Metriod Fusion: Mutant Space Warrior vs. Malevolent Amoebas

DreamKing

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Released in 2002 on the GBA, Metroid Fusion is the fourth game in the Metroid series.
The story starts with Samus Aran revisiting SR388, the home planet of the Metroids, after the events of Super Metroid. While on a mission with the Biologic Research Labs, she is attacked by a large, unknown organism. After attempts to neutralize the organism, it is absorbed by her body. There appear to be no immediate effects, so she returns to her ship. While in her ship, Samus blacks out. The ship crashes and scientists from the Biologic Research Labs capture the escape pod with Samus in it. Samus undergoes surgery to remove the Power Suit, explained by stating the organic parts of the suit are not functioning when Samus is unconscious. To increase her chance of survival, the scientists create a vaccine from the cell culture of the last Metroid. The unknown organism, later identified as the X parasite, is swiftly liquidated. Samus's infected Power Suit parts are sent to the Biologic Research Labs Station. While Samus is recovering from the surgery, an explosion rips through the Quarantine Bay of the station. Samus is sent to the Station to investigate what happens.

This Metroid game is more story and objective driven than the last few games where they were based more on exploring an area with what you had. Samus frequently converses with the new ship's computer. The computer will show you where to go and tell you what to do most of the time. Samus will occasionally talk to herself about what recently happened when going to a new area for the first time.
Gameplay is virtually unchanged from Super Metroid with some new additions here and there. One change is the ability to grip ledges. In previous games, Samus was unable to grab ledges, so if you missed a platform during a jump, you would fall to where you started your jump or lower. This was a welcome change that made annoying jump section less annoying. The health system is different. When an enemy is killed, an X parasite will pop out. Yellow parasites restore 10 health, green parasites restore two missiles, and the rare red X parasites will restore everything to the maximum. If the parasites of a dead enemy linger in an area, they might turn in other enemies, power other enemies up, or run away. There might be other types of X parasites roaming the station. Other items include 20 Energy Tanks, which increase Samus's maximum health, 48 Missile Tanks, which increases Samus's maximum missile capacity by five, and 32 Power Bomb Tanks, which increases Samus's maximum Power Bomb capacity by two. To regain abilities, Samus will head to Data Rooms to regain weapons and will fight bosses to regain beams, suits, and exploration abilities. Boss fights will feature a unique X parasite called a Core-X. The parasite itself will be protected by a spiny shell that can only be damaged by a missile shot. Defeating the Core ?X allows to regain one of Samus's lost abilities. Samus's beams stack, they cannot be equipped or unequipped. The same goes for missiles.

Controls: A Button: Jump, Space Jump, Screw Attack, Toggle Objective
B Button: Fire Beam/Missile, Lay Bomb/Power Bomb, Charge Beam/Diffusion Missile
R Button: Ready Missiles/Power Bombs, View Status screen
L Button: Angle Arm Cannon, Activate Sleep Mode
Control Pad: Scroll Map, Scroll through Main Menu, Move, Crouch, Activate Morph Ball, Spin Jump, Pull Samus up(When on a ledge)
START: View Map
SELECT: Deactivate Sleep mode

The game is graphically proficient, with detailed backgrounds, characters, and attacks. Some scenes are also rendered in 3-D. There are times that I have forgotten I was exploring a space station. The environments are that immersive. The music is perfect, characterizing an entire area with a few simple notes. For example, the main deck of the station has a warning siren that sounds like in is coming form the bowels of the station. It is very difficult to put into words what I felt when I first stepped in the station and each sector and listened to what was going on in the background. Truly magnificent. The difficulty is perfect, not too difficult or annoying, but not easy enough to do it with you eyes closed.

Bottom Line: BUY! I can't recommend this game enough. The story instantly hooks you from the beginning and is ultimately satisfying, the gameplay is absolutely perfect, the graphics are incredible, the music is hauntingly beautiful, and the difficultly is perfect. The only thing that I want is a sequel. See you next mission.

 

Avatar Roku

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Ah, this is actually one of my favorite games of all time, not to mention my first Metroid game. Good review.
 

ZeroMachine

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orannis62 said:
Ah, this is actually one of my favorite games of all time, not to mention my first Metroid game. Good review.
Same here. Reminds me of that cool discussion we all had about the X a while back :D
 

Avatar Roku

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ZeroMachine said:
orannis62 said:
Ah, this is actually one of my favorite games of all time, not to mention my first Metroid game. Good review.
Same here. Reminds me of that cool discussion we all had about the X a while back :D
Oh yeah. What ever happened to that thread? If it wasn't locked, we should necro it, good thread.
 

ZeroMachine

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orannis62 said:
ZeroMachine said:
orannis62 said:
Ah, this is actually one of my favorite games of all time, not to mention my first Metroid game. Good review.
Same here. Reminds me of that cool discussion we all had about the X a while back :D
Oh yeah. What ever happened to that thread? If it wasn't locked, we should necro it, good thread.
It's still there. Go ahead and necro it if you feel like it.
 

Magnatek

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Jul 17, 2009
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Nice review. Metroid Fusion was my favorite GBA Metroid game. There's just one false statement in your review.

The red X that you absorb doesn't restore everything to maximum. While it does reload all of your missiles and Power Bombs, it only restores 5 bars of Energy. At least, that's what happened to me, for some reason.
 

pigeon_of_doom

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Feb 9, 2008
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Just a quick bit of feedback: there is no need whatsoever to give a complete controls run-down in a review. That's what the manual's for, and unless button choice becomes worthy of comment in the review (like if you need to press 4 buttons with each hand and another with your toe to fire a missile) it can be ignored for the most part.
 

DreamKing

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Magnatek said:
Nice review. Metroid Fusion was my favorite GBA Metroid game. There's just one false statement in your review.

The red X that you absorb doesn't restore everything to maximum. While it does reload all of your missiles and Power Bombs, it only restores 5 bars of Energy. At least, that's what happened to me, for some reason.
I thought it restored everything? Could you be thinking of the Core-X, which heals about 5 bars of Energy.
 

Magnatek

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Jul 17, 2009
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DreamKing said:
Magnatek said:
Nice review. Metroid Fusion was my favorite GBA Metroid game. There's just one false statement in your review.

The red X that you absorb doesn't restore everything to maximum. While it does reload all of your missiles and Power Bombs, it only restores 5 bars of Energy. At least, that's what happened to me, for some reason.
I thought it restored everything? Could you be thinking of the Core-X, which heals about 5 bars of Energy.
I think both have that effect. If I could find my copy of Metroid Fusion, I'd be able to confirm it.
 

DreamKing

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Magnatek said:
DreamKing said:
Magnatek said:
Nice review. Metroid Fusion was my favorite GBA Metroid game. There's just one false statement in your review.

The red X that you absorb doesn't restore everything to maximum. While it does reload all of your missiles and Power Bombs, it only restores 5 bars of Energy. At least, that's what happened to me, for some reason.
I thought it restored everything? Could you be thinking of the Core-X, which heals about 5 bars of Energy.
I think both have that effect. If I could find my copy of Metroid Fusion, I'd be able to confirm it.
Well, I checked a few Gamespot FAQs and they all said that red parasites restore everything to full. Red parasites restored Samus to full everything in game.