Imagine hunting down metroids your whole life because that's your job, and then after exterminating them and destabilizing an entire ecosystem you become aware of what you did, basically exposing humankind to a parasitic threat 1000 times worse than those poor metroids minding their own business and exploited by space pirates. Also, you're the prey now...
My favorite thing about SA-X is it shows how unstoppable Samus is. It's literally you, Samus, from every game before. Think about the dread she caused to those poor creatures in Super Metroid. What about the Zoomers, the first enemy you see? Only the stupidest person could die from those. They take only a few shots. They have no chance of survival in a fight with you. Now, in Fusion, you're fighting against yourself, that unstoppable beast. You're fighting Samus. Now *you* feel the terror you caused every enemy before. This time, *you're* those pathetic little zoomers. Only the stupidest person could die from you. You only take a few shots. You have no chance of survival in a fight with SA-X.
I remember in Metroid prime scanning some of the the space pirate computers reveals how scarred they are when they find out Samus if on the planets and trying to spoil there plans. I imagine what the space pirates were going through is the same feeling players playing super Metroid were experiencing.
No kidding, man. The first time I played, it took like 12 hours because every room I entered, I thought I would run into the SA-X. Then after I was told there were no fewer than 10......i was literally tip toeing the rest of the game. What an accomplishment
Growing up with Fusion as my favorite Metroid to revisit, I have a bias of being drawn to 2D horror/suspense Metroid tones. I have to remind myself that Dread wasn't made to capture that creeping feeling, seemingly-- We were shown that EMMI areas are color coded and marked with special doors, and sometimes gives a cannon to dispatch them near their areas. I am really looking forward to their chases as well as the continued return of seamless cutscenes!
@@takemetoyonk It definitely doesn't! It has tension, but it seems like you're thrown into an encounter with EMMI at the start of the game - we don't have any of the signposting or foreshadowing leading up to the SA-X. Right now I'm thinking about how the tension of an EMMI could be topped - unless they throw you into a scenario with MORE EMMIs...
Yeah; the first look at the E.M.M.I. in the trailer and the gameplay showing how really ramps up the tension with the E.M.M.I. ruthlessly hunting you which if they catch you it's a permadeath but the good thing is the areas that E.M.M.I. are hunting you you go straight back to the entrance/exit where you came from so you don't have to slog through the whole way from your previous Save Station to where you encountered the E.M.M.I. that killed you.
My favorite part about the SA-X is how it reflects Samus dark past back at her. Samus erradicated without mercy the entire metroid species, only to feel compassion for a single individual, than she then couldn't save from mother brain. And now the SA-X acts like a nightmare of her past, now Samus is a representation of the Metroids she killed, with the same colors, dna and properties, and an ultra powerful Samus is chasing her down and attacking her in the exact same manner, ice beam and then missiles. When you are hiding in the dark from the SA-X and the only thing you hear is its footsteps, It reminds me of very similar scenes in Metroid 2, when your footsteps were the only sound and the metroids were hiding from you.
Yeah, I still remember crossing from the Reactor Area back into TRO and being forced to get chased by the SA-X, that part always made me tense up and feel terrified just cause of those darn footsteps.
While it's not a Metroid game, I had a similar experience with a game when I was young where I couldn't get past a certain stage because the music creeped me out. I was playing Toy Story on PC. The fourth stage of the game is called "Nightmare Buzz". It's essentially the first boss battle of the game. Looking back on it, it seems silly, but I was so scared of it, that I asked my younger brother to get past him. I think he did, and that was a relief. Tense music, and not to mention that you're fighting a giant Buzz Lightyear who shoots real laser beams (and I think he can also conjure up fireballs that you're supposed to whip).
Metroid 1: Adventure Metroid 2: isolation Metroid 3: triumph Metroid 4: mystery Metroid 5: DREAD Edit: I don't know how or why are people still finding this comment, but fyi this comment was made before the release and I had no way of knowing how the product would turn out, I just made a snarky remark on the title, put your "um actually"s down
There's also Metroid: Prime Hunters for the DS... Though, admittedly, that one's one of the FPS versions. So many brain puzzles in that one, save for the fact that your weakest weapon is also technically universally compatible with most enemies... while the other available ones have their strengths and weaknesses in an almost broken way if you can remember which goes with what... THEN there's the freaking BOSSES, which are EACH borderline carpel-inducing... So for that one, I'd say... "Sheer Determination"
metroid dread is not scary whatsoever. the emmi's are more annoying than anything, and provide for a tense experience, but never fearful. they are too easy to escape, and even if you are caught over and over again, that same tense feeling just wears off quickly once you figure out the patterns. there's nothing really dreadful about metroid dread. Try dead space or something similar if you want dread!
Don't forget this is all on a GBA, too. Being able to get this kind of sound design, very tense atmosphere, Genuinely stressful but never unfair situations on limited hardware is just beyond impressive. I wouldn't object if this game got a 3DS remake like Samus Returns to really ramp up the fear. Or if Metroid Prime 4 is nearly a full horror game.
@Dankish_Gamer- 669 he meant when samus was under the small tunnel and sa-x places the p bomb and you think he's gonna discover you because it destroys the floor, it's the fear of being discovered, not the fear of the damage it does to you with a specific weapon
I've heard the argument a few times before of "how can this be scary at all? It's just a 2D handheld game." Generally I find that those making that argument fail to understand that if you're emotionally invested in what the story is conveying, it doesn't matter what visual method it comes in as your imagination is filling in the blanks. The first time you see the SA-X and get that close up... bloody hell, time to change your pants. Despite the obvious linear scripted nature of the game, it's still all too easy to immerse yourself in the setting and imagine that that thing is skulking around the station like that and could be anywhere just a wall away, especially early on in the game when you're still obscenely under-powered.
Clearly they aren't the ones who played Fusion late at night and saw the first SA-X scene. Holy crap that terrified 10 year old me. Actually it still terrifies me xD
Fusion was my very first Metroid game I ever played, and the ambience really set the bar high in terms of the intensity and creepypasta on almost every single corner. I remember during my first playthrough the part when the main elevator stopped halfway, and right before it I thought "what could possibly go wrong now". I eagerly await the Fusion remaster, whenever that'll be.
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy i have endless hours in this game and apart from the sa x scene I can't remember any other fear inducing situation. It's and adventure game with minor fear indicators.i played the game back when I was 8-9 years old btw
Fusion will always hold a special place in my heart because it is the logical and thematic conclusion of the Metroid series: For multiple games you've been a lone hunter stranded in an alien world, running and gunning and slowly overcoming the enemy until you strike your victory blow and escape the enemy's last ditch attempt to end you with a self-destruct sequence. The government is nonexistent, and while monsters certainly are creepy, they are a part of the den of villainry that you are out to uproot. In Metroid Fusion, you rush through the facility, constantly changing your priorities as you jump from trying to contain an outbreak to simply survive from the onslaught of the X (get bombs to escape SA-X, get Vira Suit to survive the Cold-X mutation, rush to stop the core meltdown, the search to restore power to the station...). In the end, YOU activate the self-destruct, essentially admitting defeat and opting for the desperate play to stop the X. The monsters that thrive in the environment are samples from alien worlds, speaking to how horrific the universe of Metroid is. The galactic government takes a bigger role in all of this, revealing it's more sinister role in the galactic setting as well... It's a brilliant culmination of Samus Aran's previous journeys and such a masterful way to introduce such a powerful antagonist to follow up from the Mother Brain and Ridley. By that alone Metroid Fusion is in a category of it's own.
You've raised some ace points. I've always felt it was the right direction to go in after Super, although I wouldn't like to see it as an end to the Metroid series, but certainly as an end to a saga. We could continue with Samus but shed any of the weight from previous series, like Metroids and Ridley and everything. I feel there's _so much_ more to explore in the Metroid universe.
While I'm inclined to agree with you, I also feel that the Galactic Government's role in Metroid Fusion is actually lays the groundwork of a new antagonist - bioweapon researchers and the corruption stewing within galactic government. The only problem is that Metroid relies on alien worlds and alien creatures, and shooting up humans is quite the deviation from Metroid's original aesthetic. But, if the Other M is anything to go off of, the BSL and the Bottle Ship are probably not the only places where creatures are being experimented on and weaponized... So while it is a thematic conclusion of the Metroid Story so far, it is not necessarily the end. And still, the X are perfectly capable villains - with the hint of a Fusion rework at the end of Samus Returns, I wonder if Fusion will turn out to be the end for the X parasite... I forgot to mention this in the previous post, but I must underline that at every turn, while you try and adapt to what the X is doing, the X learns and takes measures against you and breaks common Metroid logic - it begins to destroy powerup rooms, shut down power, and the SA-X becomes increasingly complex which every encounter. Generally you were the one blasting into new corridors and secrets, but in this game your foe is the one changing the map. Samus even acknowledges the X's 'superiority', and that's one heck of a statement from Samus Aran. Another awesome plus that I think aligns well with the "tension" dynamic you explain: The "game time" and "actual time" align very closely - you can rush through this game in about an hour or two... and really, that's how long you'd expect these chain of events to occur in the actual story as well. With such little downtime, there is a really convincing beat that always keeps the "tension" from dropping to a minimum.
Another thing I drew from Fusion is that, after all is said and done, Samus Aran isn't just human anymore. She was transfused with Chozo blood, infected by the X, and saved by the injection of the baby Metroid's DNA. Samus has become a singularity of four unique species, and thus the most unique creature in the galaxy. *The Huntress abides.* Fusion was the first GBA cartridge I picked up, and it's mind-boggling that Nintendo, to this day, hasn't continued Samus' story after Fusion.
Uncle Stone She actually lost all that Metroid DNA after she absorbed the SA-X. That's why she was able to use the ice beam against the omega Metroid. The reason we got ice missiles instead of the ice beam was because Samus's currrent cellular makeup with the Metroid DNA would reject it.
Not necessarily because her Zero Suit still has the barbs and alien look of the Fusion Suit, so probably the X parasite along with the Varia suit gave Samus the ability to use the Ice Beam again, as predicted by Adam.
I was 12 with plenty of time on my hands and even at 12 I had to look up strategies to beat SA-X because the silly x-parasite version of me kept destroying me! Shit at 9 I was playing Banjo Kazooie lol. (And at 29)
The similarities are interesting. The actual structure of the games are almost identical: 1. Computer screen tells you to go to [x] and do [y]. 2. You go to [x] and do [y]. Repeat.
Forgot to mention how the SA-X was created from Samus' suit which featured the ice beam. Samus was infused with Metroid DNA at the start of the game. Metroids being weak to the ice beam is a series staple. So... Samus is being pursued by her only weakness. The computer even makes a point of this to get you to run like hell.
Not to mention that the SA-X is smart enough that uses the classic method that all people use to kill metroids in any game, ice beam+super missile, and one can see that by the scope of the damage the missile does and the animation, which gives more tension and induces fear as you get that fact into you, and then SA-X at end of sector 2, just ignores you, and goes destroying any threat to the X virus, seen in when it destroys the secret area with metroid samples and where in the omega metroid fight, chooses to deal with the bigger threat as it sees you in the ground unable to finish it, really, the X virus even goes further to destroy data rooms and impede any upgrade in general, giving a sense of despair over more time lapses and instead of investigating an anomaly, you go to survive and stay alive, to a sense of self sacrifice in a sense of defeat to a last ditch effort in hope to do something, that in the end would put samus in a blacklist
This was horrible for me the first time because I didn't know the SA-X interactions were scripted. I thought it would be random, so I always moved carefully and was aware of possible escape routes or hiding places.
I thought the same and wished the encounters were random but I’m sure that was the original plan. They probably scraped knowing people would complain it being too hard. Which saddens me because I love challenging games like that.
I don't think it being unscripted was the original plan, I don't think the GBA was capable of it being totally random. Plus, it needed to be scripted for story purposes.
Dan Root I would disagree. I see most people still rag on it for its linearity still. However, I think the complaints have certainly minimized, or at least lost their sting, since Other M butchered their game with linearity far worse and less rewarding. Most people are forced to at least admit that Fusion used linearity well since. To be fair to critics of Fusion, I do understand why people feel disdain for what this game does. Linearity aside, it is a complete subversion of many established Metroid expectations, most notably being Samus' role as the prey for a vast majority of the game, being put in the situation she placed the metroids in while genociding their species. At the same time, it is the reason most people who like the game enjoy it as much as they do, myself included. So, double-edged sword, I guess.
@@starwarriorterra8373 Yeah, linearity isn't anywhere near as a problem in Fusion as it is in Other M. It's not one of my favorite Metroid games but I can say, even back when I first played it, it's an enjoyable experience on its own merit.
My favorite thing about the SA-X was that it used the same design as Samus from Super Metroid with all upgrades. Having played Super Metroid, and knowing all the powers I had at the end of the game, and then knowing that this creature now has all those abilities? That really got to me. I didn't want to mess with it at all
Metroid Fusion is seriously an underrated game. People wanna talk about Dark Samus but SA-X is the most frightening OP Metroid villain in the entire series. After playing Super Metroid knowing all of Samus's abilities after playing made her the most frightening.
Just beat Metroid Fusion for the first time today & you've perfectly showed off why I loved it. A little detail I learnt watching Geek Critique's video on Fusion is that you can only outrun SA-X during the after finding the reactor core because they can't cling to ledges, since the old Samus couldn't
They made it so Samus can only climb in her suit with a power up as it's heavy, whereas in Fusion she doesn't have a heavy suit on so doesn't need a power up to do so.
No because the only time Samus has had a power up to grab ledges is in Zero Mission, and as the SA-X comes from the last version of Samus before suit removal, which was in Super / Other M where there wasn't a ledge-grab power up, then the SA-X wouldn't have it
This was my first GBA game. And man this scared me up so bad that I recall nearly dropping my GBA. Can’t forget the fact that I quit playing it for months before building up the courage to continue.
Wonder Waffle Fusion was my first GBA game too (i get it as bonus edition with both the GBA and fusion inside) and god the first time i saw the nightmare shadows following as you went out of sector 5 and then the flashing red right and the sound telling about the allarm on the sector 3 was so tense, it almost felt like the gba was going to blowup if you didn't complete the objective in time
Wonder Waffle Curious, what was the thing that spooked you? It didn't have that big of an impact on me, but then again by the time I had the chance to play it for the first time (somewhere around 2010 I think) I wasn't exactly a young kid anymore.
Buddy this was my first game I saw those eyes I had nightmares for days. I got stuck so as a whatever yr old squirt i hid the game and replayed it like 6yrs down the road only to still be scared by it.....
Fusion is my favorite Metroid. Few things scare me more than hearing the SAX. Play FNAF on max difficulty? Laughable. Silent Hill? What a joke. SAX walks into a room? Pick a god and pray.
12:11 Well , the developers said that Sa-X doesn't want to save you , when it faces the final metroid boss it sees that it's a bigger threat than you because Metroids are his first enemy , so it decides to attack the metroid boss instead of attacking you. in 11:53 you can see it ignores you because it's fighting metroids.
but perhaps after being one-shot by the Omega, it did gain some sentience to allow you to pick it up? Or maybe it fled the initial fight because it sensed the Omega's presence....I dunno tbh, part of me thinks it finally relinquished its power to you when it realized it was not strong enough to beat even the Omega. It recognized you however, that you were capable. Throughout the game there is wonderment if the X parasite could potentially think for itself, since we know it does collect the memories of its victims. But could it gain sentience beyond its primal behavior? could it learn? That's why the federation wanted to study it so badly.
What about Serris? First you know it's nameset and environment, then: "huh, dat b$tch already ded." And then OMGGEGELKANSLKDNLAKNLXKCJ, while it attacks so fast and unnerfing at first. How Metroid Fusion creates fear you ask? It's showing you all theese things that wreck you hard but making them face you (jeah not the other way around, because of it's linearity) each time, where you are just about prepared for it, all the while showing you beforehand what it might be or what it can do. Serris destroyed large planes of the aquatic zone, while nightmare destroyed the entire sector for example. Its a climax that gives each boss an eerie feeling, almost like a sub plot to the story. Sa-X on the other hand... You are right, it is the overarching theme of this fear, as it's introduction is the most fleshed out and longest for all of the horrors in the game.
Metroid Fusion was the game that made me a gamer. and i'll never forget that unbelievable feeling I had when I first started feeling tension and fear when playing, your dead on in saying that the sounds and the setting are what make this game have it's edge, hell, just the story alone could make people nervous. I'll never forget how many HOURS I spent playing that game, wondering if the SA-X was just around the next corner, in the next room, I still to this day call Sector 6 "Sector Creepy" as the pitch darkness, the blue X, and the way they go about making you feel like something is out there, waiting, watching, like some silent hunter. this is also done very well when Adam mentions the security robot, and how IT has been infected by the X. How could that happen!? Wait? it has Organic Components? like a human brain as it's CPU? how is that possible! Then when you get there, this line "Once Your Done leave NOC immediately. The SA-X is Tracking you" Followed by those cold words "Is your Objective Clear?" That line made me feel SO insecure, as the previous SA-X moments where you weren't running full on from it, made it very VERY clear that you were powerless against it, And even Samus KNOW's Shes powerless against it, as from her inner thoughts "The SA-X, an Enemy with my strongest abilities. but dose it have reason? probably not, it's just a killing machine, in my current state I cant face it head on. The SA-X is me. only heartless. I must stop it before it learns it potential. and threatens the universe." This makes you feel so very weak inside, as Samus, this Cold, battle tested bad ass, this woman who's overcome So much in her life, has been reduced to running from herself. that is what made Fusion an instant classic in my heart, and i'm long looking forward to the day when Fusion gets a Metroid Prime style remake. because You KNOW that would be epic. The SA-X is also one of those super dopplegangers you don't get with most video games today, I'll use Dark Samus as an example. when you first meet her, she clearly has the upper hand on Samus, when she rises to her feet, ready to fight, the next shot she fires flys right by her head, to smash the light Crystal keeping her safe. Yes, that was a moment of shock and fear, because you have that feeling that even though Samus isn't using all her equipment, Dark Samus clearly had the upper hand on her, yet when you face her the first time in the pirate base, she's beaten by a Samus that basically was at the same level of power and equipment when they first ran into eachother, you don't have the trademark weapons of the game, namely the Dark beam or the Light beam. this sort of broke the fear for me, as compared to Fusion where each time you encounter the SA-X, you are stronger then before. but nothing you do can hurt it. I love Metroid games. and I personally want to see Samus get a lot more screen time and fame. Books, comics and such. and the story of Metroid is one of a person, scared by tragedy, marked with fear, loss, PTSD and death, who overcomes all that to become a shining beacon of hope. this is what I think Makes Metroid games unique as most video game hero's who are women are cold and heartless. Samus is a woman who, even though she is strong, has fear, has a past. (though most bitched about her PTSD in Other M. I submit to you, if YOU were violently orphaned at 3 years old by a 75ft tall purple space dragon you'd have some PTSD too) and has overcome it, has gone through hell, and come back. yet is always scared by it, That's why Samus works alone. Fear of losing those closest to her. Fear of that tension and loss. And that's what makes her so awesome. because she cares more about others, then she dose herself. TLDR: I love this game. Samus needs more love.
The problem with Samus's fear in Other M isn't that she felt it - It's that by that point in the canon, she'd fought Ridley (and presumably assumed him to be dead) at least twice. At no point in the olden days of 8 and 16 bit graphics did Samus display fear or panic when facing Ridley. Maybe the technology didn't allow for it, or maybe it would have messed with game flow to suddenly seize control and characterize our orange pixels. But whatever the case, if you're the sort to read into it, Samus may have been afraid, but she didn't let it stop her for a single second. Her will is iron - this is the impression given by the older works, so to contradict this so tremendously as to literally depict her as a scared child... One can't really be surprised if that causes some anger, as it appears to change a fundamental fact of the character
I remember picking this game up with my brand new gba sp i got home from work cut the lights and layed in bed to experience one of my favorite gaming moments that i can remember To this day its still myfavorite gba game
@@nihilvox dude. If YOU were violently orphaned at 3 years old then saw the thing that did it appear again. You'd have some issues too. Her reactions show she's human. Remember in canon shes not even out of her 20's yet.
But she'd fought Ridley five separate times by Other M, it makes no sense to suddenly have a break down. I think we can all agree her characterisation was handled badly in Other M.
The game I'm working on is a light-hearted stealth game where you play as a ghost evading capture by ghost hunters. Though the seriousness and tension will be light, I really appreciate this video because it gives me insight on how to better establish the kind of emotions I want to produce in the game. Thank you so much for this video.
He might be thinking of the substance that oozes from the Space Pirates when they die or might be confusing Prime for Prime 3 where if you die in Prime 3, you get shown blood puddles
SA-X was probably among the best enemies in metroid that created serious tension. Purely because of how they handled the bgm and sound whenever it popped up, and also because it could kill you SO easily
I found nightmare so hard when I first played this game. Loved this game and this is making me want to play it again! I hope one day Nintendo wise up and bring these classics to the Switch.
Ah man, I really hope they port over all the Virtual Console stuff, I mean I'd _happily_ buy it all again if it meant getting some sort of Fusion remake. But yeah, agree, Nightmare is _so_ bloody well designed, he's bloody terrifying.
This was the first horror game (and first Metroid game) I ever played, and it gave me nightmares of being chased by the SA-X for two years straight. If that isn't a good indication of horror doing it's job, I'm not sure what is. I would like to point out the bit when the SA-X leaves the door destroyed in your first trip to TRO. What I think is genius about that you hear the footsteps, but the SA-X isn't actually there. Going back to your theme of breadcrumbs here- they give you just enough information to make you tense and let your brain do the rest. I think that's what makes horror good- the sort of "Less is More" theory. My best friend is a big horror-game junkie and I showed her a Let's Play of this, and she agreed that they do a really good job with the environment and mood.
Certainly. People are more terrified of what is unknown than known. Now I'll actually have to go and beat Fusion, because I had to get a friend to get through the TRO chase for me because I was so terrified.
Two years? I played this game for the first time around 10 years ago, when i was a kid (and an easy-to-frighten one, to make things worse), and, even up to this day, i ocassionally have nightmares involving the SA-X ;-; Fusion is my favorite Metroid though, hope Nintendo decides to remake it.
The most disgusting boss in the game is Nightmare, because it resembles me from The Groke from Moomin books and their 1990's anime adaption who was absolutely scariest character in my childhood, but the most frightning thing in it is not Nightmare or even SA-X, but the purple gunship of Samus. Reason for that it's been designed to look like very angry spider robot that stares at player during the whole game. The bigger and sharper image of it, the worse chills it gives. Allthough I've never played the game myself.
I would posit that another major theme of this game (which you touched on briefly), was being off balance. This theme runs through the entire game from the very first cinematic. Samus starts off, almost literally being thrown off balance when she is stripped of her abilities, her powers and even to some extent her identity ("As for me, one life ended... yet I survived, reborn as something different."). She starts off the game, already in a state of acute vulnerability, having been brought to an absolute low point as the very first act of the story. This theme of being off balance continues with the introduction of the SA-X, who is not only the first time Samus has faced anything explicitly more powerful than herself, but is also quite literally a reflection of herself which has turned against her, causing her to adopt the explicitly uncharacteristic tactic of running away. Especially when the SA-X literally takes you off balance in one of it's many encounters. It's unorthodox, confusing and off balance for Samus. The theme is also present in your computerized CO, who as Samus remarks, is her first CO since the tragic loss of Adam Jensen. A computerized CO which gets more and more suspicious as the game goes on, nearly turning out to be the enemy as the game reaches the boiling point. And when you discover that the federation itself was not what you thought it was Constantly through the game, Samus has to readjust, reacquaint, reassess as the situation gets worse and worse on the station before the theme of being off balance descends into uncontrollable chaos as the situation completely melts down.
Metroid Fusion actually used an element its linear nature very cleverly to create tension - specifically, the "unease" of going off the rails. Early in the game, you're given hints that shadowy forces are manipulating Samus via ADAM, but this doesn't surface in earnest until later in the game. Then suddenly you unlock a power-up that you weren't intended to have, prompting some consternation from ADAM. Then the game proceeds along and you suddenly wind up wildly off-course and separated from ADAM for an extended period of time. This culminates in the discovery of the Metroid Lab and the true nature of the space station as a bio-weapons lab. Each successive step in this story just amps up the tension beautifully, because it feels like you suddenly went off-script and wandered off the path into an unknown area where your supposed-ally may now be working against you.
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy have you seen John carpenter's the thing I have a feeling that the next Metroid game is going to open with those creatures forcing Samus to crash her ship and attempt to contain those parasites while figuring out how to make sure they don't get into the galatic federation.
Many Metroid fans dislike this game for its linearity. For me, though, it will always be my favourite. I can't think of any other platform game out there quite so unnerving.
It certainly manufactures fear better for being linear, I think. To be fair, it's not something I think about when playing, as long as I'm enjoying new areas and power ups and boss fights, linear or open ended, it's all good!
Exactly, I think the linear format is actually better because it gives the game designers so much more control over the player's experience. It's crafted so brilliantly in Fusion and many more open ended games can feel boring in comparison without the tightly scripted and intense situations that a game like fusion can deliver.
Metroid Fusion is my favourite Metroid game. I know it's a divisive one because it's a bit more linear, but the plot, the atmosphere, the aesthetics, the boss fights and the soundtrack are very unique. I'm a big survival horror genre fan too and I think they captured that feeling very well in a 2D platformer.
@@rogerfloyd852 Super was actually my first and I like it alot, I just think Fusion did it better. Since my original post here I've played Dread and that has jumped firmly in my #1 spot now. I rank them 1) Dread 2) Fusion 3) Super
It's depends what Fusion did better than Fusion. Super was relatively open, Fusion was relatively linear. Fusion was more horror based where as Super wasn't. I think it's an _"either or"_ type thing. People love Super, people love Fusion.
@@rogerfloyd852 imo super metroid is really good, but the lack of a good map and (this is just a me thing,) getting so close to finding an item then missing one thing makes it not as amazing as everyone says.
Your point about tension and fear is really really interesting. It reminds me of something I learned in high school psych: that your brain registers purely physiological things like elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, etc. as an emotional fear response when the situational context is appropriate for fear. So the brain can be "tricked" into being scared of some stimulus by, say, sprinting 100m and then being presented with that stimulus while your body is stressed. I'm glad that you approach this from an artistic point of view, though, instead of trying to psychologize the game.
Thanks for the feedback. That sounds interesting, also. It's funny how physical, biological responses to things can be reinterpreted by your brain and attributed to something else. Same could go for infatuation or obsession.
I definitely remember getting a chill the very first time the shadow of Nightmare zoomed past Samus. Trying to run and hide from SA-X had me on edge so much, it was like playing Amnesia.
Metroid Fusion's unique direction for a Metroid game is why it's my personal favorite, also it just has that lasting impression for me, due to the atmosphere, tension and sound design. The SA-X encounters were some of the most intense I've ever had in gaming and they're moments I won't ever forget. :)
Personally, what additionally contributed to fear in Metroid Fusion for me was the non-linear design and being ordered around by an AI which opened and blocked doors according to where it wanted Samus to go to next. It gave me a feeling of helplessness, being constricted and dependent on this AI. The cold camera eye of this computerized CO also reminded me of HAL 9000 in the film "2001", which led me to expect something like "I'm afraid I can't do that, Samus." as soon as Samus' plans deviate from the plans the AI has. This was increased and confirmed later on after the AI dropped hints about admiring the SA-X, communicating with an unknown person when Samus was gone, being surprised as Samus achieved power-ups the AI didn't lead her to and finally when the AI in fact locked her up so she wouldn't interfere with the Federation's plans to capture SA-X alive.
This was my first Metroid game, and it was fantastic. It helps that I've been a fan of horror my whole life. Heck, the game I'm working on is purely halloween and horror themed. I like the more subtle approach to horror that games used to go with rather than the jumpscare tactics that are used in most that I've seen these days.
I haven't played Resident Evil 7 properly, just the demo, but I don't think it uses jump scares, but I don't really play too many horror games. I think intricately designed horror is very effective!
Frictional does the approach of building the horror slowly without excessive jumpscares really well. Penumbra trilogy (Black Plague being the best), Amnesia and SOMA being really good examples of this. If you're into horror, you probably are already familiar with those games or you may have had the misfortune of running across some of the god awful Amnesia Let's Players, and if you had the worst luck, the utterly shit custom stories that people used to make and everybody and their granny used to play and fake their reactions by screaming obnoxiously. But in case you don't know these games, I can't recommend them enough. As for what comes to Metroid, I'm thinking it's time for another long overdue marathon to play through all of them in order, it's been a while since I fired up any of them. It's all your fault Dan, this video made me really itchy and playing the games is the only cure.
RE7 does have a few jumpscares, but they're not the focus or the goal of the game. The thing I love about the game is that in general, they didn't take it super seriously. The focus was making a fun game. Story and horror were secondary.
There's something so simple and so unsettling about the SA-X just literally being Samus' original Varia suit but the zoom in on the visor showing this unnatural alien entity inside. And it's done so briefly and with that sudden music score that you're left going wHAT JU S S T HA PPNENED and I loved the game then and there. A beautiful Metroid through and through, and something worth looking back on.
This was the first game I beat as a kid, it gets a lot of flack for being linear so it's good to see someone sing its praises. Love this game and love this video. And that elevator scene with the sa-x made me drop my gameboy and run away as a child haha, truly terrifying.
The unsettling eerie feel of Metroid Fusion was what I loved about it. It felt like being in Scott Ridley's Alien. Now I have to listen to fusions ost again. Great video, man!
Metroid Fusion is my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE game of all time!! So glad you decided to make a video on it! In fact, I'm actually making my own metroidvania inspired by this game, because I love it that much and want to make a tribute to, what I consider to be, the perfect video game in existence.
Yes to both of them! I've been working on this for 2 years now, and while I've not even made a full area yet, let alone a "game" of any kind, it's been extremely fun for me to make! Here it is if you're curious dinar87.deviantart.com/art/Pause-menu-2-0-WIP-750037920
I wouldn't call this game a metroidvania, even if it has Metroid on the title. It's extremely linear, to the point where it locks doors behind you to prevent you from backtracking. The Geek Critique has an excellent video talking about how this ties into the story and themes of the game. Btw yes, this is my absolute favorite Metroid and one of my favorite games of all time in general. I hope you manage to craft something nearly as good as this masterpiece.
I agree with that. In fact I don't really enjoy the term "Metroidvania", as I find most games that use this are much more like Super Metroid than Symphony of the Night.
Turned out great man! My favorite thing about Metroid Fusion, and indeed horror games; is backtracking through areas you've been through before and seeing how they've changed as a result of actions beyond your control. Creates a nice sense of the uncanny; that's actually one of the things I love about the original Dead Space as well...even if said backtracking is what most people slag it off for. Dead space 2 has good atmosphere as well, but the highlight of that game for me is [SPOILER] the revisit to the Ishimura in its most terrifying incarnation, and its effectiveness is entirely dependant on the familiarity with the ship in the original. I don't know how I got off on a tangent about Dead Space from this, but I really do wish more games would take this approach to horror and atmosphere. I think the Metroid series and other Metroidvania and Horror games have a unique opportunity to do so, and it's just strange it's not utilized more often.
Yeah, I'd like to see more backtracking through areas that get more damaged in future Metroid games. I had an idea once for an area in the Metroid game in my head: You go through this new area that's completely run down and damaged, massive machines that have fallen and broken, exposed power cables that are dead, bones of monsters that have long since decomposed, and generally a dark area. You then reach the end of the area, deep in the heart of it, and you get your next powerup. Turns out it's a trial arena, and the whole area is shifted back in time many, many years, and everything you saw on your way in is now up and functional, including the big mechanoids, the monsters, and all the automatous machines. Good luck getting back...
Your idea sounds like the Time Stones from Skyward Sword. XD Though you do raise an interesting point, I remember hearing some rumor about a year ago (rumor or interview, can't remember) that said MP4 will feature Time Manipulation mechanics. Curious to see what extent it's taken to; I'm hoping they take a similar route to what you're suggesting or something like the FPS Singularity.
Ha! Yeah it does a bit actually! And woah, that sounds interesting! I hope they do something with that! Maybe revisiting times from the previous Prime games?!
Ah man, yeah. I also had another idea in my imaginary Metroid game where it'd be set in the past, and you know the icons used in ability upgrades? Like the crab for wave beam, dragon for plasma beam? They'd be monsters you'd have to fight who had those natural abilities.
this is an absolutely perfect recollection of my possibly favorite (and acually first) metroid game ever. Very well done, sir, I believe you deserve a subscribe!
Can't stop thinking about this video It's been like 3 years or something since I first saw it, and I still can't stop thinking about it. I rewatch it and I still can't stop thinking about it. It's hard to overstate the impression this video has made on me. Time to watch it yet again.
yo, i played nightmare as a kid in middle school and it was such a weird experience... the gravity effects were so next level to me and SA-X was legit terrifying. And still is to me to this day, the design is amazing.
Your point on the difference between fear and tension is brilliant, and how Fusion adds subjectively scary things to objectively tense situations, like chase scenes, stealth segments, boss fights, etc. Excited for the Metroid Prime video!
I pray every day that nintendo will contract the prime team to remake fusion in 3d. I feel that the space station would be much better being actually cylindrical and with a few scripted "random" Sa-X encounter areas where u can just miss it or be chased a few rooms before it walks back and vanishes
I love how unexpectedly you can find frozen Ridley at the beginning and the mysterious creepy music kicks in. Aswell as how the game never talks about him, not knowing if he ever gets unfrozen, another tension-fear built up^^
Metroid Fusion is such a masterpiece. Everything the game designers did was done to absolute perfection. I would absolutely love to see this remade and played the same way as Dread.
My first Metroid game was Metroid Fusion. Definitely an unsettling Metroid game, but the only thing that gave me real fear was hearing Ridley's scream. Also, this video just randomly popped up in my recommendation feed. So you've earned yourself a subscriber.
Better equip that Powah Beem, NOOB! Good luck finding them without the X-Ray Visor! Hall of the Elders is always riddled with them! The first encounter with a Metroid in Research Lab Aether on Hard Mode was intense, too!
I definitely love the horror vibe to Metroid Fusion. There's the dark and creepy tone, of course, but watching Samus go from being the hunter to being the hunted and having to survive an evil, fully-powered clone of herself was brilliant. Even though the gameplay wasn't as open-ended as previous installments of the Metroid series, I loved the story.
When quarantine was running I played M.Fusion out of boredom for first time in my life on an emulator. While playing I experienced from time to time an uneasy feeling and yeah, he explained it damn well, turned into fear. And i was so shocked and ashamed how with 27 years old I could feel like that over a game from 2002. I think alike narrator's explanation. Metroid fusion imbues you with fear due to how wonderfully script plus gameplay is infused.
Metroid Fusion will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first time I was "brave". It was my first GBA game back in '02 and I was only 9 years old. When I got to the part where the SA-X ambushes you in TRO, I was so scared I turned off the game. It took me months to get the courage to finally jump down there...but I did, and I got past it. On the list of brave things, that's not very brave, but it was the first time in my life I was scared of something and resolved it myself, without my parents' help. In a way it showed me I Could Do Hard Things... which has helped me through adulthood. Not every game has to be scary but fear creates a lot of empathy in the player for the protagonist. Because _I_ was so scared hearing the SA-X's footsteps and having to jump down and run past _anyway,_ I could relate to how _Samus_ could've felt. Metroid Fusion may not be the best Metroid game, or even the most epic, but there is no Metroid game in which I admire Samus more. Putting her in a situation where she is at a major disadvantage shows her courage, intelligence, and skill in a way that's never been matched, before or since. Metroid Fusion is a masterclass in how fear accomplishes this. When I respect Samus as a protagonist-- not just as a video game character, or even a heroine-- it's because of Metroid Fusion.
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy @Video Game Animation Study Hahah, yep! Excellent video. The point you made about how fear is _subjective_ while tension is _objective_ completely changed how I view scary moments in video games, and even storytelling in general. Great insights!
Finally beat this bastard today after it plagued me for 3 full years. I absolutely adore how it does horror- it partially achieves it's effects by being so difficult and frustrating at times, shown perfectly when the power shuts off and you have to go like 15 minutes without saving and fight an annoying and tricky spider boss. However, it's not hard like other horror games. You're given full, tight control over Samus, and you have many ways of defending yourself should you need to, but you're still weak. You know that you can handle most small threats, but there's always something that could take you down in just a few hits. Of course, this goes away once you get the Gravity suit and even just half the energy tanks on the BSL Station, but that's when the game's tone overall becomes much more heroic and actiony.
I finally played _Metroid Fusion_ just last weekend, and despite being already spoiled to almost everything in the game, I was still surprised by the whens and wheres of each twist and turn. For example: - I knew about SA-X and it being invincible, and its encounters being fairly specific and tightly designed, but prior to getting the Varia suit you aren't actually forced to confront it. Admittedly, the first time it showed up (in Area 2, the tropical zone), when I heard those footsteps I panicked and quickly exited through the same door I came in, and therefore missed out on whatever it did ... nonetheless noticing the environmental damage when I returned a few seconds later. The next two encounters begin with you placed in an area of safety, and you don't need to DO anything beyond just keep out of sight. - I knew about Nightmare and identified its silhouette in the background of Area 5. The environmental damage when you are tasked with hunting it down was impressive, and after a quick sweep of the map I identified that the destruction of an otherwise-locked red hatch indicated the direction I should be going. And it definitely lived up to its reputation of being about the most difficult boss in any Metroid game.... - I knew there was a boss battle against a Ridley-X, but I was still surprised to discover the specific room containing Ridley's frozen corpse (as well as when you suddenly drop out of a tunnel _into_ said room). - Many lesser bosses (such as the ones yielding the High Jump, Space Jump, and Plasma Beam) I knew nothing about and needed a few attempts to figure out on my own.
@@MinhLe-cf5nt Ridley is not a metroid. He is one of the leaders of Space Pirates. The Ridley that you fought in Metroid Fusion is the X clone of Ridley.
I dont know if this is footage from the beta or so but in the original version it's: Does Samus suspect anything? (Not "anyting") and the answer is: No. I dont think so.
That was an awesome video! Subbed. Also, SA-X is definitely unnerving. I've never played Metroid Fusion, but just by watching the video I feared its presence.
Dan Root Ah, yeah I have a Wii U. My gamepad's display is broken though, and the Wii U isn't at my house. It's at a place where it isn't connected to the internet. I'm going to try and get a new gamepad for it, and when I do I'll be sure to pick the game up!
Here to update basically 3 years later again: I've played nearly every Metroid game and it has got to be my absolute favourite game franchise. I've yet to properly dive into the Prime games and Other M I'll see about, but the 2D games are all really good (though Metroid 2 and NES have aged poorly, that doesn't take away from their quality for the time).
@@bensaadoussema9679I actually really enjoyed metroid back in the day whilst having no clue what a single thing meant so you could say I’m a newcomer 😅
It's funny, as I go through these games, I'm realising that not everyone has the same theme, and even if it has one theme, it might not hold it for long. Fusion is the most consistent and rich so far though.
I always imagined a game like Fusion from the perspective of Metroid Prime would be way too fucking horrifying to play. Just imagine the SA-X parts from a first person view I´d legit shit myself probably
I was a fool to have play this game thinking I could kick back and relax to play as bad-ass Samus again. Well... it was Bad-ass alright... but BOY the game is really REALLY unsettling and just telling myself. "W-Was Metroid supposed to be this scary?" Because in the previous games, I recall that it was supposed to give you that rush. Here it gives you another kind of rush, FEAR. And boy do I loved every haunting second of it.
Super Metroid definitely has a creepy, isolated feeling to it. That game has outstanding atmosphere, but I agree that Fusion takes the fear up a notch. It's funny to me that Zero Mission has an entire section of the game that is clearly based on the overall feeling of being hunted and tracked by the SA-X, and it is harder than any of the times you have to outrun the SA-X, but it has about 1/64th as scary, because it is basically all tension an no fear. It's just stupid red space pirates trying to track you down.
Love this game. Great breakdown. The breadcrumbs was definitely something I really love about Fusion. I liked that you added the Ridley reveal as well.
Can you imagine Metroid going horror for the next title? God, the possibilities of this series. Metroid can probably explore terror, dread, fear, tension and unknowability with great results. I get excited just thinking about it
I watch this video about once every 3 months. Great work man it's really entertaining to see such in depth talk on something I could only vaguely explain myself.
I still love how the SA-X reacts to Samus. It first freezes you, and then shoots you with a Missile.
Because thats how you kill Metroids.
Wait... True O.O
Wow, I can't believe I never put that together before! You're 100% right. That is an amazing detail.
Oh my god
Imagine hunting down metroids your whole life because that's your job, and then after exterminating them and destabilizing an entire ecosystem you become aware of what you did, basically exposing humankind to a parasitic threat 1000 times worse than those poor metroids minding their own business and exploited by space pirates.
Also, you're the prey now...
Also since your newly modified suit had Metroid DNA in it. I always liked to think the SA-X partially saw you as a species of Metroid
I'll give you tension, being far from a save point when your Gameboy advance battery indicator turns red.
lol
Rofl
Nah, my gba sp can be charged, so I'm fine in that situation
@@yoshyfoods *then you realize you left your charger at you grandmas house*
@@Voltricity435 gonna be honest, probably something I would ACTUALLY do
"Does Samus suspect anything?"
"Nah, mate"
LOL
Oke
Anyting*
Um, I'm not so sure that's quite how it went...
(yes i know it was a joke he made*
Can someone time stamp that for me?
Mellow Manju Inc. Watch the vid, its easy to catch
Can’t wait for the sequel, How Metroid Dread Creates Fusion.
Stolen comment. This was on the super Metroid video first.
@@ameliajales5307oh no he stole a youtube comment quick call the cops!!!
@@ameliajales5307ok😅
My favorite thing about SA-X is it shows how unstoppable Samus is. It's literally you, Samus, from every game before. Think about the dread she caused to those poor creatures in Super Metroid. What about the Zoomers, the first enemy you see? Only the stupidest person could die from those. They take only a few shots. They have no chance of survival in a fight with you.
Now, in Fusion, you're fighting against yourself, that unstoppable beast. You're fighting Samus. Now *you* feel the terror you caused every enemy before. This time, *you're* those pathetic little zoomers. Only the stupidest person could die from you. You only take a few shots.
You have no chance of survival in a fight with SA-X.
Exept 4 the final encounter with him
Yeah, like going for an Alien Isolation kinda take. I'd love that.
Deep....
I remember in Metroid prime scanning some of the the space pirate computers reveals how scarred they are when they find out Samus if on the planets and trying to spoil there plans. I imagine what the space pirates were going through is the same feeling players playing super Metroid were experiencing.
And the chain goes on...
SA-X legitimately turned this into a horror game.
It has, really.
Even while not having played the game, it creeps me out but weirdly makes me want to play it.
Well hello there Von Stroheim
There is this one spot in the game where you have to run past the SA-X and it scared the shit out of me.
No kidding, man. The first time I played, it took like 12 hours because every room I entered, I thought I would run into the SA-X. Then after I was told there were no fewer than 10......i was literally tip toeing the rest of the game. What an accomplishment
@@travv88 especially since its just after Yaukuza, so you probably won't even be able to survive a single shot.
This aged very well. I'm here waiting for Metroid Dread that was just announced at E3
You and many others 😎
Growing up with Fusion as my favorite Metroid to revisit, I have a bias of being drawn to 2D horror/suspense Metroid tones. I have to remind myself that Dread wasn't made to capture that creeping feeling, seemingly-- We were shown that EMMI areas are color coded and marked with special doors, and sometimes gives a cannon to dispatch them near their areas. I am really looking forward to their chases as well as the continued return of seamless cutscenes!
@@takemetoyonk It definitely doesn't! It has tension, but it seems like you're thrown into an encounter with EMMI at the start of the game - we don't have any of the signposting or foreshadowing leading up to the SA-X. Right now I'm thinking about how the tension of an EMMI could be topped - unless they throw you into a scenario with MORE EMMIs...
It seems that Dread took the legacy of Fusion and is more oppressing and fearful than its predecessor.
Yeah; the first look at the E.M.M.I. in the trailer and the gameplay showing how really ramps up the tension with the E.M.M.I. ruthlessly hunting you which if they catch you it's a permadeath but the good thing is the areas that E.M.M.I. are hunting you you go straight back to the entrance/exit where you came from so you don't have to slog through the whole way from your previous Save Station to where you encountered the E.M.M.I. that killed you.
My favorite part about the SA-X is how it reflects Samus dark past back at her. Samus erradicated without mercy the entire metroid species, only to feel compassion for a single individual, than she then couldn't save from mother brain. And now the SA-X acts like a nightmare of her past, now Samus is a representation of the Metroids she killed, with the same colors, dna and properties, and an ultra powerful Samus is chasing her down and attacking her in the exact same manner, ice beam and then missiles.
When you are hiding in the dark from the SA-X and the only thing you hear is its footsteps, It reminds me of very similar scenes in Metroid 2, when your footsteps were the only sound and the metroids were hiding from you.
Damn, that’s deep.
Ha, this Metroid Dread seems to continue this line of thinking.
Eu nunca tinha parado pra ver as coisas dessa maneira, e olha que eu acabei de zerar o jogo
W pfp
(Frozen Ridley Theme plays in the background)
The SA-X actually scared me as a kid, so much in fact that my first encounter I actually put the game down and didn’t play it for an hour.
The game did its job!
Same, though. I was too scared to play it for so long, until one day I finally gathered the courage and finished it
Yeah, I still remember crossing from the Reactor Area back into TRO and being forced to get chased by the SA-X, that part always made me tense up and feel terrified just cause of those darn footsteps.
While it's not a Metroid game, I had a similar experience with a game when I was young where I couldn't get past a certain stage because the music creeped me out. I was playing Toy Story on PC. The fourth stage of the game is called "Nightmare Buzz". It's essentially the first boss battle of the game. Looking back on it, it seems silly, but I was so scared of it, that I asked my younger brother to get past him. I think he did, and that was a relief. Tense music, and not to mention that you're fighting a giant Buzz Lightyear who shoots real laser beams (and I think he can also conjure up fireballs that you're supposed to whip).
that's what happened to me when I played it a few weeks ago and I'm a whole adult lmao
Metroid 1: Adventure
Metroid 2: isolation
Metroid 3: triumph
Metroid 4: mystery
Metroid 5: DREAD
Edit: I don't know how or why are people still finding this comment, but fyi this comment was made before the release and I had no way of knowing how the product would turn out, I just made a snarky remark on the title, put your "um actually"s down
I remember how the first 4 2d games followed the plot of the 4 alien movies, so it can outlast that movie series
I mean, THE GAME IS LITERALLY CALLED METROID DREAD! IF IT DOESN’T HAVE A THEME OF DREAD THEN I FEEL LIED TOO!
Other M: Eat glue
Seriously, leave it to team ninja to make nightmare, probably the creepiest thing after SA-X to look pristine and boring.
There's also Metroid: Prime Hunters for the DS... Though, admittedly, that one's one of the FPS versions. So many brain puzzles in that one, save for the fact that your weakest weapon is also technically universally compatible with most enemies... while the other available ones have their strengths and weaknesses in an almost broken way if you can remember which goes with what... THEN there's the freaking BOSSES, which are EACH borderline carpel-inducing... So for that one, I'd say... "Sheer Determination"
metroid dread is not scary whatsoever. the emmi's are more annoying than anything, and provide for a tense experience, but never fearful. they are too easy to escape, and even if you are caught over and over again, that same tense feeling just wears off quickly once you figure out the patterns. there's nothing really dreadful about metroid dread.
Try dead space or something similar if you want dread!
Don't forget this is all on a GBA, too. Being able to get this kind of sound design, very tense atmosphere, Genuinely stressful but never unfair situations on limited hardware is just beyond impressive. I wouldn't object if this game got a 3DS remake like Samus Returns to really ramp up the fear. Or if Metroid Prime 4 is nearly a full horror game.
Fun fact: apparently the studio that did Samus Returns originally wanted to do a Fusion remake.
Or if Metroid Prime 4 in general.
I'd go for either of those things. Still want Metroid 5, though.
Knowing nintendo they would just miss the point and screw it up
@Benjamin McCann not saying they make bad games, just that they (like in samus returns) they miss the point of the original games when they remake it
“No entry without authorization!”
Pretty cool to hear that loud & clear on a handheld game console of the time; it only adds to the tension.
Yeah, I was like _"woah, this is serious!"_
It's genius how that boss was set up
Authorization....
(Other M flashbacks)
God damn it Adam
@@s.p.d.magentaranger1822 Would have been flash-forwards at the time.
“How Metroid Fusion creates Fear”
*Sa-X places down a power bomb*
@Dankish_Gamer- 669 Meanwhile Prime and Prime 2: Echoes metroids only need one power bomb to be killed.
@Dankish_Gamer- 669 he meant when samus was under the small tunnel and sa-x places the p bomb and you think he's gonna discover you because it destroys the floor, it's the fear of being discovered, not the fear of the damage it does to you with a specific weapon
"OH SHIT OH SHIT"
I remember playing Fusion and seeing the SA-X do that, and then i thought holy crap if I was like a few blocks over *it would have seen me*
@@ILikePasta42 I remember as a kid, when SA-X dropped a power bomb I was like, "How on earth am I supposed to fight this thing?"
"Fear + Tension = Fusion" That's absolutely genius
Where did the U come from? did you snap the e's legs, join them together and then flipped them 90 degrees counter clockwise?
However that would make it so Fear = Fusion - Tension, and we all know Fear needs Tension.
Just to clear up:
Fear + Tension = Feasion
And I'm sure in some Scandinavian countries, 'ea' might be pronounced 'I'
(Absolute conjecture)
I guess you could say it's a FUSION of those two themes.
And then confusion = confession or just confusion. LOL.
I've heard the argument a few times before of "how can this be scary at all? It's just a 2D handheld game." Generally I find that those making that argument fail to understand that if you're emotionally invested in what the story is conveying, it doesn't matter what visual method it comes in as your imagination is filling in the blanks. The first time you see the SA-X and get that close up... bloody hell, time to change your pants. Despite the obvious linear scripted nature of the game, it's still all too easy to immerse yourself in the setting and imagine that that thing is skulking around the station like that and could be anywhere just a wall away, especially early on in the game when you're still obscenely under-powered.
Yeah, I get the impression that those who say it isn't scary haven't really played it.
Clearly they aren't the ones who played Fusion late at night and saw the first SA-X scene. Holy crap that terrified 10 year old me.
Actually it still terrifies me xD
Fusion was my very first Metroid game I ever played, and the ambience really set the bar high in terms of the intensity and creepypasta on almost every single corner. I remember during my first playthrough the part when the main elevator stopped halfway, and right before it I thought "what could possibly go wrong now".
I eagerly await the Fusion remaster, whenever that'll be.
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy i have endless hours in this game and apart from the sa x scene I can't remember any other fear inducing situation. It's and adventure game with minor fear indicators.i played the game back when I was 8-9 years old btw
I think most players experience fear throughout much of the game. The aesthetics and design of the game indicate it's going for a horror vibe.
“The longer the *note*, the more DREAD.” Hehe, noice.
_"The longer the *note*, the more dread"_
Run from it, DREAD from it, but in the end...
Super Hans
Oh, so that's why the note took 19 years!
@@m36games you win this comment section. No ones gonna top this
Fusion will always hold a special place in my heart because it is the logical and thematic conclusion of the Metroid series:
For multiple games you've been a lone hunter stranded in an alien world, running and gunning and slowly overcoming the enemy until you strike your victory blow and escape the enemy's last ditch attempt to end you with a self-destruct sequence. The government is nonexistent, and while monsters certainly are creepy, they are a part of the den of villainry that you are out to uproot.
In Metroid Fusion, you rush through the facility, constantly changing your priorities as you jump from trying to contain an outbreak to simply survive from the onslaught of the X (get bombs to escape SA-X, get Vira Suit to survive the Cold-X mutation, rush to stop the core meltdown, the search to restore power to the station...). In the end, YOU activate the self-destruct, essentially admitting defeat and opting for the desperate play to stop the X. The monsters that thrive in the environment are samples from alien worlds, speaking to how horrific the universe of Metroid is. The galactic government takes a bigger role in all of this, revealing it's more sinister role in the galactic setting as well...
It's a brilliant culmination of Samus Aran's previous journeys and such a masterful way to introduce such a powerful antagonist to follow up from the Mother Brain and Ridley. By that alone Metroid Fusion is in a category of it's own.
You've raised some ace points.
I've always felt it was the right direction to go in after Super, although I wouldn't like to see it as an end to the Metroid series, but certainly as an end to a saga.
We could continue with Samus but shed any of the weight from previous series, like Metroids and Ridley and everything. I feel there's _so much_ more to explore in the Metroid universe.
While I'm inclined to agree with you, I also feel that the Galactic Government's role in Metroid Fusion is actually lays the groundwork of a new antagonist - bioweapon researchers and the corruption stewing within galactic government. The only problem is that Metroid relies on alien worlds and alien creatures, and shooting up humans is quite the deviation from Metroid's original aesthetic. But, if the Other M is anything to go off of, the BSL and the Bottle Ship are probably not the only places where creatures are being experimented on and weaponized...
So while it is a thematic conclusion of the Metroid Story so far, it is not necessarily the end.
And still, the X are perfectly capable villains - with the hint of a Fusion rework at the end of Samus Returns, I wonder if Fusion will turn out to be the end for the X parasite...
I forgot to mention this in the previous post, but I must underline that at every turn, while you try and adapt to what the X is doing, the X learns and takes measures against you and breaks common Metroid logic - it begins to destroy powerup rooms, shut down power, and the SA-X becomes increasingly complex which every encounter. Generally you were the one blasting into new corridors and secrets, but in this game your foe is the one changing the map. Samus even acknowledges the X's 'superiority', and that's one heck of a statement from Samus Aran.
Another awesome plus that I think aligns well with the "tension" dynamic you explain: The "game time" and "actual time" align very closely - you can rush through this game in about an hour or two... and really, that's how long you'd expect these chain of events to occur in the actual story as well. With such little downtime, there is a really convincing beat that always keeps the "tension" from dropping to a minimum.
Another thing I drew from Fusion is that, after all is said and done, Samus Aran isn't just human anymore.
She was transfused with Chozo blood, infected by the X, and saved by the injection of the baby Metroid's DNA.
Samus has become a singularity of four unique species, and thus the most unique creature in the galaxy. *The Huntress abides.*
Fusion was the first GBA cartridge I picked up, and it's mind-boggling that Nintendo, to this day, hasn't continued Samus' story after Fusion.
Uncle Stone She actually lost all that Metroid DNA after she absorbed the SA-X. That's why she was able to use the ice beam against the omega Metroid. The reason we got ice missiles instead of the ice beam was because Samus's currrent cellular makeup with the Metroid DNA would reject it.
Not necessarily because her Zero Suit still has the barbs and alien look of the Fusion Suit, so probably the X parasite along with the Varia suit gave Samus the ability to use the Ice Beam again, as predicted by Adam.
This was my Dead Space on my gameboy sp when I was 9.
Shank Adams I’m assuming yes maybe
I was 12 with plenty of time on my hands and even at 12 I had to look up strategies to beat SA-X because the silly x-parasite version of me kept destroying me! Shit at 9 I was playing Banjo Kazooie lol. (And at 29)
The similarities are interesting. The actual structure of the games are almost identical: 1. Computer screen tells you to go to [x] and do [y]. 2. You go to [x] and do [y]. Repeat.
@Shank Adams i finished the game when i was really roung. My mom introduced me into the game
God.. same
Forgot to mention how the SA-X was created from Samus' suit which featured the ice beam.
Samus was infused with Metroid DNA at the start of the game. Metroids being weak to the ice beam is a series staple.
So... Samus is being pursued by her only weakness. The computer even makes a point of this to get you to run like hell.
Not to mention that the SA-X is smart enough that uses the classic method that all people use to kill metroids in any game, ice beam+super missile, and one can see that by the scope of the damage the missile does and the animation, which gives more tension and induces fear as you get that fact into you, and then SA-X at end of sector 2, just ignores you, and goes destroying any threat to the X virus, seen in when it destroys the secret area with metroid samples and where in the omega metroid fight, chooses to deal with the bigger threat as it sees you in the ground unable to finish it, really, the X virus even goes further to destroy data rooms and impede any upgrade in general, giving a sense of despair over more time lapses and instead of investigating an anomaly, you go to survive and stay alive, to a sense of self sacrifice in a sense of defeat to a last ditch effort in hope to do something, that in the end would put samus in a blacklist
@@HaxeRain
And, even after you get the Varia Suit, it still has the Wave Beam and Plasma Beam to cut through you very quickly.
Yeah one energy tank per hit is a lot
This was horrible for me the first time because I didn't know the SA-X interactions were scripted. I thought it would be random, so I always moved carefully and was aware of possible escape routes or hiding places.
I thought the same and wished the encounters were random but I’m sure that was the original plan. They probably scraped knowing people would complain it being too hard. Which saddens me because I love challenging games like that.
I don't think it being unscripted was the original plan, I don't think the GBA was capable of it being totally random. Plus, it needed to be scripted for story purposes.
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy well that could be true but if they were to bring SA-X back on the switch with that in mind would be cool.
@@chazlonewolff3320 like a remake of fusion on switch.
@@no1cratee49 yesssssss
_"If I was an imitation... A _*_perfect_*_ imitation... How would you know if it was really me?"_
wow, whats that from?
Lol this is from John carpenter's THE THING
Finally someone who breaks down and appreciates Metroid Fusion.
The linearity issue seems to be disappearing over time.
Dan Root Are you excited for Metroid Prime 4?
Dan Root I would disagree. I see most people still rag on it for its linearity still. However, I think the complaints have certainly minimized, or at least lost their sting, since Other M butchered their game with linearity far worse and less rewarding. Most people are forced to at least admit that Fusion used linearity well since.
To be fair to critics of Fusion, I do understand why people feel disdain for what this game does. Linearity aside, it is a complete subversion of many established Metroid expectations, most notably being Samus' role as the prey for a vast majority of the game, being put in the situation she placed the metroids in while genociding their species. At the same time, it is the reason most people who like the game enjoy it as much as they do, myself included. So, double-edged sword, I guess.
@@starwarriorterra8373
Yeah, linearity isn't anywhere near as a problem in Fusion as it is in Other M. It's not one of my favorite Metroid games but I can say, even back when I first played it, it's an enjoyable experience on its own merit.
That game introduced me to Metroid, before I ever played zero mission or the prime trilogy. It’s incredible.
My favorite thing about the SA-X was that it used the same design as Samus from Super Metroid with all upgrades. Having played Super Metroid, and knowing all the powers I had at the end of the game, and then knowing that this creature now has all those abilities? That really got to me. I didn't want to mess with it at all
I love that they kept the animation and design the same, too 😍
That's why it gives up searching for you in Sector 2. It doesn't have the power grip
Very good
But Sax missed X-ray visor and grabble beam.🙁
Same here
Metroid Dread is going to crank that fear up to 11. Can't wait.
Trailers didn’t make feel fear at all like they didn’t even try on setting the mood
@@EMJAYYTK who hurt you?
I said the exact same thing before I saw your comment lol
@@JC21 ah I had no idea. I didn’t see your comment when I made my comment. Guess we thought the same phrase.
@@dcyoung8887 You posted first so you beat me to it :P
Metroid Fusion is seriously an underrated game. People wanna talk about Dark Samus but SA-X is the most frightening OP Metroid villain in the entire series. After playing Super Metroid knowing all of Samus's abilities after playing made her the most frightening.
I'm not sure it's as underrated as it once was, it gets lots of love these days.
To me both are scary.
Which fear is worse? Fear of the Unknown of what you might face or Fear of the knowledge of what you fight?
1:57 "Nah, mate"
Clear, and to the point. This must be why Adam Malkovich was so well respected in the Federation.
Lol
How does it create fear? With two things. A low rasping melody...and the sound of footsteps.
Or...stopping the music suddenly and THEN comes the sound of footsteps.
Sorry, bad English.
The sound of footsteps followed by the sudden blaring of the chase music.
Just beat Metroid Fusion for the first time today & you've perfectly showed off why I loved it. A little detail I learnt watching Geek Critique's video on Fusion is that you can only outrun SA-X during the after finding the reactor core because they can't cling to ledges, since the old Samus couldn't
Zero Mission breaks this, since they retconned it so Samus has always been able to grab ledges with a powerup.
They made it so Samus can only climb in her suit with a power up as it's heavy, whereas in Fusion she doesn't have a heavy suit on so doesn't need a power up to do so.
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy But then the SA-X should have access to the power up and be able to climb, shouldn't it?
No because the only time Samus has had a power up to grab ledges is in Zero Mission, and as the SA-X comes from the last version of Samus before suit removal, which was in Super / Other M where there wasn't a ledge-grab power up, then the SA-X wouldn't have it
Aw that’s such a cool detail. I love that
This was my first GBA game.
And man this scared me up so bad that I recall nearly dropping my GBA.
Can’t forget the fact that I quit playing it for months before building up the courage to continue.
Wow, left a big impression then! (Emotionally, not after dropping your GBA...)
Wonder Waffle Fusion was my first GBA game too (i get it as bonus edition with both the GBA and fusion inside) and god the first time i saw the nightmare shadows following as you went out of sector 5 and then the flashing red right and the sound telling about the allarm on the sector 3 was so tense, it almost felt like the gba was going to blowup if you didn't complete the objective in time
Wonder Waffle Curious, what was the thing that spooked you? It didn't have that big of an impact on me, but then again by the time I had the chance to play it for the first time (somewhere around 2010 I think) I wasn't exactly a young kid anymore.
Wonder Waffle even today this game is pretty scary, I love it so much it's personally my second favorite Metroid game.
Buddy this was my first game I saw those eyes I had nightmares for days. I got stuck so as a whatever yr old squirt i hid the game and replayed it like 6yrs down the road only to still be scared by it.....
1:53
"Does Samus suspect anything?"
-No, I don't think so.-
*Nah mate*
Yoooooo. Never noticed. 😂
your right!
Fucking killed me
Wow
Fusion is my favorite Metroid. Few things scare me more than hearing the SAX. Play FNAF on max difficulty? Laughable. Silent Hill? What a joke. SAX walks into a room? Pick a god and pray.
Doubledasher what is fnaf?
Boo.
😱😱😱
Silent Hill 2 is arguably, objectively the best horror game ever created.
What an fanf?
Doubledasher the AI is notorious for being bad. You can break it so easily and the fear of it goes away.
12:11 Well , the developers said that Sa-X doesn't want to save you , when it faces the final metroid boss it sees that it's a bigger threat than you because Metroids are his first enemy , so it decides to attack the metroid boss instead of attacking you. in 11:53 you can see it ignores you because it's fighting metroids.
and then in metroid dread, an x parasite actually does intentionally save you. wild.
is a situation of "i hate you, but i fucking hate them more"
but perhaps after being one-shot by the Omega, it did gain some sentience to allow you to pick it up? Or maybe it fled the initial fight because it sensed the Omega's presence....I dunno tbh, part of me thinks it finally relinquished its power to you when it realized it was not strong enough to beat even the Omega. It recognized you however, that you were capable. Throughout the game there is wonderment if the X parasite could potentially think for itself, since we know it does collect the memories of its victims. But could it gain sentience beyond its primal behavior? could it learn? That's why the federation wanted to study it so badly.
@@Metroid4ever and we kinda get our answer at the end of metroid dread
@@voyagerwitch Shh no spoilers please, I still haven't played Dread. xD
"How Metroid Fusion creates fear": SA-X. The end.
Dont forget nightmare!
Yup that b#tch is down right nightmare fuel
@@ej3411 hes called nightmare for a reason
What about Serris? First you know it's nameset and environment, then: "huh, dat b$tch already ded." And then OMGGEGELKANSLKDNLAKNLXKCJ, while it attacks so fast and unnerfing at first.
How Metroid Fusion creates fear you ask? It's showing you all theese things that wreck you hard but making them face you (jeah not the other way around, because of it's linearity) each time, where you are just about prepared for it, all the while showing you beforehand what it might be or what it can do. Serris destroyed large planes of the aquatic zone, while nightmare destroyed the entire sector for example. Its a climax that gives each boss an eerie feeling, almost like a sub plot to the story. Sa-X on the other hand... You are right, it is the overarching theme of this fear, as it's introduction is the most fleshed out and longest for all of the horrors in the game.
Good points! I like the build up to Serris as well!
Only Metroid Fusion gave me the right amount of fear that kept me playing, and now I know why
Thanks man, I'm subscribing
Metroid Fusion was the game that made me a gamer. and i'll never forget that unbelievable feeling I had when I first started feeling tension and fear when playing, your dead on in saying that the sounds and the setting are what make this game have it's edge, hell, just the story alone could make people nervous. I'll never forget how many HOURS I spent playing that game, wondering if the SA-X was just around the next corner, in the next room, I still to this day call Sector 6 "Sector Creepy" as the pitch darkness, the blue X, and the way they go about making you feel like something is out there, waiting, watching, like some silent hunter. this is also done very well when Adam mentions the security robot, and how IT has been infected by the X. How could that happen!? Wait? it has Organic Components? like a human brain as it's CPU? how is that possible! Then when you get there, this line "Once Your Done leave NOC immediately. The SA-X is Tracking you" Followed by those cold words "Is your Objective Clear?" That line made me feel SO insecure, as the previous SA-X moments where you weren't running full on from it, made it very VERY clear that you were powerless against it, And even Samus KNOW's Shes powerless against it, as from her inner thoughts "The SA-X, an Enemy with my strongest abilities. but dose it have reason? probably not, it's just a killing machine, in my current state I cant face it head on. The SA-X is me. only heartless. I must stop it before it learns it potential. and threatens the universe." This makes you feel so very weak inside, as Samus, this Cold, battle tested bad ass, this woman who's overcome So much in her life, has been reduced to running from herself. that is what made Fusion an instant classic in my heart, and i'm long looking forward to the day when Fusion gets a Metroid Prime style remake. because You KNOW that would be epic. The SA-X is also one of those super dopplegangers you don't get with most video games today, I'll use Dark Samus as an example. when you first meet her, she clearly has the upper hand on Samus, when she rises to her feet, ready to fight, the next shot she fires flys right by her head, to smash the light Crystal keeping her safe. Yes, that was a moment of shock and fear, because you have that feeling that even though Samus isn't using all her equipment, Dark Samus clearly had the upper hand on her, yet when you face her the first time in the pirate base, she's beaten by a Samus that basically was at the same level of power and equipment when they first ran into eachother, you don't have the trademark weapons of the game, namely the Dark beam or the Light beam. this sort of broke the fear for me, as compared to Fusion where each time you encounter the SA-X, you are stronger then before. but nothing you do can hurt it. I love Metroid games. and I personally want to see Samus get a lot more screen time and fame. Books, comics and such. and the story of Metroid is one of a person, scared by tragedy, marked with fear, loss, PTSD and death, who overcomes all that to become a shining beacon of hope. this is what I think Makes Metroid games unique as most video game hero's who are women are cold and heartless. Samus is a woman who, even though she is strong, has fear, has a past. (though most bitched about her PTSD in Other M. I submit to you, if YOU were violently orphaned at 3 years old by a 75ft tall purple space dragon you'd have some PTSD too) and has overcome it, has gone through hell, and come back. yet is always scared by it, That's why Samus works alone. Fear of losing those closest to her. Fear of that tension and loss. And that's what makes her so awesome. because she cares more about others, then she dose herself.
TLDR: I love this game. Samus needs more love.
The problem with Samus's fear in Other M isn't that she felt it - It's that by that point in the canon, she'd fought Ridley (and presumably assumed him to be dead) at least twice. At no point in the olden days of 8 and 16 bit graphics did Samus display fear or panic when facing Ridley.
Maybe the technology didn't allow for it, or maybe it would have messed with game flow to suddenly seize control and characterize our orange pixels.
But whatever the case, if you're the sort to read into it, Samus may have been afraid, but she didn't let it stop her for a single second. Her will is iron - this is the impression given by the older works, so to contradict this so tremendously as to literally depict her as a scared child... One can't really be surprised if that causes some anger, as it appears to change a fundamental fact of the character
You sir... You deserve a medal.
I remember picking this game up with my brand new gba sp i got home from work cut the lights and layed in bed to experience one of my favorite gaming moments that i can remember
To this day its still myfavorite gba game
@@nihilvox dude. If YOU were violently orphaned at 3 years old then saw the thing that did it appear again. You'd have some issues too. Her reactions show she's human. Remember in canon shes not even out of her 20's yet.
But she'd fought Ridley five separate times by Other M, it makes no sense to suddenly have a break down.
I think we can all agree her characterisation was handled badly in Other M.
I think every video with the combination of the words "metroid" and "dread" in the title is getting pushed by the algorithm
We have a winner! 🎉
Epic
I saw your video and just realized at the end that is from 2018!
btw, your analysis is simply wonderful, new subscriber here
Thank you!
Yup
The game I'm working on is a light-hearted stealth game where you play as a ghost evading capture by ghost hunters. Though the seriousness and tension will be light, I really appreciate this video because it gives me insight on how to better establish the kind of emotions I want to produce in the game. Thank you so much for this video.
What is the game called
Octavian Mango My game is called "Buster's Escape". If you go to @XionDevGroup on Twitter you can follow me for semi-regular updates on my progress.
Ik I'm late, but did you ever complete/release the game?
Red Bones it takes time to release a game please come back in 2029 I think we will have finish the game
By that LoLl
So basically Metroid Fusion is the scariest game in the series.
I'd say so. At least 2D.
Where's the blood in Prime? 🤔
TylerTV said there's blood in Prime.
He might be thinking of the substance that oozes from the Space Pirates when they die or might be confusing Prime for Prime 3 where if you die in Prime 3, you get shown blood puddles
I did not know that
Metroid Fusion: **exists**
Ridley-X: I'm about to end a gamer's hearing. Maybe every gamer's hearing.
Those screams are nightmare inducing!
My grandchildren heard that. And I don't even have kids.
SA-X was probably among the best enemies in metroid that created serious tension. Purely because of how they handled the bgm and sound whenever it popped up, and also because it could kill you SO easily
I found nightmare so hard when I first played this game. Loved this game and this is making me want to play it again! I hope one day Nintendo wise up and bring these classics to the Switch.
Ah man, I really hope they port over all the Virtual Console stuff, I mean I'd _happily_ buy it all again if it meant getting some sort of Fusion remake.
But yeah, agree, Nightmare is _so_ bloody well designed, he's bloody terrifying.
.....thinking about a metroid fusion remix in your/dainumo's style.
i know what im doing tonight.
Yes my thoughts exactly
I find that scarier
Wow, t c. That's a messed up interpretation that totally makes sense. 😱
This was the first horror game (and first Metroid game) I ever played, and it gave me nightmares of being chased by the SA-X for two years straight. If that isn't a good indication of horror doing it's job, I'm not sure what is.
I would like to point out the bit when the SA-X leaves the door destroyed in your first trip to TRO. What I think is genius about that you hear the footsteps, but the SA-X isn't actually there. Going back to your theme of breadcrumbs here- they give you just enough information to make you tense and let your brain do the rest. I think that's what makes horror good- the sort of "Less is More" theory.
My best friend is a big horror-game junkie and I showed her a Let's Play of this, and she agreed that they do a really good job with the environment and mood.
Yeah, less is more is very much the way to go, as it leaves the options wide open for your brain to fill in, something which no one else can do.
Certainly. People are more terrified of what is unknown than known. Now I'll actually have to go and beat Fusion, because I had to get a friend to get through the TRO chase for me because I was so terrified.
Two years? I played this game for the first time around 10 years ago, when i was a kid (and an easy-to-frighten one, to make things worse), and, even up to this day, i ocassionally have nightmares involving the SA-X ;-;
Fusion is my favorite Metroid though, hope Nintendo decides to remake it.
The most disgusting boss in the game is Nightmare, because it resembles me from The Groke from Moomin books and their 1990's anime adaption who was absolutely scariest character in my childhood, but the most frightning thing in it is not Nightmare or even SA-X, but the purple gunship of Samus. Reason for that it's been designed to look like very angry spider robot that stares at player during the whole game. The bigger and sharper image of it, the worse chills it gives. Allthough I've never played the game myself.
I would posit that another major theme of this game (which you touched on briefly), was being off balance. This theme runs through the entire game from the very first cinematic. Samus starts off, almost literally being thrown off balance when she is stripped of her abilities, her powers and even to some extent her identity ("As for me, one life ended... yet I survived, reborn as something different."). She starts off the game, already in a state of acute vulnerability, having been brought to an absolute low point as the very first act of the story.
This theme of being off balance continues with the introduction of the SA-X, who is not only the first time Samus has faced anything explicitly more powerful than herself, but is also quite literally a reflection of herself which has turned against her, causing her to adopt the explicitly uncharacteristic tactic of running away. Especially when the SA-X literally takes you off balance in one of it's many encounters. It's unorthodox, confusing and off balance for Samus. The theme is also present in your computerized CO, who as Samus remarks, is her first CO since the tragic loss of Adam Jensen.
A computerized CO which gets more and more suspicious as the game goes on, nearly turning out to be the enemy as the game reaches the boiling point. And when you discover that the federation itself was not what you thought it was
Constantly through the game, Samus has to readjust, reacquaint, reassess as the situation gets worse and worse on the station before the theme of being off balance descends into uncontrollable chaos as the situation completely melts down.
*Adam Malkovich.
Not that I'm complaining since you have Deus Ex on the mind with that name slip, haha.
"Adam Jensen"
I do not recall this Deus Ex X Metroid crossover. 🤔
Jensen? You mean Malkovich.
All this while being on a lab, a place that should be the perfect example of balance and control.
@@rogerioteca A good point. Irony at its finest.
Metroid Fusion actually used an element its linear nature very cleverly to create tension - specifically, the "unease" of going off the rails.
Early in the game, you're given hints that shadowy forces are manipulating Samus via ADAM, but this doesn't surface in earnest until later in the game. Then suddenly you unlock a power-up that you weren't intended to have, prompting some consternation from ADAM. Then the game proceeds along and you suddenly wind up wildly off-course and separated from ADAM for an extended period of time. This culminates in the discovery of the Metroid Lab and the true nature of the space station as a bio-weapons lab. Each successive step in this story just amps up the tension beautifully, because it feels like you suddenly went off-script and wandered off the path into an unknown area where your supposed-ally may now be working against you.
My thoughts exactly. I loved how the story started to unravel in the end. It was amazing.
This, exactly!
Same. That part evoked a LOT of fear in me
"Does Samus suspect anything?" "Nah mate" Toppest kek
anyting*
Nuthin bruv.
was that actual game dialogue???!!
@@NeostormXLMAX i don't remember reading that lol. But the cutscene is real
Lmaoooo
Oi, that was my Super Hans gag.
It was, I'm sorry! It was too good not to use.
Lmao
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy have you seen John carpenter's the thing I have a feeling that the next Metroid game is going to open with those creatures forcing Samus to crash her ship and attempt to contain those parasites while figuring out how to make sure they don't get into the galatic federation.
The Thing is probably my favourite horror film. It's amazing on nearly every level.
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy well it looks like the feeling that Nintendo was going for.
Many Metroid fans dislike this game for its linearity. For me, though, it will always be my favourite. I can't think of any other platform game out there quite so unnerving.
It certainly manufactures fear better for being linear, I think. To be fair, it's not something I think about when playing, as long as I'm enjoying new areas and power ups and boss fights, linear or open ended, it's all good!
I really love Zero Mission, but I will admit I really enjoy this one. Prime 2 is creepy too, and I feel Fusion and Hunters are equally scary.
Really? I’ve never heard of a metroid fan who dislikes fusion
Exactly, I think the linear format is actually better because it gives the game designers so much more control over the player's experience. It's crafted so brilliantly in Fusion and many more open ended games can feel boring in comparison without the tightly scripted and intense situations that a game like fusion can deliver.
I love it, but I hate playing it.
Metroid Fusion is my favourite Metroid game. I know it's a divisive one because it's a bit more linear, but the plot, the atmosphere, the aesthetics, the boss fights and the soundtrack are very unique. I'm a big survival horror genre fan too and I think they captured that feeling very well in a 2D platformer.
Super Metroid is very overrated, perhaps because Prime and Fusion were my first
@@rogerfloyd852 Super was actually my first and I like it alot, I just think Fusion did it better. Since my original post here I've played Dread and that has jumped firmly in my #1 spot now. I rank them 1) Dread 2) Fusion 3) Super
It's depends what Fusion did better than Fusion. Super was relatively open, Fusion was relatively linear. Fusion was more horror based where as Super wasn't. I think it's an _"either or"_ type thing. People love Super, people love Fusion.
@@rogerfloyd852 imo super metroid is really good, but the lack of a good map and (this is just a me thing,) getting so close to finding an item then missing one thing makes it not as amazing as everyone says.
I don't think that makes it not amazing.
I haven't played Metroid Fusion in years, but just seeing SA-X sent a shiver down my spine and my blood run cold.
xD
I was watching a playthrough of the game recently, and the SA-X chase scene still made my heart race even though it wasn't me playing the game
When the SA-X is chasing you
That shit was scary i died like 6 times trying to dodge her damn beams
when you watch a playthrough of Metroid Fusion: *pure fucking terror*
I watched a playthrough of Metroid Fusion an hour ago
Your point about tension and fear is really really interesting. It reminds me of something I learned in high school psych: that your brain registers purely physiological things like elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, etc. as an emotional fear response when the situational context is appropriate for fear. So the brain can be "tricked" into being scared of some stimulus by, say, sprinting 100m and then being presented with that stimulus while your body is stressed. I'm glad that you approach this from an artistic point of view, though, instead of trying to psychologize the game.
Thanks for the feedback. That sounds interesting, also. It's funny how physical, biological responses to things can be reinterpreted by your brain and attributed to something else. Same could go for infatuation or obsession.
This was legit the scariest game in my childhood. And yet somehow my favorite because of it.
I think we all like to be scared in some way.
yes
Metroid Fusion left such an impression on me when I was a kid that I still have dreams about it as an adult.
I definitely remember getting a chill the very first time the shadow of Nightmare zoomed past Samus. Trying to run and hide from SA-X had me on edge so much, it was like playing Amnesia.
Headphones for Metroid Fusion is a must for a truly immersive experience.
Marth *Ridley scream intensified*
@@D-W-N-Xsist ridley-X*
How about NO remember the earape ridley screech
@@the_bane_of_all_anti_furry Neo Ridley*
Metroid Fusion's unique direction for a Metroid game is why it's my personal favorite, also it just has that lasting impression for me, due to the atmosphere, tension and sound design. The SA-X encounters were some of the most intense I've ever had in gaming and they're moments I won't ever forget. :)
Personally, what additionally contributed to fear in Metroid Fusion for me was the non-linear design and being ordered around by an AI which opened and blocked doors according to where it wanted Samus to go to next. It gave me a feeling of helplessness, being constricted and dependent on this AI. The cold camera eye of this computerized CO also reminded me of HAL 9000 in the film "2001", which led me to expect something like "I'm afraid I can't do that, Samus." as soon as Samus' plans deviate from the plans the AI has. This was increased and confirmed later on after the AI dropped hints about admiring the SA-X, communicating with an unknown person when Samus was gone, being surprised as Samus achieved power-ups the AI didn't lead her to and finally when the AI in fact locked her up so she wouldn't interfere with the Federation's plans to capture SA-X alive.
This was my first Metroid game, and it was fantastic. It helps that I've been a fan of horror my whole life. Heck, the game I'm working on is purely halloween and horror themed. I like the more subtle approach to horror that games used to go with rather than the jumpscare tactics that are used in most that I've seen these days.
I haven't played Resident Evil 7 properly, just the demo, but I don't think it uses jump scares, but I don't really play too many horror games.
I think intricately designed horror is very effective!
My first metroid game was Super Metroid, and I beat it at 5-6 years old. Then I beat metroid Prime.
I played Super a few years after release, I was STOKED that two games were released in one year 8 years later!
Frictional does the approach of building the horror slowly without excessive jumpscares really well. Penumbra trilogy (Black Plague being the best), Amnesia and SOMA being really good examples of this. If you're into horror, you probably are already familiar with those games or you may have had the misfortune of running across some of the god awful Amnesia Let's Players, and if you had the worst luck, the utterly shit custom stories that people used to make and everybody and their granny used to play and fake their reactions by screaming obnoxiously.
But in case you don't know these games, I can't recommend them enough.
As for what comes to Metroid, I'm thinking it's time for another long overdue marathon to play through all of them in order, it's been a while since I fired up any of them.
It's all your fault Dan, this video made me really itchy and playing the games is the only cure.
RE7 does have a few jumpscares, but they're not the focus or the goal of the game. The thing I love about the game is that in general, they didn't take it super seriously. The focus was making a fun game. Story and horror were secondary.
in metriod fusion, the x virus made a samus clone, we shall call it... the saxaphone!
theeatenpotato lol yeah but i think it stand for samus aran x
@@BUCKETHEADache it is
There's something so simple and so unsettling about the SA-X just literally being Samus' original Varia suit but the zoom in on the visor showing this unnatural alien entity inside. And it's done so briefly and with that sudden music score that you're left going wHAT JU S S T HA PPNENED and I loved the game then and there. A beautiful Metroid through and through, and something worth looking back on.
Fusion creates fear? Well, you better prepare for DREAD
*Muffled Heartbeat-sounds in enclosed space* .....
Actually Fusion is a lot more scarier than Dread.
This was the first game I beat as a kid, it gets a lot of flack for being linear so it's good to see someone sing its praises. Love this game and love this video. And that elevator scene with the sa-x made me drop my gameboy and run away as a child haha, truly terrifying.
Mate, it's got one of the best atmospheres of most Metroid games, it's difficult to to match in an open ended game.
Is true that is linnear,and some people say is a bad game,imo is a great game,not the best but is in a high position in my top
The unsettling eerie feel of Metroid Fusion was what I loved about it. It felt like being in Scott Ridley's Alien. Now I have to listen to fusions ost again. Great video, man!
Thanks a lot! Yeah, the music does loads of work!
Metroid Fusion is my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE game of all time!! So glad you decided to make a video on it!
In fact, I'm actually making my own metroidvania inspired by this game, because I love it that much and want to make a tribute to, what I consider to be, the perfect video game in existence.
Excellent! So is your Metroidvania open ended? And is it sci-fi?
Yes to both of them! I've been working on this for 2 years now, and while I've not even made a full area yet, let alone a "game" of any kind, it's been extremely fun for me to make!
Here it is if you're curious
dinar87.deviantart.com/art/Pause-menu-2-0-WIP-750037920
Ah man, that's looking great! I like the little details, look forward to seeing where it goes! Does the game have a name?
I wouldn't call this game a metroidvania, even if it has Metroid on the title. It's extremely linear, to the point where it locks doors behind you to prevent you from backtracking. The Geek Critique has an excellent video talking about how this ties into the story and themes of the game.
Btw yes, this is my absolute favorite Metroid and one of my favorite games of all time in general. I hope you manage to craft something nearly as good as this masterpiece.
I agree with that. In fact I don't really enjoy the term "Metroidvania", as I find most games that use this are much more like Super Metroid than Symphony of the Night.
Changing the title from Fear to Dread, I see what you did there.
Turned out great man!
My favorite thing about Metroid Fusion, and indeed horror games; is backtracking through areas you've been through before and seeing how they've changed as a result of actions beyond your control. Creates a nice sense of the uncanny; that's actually one of the things I love about the original Dead Space as well...even if said backtracking is what most people slag it off for. Dead space 2 has good atmosphere as well, but the highlight of that game for me is [SPOILER] the revisit to the Ishimura in its most terrifying incarnation, and its effectiveness is entirely dependant on the familiarity with the ship in the original.
I don't know how I got off on a tangent about Dead Space from this, but I really do wish more games would take this approach to horror and atmosphere. I think the Metroid series and other Metroidvania and Horror games have a unique opportunity to do so, and it's just strange it's not utilized more often.
Yeah, I'd like to see more backtracking through areas that get more damaged in future Metroid games.
I had an idea once for an area in the Metroid game in my head:
You go through this new area that's completely run down and damaged, massive machines that have fallen and broken, exposed power cables that are dead, bones of monsters that have long since decomposed, and generally a dark area.
You then reach the end of the area, deep in the heart of it, and you get your next powerup.
Turns out it's a trial arena, and the whole area is shifted back in time many, many years, and everything you saw on your way in is now up and functional, including the big mechanoids, the monsters, and all the automatous machines.
Good luck getting back...
Your idea sounds like the Time Stones from Skyward Sword. XD Though you do raise an interesting point, I remember hearing some rumor about a year ago (rumor or interview, can't remember) that said MP4 will feature Time Manipulation mechanics. Curious to see what extent it's taken to; I'm hoping they take a similar route to what you're suggesting or something like the FPS Singularity.
Ha! Yeah it does a bit actually!
And woah, that sounds interesting! I hope they do something with that! Maybe revisiting times from the previous Prime games?!
I could see time travel being used as an excuse to interact with living Chozo.
Ah man, yeah. I also had another idea in my imaginary Metroid game where it'd be set in the past, and you know the icons used in ability upgrades? Like the crab for wave beam, dragon for plasma beam? They'd be monsters you'd have to fight who had those natural abilities.
this is an absolutely perfect recollection of my possibly favorite (and acually first) metroid game ever. Very well done, sir, I believe you deserve a subscribe!
Thank you so much!
*"Nah mate"*
Schnozistan Czar ikr, never noticed that the computer was australian before.
It's not, it's from North London
Can't stop thinking about this video
It's been like 3 years or something since I first saw it, and I still can't stop thinking about it. I rewatch it and I still can't stop thinking about it. It's hard to overstate the impression this video has made on me.
Time to watch it yet again.
This discussion makes me want to play the game again.
7th AngelAD SAME
I know right
Even as an adult, the boss Nightmare is well
A nightmare, I can imagine this game absolutely terrifying a child
yo, i played nightmare as a kid in middle school and it was such a weird experience... the gravity effects were so next level to me and SA-X was legit terrifying. And still is to me to this day, the design is amazing.
I PLAYED THIS WHEN I WAS ABOUT FIVE
I would argue Metroid game themes are
Metroid: Discovery
Metroid 2: Hunting/Being Hunted
Super Metroid: History/Death
Metroid Fusion: Mom come pick me up im scared
Metroid Prime: Samus literally dies when her health/energy goes to 0.
Buy Metroid Dread people. Metroid needs another comeback! This should be a multi million selling but Samus returns barely hit 500k.
That is at least partly due to being on the 3DS after the Switch became the established main platform
Enh, still waiting on a successful Pre-Order to go through. I'm getting Metroid Dread, the two Pack Amiibo and the Dark Samus re-launch.
@@KoalaTContent this, 100%. I'm sat on my hands waiting for a Switch port of SR so I can actually play it.
Your point on the difference between fear and tension is brilliant, and how Fusion adds subjectively scary things to objectively tense situations, like chase scenes, stealth segments, boss fights, etc. Excited for the Metroid Prime video!
Imagine if this game was a 3D like the prime series, the fear would be real.
Alien: Isolation is just like that!
I pray every day that nintendo will contract the prime team to remake fusion in 3d. I feel that the space station would be much better being actually cylindrical and with a few scripted "random" Sa-X encounter areas where u can just miss it or be chased a few rooms before it walks back and vanishes
Dont give Nintendo ideas
@@blindedjourneyman Better yet...
“Welcome to Samus and the Phazon machine!”
Imagine Bendy’s Ink Machine-style gameplay but with the SA-X!
Imagine if this game was on VR
The fear would be *real*
I love how unexpectedly you can find frozen Ridley at the beginning and the mysterious creepy music kicks in. Aswell as how the game never talks about him, not knowing if he ever gets unfrozen, another tension-fear built up^^
Metroid Fusion is such a masterpiece. Everything the game designers did was done to absolute perfection. I would absolutely love to see this remade and played the same way as Dread.
My first Metroid game was Metroid Fusion.
Definitely an unsettling Metroid game, but the only thing that gave me real fear was hearing Ridley's scream.
Also, this video just randomly popped up in my recommendation feed. So you've earned yourself a subscriber.
"remember the nameless fear in your heart?" - that quote was perfect.
You never experienced true fear until you've encountered the chozo ghosts in metroid prime.
Now that WAS scary
Better equip that Powah Beem, NOOB! Good luck finding them without the X-Ray Visor! Hall of the Elders is always riddled with them! The first encounter with a Metroid in Research Lab Aether on Hard Mode was intense, too!
I definitely love the horror vibe to Metroid Fusion. There's the dark and creepy tone, of course, but watching Samus go from being the hunter to being the hunted and having to survive an evil, fully-powered clone of herself was brilliant. Even though the gameplay wasn't as open-ended as previous installments of the Metroid series, I loved the story.
I originally didn't catch that dialogue at 1:56 at first...
Then, I watched this video again.....
Couldn't stop laughing from there.
I was chucking while editing it
Well of course it creates Dread. It’s the sequel.
When quarantine was running I played M.Fusion out of boredom for first time in my life on an emulator.
While playing I experienced from time to time an uneasy feeling and yeah, he explained it damn well, turned into fear.
And i was so shocked and ashamed how with 27 years old I could feel like that over a game from 2002.
I think alike narrator's explanation.
Metroid fusion imbues you with fear due to how wonderfully script plus gameplay is infused.
Metroid Fusion will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first time I was "brave". It was my first GBA game back in '02 and I was only 9 years old. When I got to the part where the SA-X ambushes you in TRO, I was so scared I turned off the game. It took me months to get the courage to finally jump down there...but I did, and I got past it.
On the list of brave things, that's not very brave, but it was the first time in my life I was scared of something and resolved it myself, without my parents' help. In a way it showed me I Could Do Hard Things... which has helped me through adulthood.
Not every game has to be scary but fear creates a lot of empathy in the player for the protagonist. Because _I_ was so scared hearing the SA-X's footsteps and having to jump down and run past _anyway,_ I could relate to how _Samus_ could've felt.
Metroid Fusion may not be the best Metroid game, or even the most epic, but there is no Metroid game in which I admire Samus more. Putting her in a situation where she is at a major disadvantage shows her courage, intelligence, and skill in a way that's never been matched, before or since. Metroid Fusion is a masterclass in how fear accomplishes this. When I respect Samus as a protagonist-- not just as a video game character, or even a heroine-- it's because of Metroid Fusion.
The TRO ambush is definitely where I just had to man up and do it, I totally get you there!
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy @Video Game Animation Study Hahah, yep! Excellent video. The point you made about how fear is _subjective_ while tension is _objective_ completely changed how I view scary moments in video games, and even storytelling in general. Great insights!
I had the same thing happen with the Wallmasters in Ocarina of Time. Put me off the game for like a couple months.
A nice analysis for one of my favorite games.
Fusion is my favorite metroid game! When playing smash bros series, I always give Samus the blue and yellow color palette. XD
And I give Ridley always the Blue/Purple one which is a reference to Ridley Neo. :D
Dude sameeee
I have no way to play this game :c
I love Metroid too, I think my favorite is super Metroid
If you have or can get a Wii U and make a Nintendo account in it, you can download it on there.
Video Game Animation Study I have a Wii U, so I’m glad, Thanks for the reply!!!!! Have a nice day!
Finally beat this bastard today after it plagued me for 3 full years. I absolutely adore how it does horror- it partially achieves it's effects by being so difficult and frustrating at times, shown perfectly when the power shuts off and you have to go like 15 minutes without saving and fight an annoying and tricky spider boss. However, it's not hard like other horror games. You're given full, tight control over Samus, and you have many ways of defending yourself should you need to, but you're still weak. You know that you can handle most small threats, but there's always something that could take you down in just a few hits. Of course, this goes away once you get the Gravity suit and even just half the energy tanks on the BSL Station, but that's when the game's tone overall becomes much more heroic and actiony.
I finally played _Metroid Fusion_ just last weekend, and despite being already spoiled to almost everything in the game, I was still surprised by the whens and wheres of each twist and turn.
For example:
- I knew about SA-X and it being invincible, and its encounters being fairly specific and tightly designed, but prior to getting the Varia suit you aren't actually forced to confront it. Admittedly, the first time it showed up (in Area 2, the tropical zone), when I heard those footsteps I panicked and quickly exited through the same door I came in, and therefore missed out on whatever it did ... nonetheless noticing the environmental damage when I returned a few seconds later. The next two encounters begin with you placed in an area of safety, and you don't need to DO anything beyond just keep out of sight.
- I knew about Nightmare and identified its silhouette in the background of Area 5. The environmental damage when you are tasked with hunting it down was impressive, and after a quick sweep of the map I identified that the destruction of an otherwise-locked red hatch indicated the direction I should be going. And it definitely lived up to its reputation of being about the most difficult boss in any Metroid game....
- I knew there was a boss battle against a Ridley-X, but I was still surprised to discover the specific room containing Ridley's frozen corpse (as well as when you suddenly drop out of a tunnel _into_ said room).
- Many lesser bosses (such as the ones yielding the High Jump, Space Jump, and Plasma Beam) I knew nothing about and needed a few attempts to figure out on my own.
Shouldn't it be Metroid Ridley? If it was an X, the SA-X wouldn't have helped you against it.
@@MinhLe-cf5nt No, you are thinking of the wrong boss battle.
@@Stratelier Rechecked and I did. That was my bad.
@@MinhLe-cf5nt Ridley is not a metroid. He is one of the leaders of Space Pirates. The Ridley that you fought in Metroid Fusion is the X clone of Ridley.
*_Nah, mate_*
Lol
I dont know if this is footage from the beta or so but in the original version it's:
Does Samus suspect anything? (Not "anyting")
and the answer is:
No. I dont think so.
It's not a beta, I edited it so it said something different 😎
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy lol i was like... i dont remember that part
Video Game Animation Study my dude, that typo tho
That was an awesome video!
Subbed.
Also, SA-X is definitely unnerving. I've never played Metroid Fusion, but just by watching the video I feared its presence.
Ah man, you need to play it! If you have a Wii U, it's on the Virtual Console. And thanks a lot!
Dan Root Ah, yeah I have a Wii U. My gamepad's display is broken though, and the Wii U isn't at my house. It's at a place where it isn't connected to the internet. I'm going to try and get a new gamepad for it, and when I do I'll be sure to pick the game up!
Here to update 2 years later, I got Fusion and a new gamepad. Amazing game.
Here to update basically 3 years later again: I've played nearly every Metroid game and it has got to be my absolute favourite game franchise. I've yet to properly dive into the Prime games and Other M I'll see about, but the 2D games are all really good (though Metroid 2 and NES have aged poorly, that doesn't take away from their quality for the time).
1. Duty
2. Rage and Destruction
3. Responsibility
Fusion. Realization of true duty.
Expect a boost of views after the recent announcement of Dread
Especially for new comers. They have no clue about the 2D series and they need to update before starting DREAD.
@@bensaadoussema9679I actually really enjoyed metroid back in the day whilst having no clue what a single thing meant so you could say I’m a newcomer 😅
I'd always considered Metroid to be a proper horror game. Or at the very least thriller.
It's funny, as I go through these games, I'm realising that not everyone has the same theme, and even if it has one theme, it might not hold it for long.
Fusion is the most consistent and rich so far though.
I always imagined a game like Fusion from the perspective of Metroid Prime would be way too fucking horrifying to play. Just imagine the SA-X parts from a first person view I´d legit shit myself probably
+Urkeksi Wouldn't be too different from Dark Samus in the Prime games, although SA-X is more dangerous to you in Fusion.
I was a fool to have play this game thinking I could kick back and relax to play as bad-ass Samus again. Well... it was Bad-ass alright... but BOY the game is really REALLY unsettling and just telling myself.
"W-Was Metroid supposed to be this scary?"
Because in the previous games, I recall that it was supposed to give you that rush. Here it gives you another kind of rush, FEAR. And boy do I loved every haunting second of it.
Super Metroid definitely has a creepy, isolated feeling to it. That game has outstanding atmosphere, but I agree that Fusion takes the fear up a notch. It's funny to me that Zero Mission has an entire section of the game that is clearly based on the overall feeling of being hunted and tracked by the SA-X, and it is harder than any of the times you have to outrun the SA-X, but it has about 1/64th as scary, because it is basically all tension an no fear. It's just stupid red space pirates trying to track you down.
Love this game. Great breakdown.
The breadcrumbs was definitely something I really love about Fusion.
I liked that you added the Ridley reveal as well.
Hehehe, I had to ☺️
Great video on Metroid Fusion!!! Also, you actually predicted Metroid's new title on switch. "Dread" ! 🙂
Bro predicted Metroid dread
Can you imagine Metroid going horror for the next title? God, the possibilities of this series. Metroid can probably explore terror, dread, fear, tension and unknowability with great results. I get excited just thinking about it
I'm 17 and Fusion still creeps me the hell out. I first played it when I was 8.
I watch this video about once every 3 months. Great work man it's really entertaining to see such in depth talk on something I could only vaguely explain myself.