Short and unusually linear Metroid experience.
Story has never been a strong side in Metroid games, but surprisingly Fusion is very heavily story driven experience. While doing a routine mission the interstellar bounty hunter Samus Aran is assaulted by an unknown parasitic organism that infests her nervous system and fuses her power armor to her body. Later it turns out that this X-creature is the natural enemy of the Metroids. Unfortunately now all Metroids are apparently extinct so the X have rapidly multiplied posing a threat to the universe, just like Metroids did before X.
Samus’ life is saved with vaccine made from the last Metroid’s DNA and in the process it makes her immune to further contamination from X. After this a distress call arrives from a deep-space research laboratory orbiting the X parasites' home planet, but unfortunately the facility has been overrun. And so starts the adventure under the watchful “eye” of a computerized commanding officer in order to save the remnants of the research station and hopefully find a way to destroy the X once and for all.
Graphics and environments reminds a lot of Super Metroid, which is one the best Metroid games ever made. This is not a bad thing, just a little unoriginal. Colors are bright and all in all Metroid Fusion looks good. Same can be said about the sound effects too and they really give you that classical Metroid feel.
Controls are responsive and it’s just a pleasure to play this game. Different power-ups are interesting making you stronger and giving you a sense of reward. My favorite power-up must the ability to grab onto ledges, because it makes reaching higher platforms a lot easier. Unfortunately if you’ve ever played a Metroid game you know that they are al non linear, but since Fusion is so heavily story driven, you’ll soon discover that the game is somewhat linear. This is not a bad thing per se, it’s just different in the Metroid franchise.
The most serious flaw in Metroid Fusion is that it’s a short game. It will take somewhere around 5 to 7 hours to finish it. But still you’ll enjoy every minute of it.