Metroid Fusion Retrospective | The Road To Metroid Dread

[@Rivalseeker]

Can we also talk about something Metroid Fusion does really right? That would be the environments and enemies altering as the player progresses. This is demonstrated as early as when the SA-X first shows up by blowing a hole in the wall, which teases the player to go check it out later. This concept only evolves over the course of the game as the X-Parasites wreak more and more havoc. This makes backtracking through the areas not as tedious because there are constant surprises in familiar areas. Unless someone wants to correct me, I don't think any other 2D action-adventure game like Metroid Fusion--even in modern times--have replicated this.

[@PGReviews_]

You're really onto something there. There is a lot to admire about Fusion's dynamic environments as you continue the story, top that with the more compact level design and the revisits to the sectors aren't a nuisance. It's something I would like to see brought back in Dread.

[@aidanwalker8142]

Yeah that’s spot on. The only other Metroidvania I can remember doing that was Hollow Knight with the infected crossroads, but even then fusion outclasses that by doing it across multiple areas

[@vazzeg]

No, sir, we will not be doing that, because we can't be doing anything positive about Metroid Fusion because it didn't follow Super Metroid's formula down to the letter, therefore it cannot EVER be good in ANYTHING. Being sarcastic of course. I understand what you mean, I played Fusion multiple times, probably even more times than Super.

[@montywh]

"note to self: don't invite Samus to your home planet, it'll fucking explode" screw the world! i wanna marry that woman. if i have to blow up a planet to do it, so be it!

[@PGReviews_]

Risking it all for Samus Aran. Very wise.

[@MyKindaArt]

My favorite 2D Metroid Game.. The music, sound effects, graphics, gameplay, bosses and tension/suspense with the SA-X. Great video

[@jonathanwilliams225]

I like that the Snes games were so good, that people that grew up with their GBA remakes have just as much nostalgia for them as I did with the originals. The Snes era really was one of the greatest eras in gaming.

[@juanandrade4615]

SA-X was some straight up nightmare fuel when I was younger.

[@Omeedius58]

For me, I see Fusion the same way you see Super. Since Fusion was my first Metroid game it obviously has more nostalgia for me than Super. The issues I can't get over with Super is the controls and some other nitpicks. While I believe the world design of Zebes is better, and the silent storytelling is sublime, I still find myself preferring Fusion/ZM/AM2R control wise which is probably biggest for me. It's a shame since I still love SM and starting with those 3 before moving on to SM really spoiled me in terms of controls. While I think overall in terms of significance and from a critical standpoint SM is the best 2d metroid, I still would rank it below Fusion, ZM, AM2R, and possibly SR. I also think the atmosphere and storytelling/tone of Fusion really add to why it's my favorite. It's a similar reason as to why Prime 2: Echoes is my favorite of the Prime trilogy. Prime 1 is more like SM where there is no spoken dialogue, starts with samus chasing ridley to a planet to take him down while discovering something more sinister that needs to be dealt with, similar areas (Magmoor/Norfair, Sunken Frigate/Wrecked Ship/Maridia), ending is tied to a giant corrupted metroid (SM: Beta rays, Prime: Phazon) and places an emphasis on exploration. Prime 2 is more like Fusion where there is a spoken story, darker/bleaker tone, starts with Samus' ship being damaged/destroyed, Ing can infect/kill/reanimate beings with the goal of conquering the universe, ending has Samus destroy the planet of the parasites (Fusion: SR388, Prime 2: Dark Aether), an evil doppelganger that hunts you at certain points, higher difficulty curve, and more linear adventure. I find it kinda cool how many parallels SM/Prime 1 and Fusion/Prime 2 have. But yeah, my introduction to the series and preferences draw me more to Fusion and Prime 2 than SM and Prime 1. Still love all these games though!

[@PGReviews_]

I notice this a lot in the fandom. The game you start with will likely be your favorite in the series. People who start with Super will say Super is the best, people who start with Fusion or Zero Mission will say those are the best. This may not always be the case of course, but it is a pattern. I find it fascinating. Prime 1 is my favorite Prime game because it's the most similar to Super Metroid, or the other way around since Prime 1 was my introduction to the series. At the end of the day though, as you stated, all of these games are fantastic in their own ways. They should all be played.

[@Road_to_Dawn]

The first paragraph is my thoughts exactly. I wish I liked Super Metroid as much as everyone else does, but I just can't get over the controls and how less detailed the map is compared to Fusion, especially concerning the lack of door locations. I own the actual Super Metroid cart on my original SNES and I boot it up now and again to try again to get through it, but I only finally buckled down and beat it the day before Dread launched. I enjoyed it and I admire what it did, but it's just so much harder for me to get into than most of the other games. Fusion is my favorite game of all time, I've beaten it dozens upon dozens of times, and like you said, I feel like maybe that spoiled me on Super. Fusion is my comfort food, and I still start a new file on it all the time just to spend a couple hours going through it all again. Interestingly though, Prime 1 is my second favorite game in the series (well, maybe third after Dread now lol), and just in my humble opinion, it's literally as close to perfect as a game has ever gotten. Conversely, while I enjoy Prime 2, I've never gotten as attached to it as the first game, and I've never gotten around to beating it. I've also barely touched Prime 3, but I wanna get through the whole trilogy before Prime 4 comes out! I think I might do that as soon as they announce a release date for Prime 4.

[@ButterNuss.]

Fusion is probably the most athmospheric Metroid game out there. (Which is ironic, considering the setting) It masterfully makes you feel fear and dread, aswell as isolation. The entire time you just know something is going horribly wrong. The X are always one step ahead. They spread and get stronger every second. And it doesnt only happen whenever samus faces an X, but the entire time over the whole station. They rip the whole station appart, and samus simply cant be everywhere at once. This is such way of showing how overwhelming the X are. Unlike the Metroids, they can spread. They can think. They can win.

[@johnforkner]

The fact that the game forces you to stop your flow and check in with the Federation at at the nav rooms is thematically significant in Fusion.

[@higgz8547]

Fusion has the best bosses imo. Supah has the best flexibility, zm has the best movement, metroid has the best fanbase. Love to see another metroid content creator man

[@hansgretl1787]

You really seem to dislike the removal of the Item jingle, which is something that I'm thankful for. The Super Metroid jingle is 10 seconds long and restarts the music. You spend over 16 minutes of a 100% run just listening to the jingle, and as much as I love the Green Brinstar intro, I sure would like to hear the later half of the song. Yeah, cutting the jingle was the right decision IMO. They still have it for major upgrades, but at least I actually like picking up collectibles instead of groaning internally. Edit: Oh, and you complain about hidden areas of the map and praise Super for not having that. Except Super did that as well, and that game sometimes also doesn't tell you when there is an item. You would never find the Missile Tank next to the Speed Booster without a guide short of X-Ray Scoping every inch of Zebes.

[@PGReviews_]

@Hans Gretl The item jingle thing is a very personal preference, and overall I agree it was probably for the best to remove it. I just have a very strong Super Metroid bias and Prime, my first Metroid game, had that short jingle for minor items so it's just what I'm used to. Not a big deal at all though. That same bias prevented me from realizing that Super also had hidden areas in its map. I've just played Super so many times without using map stations that I didn't notice, as opposed to Fusion which gives you sector maps no matter what and I haven't played nearly as much. Thanks for clearing that up. And woah, I didn't know that missile in Super isn't marked on the map! Are there other examples I don't know about?

[@hansgretl1787]

@@PGReviews_ Why, there are. Since Super only tells you that there are items via those dots that don't indixate whether you have an item or not, there are places where they hide 2 items in one block of the map, and you'd never know to look because "I already found the item on this block". The E-Tank in the ceiling in Blue Brinstar isn't marked on the map. Neither is the Missile Tank under the Recharge Station near Draygon. Also, the Missile Tank in the lava in the top middle of Norfair, in those hot rooms. That one isn't marked either.

[@PGReviews_]

@Hans Gretl Fascinating, you learn something new every day. I'll be on the look out the next time I replay the game.

[@flyingplantwhale545]

One of my favorite Metroid games. The world was so visually captivating, the ominous foreshadowing of bosses was awesome.

[@BradfortBottlenose]

I personally like to describe this game as a 'flawed gem'. Despite its flaws, the game's still really good. You described it perfectly.

[@linkbluu321]

Yeah, I also feel the missiles and power bombs that you can only obtain during the postgame feel... kinda pointless. I mean, you can't really hurt neither SA-X nor the Metroid with them. I like the challenges of the speed booster to get most of them though. I hope they show us the animals in Dread. I mean, they were with Samus at the end. SA-X was to my childhood what Mr.X was to me during this year... it seems the X is a very scary letter lol.

[@PGReviews_]

As the song goes, X gon' give it to ya.

[@leeartlee915]

I remember when these came out on the same date. I was just starting college and I didn’t even own a GBA. I borrowed my friends system and bought the game (it was literally the last handheld game I bought until the Switch). You are right; the one two punch of getting Fusion and Prime was a Metroid fans dream. Personally, I actually preferred Fusion over Prime. Don’t get me wrong, Prime was a much more impressive game on many levels. But Fusion just felt like it was an extension of Super Metroid (now I know why that was as it was made by the same team). Only criticism? The same one as everyone else: a little too linear. But other than that one thing, it’s a fantastic game. Side note: Nintendo is such a weird company. Only they make games for their main properties exclusive to their handheld systems. I never owned a GBA, DS, or 3DS until recently. For some reason, I always felt handheld systems were toys for children. I think I made this error in thinking because I grew up with the Gameboy and felt that system was designed to get through car rides or on long ass trips with family members that didn’t understand my obsession with playing video games. On the plus side, I now have decades of video games I never played because I overlooked all handhelds for so long. Small benefit.

[@THOR_THE_GOD]

Very underrated channel, hope you make videos about the prime games! Also hoping MP2 gets a remaster, Sanctuary Fortress and the ing hive would be beyond epic! 🙏

[@kaleid1990]

"If it moves, kill it", the accent, I'm dying here :)))))))

[@knightwraith8666]

Man, I love seeing reviews like this of a game that I love. It really opens up my mind to how others play through the game. See, for me, item collecting and 100%ing a game is just boring past a certain point. If the benefits you get out of it isn't worth it, then I have no reason to do it other than 'bragging' rights so to speak. For me, Fusion is my favorite game in the series because games are more about the gameplay and the story, less about the exploits and the collection. Fusion is something that gets the atmosphere right. You ARE weak and you SHOULD feel like it. That vibe never really leaves throughout the whole game because of the persistent SA-X threat. Even when you get things like the Varia Suit and start to feel more powerful, they throw an SA-X at you to show you YOU'RE NOT SAFE. And I love that. Super Metroid on the other hand makes you feel like your a powerhouse bad-ass, which is fun, but overall the fact that it re-does a lot of what was in the original game makes me like it a little less. I can respect why you like it though, just for me, the story is most of what makes a good video game for me and the lack of one being told in-game has always bothered me unless the gameplay is top-notch, which since Super Metroid and Fusion feel about the same to me, that means fusion wins overall for me. But it's pretty close.

[@kruegerpoolthe13th]

Fusion is very similar to Majora’s Mask in the sense they were both sequels to video game defining titles and they both decided to hone in with a deeper story and darker tone as opposed to attempt to outdo their predecessors

[@dannyzp]

It's funny because I had the opposite Super Metroid-Metroid Fusion experience. I've passed Fusion well over 100 times but Super Metroid only once.

[@weirdj973]

Nice video! Got me sold on your channel 👊

[@RodBlanc]

Iv played metroid fusion so much.. jesus christ i was my next crack after super metroid as a kid. Super and its darker and dread theme was my teenager version of super metroid. I loved the story parts of fusion and all the first time. The nexts i just use the fastfawoard option on emulators. maybe thats why i enjoyed so much in subsequent playthroughs

[@RodBlanc]

Also, theres a hack now that allows you to sequence breake using single wall jumps and bomb jumps. Its just awesome

[@michaelmanning9028]

Great video 1st time viewer now I'm a subscriber

[@novustalks7525]

17:48 you can go through that wall in super?!! Holy shit!

[@hfc2x]

16:50 This is only true for your first playtgrough, though. Once you've completed the game, you can start your save over with item and playtime counters on the map screen, and the game will not lock the door behind you on the final portion, allowing you to collect everything.

[@PGReviews_]

If only this could have been the case for your first play through too. Oh well. I also don't think I've ever done a New Game + for a Metroid game before. I always just start a brand new file.

[@TenebraeXVII]

On the first playthrough per file you can still go back anyway by finding the shortcuts between sectors which do connect to the main deck. The way into the reactor core still connects to sector 2 as well with no hatches to lock because they need open paths from when the hatches were out during the power failure.

[@hfc2x]

@@TenebraeXVII All sectors do lock the door behind you after the transmission where Adam gives you the final orders, though. If you haven't been collecting everything up to that point, there's no way to do it unless you beat the game and continue from the last save (your file will be marked as "completed", even if it's saved before the end).

[@RicardoLopez-vn6cn]

Fusion is what got me into metroid. I adore this game

[@nonononononononononononononope]

I love fusion. For my tier list its: 1.Super 2. Dread 3. Zero 4. Fusion 5. AM2R 6. Samus returns 7. Metroid 2 8. Metroid *I may flip fusion and zero from time to time.

[@michaelmanning9028]

I only just now seriously started metroid fusion, I've picked it up and put it down probably 5 or 6 times I'm as far as I have ever been I just got the varia suit, I'm enjoying it immensely, Maybe it's because every other time I tried to play was on GBA, I'm using my Wii U now and for whatever reason it finally clicked and I'm having trouble putting it down 😁 I'm excited to beat it though because I have been sitting on metroid dread for a month not playing it Until I beat fusion

[@Parttimepoet22]

In the first game her armor must have been so heavy it must have been nice to reach that point in Dread post Fusion where the controls were smoothest

[@WyvernDotRed]

3:30 Actually, IMO 2D games work on a keyboard with a ShiftZXCArrows scheme. But WASD is not great for games that do not use the mouse and a D-Pad still feels just right.

[@MariotheAnimator]

You're the FIRST reviewer on KZbin to bring up how stupid Fusion's post game is and you've earned a sub. Fusion is definitely the biggest offender because of the MASSIVE number of Power Bombs and the STUPID decision to lock the door after Adam's final order. The fact that all of the post game bosses (SA-X and Omega Metroid) are IMMUNE to most of the power-ups you'll be scrambling around for makes if even MORE of a baffling decision.

[@tsppm]

Throughly enjoyed this vid and comedy, subscribed !

[@clausiblepause469]

I am completely new to the series, I always saw it growing up and was aware that it existed but I never played any of the games. I decided to pick up Fusion with Dread around the corner and the random hidden bullshit is really getting in the way of me wanting to play any further. The game is great but I'm not sure I can appreciate it like longtime fans of the series can.

[@King_Luigi]

0:39 - It wasn't the cartridge that made it "hard to develop for", it was how they designed the system itself. The downsides of still using cartridges back then was that they were more expensive and had less space, compared to a CD. (Which is what caused Final Fantasy 7 to go from Nintendo to Playstation during development, but that's another story...) Though by using them, it allowed for games with virtually no load times and 'better security' (which was their main reason, let's be honest). From what I understand, part of what made things difficult back then was just how early it was in making 3D games, leading to some oversights and weird decisions when they built it... also a lack of good documentation. It was a bit of a negative loop back then: "The system wasn't popular, so fewer Devs supported it." But because fewer Devs supported it that meant less people 'studied' it and less 'tricks' to go around for improving games. It was rare but Devs were eventually able to make their own custom code and get the most out of it (see: Conkers Bad Fur Day).

[@seancondon5572]

Thing about Fusion... I got it on release. Despite not having a GameCube myself, I got the GC-GBA link cable. The guy who would later become my Stepbrother wanted the Fusion goodies in Prime. Also... after having been unable to find my copy of Fusion for a long time, I bit the bullet in '20, and bought both Fusion AND Zero Mission (which I had played but never owned) online. How could you fault me? Especially in 2020?

[@seancondon5572]

9:06 - I object! I play like a lobster because I am a lobster!

[@thefizzwizz1662]

16:48 this is slightly incorrect and the Navigation room you're showing on screen at this time is the one exception. If you go to this navigation room then the story trigger will activate, locking the door behind you upon entering the recharge room before the elevator to the main sector which each numbered sector has. However, triggering the story event from this Navigation room specifically will not lock you out of item hunting. It IS still a mildly annoying aspect but it is one a lot of people get incorrect.

[@Master-Fawful958]

16:38 And to think, it’s still a much more pleasant sound than those screeching purple beetles in the Mario Galaxy games. Still a great👍 video though.

[@BlueThunder1988]

I love the Metroid Fusion intro music, though the intro itself drags a bit.

[@aidanwalker8142]

Ok forgive me for not getting the joke but I couldn’t figure out how killing the animals de-canonizes other m. Could you explain?

[@PGReviews_]

The joke may have been a bit of a stretch haha. My way of thinking is that killing the animals would de-canonize Fusion since they appear in the game, and since Fusion is the sequel to Other M and Other M is the sequel to Super Metroid, I figured that killing the animals would just outright create an alternate timeline that would ignore both Other M and Fusion. That's my personal headcanon, pretty much the butterfly effect. A small price to pay for salvation.

[@aidanwalker8142]

@@PGReviews_ Ah that makes sense

[@batvet1017]

I played every 2d Metroid game using keyboard and it’s the best experience for me. Even including am2r. Only the new 2.5d games like dread, I use my PS4 controller

[@jasona8396]

18:22 aren't these the exact same enemies as in the undersea palace of Chrono trigger? The red, yellow, and blue varieties

[@adamrogowski2748]

Comment and like for the algorithm.

[@hzafary]

I like your insights but when you add loud memes and screaming into your videos its really distracting and annoying. I respect KZbinrs who don't look for cheap laughs with loud volume and lame jokes. Your content is good enough on its own!

[@michaelsong5555]

How did X Parasites spread across the galaxy in Dread? I never played Dread, so I don't know, but I've seen clips of it, and there clearly are X Parasites.

[@Lyceaos]

i can half give you the controlls with super, but it was clearly made for its controller and modern controllers with the arms actually hinder it which is why i dont like to play it outside of a SNES controller even on emulators, yes i COULD remap the controls but they are so ingained in my memory at this point i can do things second nature...except consistant walljumping, screw that timing window in super lol

[@desmondstallworth2934]

I’m not mad about but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that the bosses here are easy before

[@tehpunisher4568]

3:34 I personally prefer playing metroid on keyboard.. I realize Im one of the few, but then again, I used to emulate these games on my mac in high school in class during lessons without being caught hahaha i cant exactly hold a controller and not get caught while in class so i learned to play on keyboard. took a while to get used to it but came around to it thats not to say i cant play on controller, i have my vita chock full of metroid stuff, even AM2R. I just put way more hours into keyboard than controllers

[@PGReviews_]

Pretty impressive, more power to you!

[@voltron77]

Fusion bosses are much better than in Super metroid.

[@krisztianszabof.8778]

Man, i really don't intend to throw shit at you, but watching your videos for 10 minutes i realized, that you do not understand this game at all....okay, that was a little exaggerated, but you really can't see the purpose of the changes compared to to Super. Ofc, it was a bold decision from the creators to alter the signature style of a Metroid game, but this is a Metroid game for a new generation. You know....the ones who aren't so familiar to Super's style of in-game "cut scene narration". Kudos for you, my man, for pointing out that this game is much more linear than the previous episodes, and for that is not inherently bad. But that linear angle, that the game director chose severely limits sequence breaks......In Super with appropriate skill you could face the bosses in any order (literally, you could start with Draygon or even with Ridley)...that's why sector doors are locked behind you, when you "not supposed" to go there, and ofc wall and infinite bomb jumps are significantly nerfed. But, by making a game more linear they could deliver a much more cohesive story, and *oh yeah* a steep difficulty. It was my first Metroid game and frankly i can't count how many times i played through that masterpiece. Really sorry for this long comment, i honestly don't want to to be rude with you! Keep up the good work, man!

[@THOR_THE_GOD]

😂😂😂

[@theycallmejpj]

@@THOR_THE_GODwhat are you laughing at?

[@packpock4369]

They had better designed bosses and enemies in this one..

[@xenos_n.]

I don't like how Fusion looks like a cartoon. Super Metroid was just perfect in it's art and atmosphere.

[@jjtheenton]

Fusion looks the way it does because of the GBA screen's color correction and lack of backlighting. When played on hardware, it looks much darker and moodier than when emulated.

[@K_8T]

​@@jjtheenton agreed

[@packpock4369]

You spent most of this review bitching about every little thing. You nit picked Fusion fron start to finish.