I can remember playing it on launch day and almost crying with joy. They did it. They actually made a Metroid 4. Not only did it feel 100% authentic, but it also had so many original ideas, it legitimately felt like something new. I didn’t mind the guided nature or the additional dialogue with Adam, because it made this game different from past games. I love Fusion.
Despite the fact that fusion takes place on a space station, the parts that actually emulate "biomes" felt very believe able. Especially late in the game when you getto the fully underwater section.
I'm so glad that I have a Wii U for so many Metroid games! The GBA Metroid games mean a lot to me and I would have never discovered them if I didn't have a Wii U!
Fusion, being the first metroid game i ever played, will always have a special place. The GBA graphics made every area so stunning with colour that wasn't as bright before or after.
Fusion's one of my favorites. The bosses are the best in the series, the art is beatiful, SA-X is terrifying, and the action/controls are incredible. Yeah, I do prefer a more open map design, and I wish I could skip all of adam's monologing and just play the game, but the cons are really minor compared to all the things I absolutely enjoy about Fusion.
But Adam's and Samus's monologues are what make them full-fleshed characters. This is a problem I have with the other Metroid games and why I love Fusion so much: The characters are real characters, instead of being one note.
@@toumabyakuya Samus is still absolutely a fleshed-out character in Super and the Prime games due to their amazing sense of visual storytelling, she just doesn't achieve that by dialogue dumping in those games. That's not to say Fusion's storytelling style is bad, though--and it isn't, by any means--but it's pretty shortsighted to consider it to be the only Metroid game with good characterization.
@@BenjaminAnderson21 Samus returns has excellent bosses. The only thing that sets it behind fusion for me is how many repeat bosses there are. I know, nature of the beast with that remake but it still makes them feel stale after a while. Im hoping we'll all be saying dread has the best bosses in another month or so.
@@BenjaminAnderson21 *"...due to their amazing sense of visual storytelling,..."* But visual storytelling can only take you so far. There are emotions, situations and twists that can only be achieved via plot dumps alone. *"but it's pretty shortsighted to consider it to be the only Metroid game with good characterization."* Sorry, but I still disagree.
Playing the Castlevania Advance Collection, replaying Mother 3 and some of the Megaman advance titles, and looking at Fusion videos, the GBA really was a gem of a console.
Metroid Fusion is one of my favorite games of all time. Although flawed, it's left a huge impression on me for how it innovated in the horror genre (even if it's not strictly a horror game). It pioneered many techniques with creating a sense of dread and unease through environmental storytelling and event-driven design. For me, a lot of AAA horror games fall short of what Fusion accomplished (for example, Dead Space, a game with obvious parallels) I think people sometimes dismiss this game because they compare it to Super Metroid and what it isn't -- an open-ended exploration game. But, Fusion very intentionally subverted that design. I think the best way to enjoy the game is to take it on its own merits.
Fusion is my favorite game in the series. Nothing about it needs to change (except maybe the A.I. of the SA-X. But your first time playing, you're too scared to even notice it's not good.). But I would be super pumped if they remade Fusion using the Dread engine. I'd probably cry honestly.
@@flyingplantwhale545 Well rumor has it that they are working on another 2D game. I feel like it's way too sion for another mainline entry, especially with Dread recently released, Prime Remastered just dropping, Prime 2 & 3 coming and Prime 4 on the way. It would have to be a remake of either Super or Fusion. But I guess, even if they are working on another game, it will probably release a few years down the line. But heck, I wouldn't be angry if Prime Hunters got a remaster or sequel. But I'm not gonna ask for too much, I'm just gonna enjoy this moment as a Metroid fan and have fun.
@@TheMissingLink2 Couldn’t agree more. Having this kind of dedicated support for the franchise just feels to good to be true. And yet it is. I’m so happy.
@@obrenn3096 That Omega Metroid is tough! Mostly because just a few hits from it and its over. Use the charge beam. You just have to be quick. Charge it, blast it and run back before you're hit. Charge again hit it and run again that's what I did. It'll back up as you hit it hard enough so you wanna keep it as far back as possible. You just have to avoid that claw as much as you can lol charge, blast, run and repeat.
I'm replaying all 2D Metroid games in parallel (don't ask why) and Fusion is the first I finished and it was tough. In some places I really struggled and once I completed the game I realised why as I only had 46% of the items. I can't understand how I missed so many items 🤔
Funny thing about that secret path in the water section. I actually ended up doing shinesparks and ending with the secret message just because I didn't know what to do next and never thought there was a secret passage.
In the water part with the invisible walls, the fish and the enemies were the hint…as u can see at 9:40 the fish and enemies go through the invisible path
9:32 This is the first time I've seen somebody else call out this room. Awful design. It might be okay if the hidden passage was along the ground, or perhaps led to an optional missile expansion, but you need to come through there as part of the main plot progression. You could argue that the fish placement to the right is meant to clue you in that there's a passage there, but this game is full of X parasites passing through walls on a regular basis, so the player is not likely to think there's something off about an enemy clipping slightly into a wall for a moment of its patrol path.
I would call it awful design, but yeah, Fusion has a couple of bullshit moments where you're gonna need to bomb everything in sight and try every single freaking pathway for like half an hour to move on with the mission.
you're not supposed to feel helplessly isolated in fusion, you're supposed to feel helpless. the whole tone of the game is that there are terrifying things actively HUNTING you
Eh, technically speaking, it's got some more advanced hardware than SNES. I mean it should, given it was made in the 2000s. But ths resolution, washed colors and sound chip are what hold it back from being truly superior to SNES. If you compare games like SMW on SNES to GBA, you'll notice colors are too light, and the sound is muffled. Now, don't get me wrong, GBA games still age like fine wine. But SNES still has advantages over it. I mean, it's basically a portable SNES, made in the early 2000s, so this is about what I would expect from one.
The time you spend going off the map mote than makes up for the time you spend speaking to adam. Its like taking a deep breath before descending into dark waters, not knowing how deep it is. Also i love this game.
Honestly I don’t think Adam took away from the atmosphere. The guided objectives felt like when your parents tell you to go down to basement for whatever reason.
I love the SA-X as a villain. It's a brillian role reversal. It shows you directly how terrifying Samus is to her enemies. It kinda makes me sad how much marketing attention Dark Samus gets, when that one never really does anything "Samusy" besides look kinda like her.
I remember that day when I bought this cartridge and started it in a bus, going home! That was awesome. I like Fusion way more than Zero Mission. Before that I only played Super Metroid on an emulator.
It's obligatory that I recommend Metroid Zero Mission to you. It's a remake of Metroid 1, so it's the perfect starting point, but it has the same streamlined controls as Fusion, as well as a whole bunch of improvements that make it less confusing and a lot more fun than the NES original. It's basically the quintessential beginner Metroid game.
Loved Fusion! I do understand not being as excited about knowing what power up is coming next, but at least there is a narrative reason for it. The same can be said about the guided portions to get you from point A to point B. I didn’t feel like it was out of place due to the atmospheric change Fusion brought (along with it being on a space station). I was surprised to learn about people finding Adam to break the isolated feel as I was MORE tense not trusting him early on.
Yeah I don't see how an ai that isn't a companion that walks with you just gives you missions and where the next main point of interest somehow takes away from feeling isolated I recall being somewhat scared playing this as a kid it has amazing atmosphere an ai that you talk to every now and then doesn't change that. I do understand not wanting to know what upgrade you're getting next you can give missions and show where to go without doing that and honestly I like how Adam tells you where to go but doesn't tell you everything and you still can find stuff that isn't on the main path vs I'm sure hardcore fans will cry blasthmey but walking in circles not knowing where to go like i was playing metroid 2 on the switch online I'm like I'm so confused walking back and forth not really progressing. And it's not like I'm some new gamer who sucks and wants his hand to be held I've been gaming since the 90s I grew up with old games that didn't hold your hand but they weren't metroid cryptic with where you need to go next it's called bad conveyance for a reason. Like old rpgs you talk to npcs and they're like go north so you go north but you can go to other places, you have an idea as to where to go but still can explore. With old metroid games I always need to watch or look up walkthroughs or I'll never progress.
I finished playing Metroid Fusion for the FIRST time yesterday XD (The day that this video went up). Gotta say, I agree with pretty much all of what's said here - I had a couple of thoughts about how a new Metroid game that looked more into the SA-X could be REALLY interesting with more stealth elements (like the end of Zero Mission - I've only played Super, Zero Mission and Fusion so far. Prime is next), but I did note and *really* like how the game leaned into a lot more horror genre staples to go alongside the less isolated feeling of the game. Also, I find it weird that a parasite clone of a spider is named after a major Japanese Crime Syndicate :P
I’ve definitely seen a lot of people complaining about this game being linear but when I finally got to play it it totally felt like a Metroid game to me! There is still a lot of gameplay where you have to find the path yourself and retread past areas. Honestly, Samus returns could definitely be considered linear in a lot of ways as well.
I still have my physical GBA cartridge of Fusion I got back in 2005 and GB cartridge of Return of Samus that i’ve had so long I don’t even remember when I got it. I love these games and I wish I had got my hands on the copies of the other games but I didn’t end up getting a copy of any of them until a few years ago. I am so hyped for Dread!
I saw the game all the time in stores but my stupid younger self back then thought 2d games are for babies. I now regret never buying it especially since it costed like 20 € in local stores
Those hidden tunnels in Sector 4 had those fish enemies swimming through them, that was the subtle clue you could proceed that direction. Admittedly, a lot of people did get stuck there for a little while.
@9:41 at the age of 13, when i first played this on my GBA, i was stuck on this part for like 2 months, and i was having a blast up until that point, then i just hit a brick wall, and felt so stupid when i saw it was a hidden entrance smh. everytime i play fusion i NEVER forget this part.
I will say I’ve always loved Metriod Fusion, as a sequel to Super Metriod it definitely delivered in my opinion. I’ve haven’t played Metriod Dread yet, I’m getting the game for Christmas this year. But I will say I still think even 19 years later, Metriod Fusion still holds up a wonderful GBA game.
Great review, I think I’m one of the few people that owns all three official releases of Fusion (GBA cart, 3DS Ambassador Program, and Wii U Virtual Console)
Has anyone thought about how the galaxy federation knew that making a vaccine from the baby Metroid would stop the X parasite? Or how they even knew the Metroid was the predator of the X parasite?
I never played Metroid Fusion back in the day, nor did I ever play any 2d Metroid game. I decided on a whim a few years ago to give this old GBA game a try and see if it held up. I was blown away. It is an incredible game. It holds up in every way. What surprised me the most is that the DIFFICULTY holds up. The bosses were almost all HARD, even for someone who has been playing games for 25 years. And the final boss fight was a crazy ridiculous level of difficulty that blew me away. I was so impressed they dared to release something so difficult. I think the fact that I played it on an emulator on my phone which had kinda messed up controls added to the difficulty but still.
Something I don't hear people mention. The linearity is built into the plot. When there's the big reveal, its because you disobeyed orders. Plot and gameplay working together
I am re-playing this game in anticipation of Dread. I so agree with this person‘s gripe about the hidden passageways. If they are for secrets, then by all means. But to make you scour every nook and cranny on the screen just to progress is pure frustration, not exploration! Hopefully they leave that out of Dread.
Indeed! I know there are going to be haters and contrarians who have never played the game who will proclaim the game as "Kinda Overrated", like so many other Nintendo masterpieces, but it's still just as great as ever.
It honestly was quite underrated from what I’ve seen, I’m glad people have grown to see it’s not as bad as it’s linearity made it seem to people coming from the previous ones
@@jusquanorthwind1016 It's a case of sequelitis where the sequel (Fusion) is gonna have high expectations from fans after coming from the previous installment (SM). While I prefer SM and found it more enjoyable, Fusion is a good, fun, enjoyable game despite it being linear.
I think you make a valid point for restore points/save states. As an adult, I don't have as much time to go through the same levels and rewatch the same cutscenes in a video game over and over. Nor do I have the time or energy to "git gud". Depending on the game, I will give it three to five shots before I start using save states. I have a similar rule when it comes to using guides. Of course with Fusion, I plan to play it on the GBA so I won't have restore points. 😅
Those things were no joke. RELENTLESS Unrelated, but I was scared by Luigi's Mansion when I was a kid lol. Something about seeing one of your heroes scared out of his mind on an adventure, even if it was a goofy adventure with cartoon ghosts, it still spooked me lmao
I cannot put into words how exited I am for Metroid Dread not only cuz it is a sequel to fusion and the furthest in the Metroid timeline but it feels like they ripped the SA-X scary feeling and ramped it up to 100... I still get chills when I hear the footsteps of the SA-X. imo Fusion and Super Metroid are the top 2d Metroid games.
I'm studying restoration ecology and the aesthetic of the clearly artificial environment mixed with metal, laboratory infrastructure is so cool imo. Bottleship did it well too
From what I’ve heard, part of the reason that the space station is so hub-like, along with Adam guiding your character in a more linear way, is because the GBA is a battery-based system, and the devs were worried about people playing the game for a long time, then losing power to the system and losing a ton of work. So you can think of systems that were directly plugged into the wall getting the more exploration-based games (Metroid, Super Metroid, Metroid Prime, etc) and the ones on handheld consoles getting more linear games
I don't know, maybe it's because I was 14 when I first played it, and wasn't really scared of anything in games anymore, but the SA-X didn't really instill the primal fear that so many others experienced. Maybe as a little kid I would have been freaked out, but I was more-so intrigued by Samus X, something completely alien that mimics her mechanic suit so perfectly. The role reversal was kind of cool I guess. Having to face off against a fully developed version of yourself, and finally becoming so strong that even your "Super" version can't compete. That was neat. But fear? I was afraid when playing Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Jurassic Park for SNES, Doom 64, Resident Evil, Body Harvest. That stuff. I mean I felt a little anxiety when it chased me, but I'm more afraid of E.M.M.I, something that can and almost always will instakill you if you touch it. You can at least survive an attack from Samus X. As for feeling helpless, I didn't feel fear from that either. It just seemed like standard Metroid fare. You start off weak and become more powerful. If you want to feel truly helpless, try Metroid NES when you first arrive on Zebes. Talk about helpless. And maybe my memory is a little fuzzy, but none of the bosses or enemies gave me much trouble. Were they awesome? Hell yes. Nightmare was rad. But nothing in the game ever made me feel too frustrated. Again, it may be because I started this game as someone who wasn't a little one at the time. Or maybe it's just a personal thing. What scares me is different than what scares someone else. The Chozo Ghosts scared me more than anything else in the series, besides the Ing. Actually the Ing and Dark Aether were downright spooky. Nightmare fuel.
i started playing this on my 3ds since i have got the ambassador program and its really fun. Ive never really played any metroid games before besides the OG and fusion has a good mix of difficulty and platforming that makes it really fun to me
One little detail to critcise, the best way to fight Ridley is actualy your charge beam. It goes through bis entire hitbox and damages hin multiple times. If you use only missles, this fight is hard, but with charge beam its a piece of cake
Ugh, I never could get past Nightmare. Talk about a roadblock! Nice to see I'm not the only one who says his name with disdain, though. (I can't even go back to it now because my 3DS' buttons are starting to give out, specifically the B and R buttons)
If you can experience this game blind for the first time : I envy you. SA-X was one of the most terrifying enemies of my childhood. I spend the whole game in suspense for the moments that it appears.
if Dread is a direct sequel to this, I have absolutely no idea why Nintendo wouldn’t rerelease this the way Konami just did with the GBA Castlevania games - it’d be one thing if the stories weren’t related but one leads directly into the other and a lot of the audience for Dread wasn’t even alive when Fusion came out
Zero Mission is my favorite this far. I had a love hate relationship with the original Metroid and missed playing Super Metroid when it was released. I didn't play another one until Metroid Fusion then Zero Mission. I've always been a fan of the series but never finished Super Metroid.
Same here- Except I JUST finished Super Metroid for the first time a few hours ago! Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission were my firsts! Love those games but Super Metroid is truly a masterclass in video-game design.
I love M Fusion! It is my favorite in the series. But I understand the complaints about the linearity. I hope that Dread can mix the exploration from Super Metroid, the history and atmosphere from Fusion and the gameplay from Samus Returns
