Metroid Fusion

"Real, physical proof that men produce games."

I don't even know where to begin with Metroid: Fusion. I guess I'll start at the beginning of the game. Problems arise when Samus Aran, again assigned as the head of Biologic's research team, finds herself again on the surface of the planet SR-388. There she encounters a strange life form never before seen, a strange parasite creatively named the X. An X parasite infests her body, multiplies, and causes her to break down, thus causing her space ship to drift into an asteroid belt. Luckily, her emergency systems propel her to safety. By the time she's found by the Biologic team's medical officers, the X has already spread so much that she is given a minimal chance of survival. The parasite has actually made itself a part of her body, so large parts of her Power Suit had to be surgically removed. Thus, we have the largely-rehashed plot twist of how Samus always seems to lose all of her latent Power Suit abilities, such as her Charge Beam, Missiles, etc. But that's okay, because exploration and returning after finding key items has always been a central theme of Metroid games. So I can live with that.

Back to the story. All of a sudden, someone comes up with a cure. They suggest using a vaccine composed of Metroid cells to get rid of the X. The medical technicians say "What the hell? We don't have anything else." and run with it. Almost instantly, all of the X parasites are "completely and totally" destroyed. Apparently, the Metroid were natural enemies to the X parasites. A weakened Samus emerges from her sleep. Since she has been infected once and has had the Metroid vaccine, she can now absorb any free-floating X parasites and use them to restore her health, missiles, and super bombs.

So what happens with X parasites? Are they just free-floating all the time? No, they aren't. As a matter of fact, they infest and multiply within any organism and control it, much like they did with Samus. When Samus defeats an infected organism, the X parasite is released and she can then absorb it. But if a free-floating X parasite is able to roam free for too long, it uses the genetic makeup of the organism it was once controlling to create another.

What about those infected parts of her Power Suits that had to be surgically removed? They are being stored in Biologic's Research Vessel in a replica of SR-388. All of a sudden, an explosion from within prompts the research team to send in the newly-reborn Samus to investigate, even though she is only functioning at 10% of what she did before this whole mess started. Upon her investigation, Samus discovers that not only have the X invaded the research facility, but the infected parts of her Power Suit are now gone as well. Those infected parts eventually become a replica of Samus, just like every free-floating X parasite at one point eventually becomes - the infected organism once again. Biologics research team names this parasite the SA-X. It is an exact replica of Samus the way she was before she was infected, meaning that it has ALL of Samus's latent abilities. One of the Metroid's natural enemies is that they can't stand the cold, and of course, the SA-X has Samus's old Ice Beam weapon. So, for now at least, Samus has to do everything in her power to avoid the SA-X as she roams around the research vessel recovering her abilities with that one goal in mind of destroying the SA-X. An interesting plot twist develops later on when Samus is reminded that the X parasites can and do multiply. Pay attention to that when you play.

Okay, so, all in all, that's a great story. This game is able to build on that story for the entire game, and just keep it up. Every little detail that is introduced is tied in with every other one, and nothing is spared. That's something that a lot of games these days tend to leave out. Some part of the plot just doesn't make sense. But not in this game. Every little thing makes sense. Overall, it's an awesome story that will keep you wanting to go onward.

I can't complain about the graphics, nor about the music. Both are top-notch for the Game Boy Advance.

Control is very simple, but effective. Nintendo found a way to incorporate all of those extra latent abilities into the limited buttons, just like they did in the olden days of the NES. Whereas Metroid Prime was an entirely new adventure, this was much more of a new NES-like adventure to enjoy.

The fact is that fans of the Metroid series waited over a decade for a new game. Teasers on the Nintendo 64 were met with disappointment as all plans for a new Metroid game were scrapped. It seemed like maybe it was just too much to make a game that could follow the phenomenal Super Metroid. And then, out of nowhere one year at Space World (Nintendo's annual event), during a video package of things to come for the GameCube, a short but oh-so-sweet video of Samus locked in a battle appears on the screen, and the crowd on hand erupts into wild, un-perceivable cheers. Finally, a new game is coming. But another surprise comes: it's another game! Whereas an entirely new company will take on the task of the GameCube's Metroid Prime (and what a job they did), Nintendo's original Metroid staff will be making an all-new, 2D NES-like adventure for the Game Boy Advance. That's huge. Finally, Metroid Fusion has arrived, the long-awaited sequel to Super Metroid. And I pick it up, and instantly I am disappointed.

What is the reason for this disappointment? Simple, really. Throughout the entire game, a computer that guides Samus (dubbed Adam by Samus) interrupts you at almost every turn. Samus must link up in Navigation Rooms to get advice from this computer. And you have to stop in every single one, many of them more than once. This is just too much. And what does Adam tell you? Adam holds your hand and tells you exactly where to go and what to do next, and even gives you a full map of every area before you set out on your mission. Included in his services are even a flashing light target on your map that shows you where to go. It leaves absolutely no sense of exploration up to the player. You just follow the computer's orders. The length of the game was disappointing as well. The very first time through it took me a grand total of FIVE hours and TWENTY-TWO minutes. That's it. I shelled out forty bucks of hard-earned cash for a game that took me just under five and a half hours to complete.

And how do the developers plan to remedy this? As with any other Metroid game, there is a percentage tally kept as you collect life, missile, and super bomb upgrades, as well as uncover hidden parts of the map. If you painstakingly go through the game and get good enough to collect everything (thus earning you 100% completion) in under two hours for the "best" ending. All in all, there are five possible endings. In the minds of the creators, this allows for at least 14 hours of total play time with 5 total endings. And this is supposed to make me look back and say "Okay, this was worth the forty bucks." Well you know what? It's not. Frankly, I feel like the "best" ending just proves that men do create games, and that they're perverted, and feel like gamers are perverted enough to want to play that much to see it. Let's just say it doesn't leave much to the imagination.

A huge disappointment overall, but the game earns a 5 from me for the experience and incredible storyline the first time through. Is it worth playing once? Yes it is, just because it's a great addition to the series storyline wise, but if you haven't bought it yet, wait until it drops into that golden $10-$20 range.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 05/12/04