Gaming Target - Game Boy: Metroid Fusion

Written by Ilan Mejer on February 04, 2003

Second Opinion: Samus Aran prepares an explosive double entrance into the hands and hearts of enthusiastic gamers around the world. The ass-kicking intergalactic bounty hunter femme-fatale returns!

Metroid Fusion for the Nintendo Gameboy Advance, and not the GameCube's Metroid Prime, is the true follow up to the almost nine-year-old Super Metroid 3. Introduced as Metroid 4 in its opening, Metroid Fusion continues the story of bounty hunter Samus Aran, responsible for the defeat of the Mother Brain and her Space Pirates (twice) as well as the extermination of the Metroid species of bio-life forms. This brings us to the current problem, for Samus' eradication of the Metroid threat on their home world of SR-388 threw that planet's ecosystems completely off kilter. With their only natural predators extinct, the relatively unknown parasite, X came to dominate the planet, infecting, dominating, and effectively destroying all life on the burnt out, cavernous world.

Biologic Space Lab, hired by the Galactic Federation, was stationed in orbit around SR-388 with the purpose of studying the planet's restructuring ecosystem. Samus Aran was once again contracted in order to defend the scientists during their research excursions into the planet's underground. During one such excursion, Samus too was infected and almost killed by an invading X parasite. The only way the Federation could save her was by removing the non-essential, non-organic sections of Samus' Chozo Power Suit (greatly augmented beyond that ancient race's original technology during her multiple exploits on SR-388 and the now-destroyed Space Pirate stronghold of Zebes). Inoculated by a vaccine created from the DNA of a cell culture taken from the last baby Metroid Samus УadoptedФ after their extermination, the Federation attempted to rebuild her suit to function with Samus Aran's new cellular makeup. This Fusion Power Suit functions with Samus' new genetic ability to absorb X parasites, thanks to her infusion of Metroid DNA.

The Federation outfitted Samus with a technologically comparable Fusion Suit (only without the augmentations she had picked up over the course of her adventures) and a new ship to replace the one destroyed during her emergency evacuation of SR-388 following their brief research field trip planet side. In return, Samus is obligated to utilize her newfound immunity to the X parasites in order to complete BSL's original research. However, when the X parasite infested her old Power Suit, the X developed a higher collective intelligence and newfound purpose, one that sets in motion events that once again threaten the Galactic Federation and all of living civilization. Preventing a catastrophe, of course, is Samus' forte, and she is quickly recruited to attempt to contain the situation.

Metroid Fusion takes all of the gameplay elements that made Super Metroid so compelling and successful, and adapts them to an all-new story, one that actually drives the experience. Metroid (including Prime) has always contained an extensive and interesting back-story; one that prompts Samus' exploits, but has never been a story-driven game. Metroid Fusion takes familiar, welcome, and still relevant gameplay elements and adapts them into a fascinating new direction for Metroid games. As part of the Samus' acceptance of her new ship, the Federation also included an onboard military Artificial Intelligence that essentially gives Samus her orders for the duration of her mission. This AI, named Adam by Samus in memory of a respected, one-time officer she briefly served under, will provide Samus with constant, almost on-the-fly directives and mission objectives throughout her quest to neutralize the X parasite threat.

While it may seem, especially initially, that this mission orientated, story-driven gameplay sacrifices the free and open exploration that has always been a mainstay of the Metroid experience, the fact is that open exploration is still very possible (and very recommended), only in more controlled doses. The experience is infinitely augmented by gameplay elements consisting of timed sequences and even impossible face-offs with an unexpected foe, which you must actively flee for most of the adventure, until you augment your Fusion Suit properly. The free exploration and drive to acquire 100% of your missile, power bomb, and energy tank upgrades (as fast as humanly possible) is still very much a part of the overall experience. The only thing that is truly linear is the order in which you acquire your main Fusion Suit upgrades, such as the Morph Ball, Super Missiles, various Beam weapons, etc. While most of these upgrades are very familiar, particularly to those that have completed Super Metroid, there are enough new advances (and biological Metroid weaknesses) that tweak the overall experience, providing a fresh core gameplay experience as well.

Samus Aran has never controlled better in the 2D realm. While the GBA does feature two buttons less than the standard SNES pad, all of the Samus' abilities from that game, and more, have been faithfully mapped to the GBA's hardware, comfortably and incredibly streamlined. Aside from her usual rolling, blasting, and leaping acrobatics, Samus has gained the ability to scale certain walls and even propel herself over special ceiling (monkey) bars. She has also retained some latent Super Metroid abilities, such as the triangle wall jumping and the УshinesparkФ or the ability to УchargeФ a speed dash's momentum and release it in the form of a super propulsion jump, in one of the eight cardinal directions. Super Metroid fans will feel right at home, though Metroid newcomers might be surprised at some of her more powerful (and undocumented) acrobatic feats. Of course, the meat and potato of the core gameplay involves the X parasites (which infect and dominate life forms) and Samus' new ability to absorb them. Now, destroying enemies simply causes the parasites to evacuate their bodies temporarily, floating through the air actively seeking new hosts. Unless Samus Aran actually absorbs them, thorough physical contact, they will inhabit new bodies, or worse, combine and animate even larger creatures, and resume their attacks against her. In an added twist, X parasites come in a number of varieties, some of which provide Samus with health and ammo boosts, or even new abilities, upon absorption.

Thanks to the streamlined controls and inventory system, you no longer need to toggle her abilities via the select button or through an equipment menu. You use the face buttons to jump and shoot/drop bombs; hold the R button to activate/charge super bombs and missiles, and L to angle your shots while standing still. Even more so than in the last game, weapons and upgrades are УstackableФ meaning that they install over and in conjunction with previous Suit augmentations, thereby rendering an equipment toggle screen comfortably obsolete. While there is a brief learning curve for newcomers (with a possibly longer adjustment curve for Metroid fans) you will easily be able to manipulate Samus and utilize every single one of her awesome abilities in an amazing real time environment, without the need to Уbreak from realityФ by accessing submenus.

The refinement of the Metroid experience is not exclusive to Samus Aran's abilities and the controls. In screenshots, Metroid Fusion looks very much like its eight-year-old predecessor, despite Samus' new appearance. However, in motion, Metroid Fusion shows off more than its fair share of subtle special effects. Additionally, the game's many cutscenes well show off the magnificent aesthetic designs and science-fiction movie inspirations that the game's backgrounds successfully establish. The detail evident is equally superb, particularly on Samus' sprite. Her new look (compliments of the Fusion Suit) is not only artistically compelling, but also shows off an amazing amount of detail and animation. In fact, the artists at Intelligent Systems/Nintendo drew Samus from both directions, so that her beam cannon is always seen on her right arm, no matter the direction she faces. From the large and well-animated bosses, to the excellent background detail, to the subtle warping and blurring effect used in various cutscenes and to depict the parasites, the game simply oozes a creepy style that is quintessentially Metroid.

Finally, the music and sound effects not only live up to the standards set by the amazing Super Metroid, but also perfectly compliment the unbelievably claustrophobic and atmospheric environments that Samus Aran will be exploring throughout her mission. The majority of the music in the game is entirely new, though it holds up very well to the style and scope established by Super Metroid's ambient soundtrack. However, certain specific events in the game will prompt the reemergence of some of Super Metroid's more incredible and intense tunes. Of course, the haunting title screen music and familiar five-note refrain that plays when you start/load a game are sure to bring broad smiles to fans' faces! On an interesting note, that five-note refrain has been tweaked slightly, and mirrors the changes made to the theme for Metroid Prime on the GameCube.