The original Metroid was simple in theory and yet comprehensive in gameplay. From out of nowhere, the designers of the original assembled what seemed to be random elements into a game that played through naturally and organically. It was a stroke of brilliance that spawned what has become a massive franchise that may soon be stretching to even the silver screen. That kind of gameplay evolves into tradition when it is honored through well-done sequels. The much awaited followups to the original for the Super Nintendo and the original Game Boy solidified Samus Aran as a marketable action hero for Nintendo platforms for years to come. With the advent of the Game Boy Advance platform - hailed by many to be the king of 2D gaming - one would expect Samus Aran to make an absolutely unforgetable appearance. And yet, while Metroid Fusion is a very solid action platformer, it is not quite the triumph I had anticipated. The story takes Samus back to planet SR388, where all the fun of Metroid began. This time she's escorting a team of researchers down to the planet. Unexpectedly, they discover an orange glowing parasite that is absorbed into Samus' power suit when she destroys some groundling. While escorting the researchers' vessel back to their research station, Samus passes out as a result of the parasite replicating itself within the power suit. The ship drifts into an asteroid, and Samus is recovered by the researchers and brought back to Federation headquarters. They discover that the parasite - which they decide to call the X parasite in a fit of untamed originality - has integrated itself heavily into the organic components of the power suit, and they are forced to surgically remove some of the pieces in order to gain access to Samus. The researchers quickly produce an antibody for the X parasites that is based on metroid biochemistry. The logic is that the metroids were the natural predator of the X parasite on SR388, and the extinction of metroids have caused the X parasite population to swell dramatically. The metroid antibody succeeds in killing the X parasite threat within Samus, but her body is changed forever - her body has (wait for it) fused with metroid biochemistry. This results in the loss of many of her latent abilities. This is actually a rather clever way of explaining why all these familiar power ups must be acquired once again. Samus takes on a new ship and, as a consequence of her taking the ship, is forced to comply with the orders of the onboard ship computer. She is immediately dispatched back to research station she was destined towards when she passed out earlier, where an explosion has knocked out communication with the rest of the Federation. Samus quickly discovers at the station that X parasites - which absorb the DNA of their prey and then morph into the form of that creature - are infesting the station. What's worse, they exhibit a potent collective intelligence. To top matters off, it seems that the explosion was caused by X parasites in the form of Samus Aran herself, formed out of the removed pieces of her power suit. The game is well paced. The shipboard computer issues objectives that walk Samus through the investigation of the explosion and X parasite infestation. Once the player begins to feel comfortable with the setting and the story, the plot gets taken up a notch or two. This is where the X parasites collective intelligence comes into play - the X parasites begin causing a series of emergencies that threaten the stability of the station itself. As the reasons for their actions reveal themselves, the true threat of the X parasites becomes aparent, and the plot reaches a natural climax. (Stop snickering, you!) The story really is well structured, and the game's difficulty reflects that. None of the areas are exceedingly difficult, but the bosses offer up a fair amount of challenge. It will take a few tries before you're able to conquer these baddies. Additionally, the diversity of bosses is satisfactory. While all of them turn into X-Cores once you've defeated the enemy proper, the primary forms and attack modes of the bosses are varied and calculated. On the whole, this is a fantastic game. The plot isn't the epic I expected, but I don't blame that on the game makers. The game that was delivered was simply top notch, and I have no complaint about that. The only area this game loses in is replay value. To be blunt, there isn't any. Unlike Castlevania titles, which usually offer up additional modes of play, once you've finished Metroid Fusion, that's about it. The natural finishing point is very close to the exhaustion point for the game. There's nothing else to do but collect a few missed power ups or to play through again and try to do it faster. And, while I'm sure I will play it again, it won't be right away. Despite its lack of replayability, Metroid Fusion is a must-own game for the Game Boy Advance.
Now, I'm going to use the Pros & Cons System this time, so enjoy reading, and a thumbs up would be very nice of you. Thank you. Metroid Fusion was the first Metroid game on the GBA and it is one of the best GBA and ha... Read Full Review
When I first started playing this game after buying it, I had really high expectations. I slid the cartridge into my SP and turned it on. I saw the Gameboy logo and then the screen showed Samus’s spaceship flying next to... Read Full Review
