MercurySteam and published by Nintendo. It is a full reimagining of the 1991's game for Game Boy called Metroid 2: Return of Samus which is the second remake on the series since the 2004's GBA title Metroid: Zero Mission.
Due to popularity back in between mid 80's and early 90's, Metroid is one of the video game series that pioneered the side-scrolling adventure genres which was known as Metroidvania helps influencing many developers for their own later titles such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Cave Story, Shantae, and many others.
I had such fun playing much older titles from the series such as Super Metroid which was highly regarded as being the greatest game of all-time which was the reason why it is one of my favourite title on SNES thanks to dynamic exploration, atmospheres, intense bosses, and unique gameplay.
I also enjoyed stuff like Metroid Fusion on GBA which deserves a same charm as the previous SNES's legacy title and then I was impressed with the Metroid Prime, a sub-series for both Gamecube and Wii which was heavily focused on 3D FPS perspective rather than 2D side-scrolling which I call it an outstanding transitions of the original franchise.
Then it got quite disappointing with the Metroid: Other M for Wii which I seen so many hate from the fans of the series wasn't pleased with the overall game being mediocre, but to me I don't really think it's that pretty bad which I consider it as the black sheep of the series due to game receiving a poor reputation from the fans, hell even the Metroid Prime: Federation Forces on 3DS is doing a worst job which had received a numerous negative reception from the gaming outlets for lacking Metroidvania approach from the original Metroid Prime trilogy and the absence of all-time favourite heroine Samus Aran which is a huge embarrassment for Nintendo just having a terrible day on both E3 2015 live conference and the actual release of dumpster fire title.
A year later, Nintendo had finally returning back to it's original form of the series with another title called Metroid: Samus Returns for 3DS which is a game that we been wanting from Nintendo.
The game was praised for its impressive visuals and improved gameplay over the original game which many called it a better Metroid game of 3DS library is the reason why I decided to brought this from online store for my 3DS library.
After playing for weeks, I really happy to see how the game had turned out since I've played Metroid: Other M on Wii. It is good to have me playing another title of the series that I was hoping to see a good Metroid game once again.
It had large exploration of areas, improved gameplay features, and solid visuals that the game got everything stepped up in the right direction which is fully different from the original game counterpart.
So without go further do, let's start the review.
Presentation
The game takes place after the event of the first Metroid game. It sets in the year 20X5, where a lone bounty hunter named Samus Aran who had previously experiencing her first mission to defeat a pirate leader Mother Brain.
Due to disappearance of special squadron of Galactic Federation for investigation mission and retrieving a small sampling of data confirming a Metroid presence within the planet, she been sent her next mission at SR388 to destroy the remaining species.
I believe the game follows the similar story as the original game which is obviously true that is good to have an opening cutscenes added in the 3DS bringing the additional plot that you not going to see it on the original Game Boy version meaning that the remake is doing better when it's comes with the introductory of the game itself that is easier for newcomer to know what exactly the game is all about.
We all know Samus Aran is the most recognisable female character in video games makes a return for the recent title since the 7 years hiatus of the whole series.
She's one of the character that we all liked for her appearances and bounty hunter job which is the reason why she totally kicks all alien pirates asses making her a most recognisable character of whole series.
The game still retains the bosses from the original game such as alpha metroid, arachnus, gamma metroid, zeta metroid, omega metroid, and queen metroid, but this remake introduces two new bosses that weren't featured in the original such as diggernaut and proteus ridley which is kinda nice to add extra new bosses in the game.
There are 9 areas in the game which has different environmental design filled with bluey waterfalls, neon purple landscape, lava like pits, golden ruins, swamp like underground, greenery crystals, and many more locations with stylistic presentations which I kinda liked how the game looks very sci-fi alike in each areas giving a eerie tone of whole levels which is pretty amazing to discover things in the game.
Overall, it has decent opening plot, recognisable character, and stylistic presentation.
Gameplay
In single-player campaign, you take control of Samus in 2D perspective which heavily focused on Metroidvania aspects such as exploration and collecting power-ups that requires to gain access to undiscovered location.
Your goal is to take down many metroid species as possible which leads you to next area at golden statues depending how many DNA samples you have collected so far.
You can check out your map on the touch-screen which helps you navigate the levels such as items, upgrades, power-ups, and remaining species whereabouts.
You will have basic arm cannon that shoots beam at enemies and objects, while holding R button and then press Y button to shoot missiles that deals slight damage. You can able to aim around in 360 degrees by holding L button then using circle pad that you can shoot in multiple direction.
You can able to get through the smaller paths by turning into morph ball with tapping circle pad down and roll along with pushing forward.
The game introduces the melee system that allow you to parry the enemy's attack by pressing the X button if the yellow cling appears, so you may need to press it in right timing if successfully parrying the enemies.
It also has 4 aeion abilities that is rely on an energy gauge such as scan pulse that lets you scan the surrounding environment for hidden paths and items, the lighting armor are used for protective shield to prevents physical damage from enemy's projectiles and toxic acids, the beam burst allows you to enhanced beam attack power with rapid-fire shots which is effective against one of the enemy's weak spots, and phase drift lets you performing slow down time helps you get across the obstacles and slowing the enemy's paces down.
There are several of the power-ups which can be located somewhere in the area such as charge beam that allow you to charge up your beam and release the powerful attack dealing with 2 times of damages, bomb can be used for breaking objects while on morph ball mode, ice beam freezes the enemy that you can hop on top to use it as platforming segment, spring ball lets you hop as morph ball while spider ball lets you stick and move across the walls paths, wave beam can shoot through the walls and objects while spazer beam shoots with 3 wavy projectiles, and high jump boots lets you jump twice as high while space jump performs multiple jumps let you reach at higher platform.
There are some of the power-ups that lets you activate blocked doors and open up blocked paths such as regular missiles that opens red, super missiles opens green, power bomb opens yellow, plasma beam destroying creature stuck on the blocked door, and using the screwattack breaks blocked paths.
You can also find and discover the upgrades somewhere in the area such as missile tank that adds up your missile capacity, the energy tank that adds up your health capacity and the upgradable suits which prevents damages from the fire location room.
You can recharge your missiles and energy by standing on the stations pods and you can fast travel through the areas by going into the traveling pods lets you select the locations you wanted to visit which is the quickest way of traveling through the locations instead of having a longer backtracking to the levels.
You can able to save game by standing on the save pods lets you save progress that you can able to play again sometime, so it lets you continuing the game where you left off.
I got to say that my overall experience of this game is played pretty well for most part because I had such fun of playing over the hours of Samus's next adventure. I really liked exploring around the level because I wanted to spent time of discovering the hidden items and searching for new locations which really helps me encouraging to get a full completion of the whole game as well as setting with the new time record for single-play.
The boss battles in the game is clearly a solid action that I wasn't feel disappointing with the recent Metroid game thanks to strategic enemy's patterns that really adds up a fun factor of the game and I got to say the combat gameplay is doing quite a job thanks to types of aeion abilities really helps me to worked effectively against some type of enemies that are difficult to kill, finding a locations that are undiscovered, using the protection shields to prevent damages, and making your pace faster than the enemies that is come in useful.
I really liked the parrying system, useful power-ups and upgrades that it worked decently in this game
that I can able to perform a smooth counter-attack, shooting out 3 waves of plasma, swinging around with grapple beam, screwing in mid-air, and having to worn newer suit to reduce heat damaging is what I call a true Metroid experience.
The actual controls feels just like playing the 2D classic Metroid games which I believe this game got it right with the button mapping such as shoot, melee, jumping, and morphing, as well as having to select any weapons on the touch-screen interface that worked pretty good for most part, but I do feel that the game does not give you an option to toggle the R button mechanism because I think holding the R button frequently is not the best way of using missile as I didn't want repeatedly holding the R button several times and the game did not have a lock-on target mechanism when aiming at the enemies and objects which it takes sometime to get used with the controls.
I do feel that the part that gotten frustrate me was the enemy's overpowered attacks that drains the player's health down too quickly especially fighting with the smaller types of enemies uses their instant attack deals with the heavy damage feels kinda way too overdone.
So far, I've managed to enjoy the game which is really nice to see a good Metroid game again that deserves a second chance, so I am very glad that the game had turned out pretty fun to play on Nintendo's handheld system.
Overall, it has large open-area with full exploration, solid gameplay with great abilities and weapons, and great boss battles.
Graphics
The graphics is stunningly impressive for the 3DS standards thanks to great environmental design for most areas, well made character's animation, fantastic details of landscape backgrounds, and the use of visual effects is looking damn amazing that they utilizes the game engine are heavily designed for 3DS hardware showing no signs of slow downs and missing frames meaning that the game ran perfectly on the 3DS making the best graphical technology that MercurySteam has ever done...OH lets not forget having the 3D effects turned on because it looks gorgeous playing on the 3DS with 3D effects that allow the environmental design looks and feels like playing a pre-3D Metroid titles.
Overall, it has great environmental design for most areas, well made character's animation, fantastic details of landscape backgrounds, and the use of visual effects.
Music and Sounds
The music in the game is the great rendition of the original game with fully arranged soundtrack was done by the composer Kenji Yamamoto had worked his score on mostly Metroid titles did a fabulous job of rearranging the original soundtrack of classic 1992's title for Nintendo Game Boy because I really liked the darker tone of the soundtrack fits pretty well for most areas is what made Metroid a recognisable game.
It shares with memorable sound effects from the previous 2D Metroid game followed by great environmental sounds and ambient effects.
Overall, it has fabulous music and memorable sound designs.
Special Features
The game comes with 3 unlockable endings and hard mode adding a additional replay values and it also give you an option to scan the amiibo to unlock content such as art-work gallery, sound test, and fusion mode which is cool features, but it's kinda annoying to buy amiibo's figurine to have them unlocked which I rather have them preferred unlocking normally on gameplay.
Overall, cool content.
Advantages
Stylistic presentation
Large exploration
Solid gameplay
Great boss battles
Fantastic graphic design
Fabulous soundtrack
Disadvantages
Overpowered enemy's attack
Missing out toggle function and lock-on mechanism
Unlockable content requires amiibos figurines
Final Verdict
Presentation 8.5/10 - decent opening plot, recognisable character, and stylistic presentation.
Gameplay 7.5/10 - large open-area with full exploration, solid gameplay with great abilities and weapons, and great boss battles.
Graphics 9/10 - great environmental design for most areas, well made character's animation, fantastic details of landscape backgrounds, and the use of visual effects.
Music and Sounds 9/10 - fabulous music and memorable sound designs.
Special Features 8/10 - 3 unlockable endings, hard mode, art-work gallery, sound test, and fusion mode.
Overall 8/10 - This is a very good title that the fans of the series can get a hands on with the full remake of the classic original.
I am happy that Nintendo did make a good Metroid game again since the previous twos such as Metroid: Other M and Metroid Prime: Federation Forces are the most hated games in the series, but this game makes a triumph return of the Metroidvania's 2D root with decent changes of gameplay mechanism, fully exploring levels, graphically impressive visuals, and replay values.
I got to say it is not the best in the whole series, but it is also a great game that deserves to be my top 5 list of favourite 3DS libraries.
The game is quite pricy for over £30 from mostly online store which I was lucky I got this game just for £18 worth, so I say it is a buy for every 3DS collectors.
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