Mine too! And I probably beat it well into the double digits... Just over and over. It really seems like it shaped our expectations of what Metroid ought to be, and our strong opinions of Samus as a character. And for it to then become both of our favorites in terms of game and character, really speaks to me what a strong game Fusion was, and how well she was depicted. Personally I don't think Samus was ever at a higher point character-wise than Fusion, though I'm thankful that Dread continued to push her in a strong direction even with less overall lines. I missed her philosophical musings from Fusion. I always got the impression from those that she was as intelligent as she was physically capable. Love your impression of Fusion's themes, too. Spot on. It was a game that took an already powerful person that we didn't know a lot about, and stripped them to the core, in order to demonstrate who they really were in their most dire moments, and why we should empathize and stand with them.
Good stuff! Fusion is definitely one of the more underrated Metroid games, I feel. As I'd previously alluded to, I know it catches flak for being so guided and linear, relative to the others, but it's just really good at what it sets out to do! I'm glad we both appreciate it to the same extent. I do also miss Samus's internal monologues, and wish Dread had brought those back. Dread (and Samus Returns) seem more interested in depicting Samus as somewhat of a stereotypical "badass" hero, which is understandable, when one stops to consider the damage Other M did to her characterization, but also a little unfortunate, in terms of feeling like an overcorrection (at least, to me). Fusion struck the right balance.
I really enjoy the fact that, at the end of Fusion, Samus ultimately awakens the computerized Adam's underlying humanity through a demonstration of her own. The juxtaposition between the X being the mindless killing machines they are, and Samus's own humane traits, is nicely done. Not just her recollections of the real Adam, of course, but also the formal canonization of her having saved the animals in Super. The Etecoons and Dachoras are the final shot of the game, even! Really wish Dread had updated on us on what became of them...
Yeah, I've also heard this. I've seen the proof enough to know that it's the reality, but I guess I still kind of cling to my English interpretation. It just strikes me as a very critical detail to omit, and I find it hard to believe it was passed over. Though, Nintendo apparently also had a pretty different idea of what a "bounty hunter" was vs. the common Western perception, so I guess it is what it is. I've still always wanted that theoretical Dread where she was forced to face off with her former superiors and expose them to the galactic community. Would be a really cool fan game, if Nintendo weren't the sort to blast it off the face of the internet...
Absolutely. Dread's story was cool and all, especially when you factor in how they tied it into Metroid 2, and the wider series lore, but Samus up against a substantial portion of the Galactic Federation would've been sweet. The E.M.M.I. units would've also served that storyline quite nicely.
Regarding the discrepancy in how Nintendo envisions what a bounty hunter is (carrying a more heroic connotation), versus what the Western fanbase expects it to mean (Samus being hired to carry out tasks and kill for money), my ultimate hope is that they'll eventually bridge the gap, in one game or another. There's no reason Samus can't be a virtuous character sent specifically to eliminate the worst of the worst! Would probably make for some pretty interesting mission design, too. Retro wanted this for Prime 3, but were shot down. Prime 4 probably needs to be more of a traditional Metroid game, after such a long hiatus, but maybe we'll see some of Retro's Prime 3 ideas reemerge in a future game, someday.
That's actually a pretty good approximation, yeah. Both awesome classics but in their own ways. And no, it's not TMA, though I do love that series too! It's called The White Vault... Kind of a supernatural archeological murder mystery/thriller that takes a lot of cues from The Thing and other classic sci-fi horror. It's presented as the written records and audio recordings detailing the fate of a multi-national expeditionary team who have stumbled upon something they really shouldn't have. Gets more complicated as it goes and eventually becomes kind of a world-spanning series of events. It's a great time and it's free on Spotify if you have it! There's a website for it too if not.
That sounds dope! Thanks for the rec! I'll be sure to get back to you about it so we can discuss, if I do end up deciding to check it out. I respect your appreciation for this type of horror.
Honestly I'm kind of glad that Mercury Steam cut their teeth on M2. It's not one of my personal favorites and felt like it had the most to be expanded upon, and since I had a fair amount of issues with Samus Returns and their design philosophy for the remake (most of which were fixed and improved considerably in Dread), I'd be a lot more comfortable with them remaking Fusion now vs. then, as I think they've now proven that they have enough experience under their belt at this point to do my favorite Metroid justice!
For sure, and I agree. I don't think Samus Returns was all that technically impressive (partly due to being bound to the 3DS, and all), and if it and Dread served as "practice" for the game MercurySteam wanted to make all along, then all the better! I really want them to hit that home run, in terms of the SA-X being a genuinely dynamic, intimidating factor in the gameplay. There are serious leaps that can surely be made in that area, 20+ years later. The prospect excites me.
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Forgive me.
