What is the appeal of Metroid?

[dubb93]

With both my PS2 and X-Box getting fixed at the moment I decided to dust off my Gamecube and pick up Metroid Prime 2: Echoes based on all the hype that magazines and web sites gave it, to say I'm disappointed would be an understatement.

1st off the game has little or no voice work. I've yet to hear any voide work other than in a cut scene, and that was only screaming. Isn't this considered a must in today's market for a non RPG? But this just compounds the fact that this game does not have a story that anyone could care about. Heck, it COULD be argued there is no story in this game AT ALL.

2nd: The gameplay is average at best. Why must I scan everything?

3rd: Should I really be forced to backtrack this much? I mean, it seems like that is all I am ever doing.

They only thing I can actually see positive about this game is the graphics and that will never be enough to make up for the lack of a story, let alone the other mistakes this game makes. All I want to know is what is the appeal of Metroid, maybe I'm missing something here.

[sachmo71]

The guy can roll up into a little ball! Think of the possibilities!

Guy: "Hey Metroid! What are you doing in there?"
Metroid: "Ummm...I'm testing my gag reflex?"

Hopefully, he won't break his own neck.

[stevew]

I tried to play prime, but quickly tired of having to scan everything as well. Definately wouldnt even consider picking up the sequel.

[MikeVic]

First off, it's Samus in the ball. And she's a female...

I couldn't get enough of the first one. Getting the second one for Christmas. I liked everything about it. I rarely stay on one game to play through it once.. and I played through this game once, and then tried to find more of the items after I beat it.

Probably not everyone's ideal game... but Ioved it. :)

[sachmo71]

First off, it's Samus in the ball. And she's a female...

I couldn't get enough of the first one. Getting the second one for Christmas. I liked everything about it. I rarely stay on one game to play through it once.. and I played through this game once, and then tried to find more of the items after I beat it.

Probably not everyone's ideal game... but Ioved it. :)

The original metroid was a girl? k.

[sachmo71]

Metroid is a giant brainy thingamadoo...it's actually the villain.

Samus is just...Samus.


Samus was the hero? The little thing that shot stuff and turned into a ball?

I had a dog named Shamus once.

[Calis]

The original metroid was a girl? k.

Metroid is a giant brainy thingamadoo...it's actually the villain(s).

Samus is just...Samus.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

The guy can roll up into a little ball! Think of the possibilities!

Guy: "Hey Metroid! What are you doing in there?"
Metroid: "Ummm...I'm testing my gag reflex?"

Hopefully, he won't break his own neck.

I think the guy is actually a girl. I remember it being on the gameboy and the story saying that Samus was a girl.

[Calis]

I think the guy is actually a girl. I remember it being on the gameboy and the story saying that Samus was a girl.

Yeah I remember it being one of the more shocking endings on the original Nintendo, you don't find out until the very end that it's a girl.

Well it was shocking as a kid playing it, probably lame now. :)

[Vince]

I enjoy the game. A lot. Let me see if I can answer some of your questions.


The lack of voice-acting is a fatal flaw in a game today? Hm...must have missed that memo. Does it really take that much away from the gaming experience for you? I'm more into the gameplay itself.
As for the story -- you must have stopped scanning things (more on that later) if you think there is no story. In my opinion, it's got a pretty good story. They explain why the Space Marines were on the planet, why the pirates are there, and even some history as to the existence of the Dark/Light worlds.
For scanning everything -- Here I can see how this would be annoying to some. But it adds to the immersion for me. It seems quite logical that to figure out what is going on, you would need to scan things and investigate.
Gameplay -- Here is where I think the true strength of the game is. I really enjoy the way they use the targetting system, and the interaction of the environment combined with the combat and puzzle-solving makes for a tremendously entertaining game.
Backtracking -- It seems like this is your first foray into the Metroid universe; backtracking is most everything to a Metroid game. There's a world, and you need to figure out where to go and when to go there. They do a good job of keeping certain areas off-limits until you have acquired the right material to survive. It keeps the gameplay more linear, but that's just the way it was designed.


It seems to me that the reasons you don't like the game are the exact reasons I like the game. Different strokes, eh?

Personally, I was a little disappointed at first with Prime 2 -- it doesn't really add much (if anything) new to the gameplay. Thus far into the game (I must admit, I'm not very far -- between Metal Gear Solid 3 and Half Life 2, as well as my online leagues, I haven't done much on Prime), I haven't really seen anything that is any different than the first. However, Metroid Prime was one of my favorites ever, and while a little disappointed that there was nothing new, another mission is still a blast to play through.

[dubb93]

I guess I was expecting it to play more like Halo with the nintendo touch put on it. Oh well, I guess some people like it. My cousin was asking for it for christmas so it's an easy gift.

[TargetPractice6]

I guess I was expecting it to play more like Halo with the nintendo touch put on it. Oh well, I guess some people like it. My cousin was asking for it for christmas so it's an easy gift.I'm not sure what would have made you expect that, but just a bit of reading would have told you it's more of an adventure game than a shoot 'em up. That said I'm not a huge fan of Prime. I kind of wish instead of Metroid Prime on the DS they would have used its capabilities to make a Prime-looking side scrolling Metroid.

[sterlingice]

I guess I was expecting it to play more like Halo with the nintendo touch put on it. Oh well, I guess some people like it. My cousin was asking for it for christmas so it's an easy gift.
The whole point of Metroid Prime was not to create just another FPS with a little backstory. When a some of us saw the first shots from Retro Studio, there was some grumbling of "Oh great, N hired an inept outside company to ruin what used to be one of their best franchises". Instead, MP came out as a hybrid adventure/shooter with elements of both- backtracking and jumping and other elements of a platformer while wrapped around a FPS shell.

And sorry, but I just can't post without commenting on this quote. Halo with a Nintendo touch..? You do know that the first Metroid was released on the NES (1986) five years before the company (Bungie) that Microsoft bought up to get the rights to Halo was formed (1991), right?

SI

[dubb93]

And sorry, but I just can't post without commenting on this quote. Halo with a Nintendo touch..? You do know that the first Metroid was released on the NES (1986) five years before the company (Bungie) that Microsoft bought up to get the rights to Halo was formed (1991), right?

SI

Yes I'm very much aware of that, although I had no idea when Bungie was formed. I'll just leave it at this game has driven home the point that Adventure games are not for me, I'll stick with straight FPS, RPGs and action games.

Gamecube has really been a huge bust for me which is weird considering my 2 favs of the past generations were the SNES and N64. Just really can't name 1 game on the Gamecube I like, hopefully RE3 changes that.

[ISiddiqui]

That's wierd... I thought EVERYONE knew that Samus was a woman.

[sterlingice]

That's wierd... I thought EVERYONE knew that Samus was a woman.
I've heard there are some people that didn't start playing video games until the Playstation, perish the thought. http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/eek.gifhttp://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gifhttp://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

SI

[Coffee Warlord]

I've heard there are some people that didn't start playing video games until the Playstation, perish the thought. http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/eek.gifhttp://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gifhttp://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

SI

Now you're giving me an urge to dig out my atari and see how that sucker plays on a plasma TV. :)

[sterlingice]

Now you're giving me an urge to dig out my atari and see how that sucker plays on a plasma TV. :)
My first games go back to the TI-99A. Those things got hot after running for an hour, tho.

SI

[sachmo71]

That's wierd... I thought EVERYONE knew that Samus was a woman.
:(

[MikeVic]

:(

:cool: