Fun fact: Fusion's translation was a bit borked. The original Japanese made sure to explain that the Federation is HEAVILY factionalized. The reason why there isn't much problem with Samus destroying the Metroid and X Parasite research program at the station is because the part of the Federation behind it is just one faction. The wider Federation have no real ill will toward her and the bad faction doesn't have enough sway to fuck with her. The English translation didn't get that explanation across which is why it seems like the plotline just vanished at the start of Dread.
Ohhhh shit so thats why lmao If there was one part i felt was weird about dread was how it was just not brought up and it was just like "yea we're cool again"
That's kind of disappointing actually. Even if it's just one faction, I'd think that faction could still spin the story in a way that made Samus look like a terrorist. And the federation being an antagonist group with Samus as a fugitive always felt like a cool idea. Also, doesn't that mean the faction behind the Meteroid and X duplication got off scot free? Replicating these things to be biological weapons is the type of thing Umbrella from Resident Evil was trying to do. It's horrendous when you consider what these creatures do, yet we never get to stick it to the people behind this idea.
If anyone's wondering how I achieved the GBA filter effect in the video. I actually turned the raw footage into a GBA-Video ROM that can run on actual hardware and then sent it back so it could be recorded in mGBA for a full loop. It's the second time I've done this little experiment for funzies.
Nintendo recently released the official GB and GBA emulator for the Switch. There is a trailer with Metroid Fusion on the official Nintendo UA-cam channel, the video is called "Metroid Fusion - Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Switch Online". Is the color palette correct there?
@@SilverBen2000 Yes, but since most of the hiding places are behind one block tall hallways it doesn't help. Now if it could bomb jump that would be game over.
This was my first proper Metroid that I played when I was probably 9. I would also play Prime at a friend's house around the same time but this would be the Metroid that'd I'd spend the most time with for quite a while. While very linear and a bit long winded at points, Fusion is what a story focused Metroid should be and introduced a lot of cool elements that Other M would sadly botch in the future. Thankfully Dread would eventually pick up those pieces well enough. The X are hands down the best "force of nature" antagonist in the series (compared to Metroids and Phazon which while still good, don't go quite as far.) and they're also one of my personal favorite antagonists in fiction in general.
this was my first proper Metroid at 9 too!! I remember playing the "SA-X" game with my brother which is basically hide and seek fused with tag, with an imaginary ice beam lol. Fusion was so scary back then too I remember the SA-X reveal and almost pissing myself, this game made me a gamer and Metroid fan for life.
I really would have loved to know what Samus was thinking during all the shit that is happening on ZDR.... _ESPECIALLY_ when *_[SPOILER ALERT!!!]_* ...Raven Beak releases all the X parasites that were quarantined in Elun.
@@esmooth919 _Boy it feels like I was flying for years, but it’s only been a few months, time sure is weird like that, my new biology seems to have settled, but I can’t shake the feeling that something inside of me is looking to break out........AI Adam also didn’t refer to me as lady, I wonder why_
Also, cool little detail: Ice X Parasite home towards you before you get the Varia suit, After you get and the first gets absorbed, they start fleeing like other X parasites.
They usually should but I think I broke them last time 'cause they didn't give a fuck about the Varia Suit and just came straight for me or moved confused in the air.
With the Metroid DNA “vaccine,” I’d think of it more like a gene edit and not an actual vaccine. The Metroid have a genetic characteristic that makes them immune to X-parasite infection. The funny thing is your mongoose snake example is a very apt analogy. Mongoose have a genetic mutation that makes them immune to snake venom and theoretically could be used in combination with a gene editor like CRISPR to give people immunity as well. Also the lore answer for the SA-X not being able to find Samus behind the wall is it cannot grab ledges due to the heavier suit, similar to Super Metroid. It’s also why the power grip is in Zero Mission.
The ledge grabbing thing explains the ‘forward and backwards’ spot, but the other spot he noted has plenty of space for the SA-X to just jump through, no reason to grab the ledge. It has the space jump, and I think it can jump high enough to get over that wall with just 1 jump anyway.
@@Dash123456789Brawl well considering what we saw with the Chozo elder in Dread, maybe the Power Suit had a little bit of Samus' personality and survival instincts that directly related to Samus herself? I mean, it does try to save her from the Omega Metroid, so maybe it was the suit trying to limit the X from fully using everything? I dunno, it's such a stretch, Mr. Fantastic would dislocate his shoulder reaching for it, but it's something to think about
@@game84cube lol yeah, I dunno. I’ve always chosen to believe that the SA-X had no intention of saving Samus, it just flew into a frenzy on spotting the Omega Metroid. The other part, giving Samus the upgrades was (speculatively) explained by Adam want it? IIRC Adam said something like it knew it wouldn’t be able to survive at that point without fusing with something, so it fused with the only compatible life-form that it could reach.
18:18 to be fair, the Omega being weak to the Ice Beam could be one of those rare moments the Federation actually have a brain, since they could have deliberately added that just in case their homegrown Metroids got out of control
In a way, I’m thankful that Fusion is as linear as it is. If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t have lended itself to such unsettling setpieces and unique atmosphere that set it apart from its predecessors at the time. We wouldn’t have the SA-X encounters, for example, if the game wasn’t structured the way it is. I definitely wouldn’t want all the games to use it as a template, but as it’s own solitary experience, it’s a damn good game and it managed to shake up the formula even after following up Super, which was not an enviable task. The Fusion gameplay loop would later be expanded upon and refined in Zero Mission and especially Dread, but it was this game that laid the groundwork to begin with. Hell, we might not have even gotten Dread without it, seeing as Mercury Steam originally came to work on Samus Returns because of their Fusion remake pitch (their love of this game in particular definitely shows in Dread btw)
Really hope fusion get that remake chance it deserves. The team have showed their craft and what better way to cap it off by remaking the game that inspired them in the first place.
So a fun fact about the ending of Metroid Fusion: It was revealed recently, around when Dread was about to be/already released, the translation was actually over-simplified and omitted a lot of details. This included the mention of a splinter group within the Federation conducting illegal bioweapon experiments, and they basically wanted to stop Samus so they can keep their hands on those precious living murder machines. Absolutely nothing like what we got in the actual game where it sounded like Samus was going to be branded a Space Pirate. Don't worry, she was never going to be in trouble in the first place, there was just a lot of stuff lost in translation.
Wow, considering what I heard about Japanese Other M, it seems like whoever keeps localizing Metroid games outright hates the *ENTIRE* Federation cause they keep implicating THE WHOLE THING as complicit in the whole Metroid deal.
@@kratosgow342 somehow I feel like something similar happened to other m, as it apparently had so much memory that they had to corner cut the movie so it could fit in the dual layer disc.
Honestly would have preferred it not to be a splinter faction. It would have been waaaaaaaaay more interesting if Samus actually ended up being branded a criminal.
One of the best parts of Fusion's sound design imo is the Plasma Beam. "Crunchy" isn't quite the word for it, but how it just tears through enemies is conveyed really well purely from the shot sound and the buzzing it makes when it rips through them. It's so good.
Which is what makes me disappointed in the beam sounds in Dread. I hate how cartoonish and/or lackluster the beam shots sound. I wish they sounded powerful like they do in Fusion.
@@FannyPackMan100 they sound better than Samus Returns (I like the Diffusion explosion sound) but yeah you're right. surprisingly Other M had really good beam noises
@@samquik I have to disagree - at least with the Plasma Beam. I think it sounds way better in Samus Returns than in Dread. It actually sounds powerful and memorable in Samus Returns. In dread the Plasma Beam sounds kinda forgettable, unfortunately. Although, I wonder if it is because how how fast you can spam the beam in that game. Maybe they had to tone it down because of that very fact. Btw, I was talking originally about the Plasma Beam from Fusion.
Honestly I'd love a Prime esque 3D remake style of it like with RE 2/3, and have the SA-X as a constant random threat like Mr. X with some scripted and some random encounters. Would make it absolutely HORRIFYING to walk up to a door and hear the heavy suit footsteps and go "You know what, nah, we'll wait a bit and explore what I already have unlocked for a while"
I find the linear, "go here next" structure is justified by the game being handheld. Imaging only getting to play 10 minutes or so at a time and then nothing for maybe a couple days. As a kid, I definitely appreciate that little yellow dot.
It was also explicitely made for newcomers: Sakamoto's goal was to reach new people and "teach" them the basics of Metroid as a whole, something he did again for Zero Mission a few years later. I have to say it had worked like a charm on me! This was my first game of the series, which turned out to probably be my favorite series as a whole 20 years later.
@@LinkyHYC it was pretty difficult to get by in some cases, but for the most part, it was a hell of a game. It gets much better when you know what to do after you beat it to get a better time
I actually appreciate that approach even now as an adult. I have kids, a full-time job, and I go to school. I don’t have time to explore every single tiny nook and cranny to make forward progression in the story - - I prefer the game just tell me “go here and do this.“ That way I can go do that and move on to whatever other necessary thing I have to do in the day. I don’t have time or patience for non-linear games like Super Metroid. I tend to put only a couple hours into games like that before putting them down for extended periods of time.
Yeah as cool as the EMMIs were at first, the instadeath mechanic REALLY overstayed its welcome. I became less scared that I was gonna die and more scared I was gonna have to replay the segment 5+ times just to get where I (potentially) need to go.
@@SilverHairedFreak25 be that as it may, the EMMI still have the SA-X(ophone) beat by a wide margin, just due to their intelligence alone. Even if you can counter them to get away, they're still scary as shit.
I understand that, but I like the EMMI because they are a constant threat once you enter those rooms. Once you see the segments for the SA-X it’s never scary again. Still love the game tho. It was my first Metroid game I’ve beaten. I started the game when I heard the announcement for Dread and beat it later
@@harlannguyen4048 It's one of the Alexander boss theme from ff14 ua-cam.com/video/ULRTwOMwLoA/v-deo.html Alexander's themes are pretty wild : ua-cam.com/video/UhDvQIqEkuI/v-deo.html
I don't remember whether I finished this or Prime 1 first, but incidentally I ended up playing them both around the same time...like 10 years late. But like John said, after I bet this one I started slowly but surely making my way back through the rest! Although I played 2 next, so my order is all sorts of screwed up...
and now we have EMMIs in Dread which are basically Terminators. Unstoppable machines with red eyes that are all specifically after Samus cause of what she has inside her. I love that Metroid (at least the 2D games) is slowly but surly turning into this homage of Sci Fi horror in general not just Alien. Now I need to see Samus take on this universe's equivalent of The Predator
To this day it’s my favorite Metroid game. The dialogue might not be to everyone’s taste, but every word Adam says is providing new information, or foreshadowing something to come later. It’s because of the writing that the X are so terrifying, as they continue to evolve and grow smarter as they take more and more drastic measures to stop Samus.
@@ramonandrajo6348 Doesn't really matter. It plays nowhere near as well as Fusion and lacks real difficulty or intrigue. Story aside, Other M is just a weak Metroid game. Story included, it feels like a direct insult to the franchise and fanbase.
Fusion was the first game that legit scared me. Even this day, playing it is difficult. The atmosphere is just unsettling and perfectly crafted. And it's a GBA game for crying out loud.
I have similar feelings about the original Metroid on the NES, but that's probably because I was way too young when I was watching my cousin play that game. Tourian was nightmare fuel for 4yo me.
Yes, but they didn’t say who made it so you could wave it off as it being another military’s weapon *cough* science team *cough*. Not to mention we had already encountered the box security synthoid earlier, so it wasn’t entirely unexpected. I personally believe that the first red flag was the ridley corpse…How did they even get it, it was melted by lava. That was the thought that first cross my mind. Then I watched other m and found out the answer.
Recently replayed Fusion myself, I definitely agree it's a great time. The fact that MercurySteam actually wanted to remake this game before Sakamoto suggested remaking Metroid 2 instead has me intrigued. I don't think Fusion NEEDS a remake, but in this now post Dread world....I don't know, I'm starting to feel interested in the idea. I enjoyed Dread so much, I'd be pretty interested to see what a remake would do coming off of Dread. I wonder if they'll ever return to the idea of a Fusion remake?
You start to get interested in the idea until you realize something MercurySteam can implement X-ray vision on E.M.M.I.s which means that they can make SA-X have the X-ray visor
A remake of Fusion could also allow them to address the original borked localisation of Fusion. Hopefully, MS would fix their business practices too and actually credit everyone that worked on the darn game.
The truth is, in a post-Dread world, most Metroid titles feel heavily slow, not to mention obsolete. There's not a single boss fight in the fusion and pre-fusion games that feels as good as fighting most bosses in Dread, of course, not even counting the final boss. Truth is, considering how amazing Dread turned out, MercurySteam would make the series a favour by remaking Zero Mission, Super, and Fusion. Hell, if they add extra modes and suits, it'd be amazing. It was the only thing i found lacking in Dread.
Watching this after having re-watched your original Fusion review in anticipation really highlights how much your writing has improved since then, definitely worth the wait.
Yeah Zero mission was actually my real first experience of the Metroid series and I enjoyed it. Especially as I know exploration was everything, but having an idea of where you needed to go- desoite the path being linear. It doesn't limit the player to go and still explore around the areas, picking up upgrades you wouldn't even think you would grabbed along the way or get by accidentally sequence break to get. O recalled from faint memory of somehow grabbing the Super Missiles and Ice beam very early on in Zero mission by complete accident, which had me thinking those were the upgrades I needed for the area I was heading into. Only for me to aqcquiring more upgrades and missile tanks and whatnot, yet no where near my original objective or location I needed to go. Which made the game enjoyable; cause I can still sequence break and find these upgrades, while still having a direction to go too- yet I don't HAVE to head there. I am definitely in the minority of "Just give me a direction to go, and I will get there...eventually." mindset XD As yes I have a waypoint to follow, but I can always go there whenever I feel ready. Which I like as it gives me freedom to do what I want, and not forcing me to go there. But when it comes to important upgrades or something I NEED to progress through the game WITHOUT a waypoint? Then yeah...I am going be a bit annoyed if the game doesn't direct me to where this important upgrade is at. I don't mind exploration and finding things on my own. But if your not going to direct me to where an Important upgrade/item is at that requires me to move the plot or game forward? Then I am sorry but your going to get more frustration from the players than satisfaction. At least only for 'important items and upgrades.' At least have them ark and I can go there anytime I want, in case I have used up everything in my current hand and utensil that's preventing me from searching for more hidden items.
Dread is a better Fusion, but Fusion does some stuff really well. The SA-X is well implemented, as it’s a dark representation of what the player usually is by the end of the game. It’s like facing Red by the end of Pokémon Gen 2.
I can agree with that. For a while fusion was my favorite metroid because of its atmosphere, story and fun bosses but dread took all of that and improved on it while also combining elements of samus returns. God I love metroid dread
Dread is not a better fusion. Dread just looks so steril and bland and boring with its 3D while the 16bit pixel art and spritework in Super Metroid and especially Fusion are just gorgeous and so varied
@@danhalo1405 idk man, dread is flashy as hell and the characterization of samus just by her stances and interactions with the bosses makes me adore the graphics.
I think Fusion still beats it by the tiniest amount. I love Dread a lot. But there are a few nitpicks I have with it that I felt were either unnecessary or cumbersome. Like, the Energy Parts, why do those exist? They aren't nearly as satisfying to find as full Energy Tanks. And what's even weirder is they also have Missile+ packs that give you more missiles per pickup. Like, I think they could have replaced every Energy Part and Missile+ pack with either a full Energy Tank or a standard Missile pack, and make the standard missile packs +5 like before. I'd like to think it's not just because that's how the previous games worked and I'm a nostalgia whore, it just makes each upgrade feel more substantial. I also think Power Bombs should have been accessible earlier on considering how many areas you are forced to skip past that require them. It's the same problem I have with Zero Mission, though not as severe. That's really all I can think of though as for complaints. But compared to Fusion, a game that to me is borderline perfect, I just can't call it better. Super and Fusion are two of my all time favorite games, it would have taken a miracle for Dread to surpass them. That's not to say I'm disappointed with Dread, oh hell no. I never expected it to compete with those masterpieces at all, but it came really close. It's a damn impressive game.
A million people are gonna bring this up regarding Fusion's localization but it should be clarified that the ones cloning the Metroid for research are said to be a rogue faction of the Galactic Federation. That detail is only in the Japanese version and was lost in translation. Will it matter in the grand scheme of things? Probably not since the Feds are pretty dumb, but I feel that needs to be pointed out. I recommend watching this video regarding the localization of Other M since it too was pretty bad (which was still Sakamoto's fault just to make a distinction here), and the Fusion bit is mentioned here which is how I'm even aware of it. I'm not trying to change your mind. Other M deserves a lot of criticism, but I feel this needs to be signal boosted so a conversation can be had. Oh and the infamous Ridley scene wasn't supposed to be a PTSD attack but one step at a time here. ua-cam.com/video/KTuMfsWwd0E/v-deo.html
@@harlannguyen4048 something about the overlying theme of her "being childish" and not overcoming it until it was too late. Was it written well? No, but I think we need to stop labeling it as a PTSD scare because that isn't fair to people who do suffer from it. The video explains it better than I ever could, but this isn't a defense of the scene but rather a correction, since I think labeling it how it is now does more harm than the scene already has done with her character.
I mean if the GF was as corrupt as EN fusion was portraying it to be, I doubt Samus would still be doing jobs for them as shown in dread's intro ether because she would be on the run or just from a moral standpoint.
@@RoboticEdward I agree about the sentiment of people making things seem worse than they ought to be but even that description of the scene doesn't sound fitting chronologically. Samus already had a huge reaction like that in the manga and had a whole ordeal of overcoming it so even still at this point of the timeline it doesn't make much sense to me. That said, I do think people are a tad ruthless and quick to shit on other m these days from its reputation and just everything surrounding it
Fusion was my first Metroid. I remember picking it up at a friends house when I was like 5. The game scared me shitless constantly, but I loved how around every corner there was always some new event or crazy boss to keep me going, and the linear scturcture helped with that, as I never got lost and never wanted to stop playing because of it. Fusion is a very important game for me, love it to bits.
That "Mongoose DNA" joke doesn't ENTIRELY work if we're being honest. The mongoose itself is immune to the snake venom and eats snakes, but it doesn't feed off of snake venom. The X-parasite itself is a group of parasite organisms that latch onto another organism, and feed off of it. The Metroid is not only immune to the X-parasite, but also eats the Parasites as they attempt to attack like they're the venom, in the only way they can. With that said, the reference to the SGB playthrough, where Greg made the same joke, put a smile on me.
The Game Boy Advance was capable of pulling off some really fancy stuff, and Metroid Fusion, despite its more linear structure, is no exception. It's even got a nice little bonus if you connect Fusion to Prime 1.
You're absolutely right. There are some games on the GBA that prove it was more than just a handheld Super Nintendo... Those games might not have played all that well, But back then, I didn't think it was possible for 3D games to be on such a tiny handheld console...
Playing Prime with the Fusion suit is just peak fanservice and I’m 100% here for it. Every time I replay Prime, I have to use the Fusion suit. It’s just so incredible seeing it in 3D
@@Da_ComputerMonster unfortunately, while the DS was backwards compatible to the GBA, it wasn't backwards compatible to the Game Boy (Color) games, which was why I held on to my GBA.
Yeah it's really weird that the original Metroid II is the only game where the Ice Beam can't hurt the evolved Metroids. They were so quick to retcon it, not just in Fusion but also in Samus Returns.
8:50 Interestingly enough that whole putting mongoose DNA into after getting a Cobra bite is actually the origin of the Marvel Superhero the Whizzer, who is a low leveled speedster and was one of the many fake parents of the scarlet witch and quick silver.
I fucking love this game. Nearly twenty years old, and it's not aged a day. IMO, despite the linearity, this has the best bosses, pacing, story, and atmosphere of any 2D Metroid game, and definitely my favourite. (pre-2021, that is. Still not fully made up my mind on Dread)
Played this game a year or two ago and I absolutely loved it! Found a couple of bosses hard, like Nightmare, and I found certain techniques to be kinda screwy, but I had a fun time despite the linearity. It was somewhat refreshing to see not just how they implemented Super’s formula into the GBA but also new threats that, you know, weren’t Metroids. Also, if Johnny somehow reads this, I kinda wanted to apologize from that one comment on that one Game Theory video. Not only did I keep saying to myself about the theory itself, “That can’t be right. There’s no way at all that it’s even possible,” without yet playing the game, but I also but that connotation of seeing you as “the Sonic guy,” which wasn’t right.
The more I think about it, the more Fusion feels like an anniversary title, referencing almost every element from older games in some way. That's one of the most amazing parts of Fusion in my opinion
My first Metroid game, and it scared the pants off me! Finally got passed that one SA-X chase when my mom was driving me home in broad daylight. Game almost seemed silly in that moment, but playing alone at night with the sound up, that part had me shaking in my boots! To this day Fusion is my go to example of how to make a sequel linear and take advantage of it. If you're not gonna open the game up, then use the strict path to craft set pieces and pull the rug out on the player every step of the way. Fusion does that masterfully in my opinion. My second favorite in the series behind Super. Love this game.
This is an awesome game, it is my favourite game in the Metroid series and may be my most favourite game of all time. I remember the first time I played it I got lost and then put it down, then one day I picked it back up again and found out where to go. From then on I was hooked and completed the whole game that week. That feeling of finding out your next destination is always amazing in Metroid games and does it so well here even though it shows you where to go, it's still amazing
Even though it’s been a while since I last played it Fusion was my favourite & one I’d always go back to. The graphics, music, atmosphere & controls just clicked with me.
First video I watched on your channel was the SGB review of fusion when it was months old. Here we are now. It’s great to have been on this journey with you Johnny. Keep playing Metroid forever. You are the best on UA-cam when it comes to it. Thanks for being a great creator for over ten years 🙏
one detail i absolutely love in this game is the Ice Xs. At first they attack you kamikaze style to hurt you with their cold temperature, but once you get the armor upgrade and they begin heal you... well, the cool thing is that at first they keep ramming into you, but after a bit they realize it's not working anymore and start behaving like regular x's... But the cool part is that the longer you keep avoiding them the longer they take to realize it's not working. That makes them so reactive to what you do, it's so cool
Metroid Fusion was not my first Metroid game, but is my absolute favorite. I love everything from the design to the sound to the world building. It's truly the creepiest game, and I love that everything about it seems like a nightmare. If it wasn't for Dread I would be happy to believe the Fusion didn't actually happen and instead was some purgatory/coma nightmare that Samus was having.
In some ways, it's a good thing your taking your time getting to the Dread review. I just finished my Second play-through, and I'm Still finding out new things about it that the community is just being Awesome about. And Speedruns? Damn You all are talented. ...I'm gonna have to do a speedrun myself for completion sake. oooo boy.
For completion's sake, you don't even have to use speedrun strats. The game plays quick enough that you can go sub-4 hours just going point to point. Though sequence breaking is hella fun in Dread so by all means do it.
I remember when I watched the SGB Review for Fusion almost 10 years ago, and decided to give it a go with keyboard controls, my hands hurt like hell. Went back to it later with a controller and yeah, this is definitely in my top 3 Metroid games. The atmosphere and tone are just so on point, and the game is very kinetic and fun. Playing this game is what got me to play the original Metroid, and now the rest of the series, and now I'm a genuine Metroid fan. So thanks for reviewing the game back then, otherwise I might've never gotten into this series.
I *LOVE* Metroid Fusion's atmosphere. And the music and sound design. All the bosses SCREAMING at you at all times are straight out of horror, but it also sounds like so much furious agony from you hitting them so fast and hard. Except for Nightmare. Fuck that thing. I have not played Samus Returns or Dread yet, but Fusion is right now my favorite 2D Metroid. Wasn't my first, but definitely my favorite. Ridley's scream still sets my hairs straight up. And the SA-X's foot falls haunt me. Love it so much.
This game was my very first Metroid game I played. I have a soft spot for the design of the Fusion Suit; especially the arm cannon and spikes on the other arm
I respect Fusion for what it did. It went all in on atmosphere and I loved the narrative, and the OST is up there as one of my favourites in the series, but I won't lie. It's easily my least favourite of the 2D entries that I've played (which is all except OG1/2). I just really missed the sense of exploration that the games I played prior, namely Zero Mission, Super, and even Samus Returns, provided. But in the end, that's just me. It's easy to see why people love the game so much, it just wasn't for me personally. But as I said, I'll always respect it for what it tried to do, and it helped lay the foundation for Zero Mission, which I absolutely adore.
I feel like the reason there's so many Power Bombs in this game is because Super Missiles might've been planned to be their own separate slot like before, but it was cut and just changed to an upgrade, but they didn't wanna get rid of all the rooms they had planned for it, so they just decided to make all of them Power Bombs.
8:52 I don’t know what’s more ridiculous; the fact that “getting injected with mongoose DNA to treat a snake bite” is the actual backstory of a Marvel character named The Whizzer, or the fact that I can recite that information off the top of my head.
I still remember watching your AM2R and Federation Force reviews years back and i always wanted to try the metroid series but never knew where to start. It wasn't untill you recommended Zero Mission and Fusion for newcomers, so i got my GBA emulator and a rom of Fusion because it was the one that poke my interest the most out of the 2. And here i am years later, and im very happy to say this is my favorite title by a long shot. So i thank you John, for getting me curious and into an amazing series.
Along with Metroid Dread, now we can play Metroid Fusion on March 9th, 2023 on the Nintendo Switch, as well as Metroid Prime Remastered which is an incredible remaster. But you probably already knew that...
I always figured it was implied that BSL installed an AI with Adam's virtual consciousness on Samus' ship on purpose, sorta like it was the only federation person who had a relationship with her so it was the only AI that would make sense to give to her.
Fusion is still my favorite Metroid title. While I think I did have the NES original first, this was the game that really hooked me. It was the first game I got with my GBA, and I enjoy it on a regular basis to this day. Well spoken, Johnny, you did it justice.
Oh, nice timing, just as I get home from work and open youtube to look for something to watch, this pops up! My favorite UA-camr talking about my favorite Metroid!
I envy your thorough detail lol Excellent work as always, Johnny! It's been really nice seeing you take another crack at several reviews I've watched a lot over the years, cause it's easy to see just how much you've grown into your own with your analysis, critique and style. It's like hearing you discuss these games for the very first time. Keep up the great work, man! And I'll see you next mission ;)
8:45 I don’t think it’s weird at all. Let’s say a Metroid was asleep, and an X parasite was attempting to infect it. The Metroid’s immune system would keep it from getting infected. Plus, this is Sci-Fi, the same type of Sci-Fi that would later give us Cave Johnson talking about Mantis Men after test subjects got injected with Mantis DNA. I don’t question this stuff, period.
I literally just finished replaying through this game on my old GBA SP today, and I can confirm, this game feels wonderful on an actual handheld. Would highly recommend.
Man honestly I’ve been a fan since the SGB days John and it amazes me all these years later you can captivate and retell your opinions and have it be just as entertaining if not more . I love it when you redo a review and it’s amazing to see how much growth you’ve had as a creator .
The Wii U is the best way to play Fusion. And Zero Mission. And the Prime trilogy. And basically most of the Metroid franchise. The Wii U is massively underrated.
To add to this, the composers are Minako Hamano and Akira Fujiwara. Fusion was Fujiwara's first time composing (in fact, he went on to compose music for Super Princess Peach), but Hamano was involved with Link's Awakening before she worked on Super Metroid with Kenji Yamamoto (before going on to Zero Mission and Prime 3, and sound coordination with Dread). She composed the ambience for the research station, the wrecked ship, maridia, the boss battle themes, tourian's theme and the ending theme. In Fusion's case, I believe these two composed every song in this game together. Edit: additional possibly needless details.
Same thing happened to my brother at 4:40, he was on the bus which was mostly full and the fight starts with Ridley X, he roars and a ton of people look back not knowing where it came from!
One thing I really missed from Fusion in Dread is bosses changing colors the more you damage them. Not only was it a great detail to give you a sense of the fight's progression, but damn was it grotesque and terrifying in the best way possible.
9:08 The suit changes to what Samus is, it is organomietallic and that's why it can be as powerful as it was in Zero Mission and Super, it evolves with Samus (Pre-Metroid Dread knowledge BTW so no spoilers here)
To give an answer on the new helmet thing, based on what we’ve seen in metroid fusion and later dread, the power suit seems to be 4 layers of armor starting at the zero suit, biological computing and nerves system reader, light armor/suit musculature armament baseline (this is most of the fusion suit layer, but it’s clear some even THIS was cut away as we see in dread) then finally the layer we all know and love, heavy armaments/armor/shielding with a few components link to the previous layer. All of this tends to be modular to fit the weirder down to the genetic level. So naturally when Samus got the metroid injection her suit reconfigured itself fit her new dna profile, hence the metroid attributes we see in the suit including the helmet.
@@darkcloak100 Dread is a game that looks like a mobile game and that is in 3D but it is played as if it were in 2D and that is lazy. Emulation is the way.
I still have yet to jump into a Metroid game outside of Zero Mission, but seeing this review of Fusion so far, almost makes me want to go after this next.
Fun fact: Fusion's translation was a bit borked. The original Japanese made sure to explain that the Federation is HEAVILY factionalized. The reason why there isn't much problem with Samus destroying the Metroid and X Parasite research program at the station is because the part of the Federation behind it is just one faction. The wider Federation have no real ill will toward her and the bad faction doesn't have enough sway to fuck with her. The English translation didn't get that explanation across which is why it seems like the plotline just vanished at the start of Dread.
Ohhhh shit so thats why lmao
If there was one part i felt was weird about dread was how it was just not brought up and it was just like "yea we're cool again"
Ah. That, that explains everything....
That's kind of disappointing actually. Even if it's just one faction, I'd think that faction could still spin the story in a way that made Samus look like a terrorist. And the federation being an antagonist group with Samus as a fugitive always felt like a cool idea.
Also, doesn't that mean the faction behind the Meteroid and X duplication got off scot free? Replicating these things to be biological weapons is the type of thing Umbrella from Resident Evil was trying to do. It's horrendous when you consider what these creatures do, yet we never get to stick it to the people behind this idea.
Wow that clears it up. I was wondering why Samus wasn't on the run a the start of Dread...
Thanks, I was wondering why Samus was receiving missions like nothing had happened.
If anyone's wondering how I achieved the GBA filter effect in the video. I actually turned the raw footage into a GBA-Video ROM that can run on actual hardware and then sent it back so it could be recorded in mGBA for a full loop. It's the second time I've done this little experiment for funzies.
I like your funny words, Magic Man.
Nintendo recently released the official GB and GBA emulator for the Switch. There is a trailer with Metroid Fusion on the official Nintendo UA-cam channel, the video is called "Metroid Fusion - Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Switch Online". Is the color palette correct there?
Fun fact: the SA-X can't chase you in the places you showed because it can't ledge grab.
SA-X for next Smash?
The power of... the power grip.
C-can’t it space jump?
@@SilverBen2000 A comment that Samus makes about the SA-X is that it doesn't realize it's true potential, and fears what would happens if it did.
@@SilverBen2000 Yes, but since most of the hiding places are behind one block tall hallways it doesn't help.
Now if it could bomb jump that would be game over.
This was my first proper Metroid that I played when I was probably 9. I would also play Prime at a friend's house around the same time but this would be the Metroid that'd I'd spend the most time with for quite a while. While very linear and a bit long winded at points, Fusion is what a story focused Metroid should be and introduced a lot of cool elements that Other M would sadly botch in the future. Thankfully Dread would eventually pick up those pieces well enough. The X are hands down the best "force of nature" antagonist in the series (compared to Metroids and Phazon which while still good, don't go quite as far.) and they're also one of my personal favorite antagonists in fiction in general.
hi, person i recognize.
@@100billionsubscriberswithn4 hello! Wait, wrong person :P
this was my first proper Metroid at 9 too!! I remember playing the "SA-X" game with my brother which is basically hide and seek fused with tag, with an imaginary ice beam lol. Fusion was so scary back then too I remember the SA-X reveal and almost pissing myself, this game made me a gamer and Metroid fan for life.
Always cool to see you here. Love your channel as well
Me too, this was my introduction to the series. Since this game had no run button, I got stuck for ages at the noob bridge
I actually like Samus' inner monologues in the elevator: I get why they didn't bring it back for Dread, but I kinda wish they did
I really would have loved to know what Samus was thinking during all the shit that is happening on ZDR.... _ESPECIALLY_ when *_[SPOILER ALERT!!!]_*
...Raven Beak releases all the X parasites that were quarantined in Elun.
@@esmooth919
_Boy it feels like I was flying for years, but it’s only been a few months, time sure is weird like that, my new biology seems to have settled, but I can’t shake the feeling that something inside of me is looking to break out........AI Adam also didn’t refer to me as lady, I wonder why_
@@TheKpa11 I actually prefer her saying nothing. [SPOILER]
It makes the moment that she DOES speak more impactful.
I wish the last elevator had a Samus inner monologue, since it is the only classic metroid elevator in the game.
I was disappointed when I heard she only spoke once in Dread. I like hearing Samus talk and get her thoughts. Both in this game and Other M.
Also, cool little detail:
Ice X Parasite home towards you before you get the Varia suit, After you get and the first gets absorbed, they start fleeing like other X parasites.
They usually should but I think I broke them last time 'cause they didn't give a fuck about the Varia Suit and just came straight for me or moved confused in the air.
The first Ice X you see after getting the Varia Suit actually still home in on you, probably still unaware you can now just eat them
Hmm juicy
@@ZenoDLC I think in that same room if you stall long enough they begin to run away after you absorb a few
I played the game for the first time recently and noticed this as well. Super cool detail.
With the Metroid DNA “vaccine,” I’d think of it more like a gene edit and not an actual vaccine. The Metroid have a genetic characteristic that makes them immune to X-parasite infection. The funny thing is your mongoose snake example is a very apt analogy. Mongoose have a genetic mutation that makes them immune to snake venom and theoretically could be used in combination with a gene editor like CRISPR to give people immunity as well. Also the lore answer for the SA-X not being able to find Samus behind the wall is it cannot grab ledges due to the heavier suit, similar to Super Metroid. It’s also why the power grip is in Zero Mission.
I imagine it’s called vaccine cause gene editing wasn’t known by many
Yeah. That Trav Guy referred to it as CRISPR in his review, which is exactly right.
The ledge grabbing thing explains the ‘forward and backwards’ spot, but the other spot he noted has plenty of space for the SA-X to just jump through, no reason to grab the ledge. It has the space jump, and I think it can jump high enough to get over that wall with just 1 jump anyway.
@@Dash123456789Brawl well considering what we saw with the Chozo elder in Dread, maybe the Power Suit had a little bit of Samus' personality and survival instincts that directly related to Samus herself? I mean, it does try to save her from the Omega Metroid, so maybe it was the suit trying to limit the X from fully using everything? I dunno, it's such a stretch, Mr. Fantastic would dislocate his shoulder reaching for it, but it's something to think about
@@game84cube lol yeah, I dunno.
I’ve always chosen to believe that the SA-X had no intention of saving Samus, it just flew into a frenzy on spotting the Omega Metroid. The other part, giving Samus the upgrades was (speculatively) explained by Adam want it?
IIRC Adam said something like it knew it wouldn’t be able to survive at that point without fusing with something, so it fused with the only compatible life-form that it could reach.
18:18 to be fair, the Omega being weak to the Ice Beam could be one of those rare moments the Federation actually have a brain, since they could have deliberately added that just in case their homegrown Metroids got out of control
That's a good point, I never thought of it that way, I thought it was just a retcon
In a way, I’m thankful that Fusion is as linear as it is. If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t have lended itself to such unsettling setpieces and unique atmosphere that set it apart from its predecessors at the time. We wouldn’t have the SA-X encounters, for example, if the game wasn’t structured the way it is.
I definitely wouldn’t want all the games to use it as a template, but as it’s own solitary experience, it’s a damn good game and it managed to shake up the formula even after following up Super, which was not an enviable task.
The Fusion gameplay loop would later be expanded upon and refined in Zero Mission and especially Dread, but it was this game that laid the groundwork to begin with.
Hell, we might not have even gotten Dread without it, seeing as Mercury Steam originally came to work on Samus Returns because of their Fusion remake pitch (their love of this game in particular definitely shows in Dread btw)
I dunno. I think they *could* have struck a better balance, allowing for more exploration without sacrificing the better set piece moments entirely.
@@willmistretta that’s what Zero Mission and Dread did, they took what Fusion accomplished and expanded/refined it
You're everywhere.
@@100billionsubscriberswithn4 I thought he was the flame of udūn
Really hope fusion get that remake chance it deserves. The team have showed their craft and what better way to cap it off by remaking the game that inspired them in the first place.
So a fun fact about the ending of Metroid Fusion: It was revealed recently, around when Dread was about to be/already released, the translation was actually over-simplified and omitted a lot of details. This included the mention of a splinter group within the Federation conducting illegal bioweapon experiments, and they basically wanted to stop Samus so they can keep their hands on those precious living murder machines. Absolutely nothing like what we got in the actual game where it sounded like Samus was going to be branded a Space Pirate. Don't worry, she was never going to be in trouble in the first place, there was just a lot of stuff lost in translation.
I love learning this Metroid details and lore.
Wow, considering what I heard about Japanese Other M, it seems like whoever keeps localizing Metroid games outright hates the *ENTIRE* Federation cause they keep implicating THE WHOLE THING as complicit in the whole Metroid deal.
@@UltimaKeyMasteridk about Other M but in this game is due to memory limitations on GBA which made them to simplify the translation as a result
@@kratosgow342 somehow I feel like something similar happened to other m, as it apparently had so much memory that they had to corner cut the movie so it could fit in the dual layer disc.
Honestly would have preferred it not to be a splinter faction. It would have been waaaaaaaaay more interesting if Samus actually ended up being branded a criminal.
One of the best parts of Fusion's sound design imo is the Plasma Beam. "Crunchy" isn't quite the word for it, but how it just tears through enemies is conveyed really well purely from the shot sound and the buzzing it makes when it rips through them. It's so good.
Yeah that "GRGKRKGRKGKRK" as it crunches through Nightmare, so good
I think crunchy is as good as any to describe it.
Which is what makes me disappointed in the beam sounds in Dread. I hate how cartoonish and/or lackluster the beam shots sound. I wish they sounded powerful like they do in Fusion.
@@FannyPackMan100 they sound better than Samus Returns (I like the Diffusion explosion sound) but yeah you're right. surprisingly Other M had really good beam noises
@@samquik I have to disagree - at least with the Plasma Beam. I think it sounds way better in Samus Returns than in Dread. It actually sounds powerful and memorable in Samus Returns. In dread the Plasma Beam sounds kinda forgettable, unfortunately. Although, I wonder if it is because how how fast you can spam the beam in that game. Maybe they had to tone it down because of that very fact. Btw, I was talking originally about the Plasma Beam from Fusion.
The scariest Metroid imo. I loved the ambience in this game, the SA-X hunting you is always tense
omandos baby chile
Honestly I'd love a Prime esque 3D remake style of it like with RE 2/3, and have the SA-X as a constant random threat like Mr. X with some scripted and some random encounters. Would make it absolutely HORRIFYING to walk up to a door and hear the heavy suit footsteps and go "You know what, nah, we'll wait a bit and explore what I already have unlocked for a while"
Metroid dread exist
@@angelvillegas9604 Read the "imo" part again. Might make more sense to you on a second go
@@Bankai2169 pixels aren't scary compared to today's graphics
I find the linear, "go here next" structure is justified by the game being handheld. Imaging only getting to play 10 minutes or so at a time and then nothing for maybe a couple days. As a kid, I definitely appreciate that little yellow dot.
It was also explicitely made for newcomers: Sakamoto's goal was to reach new people and "teach" them the basics of Metroid as a whole, something he did again for Zero Mission a few years later.
I have to say it had worked like a charm on me! This was my first game of the series, which turned out to probably be my favorite series as a whole 20 years later.
@@LinkyHYC As a Metroid newcomer who started with Fusion, I'd say Sakamoto succeeded with flying colors.
@@LinkyHYC it was pretty difficult to get by in some cases, but for the most part, it was a hell of a game. It gets much better when you know what to do after you beat it to get a better time
I actually appreciate that approach even now as an adult. I have kids, a full-time job, and I go to school. I don’t have time to explore every single tiny nook and cranny to make forward progression in the story - - I prefer the game just tell me “go here and do this.“ That way I can go do that and move on to whatever other necessary thing I have to do in the day. I don’t have time or patience for non-linear games like Super Metroid. I tend to put only a couple hours into games like that before putting them down for extended periods of time.
@@jeffreyali1456 Zero Mission was harder than Fusion ever was. I remember being downright frustrated with some of those shinesparks.
I lost it when Johnny used "Forward and Back" again for the SA-X being dumb. 🤣
The EMMI sections in dread were tense, but SA-X was straight up terrifying, especially when you first encounter it
Yeah as cool as the EMMIs were at first, the instadeath mechanic REALLY overstayed its welcome. I became less scared that I was gonna die and more scared I was gonna have to replay the segment 5+ times just to get where I (potentially) need to go.
@@SilverHairedFreak25 be that as it may, the EMMI still have the SA-X(ophone) beat by a wide margin, just due to their intelligence alone. Even if you can counter them to get away, they're still scary as shit.
SA-X even featured in Dread's intro as if to say "REMEMBER THIS???"
@@abloogywoogywoo Those soulless, blank eyes... in HD.
I understand that, but I like the EMMI because they are a constant threat once you enter those rooms. Once you see the segments for the SA-X it’s never scary again.
Still love the game tho. It was my first Metroid game I’ve beaten. I started the game when I heard the announcement for Dread and beat it later
YES!!! Nothing makes my day like Johnny reviewing a Metroid game!
then you must have a pretty shallow life my nonfriend
@@caerxhan8313 Says the person who also watched Johnny reviewing a Metroid game.
@@caerxhan8313 Naaaah, I have a job and my own place. Don't project your own shallow insecurities onto others! 😉
@@uspresdientcentral heh, as if a video upload would make my day, cheer up fellows and do something with your day
@@caerxhan8313 Consider taking your own advice instead of weirdly trying to pick a fight! You have a good day, and I hope things get better for you.
Had to drop EVERYTHING. Johnny reviewing my favorite game again is a priority.
Also Johnny said he likes me what a time to be alive
Same. Mom's eulogy can wait!
14:02 I love that this is a recurring meme on this channel. You're the man John!
Is it a parody of a particular song?
@@harlannguyen4048 It's one of the Alexander boss theme from ff14 ua-cam.com/video/ULRTwOMwLoA/v-deo.html
Alexander's themes are pretty wild : ua-cam.com/video/UhDvQIqEkuI/v-deo.html
I don't remember whether I finished this or Prime 1 first, but incidentally I ended up playing them both around the same time...like 10 years late. But like John said, after I bet this one I started slowly but surely making my way back through the rest! Although I played 2 next, so my order is all sorts of screwed up...
What a *Screw attack*
After hearing "forward and back" again we need an album.
John Carpenter's Metroid is my favorite game in the franchise.
*[The Synths kick in]*
@@Da_ComputerMonster Dun-dun..... dun-dun... dun-dun....
and now we have EMMIs in Dread which are basically Terminators. Unstoppable machines with red eyes that are all specifically after Samus cause of what she has inside her. I love that Metroid (at least the 2D games) is slowly but surly turning into this homage of Sci Fi horror in general not just Alien. Now I need to see Samus take on this universe's equivalent of The Predator
@@SpikeJet2736
*Looking at Sylux*
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Ayyy
Insane to think we’ve finally got a sequel to this game nearly 2 decades later .
And it is awesome!
@@ForrestFox626 Nope.
Too bad the sequel sucks.
@@ramonandrajo6348 Nah
@@ramonandrajo6348 Nah, its amazing. Cope and seethe, societal reject.
To this day it’s my favorite Metroid game. The dialogue might not be to everyone’s taste, but every word Adam says is providing new information, or foreshadowing something to come later.
It’s because of the writing that the X are so terrifying, as they continue to evolve and grow smarter as they take more and more drastic measures to stop Samus.
Dialogue in Fusion is still better than Other M
@@ForrestFox626 Other M is just Diet Fusion and you can't convince me otherwise.
@@SilverHairedFreak25 Not even. It's just an inferior game overall
@@ForrestFox626 You mean the English or Japanese version?
@@ramonandrajo6348 Doesn't really matter. It plays nowhere near as well as Fusion and lacks real difficulty or intrigue. Story aside, Other M is just a weak Metroid game. Story included, it feels like a direct insult to the franchise and fanbase.
Fusion was the first game that legit scared me. Even this day, playing it is difficult. The atmosphere is just unsettling and perfectly crafted. And it's a GBA game for crying out loud.
I have similar feelings about the original Metroid on the NES, but that's probably because I was way too young when I was watching my cousin play that game. Tourian was nightmare fuel for 4yo me.
No ocarina of time?
@@kevinvu5432 more like Majora’s Mask
@@JumpyKaput majora mask is unsettling. But ocarina of time flat-out scared me. The shadow temple and the dungeon underneath the well were very scary.
@@kevinvu5432 fair enough
15:51 actually, i think the first red flag is Nightmare. Adam explicitly states it’s a military bioweapon that’s powerful enough to destroy the BSL.
Yes, but they didn’t say who made it so you could wave it off as it being another military’s weapon *cough* science team *cough*. Not to mention we had already encountered the box security synthoid earlier, so it wasn’t entirely unexpected. I personally believe that the first red flag was the ridley corpse…How did they even get it, it was melted by lava. That was the thought that first cross my mind. Then I watched other m and found out the answer.
@@michielkudova3887 ohhh yeah very true
The first red flag is the Frozen Ridley which you can encounter within the first few minutes of the game. The second red flag is Sector 1 SR388.
Ah, love the call back to the SGB let's play when you mentioned injecting Mongoose DNA at 8:51.
"If I got bitten by a snake I don't think a Mongoose dna injection would save my life."
Maybe so, but if it was a Space Mongoose on the other hand...
Remember when due to a mistranslation, we all thought that Samus would spend the game after as a fugitive on the run?
Yep! That's partly why I hope we get a Fusion remake. Just so they can undo that unresolved, accidental ploy point...
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I had a feeling it was a rogue faction for a while now
Wait that was a mistranslation?
So what actually happened? Because for a time, I really did think Samus was going to be a fugitive.
@@esmooth919 the breeding program was actually the work of a splinter group within the Gal feds, not the federation itself
Shout out to the original Fusion review for inspiring me to try the game and get into this series.
Recently replayed Fusion myself, I definitely agree it's a great time. The fact that MercurySteam actually wanted to remake this game before Sakamoto suggested remaking Metroid 2 instead has me intrigued. I don't think Fusion NEEDS a remake, but in this now post Dread world....I don't know, I'm starting to feel interested in the idea. I enjoyed Dread so much, I'd be pretty interested to see what a remake would do coming off of Dread. I wonder if they'll ever return to the idea of a Fusion remake?
If you are going to remake Metroid Fusion to the same level of quality as Dread or Metroid 2 by Nintendo, it better not be done.
You start to get interested in the idea until you realize something
MercurySteam can implement X-ray vision on E.M.M.I.s which means that they can make SA-X have the X-ray visor
A remake of Fusion could also allow them to address the original borked localisation of Fusion.
Hopefully, MS would fix their business practices too and actually credit everyone that worked on the darn game.
The truth is, in a post-Dread world, most Metroid titles feel heavily slow, not to mention obsolete. There's not a single boss fight in the fusion and pre-fusion games that feels as good as fighting most bosses in Dread, of course, not even counting the final boss.
Truth is, considering how amazing Dread turned out, MercurySteam would make the series a favour by remaking Zero Mission, Super, and Fusion. Hell, if they add extra modes and suits, it'd be amazing. It was the only thing i found lacking in Dread.
@@nb2044 remaking super Metroid is very difficult though. Due to the fact that all the rain will always be hanging off of it like a conjoined twin
Watching this after having re-watched your original Fusion review in anticipation really highlights how much your writing has improved since then, definitely worth the wait.
Yeah Zero mission was actually my real first experience of the Metroid series and I enjoyed it. Especially as I know exploration was everything, but having an idea of where you needed to go- desoite the path being linear. It doesn't limit the player to go and still explore around the areas, picking up upgrades you wouldn't even think you would grabbed along the way or get by accidentally sequence break to get.
O recalled from faint memory of somehow grabbing the Super Missiles and Ice beam very early on in Zero mission by complete accident, which had me thinking those were the upgrades I needed for the area I was heading into. Only for me to aqcquiring more upgrades and missile tanks and whatnot, yet no where near my original objective or location I needed to go. Which made the game enjoyable; cause I can still sequence break and find these upgrades, while still having a direction to go too- yet I don't HAVE to head there.
I am definitely in the minority of "Just give me a direction to go, and I will get there...eventually." mindset XD As yes I have a waypoint to follow, but I can always go there whenever I feel ready. Which I like as it gives me freedom to do what I want, and not forcing me to go there. But when it comes to important upgrades or something I NEED to progress through the game WITHOUT a waypoint? Then yeah...I am going be a bit annoyed if the game doesn't direct me to where this important upgrade is at. I don't mind exploration and finding things on my own.
But if your not going to direct me to where an Important upgrade/item is at that requires me to move the plot or game forward? Then I am sorry but your going to get more frustration from the players than satisfaction. At least only for 'important items and upgrades.' At least have them ark and I can go there anytime I want, in case I have used up everything in my current hand and utensil that's preventing me from searching for more hidden items.
Dread is a better Fusion, but Fusion does some stuff really well. The SA-X is well implemented, as it’s a dark representation of what the player usually is by the end of the game. It’s like facing Red by the end of Pokémon Gen 2.
I can agree with that. For a while fusion was my favorite metroid because of its atmosphere, story and fun bosses but dread took all of that and improved on it while also combining elements of samus returns. God I love metroid dread
Dread is not a better fusion. Dread just looks so steril and bland and boring with its 3D while the 16bit pixel art and spritework in Super Metroid and especially Fusion are just gorgeous and so varied
@@danhalo1405 idk man, dread is flashy as hell and the characterization of samus just by her stances and interactions with the bosses makes me adore the graphics.
@@danhalo1405 You sure about that…? Because even though it’s not pixelated i find Dread to be a friggin GORGEOUS game
I think Fusion still beats it by the tiniest amount. I love Dread a lot. But there are a few nitpicks I have with it that I felt were either unnecessary or cumbersome. Like, the Energy Parts, why do those exist? They aren't nearly as satisfying to find as full Energy Tanks. And what's even weirder is they also have Missile+ packs that give you more missiles per pickup. Like, I think they could have replaced every Energy Part and Missile+ pack with either a full Energy Tank or a standard Missile pack, and make the standard missile packs +5 like before. I'd like to think it's not just because that's how the previous games worked and I'm a nostalgia whore, it just makes each upgrade feel more substantial. I also think Power Bombs should have been accessible earlier on considering how many areas you are forced to skip past that require them. It's the same problem I have with Zero Mission, though not as severe. That's really all I can think of though as for complaints. But compared to Fusion, a game that to me is borderline perfect, I just can't call it better. Super and Fusion are two of my all time favorite games, it would have taken a miracle for Dread to surpass them.
That's not to say I'm disappointed with Dread, oh hell no. I never expected it to compete with those masterpieces at all, but it came really close. It's a damn impressive game.
A million people are gonna bring this up regarding Fusion's localization but it should be clarified that the ones cloning the Metroid for research are said to be a rogue faction of the Galactic Federation. That detail is only in the Japanese version and was lost in translation. Will it matter in the grand scheme of things? Probably not since the Feds are pretty dumb, but I feel that needs to be pointed out. I recommend watching this video regarding the localization of Other M since it too was pretty bad (which was still Sakamoto's fault just to make a distinction here), and the Fusion bit is mentioned here which is how I'm even aware of it. I'm not trying to change your mind. Other M deserves a lot of criticism, but I feel this needs to be signal boosted so a conversation can be had. Oh and the infamous Ridley scene wasn't supposed to be a PTSD attack but one step at a time here. ua-cam.com/video/KTuMfsWwd0E/v-deo.html
If it wasn't supposed to be a PTSD attack, then what is it?
@@harlannguyen4048 something about the overlying theme of her "being childish" and not overcoming it until it was too late. Was it written well? No, but I think we need to stop labeling it as a PTSD scare because that isn't fair to people who do suffer from it. The video explains it better than I ever could, but this isn't a defense of the scene but rather a correction, since I think labeling it how it is now does more harm than the scene already has done with her character.
I mean if the GF was as corrupt as EN fusion was portraying it to be, I doubt Samus would still be doing jobs for them as shown in dread's intro ether because she would be on the run or just from a moral standpoint.
@@ShiroZerotheDragoon Exactly this. It'd be a plot hole, but a plot hole only for English speakers.
@@RoboticEdward I agree about the sentiment of people making things seem worse than they ought to be but even that description of the scene doesn't sound fitting chronologically. Samus already had a huge reaction like that in the manga and had a whole ordeal of overcoming it so even still at this point of the timeline it doesn't make much sense to me. That said, I do think people are a tad ruthless and quick to shit on other m these days from its reputation and just everything surrounding it
The results screen ost for fusion really is a haunting melody.
Real fun to finally hear how Johnny feels about Fusion, also was surprised at the bits of FFXIV that appeared
Fusion was my first Metroid. I remember picking it up at a friends house when I was like 5. The game scared me shitless constantly, but I loved how around every corner there was always some new event or crazy boss to keep me going, and the linear scturcture helped with that, as I never got lost and never wanted to stop playing because of it. Fusion is a very important game for me, love it to bits.
That "Mongoose DNA" joke doesn't ENTIRELY work if we're being honest. The mongoose itself is immune to the snake venom and eats snakes, but it doesn't feed off of snake venom. The X-parasite itself is a group of parasite organisms that latch onto another organism, and feed off of it. The Metroid is not only immune to the X-parasite, but also eats the Parasites as they attempt to attack like they're the venom, in the only way they can. With that said, the reference to the SGB playthrough, where Greg made the same joke, put a smile on me.
The Game Boy Advance was capable of pulling off some really fancy stuff, and Metroid Fusion, despite its more linear structure, is no exception. It's even got a nice little bonus if you connect Fusion to Prime 1.
You're absolutely right. There are some games on the GBA that prove it was more than just a handheld Super Nintendo... Those games might not have played all that well, But back then, I didn't think it was possible for 3D games to be on such a tiny handheld console...
Playing Prime with the Fusion suit is just peak fanservice and I’m 100% here for it. Every time I replay Prime, I have to use the Fusion suit. It’s just so incredible seeing it in 3D
@@jaretco6423 Got a DS? DS Lite?
BOOM;
GBA games with BACKLIGHT. (That can be cycled through a preferred setting.)
@@Da_ComputerMonster unfortunately, while the DS was backwards compatible to the GBA, it wasn't backwards compatible to the Game Boy (Color) games, which was why I held on to my GBA.
Good retcon on the part of Samus Returns: the Ice Beam hurts Metroid Evolutions in that.
Yeah it's really weird that the original Metroid II is the only game where the Ice Beam can't hurt the evolved Metroids. They were so quick to retcon it, not just in Fusion but also in Samus Returns.
Firmly in my top 5 favorite games of all time, so glad to see you cover it once again. Also the reference to Greg's Mongoose DNA bit was a great touch
8:50 Interestingly enough that whole putting mongoose DNA into after getting a Cobra bite is actually the origin of the Marvel Superhero the Whizzer, who is a low leveled speedster and was one of the many fake parents of the scarlet witch and quick silver.
I fucking love this game. Nearly twenty years old, and it's not aged a day. IMO, despite the linearity, this has the best bosses, pacing, story, and atmosphere of any 2D Metroid game, and definitely my favourite.
(pre-2021, that is. Still not fully made up my mind on Dread)
Eh, Fusion bosses are fairly straightforward. The last 3 fights aren't even a challenge.
@@AlexaRobin21
Still best boss roster in the series lol.
Played this game a year or two ago and I absolutely loved it! Found a couple of bosses hard, like Nightmare, and I found certain techniques to be kinda screwy, but I had a fun time despite the linearity. It was somewhat refreshing to see not just how they implemented Super’s formula into the GBA but also new threats that, you know, weren’t Metroids.
Also, if Johnny somehow reads this, I kinda wanted to apologize from that one comment on that one Game Theory video. Not only did I keep saying to myself about the theory itself, “That can’t be right. There’s no way at all that it’s even possible,” without yet playing the game, but I also but that connotation of seeing you as “the Sonic guy,” which wasn’t right.
Always puts a huge grin on my face when Johnny does another Exponential Entropy bit :D
The more I think about it, the more Fusion feels like an anniversary title, referencing almost every element from older games in some way. That's one of the most amazing parts of Fusion in my opinion
My first Metroid game, and it scared the pants off me! Finally got passed that one SA-X chase when my mom was driving me home in broad daylight. Game almost seemed silly in that moment, but playing alone at night with the sound up, that part had me shaking in my boots! To this day Fusion is my go to example of how to make a sequel linear and take advantage of it. If you're not gonna open the game up, then use the strict path to craft set pieces and pull the rug out on the player every step of the way. Fusion does that masterfully in my opinion. My second favorite in the series behind Super. Love this game.
This is an awesome game, it is my favourite game in the Metroid series and may be my most favourite game of all time. I remember the first time I played it I got lost and then put it down, then one day I picked it back up again and found out where to go. From then on I was hooked and completed the whole game that week. That feeling of finding out your next destination is always amazing in Metroid games and does it so well here even though it shows you where to go, it's still amazing
I literally just finished this for the first time yesterday. I loved it
Even though it’s been a while since I last played it Fusion was my favourite & one I’d always go back to. The graphics, music, atmosphere & controls just clicked with me.
Saddened that a Prime trilogy re-review will take a while but really excited for Johnny’s Metroid Dread review.
Its like Caddicarus with not re-reviewing the spyro trilogy until he reaches 1 million subs
First video I watched on your channel was the SGB review of fusion when it was months old. Here we are now. It’s great to have been on this journey with you Johnny. Keep playing Metroid forever. You are the best on UA-cam when it comes to it. Thanks for being a great creator for over ten years 🙏
johny saying hes willing to play Metroid Prime Hunters again for us, as a fan of this channel since 2013, i felt that
one detail i absolutely love in this game is the Ice Xs. At first they attack you kamikaze style to hurt you with their cold temperature, but once you get the armor upgrade and they begin heal you... well, the cool thing is that at first they keep ramming into you, but after a bit they realize it's not working anymore and start behaving like regular x's...
But the cool part is that the longer you keep avoiding them the longer they take to realize it's not working.
That makes them so reactive to what you do, it's so cool
Metroid Fusion was not my first Metroid game, but is my absolute favorite. I love everything from the design to the sound to the world building. It's truly the creepiest game, and I love that everything about it seems like a nightmare. If it wasn't for Dread I would be happy to believe the Fusion didn't actually happen and instead was some purgatory/coma nightmare that Samus was having.
In some ways, it's a good thing your taking your time getting to the Dread review.
I just finished my Second play-through, and I'm Still finding out new things about it that the community is just being Awesome about. And Speedruns? Damn You all are talented.
...I'm gonna have to do a speedrun myself for completion sake. oooo boy.
For completion's sake, you don't even have to use speedrun strats. The game plays quick enough that you can go sub-4 hours just going point to point.
Though sequence breaking is hella fun in Dread so by all means do it.
This was my first metroid game. I loved it so much for the atmosphere and dynamic movement. Like you said, it got me hooked.
I remember when I watched the SGB Review for Fusion almost 10 years ago, and decided to give it a go with keyboard controls, my hands hurt like hell. Went back to it later with a controller and yeah, this is definitely in my top 3 Metroid games. The atmosphere and tone are just so on point, and the game is very kinetic and fun. Playing this game is what got me to play the original Metroid, and now the rest of the series, and now I'm a genuine Metroid fan. So thanks for reviewing the game back then, otherwise I might've never gotten into this series.
4:05 Ah yes, Johnny without glasses and with hair.
How times have changed.
I *LOVE* Metroid Fusion's atmosphere. And the music and sound design. All the bosses SCREAMING at you at all times are straight out of horror, but it also sounds like so much furious agony from you hitting them so fast and hard. Except for Nightmare. Fuck that thing. I have not played Samus Returns or Dread yet, but Fusion is right now my favorite 2D Metroid. Wasn't my first, but definitely my favorite.
Ridley's scream still sets my hairs straight up. And the SA-X's foot falls haunt me. Love it so much.
This game was my very first Metroid game I played. I have a soft spot for the design of the Fusion Suit; especially the arm cannon and spikes on the other arm
FFXIV Alexander's forward and back song made me smile.
I respect Fusion for what it did. It went all in on atmosphere and I loved the narrative, and the OST is up there as one of my favourites in the series, but I won't lie. It's easily my least favourite of the 2D entries that I've played (which is all except OG1/2). I just really missed the sense of exploration that the games I played prior, namely Zero Mission, Super, and even Samus Returns, provided.
But in the end, that's just me. It's easy to see why people love the game so much, it just wasn't for me personally. But as I said, I'll always respect it for what it tried to do, and it helped lay the foundation for Zero Mission, which I absolutely adore.
I feel like the reason there's so many Power Bombs in this game is because Super Missiles might've been planned to be their own separate slot like before, but it was cut and just changed to an upgrade, but they didn't wanna get rid of all the rooms they had planned for it, so they just decided to make all of them Power Bombs.
8:52
I don’t know what’s more ridiculous; the fact that “getting injected with mongoose DNA to treat a snake bite” is the actual backstory of a Marvel character named The Whizzer, or the fact that I can recite that information off the top of my head.
It's probably the latter.
I still remember watching your AM2R and Federation Force reviews years back and i always wanted to try the metroid series but never knew where to start. It wasn't untill you recommended Zero Mission and Fusion for newcomers, so i got my GBA emulator and a rom of Fusion because it was the one that poke my interest the most out of the 2. And here i am years later, and im very happy to say this is my favorite title by a long shot. So i thank you John, for getting me curious and into an amazing series.
Along with Metroid Dread, now we can play Metroid Fusion on March 9th, 2023 on the Nintendo Switch, as well as Metroid Prime Remastered which is an incredible remaster. But you probably already knew that...
14:02 Never thought I'd hear this again, because its now stuck in my head. Lovely.
I'm starting my first ever Metroid playthrough because of this marathon. I'm exciting to see the review of Zero Mission!
Ah the Metroid game that got me into series as I got it via buying the 3DS early & getting the free ambassador games
I always figured it was implied that BSL installed an AI with Adam's virtual consciousness on Samus' ship on purpose, sorta like it was the only federation person who had a relationship with her so it was the only AI that would make sense to give to her.
Been watching through some old Johnny Vs videos- now I have a new one! Perfect timing
Fusion is still my favorite Metroid title. While I think I did have the NES original first, this was the game that really hooked me. It was the first game I got with my GBA, and I enjoy it on a regular basis to this day. Well spoken, Johnny, you did it justice.
Oh, nice timing, just as I get home from work and open youtube to look for something to watch, this pops up! My favorite UA-camr talking about my favorite Metroid!
Was pretty gratifying playing Dread about 2 hours right after beating Fusion
Hearing Johnny describe how the Adam scene happened just made me think of Taming from OneShot
The wait for this was more painful than it was for Dread.
Bruh
You're out your damn mind.
Oh I mean the video, not Fusion itself.
@@shpladau yeah, I know
I envy your thorough detail lol Excellent work as always, Johnny! It's been really nice seeing you take another crack at several reviews I've watched a lot over the years, cause it's easy to see just how much you've grown into your own with your analysis, critique and style. It's like hearing you discuss these games for the very first time.
Keep up the great work, man! And I'll see you next mission ;)
14:01
For those wondering how much of a FF14 fan Johnny is. Absolute perfection! XD
I love that this song has become a running gag in his videos
I NEED the forward and back thing to be a reoccurring meme. It's so fucking good and it gets me Everytime.
8:45 I don’t think it’s weird at all.
Let’s say a Metroid was asleep, and an X parasite was attempting to infect it. The Metroid’s immune system would keep it from getting infected. Plus, this is Sci-Fi, the same type of Sci-Fi that would later give us Cave Johnson talking about Mantis Men after test subjects got injected with Mantis DNA.
I don’t question this stuff, period.
I mean...Portal 2 was released 9 years after Fusion...
@@jedimasterpickle3 Fine. I’ll adjust.
Man, your videos always take me back to before I was in high school. Your first Fusion review was the first time I ever watched your content
I literally just finished replaying through this game on my old GBA SP today, and I can confirm, this game feels wonderful on an actual handheld. Would highly recommend.
Man honestly I’ve been a fan since the SGB days John and it amazes me all these years later you can captivate and retell your opinions and have it be just as entertaining if not more . I love it when you redo a review and it’s amazing to see how much growth you’ve had as a creator .
The Wii U is the best way to play Fusion. And Zero Mission. And the Prime trilogy. And basically most of the Metroid franchise. The Wii U is massively underrated.
MGBA is
To add to this, the composers are Minako Hamano and Akira Fujiwara. Fusion was Fujiwara's first time composing (in fact, he went on to compose music for Super Princess Peach), but Hamano was involved with Link's Awakening before she worked on Super Metroid with Kenji Yamamoto (before going on to Zero Mission and Prime 3, and sound coordination with Dread). She composed the ambience for the research station, the wrecked ship, maridia, the boss battle themes, tourian's theme and the ending theme. In Fusion's case, I believe these two composed every song in this game together.
Edit: additional possibly needless details.
Johnny has review alot of Metroid games. Still remember him saying "Why yes I'm a SIMP." Best memorable saying Johnny had ever said.
Same thing happened to my brother at 4:40, he was on the bus which was mostly full and the fight starts with Ridley X, he roars and a ton of people look back not knowing where it came from!
I'm watching this in 2023 and the prime 4 release date is fucking hilarious
alright this is my favorite Metroid outside of Dread, and the fact that you put Cruise Chaser music with it makes it even better, I love it xD
One thing I really missed from Fusion in Dread is bosses changing colors the more you damage them. Not only was it a great detail to give you a sense of the fight's progression, but damn was it grotesque and terrifying in the best way possible.
Nightmare's face as he gets progressively more balanced still haunts my dreams.
Thing is the only reason they did it was because of sprite imitations… But there are some bosses that change color the more you hit them in dread
9:08 The suit changes to what Samus is, it is organomietallic and that's why it can be as powerful as it was in Zero Mission and Super, it evolves with Samus (Pre-Metroid Dread knowledge BTW so no spoilers here)
"I'll be saving my Metroid Prime revisit for when Metroid Prime 4 gets it's confirmed release date."
Soooo... never then
In 2026 😂😂😂😂😂
A Nintendo game usually never gets a release date after only 2-3 years of development...did you already forget it restarted in 2019?
@@Ray_2112 Let me count 2019 2020 2021 yep that's 3 years so your point was?
How about that rumored Metroid Prime remaster?
Man, nothing is better than going on youtube and seeing a new Johnny vs. video being recommended to you.
The game that introduced me to video games, and GBA SP was my first ever console that's also portable.
To give an answer on the new helmet thing, based on what we’ve seen in metroid fusion and later dread, the power suit seems to be 4 layers of armor starting at the zero suit, biological computing and nerves system reader, light armor/suit musculature armament baseline (this is most of the fusion suit layer, but it’s clear some even THIS was cut away as we see in dread) then finally the layer we all know and love, heavy armaments/armor/shielding with a few components link to the previous layer.
All of this tends to be modular to fit the weirder down to the genetic level. So naturally when Samus got the metroid injection her suit reconfigured itself fit her new dna profile, hence the metroid attributes we see in the suit including the helmet.
This has been my favorite Metroid game for years but Dread is making a good argument for that spot.
Hahahahahhahaha No.
@@ramonandrajo6348 Why?
@@darkcloak100 Dread is a game that looks like a mobile game and that is in 3D but it is played as if it were in 2D and that is lazy. Emulation is the way.
what does this even mean
@@ramonandrajo6348 It's 2.5d. That's how some games are made.
I still have yet to jump into a Metroid game outside of Zero Mission, but seeing this review of Fusion so far, almost makes me want to go after this next.
In my humble opinion, this is the best 2D game in the series (maybe minus Dread). Play it, I emplore you.
I really want to play this after seeing its influence on Metroid Dread (just finished a 100% run).
And we're finally back to my first metroid game.
So many memories with this one, I think this one was pretty great as a starting point.