Metroid Fusion

Review - Ben returns to the root-cause of his wasted youth and discovers that nothing changes.

Let me start by saying that I’ve been waiting for this title for a very long time. I know that we also have Metroid Prime now but it was Fusion that really tickled my fancy. I have been a huge fan of the series since Metroid 2 on my old GameBoy, so when I heard that Fusion would be very similar to Super Metroid, in looks as well as gameplay, I was very excited indeed. However, this is 2003, not 1995, when I was first bitten by the Metroid bug. Has the gameplay style stood the test of time? Is Samus Aran’s first voyage onto the GBA worthwhile? Let us see..

The first thing that struck me about Fusion where the graphics. I was amazed at what has been pushed out of the tiny GBA. Granted, when I first played it on my GBA, it was too dull, and I couldn’t see some sections as clearly as I would of hoped. However, four days ago, I picked up my shiny new GBA SP and all the problems vanished. It would seem that Fusion is the perfect title to show off the improvement that the SP makes, the graphics are sharper than the Super NES title, despite coming from a screen only a few inches wide. It would seem that the GBA has found its perfect game perhaps, a side-scrolling platform adventure game, like Castlevania or indeed Fusion. Let’s hope they continue to improve the graphics this much with every title! Overall they give a very polished feel to the game.

So how does the game play? Well, it plays like it did back in 1996. Search around here, reach un-passable scenery, go back, find item, use item to pass once impassable scenery, etc. etc. It may seem boring to those who have never once played one of these titles, however, Metroid games have always managed to make back tracking fun. There is always something you missed earlier; making it impossible not to go over the same old ground, just to make sure you didn’t miss anything. I personally enjoy this style of game, as you progress, you collect more and more items and power ups (such as gun upgrades, power suits and such) and become more powerful, obliterating all of those old enemies that gave you so much trouble at the start. It’s an intensely satisfying experience that once started, is difficult to put down.

The sound effects and music are also very polished for a GBA title, with the entire classic Metroid tunes updated for this new outing. Most sound effects are curiously similar, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are the exact same ones as Super Metroid! But, as they say, if it aint broke, don’t fix it.

The only misgiving I have about the entire game is the level of difficulty at some points. Normally, Metroid games offer stiff resistance the entire time, with you having to battle your way strongly to succeed. However, this time we find the game rather too easy at some points and wickedly hard at others. For example, I waltzed through several bosses and ‘tough’ opponents without taking a scratch, then, came across the next boss and died 12 times before he finally collapsed beneath my intense missile barrage. I like a tough battle as much as the next man, but it seemed to jump from the easy to the ridiculous in a split second. Luckily, things evened out after that and I was once again lost in the world of Metroid.

One thing to mention here is the added bonus of Fusion linking-up with the newly released Metroid Prime on the GameCube. Although this link-up adds nothing to Fusion, it will offer you the chance to play the Original NES Metroid on your GC. This is an opportunity not to be missed, as the original game, although graphically crude, contains some of the most gripping gameplay you’ll ever experience.

All in all, a fantastic title. If you can forgive the linearity (after all, this is a GBA shooter/platformer) and the slight blips in difficulty, you’ll be in for a real treat. You must own this game, after all, it’s not very often Samus makes trips out these days.

92%