Third Person 3D Metroid should not be off the table just because of Other M.

[NabiscoFelt]

You are talking about Nintendo and retro… it’s off the table.

Technically, no, the OP is talking about Nintendo and Mercury Steam. Since they're talking about replacing the 2D series with this, not Prime

And, regardless of how they were recieved, Mercury Steam does have experience with 3D third person development

 

[totofogo]

I am excited to see where Mercury Steam heads with the series over time, assuming Nintendo keeps them on it.

 

[Comic Obsessed]

I am excited to see where Mercury Steam heads with the series over time, assuming Nintendo keeps them on it.

If Dread sells well (which most certainly will or at least way better than Samus Returns) then they will most certainly stay on the series for the long term.

 

[Supreme Overlord]

Other M had its problems, but I found that the implementation of 3D third person was largely inoffensive. For the most part, and this isn't to say they couldn't stand improvement and refinement, I enjoyed the controls. There were elements of game design surrounding the perspective that could use change or improvement, but the concept works.

That said, I do think looking at games like Vanquish can provide a look into how a 3D third person Metroid could control, which is a direction I could have seen some of the games going post-fusion (Fusion being where I saw the current line ending, with Samus as the Last Metroid).

Now, I wouldn't want to sacrifice 2D or first person games going forward, and I think that's the tricky part of adding another branch. However, maybe Dread success could open the possibilities.

 

[Comic Obsessed]

Now that Mercury Steam have proven themselves to be able to handle the Metroid franchise, I don't think their next work should be Metroid 6 or a 2D remake but instead a proper Third Person Metroid.

They already have experience with the Castlevania: Lord of Shadows games which were more action-oriented yes, but I think that's exactly how a Third Person Metroid should be handled along with an expansive sense of exploration. The potential is there.

 

[xsquiddox]

HELL YEAH! honestly they should give third person metroid a go maybe metroid 6? Mercury Steam should have a try at it imho.

 

[Sander RX]

Would be a TPS?

 

[Supreme Overlord]

Would be a TPS?

In that it would be third person and have shooting elements, almost certainly, though I think the combat would be a bit more involved than that connotation might suggest (wherein considering it more akin to an action game might make sense), in addition to more of an exploration and mobility focus -- and, preferably, a sort of oppressive, almost horror-esque atmosphere.

 

[Sander RX]

In that it would be third person and have shooting elements, almost certainly, though I think the combat would be a bit more involved than that connotation might suggest (wherein considering it more akin to an action game might make sense), in addition to more of an exploration and mobility focus -- and, preferably, a sort of oppressive, almost horror-esque atmosphere.

To clarify, I meant it in the same way that Metroid Prime could be called an FPS.

I was asking about controls and basic gameplay type.

 

[Hyrulean]

In that it would be third person and have shooting elements, almost certainly, though I think the combat would be a bit more involved than that connotation might suggest (wherein considering it more akin to an action game might make sense), in addition to more of an exploration and mobility focus -- and, preferably, a sort of oppressive, almost horror-esque atmosphere.

Where's the platforming if we speak about a Vanquish-like TPS ?

 

[Sander RX]

Where's the platforming if we speak about a Vanquish-like TPS ?

Zoom the camera out a bit and give the player a jump button.

 

[Hyrulean]

Zoom the camera out a bit and give the player a jump button.

My question was rather if when we speak about a TPS Metroid we forget about the platforming element inherent to the series.
PS : I mean not just a jump button but intricate platforming level design.
NB : i.e. not Metroid Prime platforming.

 

[Supreme Overlord]

Hi

To clarify, I meant it in the same way that Metroid Prime could be called an FPS.

I was asking about controls and basic gameplay type.

It gets a bit murky when referring to broad genres, but that description would probably point people more in the general direction than other identifiers might. The tricky part is that TPS aren't particularly known for many of the hallmarks of Metroid, as noted by Hyrulean:

Where's the platforming if we speak about a Vanquish-like TPS ?

As it stands, the reference to Vanquish was meant to indicate some level of fluid speed and mobility (this is known for the sliding mechanic, especially), which isn't usually notable in TPS. Now, the overall gameplay loop and world design would have to remain Metroid, and Vanquish doesn't really fit any of that.

This is really a fail on my part, using an example to point toward a nebulous concept, much more developed in my head but which might be a bit much to deconstruct. I know better than that and yet still fell into it. My apologies, all.

To try to fix that a bit, start with the basic world, abilities, and design of Metroid. Keep Samus fast, and allow her to use different abilities to augment that speed and create further agility and mobility. Hyrulean is right to note that good platforming is important.

 

[HK-47]

First Dread and Prime 4/Prime Remake need to reprove(?) the viability of those two styles, get Metroid back to when it was basically guaranteed that a new Metroid was gonna sell a million plus. Then maybe they will experiment. Other M stung beyond overperforming. It hurt the whole series (though Prime 3 basically selling par the course on a mega system like the Wii probably didn’t help their confidence)

Regardless, if Dread does set a new benchmark in sales for the series, I can’t see Nintendo being eager to look at a third person 3D action game over the formula that just provided a hit and recovery for the series.

 

[steviestar]

Literally nothing in Other M is salvageable. I'm not against a third person 3D Metroid but they would have to go in a completely different direction.

 

[Hyrulean]

Hi

It gets a bit murky when referring to broad genres, but that description would probably point people more in the general direction than other identifiers might. The tricky part is that TPS aren't particularly known for many of the hallmarks of Metroid, as noted by Hyrulean:



As it stands, the reference to Vanquish was meant to indicate some level of fluid speed and mobility (this is known for the sliding mechanic, especially), which isn't usually notable in TPS. Now, the overall gameplay loop and world design would have to remain Metroid, and Vanquish doesn't really fit any of that.

This is really a fail on my part, using an example to point toward a nebulous concept, much more developed in my head but which might be a bit much to deconstruct. I know better than that and yet still fell into it. My apologies, all.

To try to fix that a bit, start with the basic world, abilities, and design of Metroid. Keep Samus fast, and allow her to use different abilities to augment that speed and create further agility and mobility. Hyrulean is right to note that good platforming is important.

No need to apologize, like AT ALL !!
Sometimes it's indeed very hard to put in words an idea that seems very clear in our (Mother) brains

 

[sir_AnGer]

I think there's a bit of Other M's DNA already present in Samus Returns and Dread. FWIW, Other M plays a little faster and the enemies are more aggressive than in prior Metroid titles, be they the sidescrollers or Prime, something that has definitely carried over to the recent revival.

I wouldn't be against another attempt at a full-3D third-person Metroid, but it'd have to be third-person only and maybe a tad bit slower/more methodical.

 

[Comic Obsessed]

The point of making a TP Metroid is to make it more action oriented just like DMC/Bayonetta/Ninja Gaiden, otherwise it would just be another way to present the Prime games. Again, Other M had the right idea but I would love that to be taken with a more complex combat system, they could even implement the classic Metroid system to find upgrades and implement them as fighting moves.

 

[Adulfzen]

I do feel like the biggest obstacle to doing this would be having 3 types of Metroid games in development without having one being sacrificed in some way and I certainly don't want the mainline 2D series to leave anytime soon.

 

[Phantoon]

A new game like Other M with the crappy bits removed? Yes please. It was an interesting experiment which came desperately close to working for me.

Replacing 2D or Prime Metroid though? No thanks. While there may be tonnes of Metroidvanias around nowadays, nothing feels like, or could, replace the queen.

 

[Comic Obsessed]

They won't replace the 2D or Prime series as long as Sakamoto and Tanabe are at Nintendo. Hell, they're putting a lot of effort to make Prime a successful series (probably even more than with the 2D series).

 

[kimbo99]

I agree and it should definitely be in new hardware. Kinda how Retro wanted to make Metroid Prime open world, but it was too ambitious at the time. I'm currently playing Dread and the 3rd person aspects are one of my favorite parts of the game.

 

[Hyrulean]

The point of making a TP Metroid is to make it more action oriented just like DMC/Bayonetta/Ninja Gaiden, otherwise it would just be another way to present the Prime games. Again, Other M had the right idea but I would love that to be taken with a more complex combat system, they could even implement the classic Metroid system to find upgrades and implement them as fighting moves.

I kindly disagree with you because I do think that a proper third-person Metroid, as some of us envision, is in no possible way "another way to present the Prime games".
Take for example the platforming element I brought to te table a couple of times before. Do you really think that a real third-person Metroid can simply take the somehow "poor" platforming of the Prime series and just call it a day ?
More broadly, I do think too that a first-person game is in essence designed with a whole different mindset and approach to level design than a third-person one.
Of course that's just an opinion I wanted to share with all of you lovely people