Metroid introduced players to a world that was alien and utterly unique. The game helped establish a genre term now known as “Metroidvania,” and it set the standard for exploring 2D worlds.
The plot involves Samus Aran and her search for parasitic Metroid organisms on the planet Zebes. EMMI robots on the planet also want her Metroid DNA so that they can clone more of these creatures.
It’s a classic
When it comes to science fiction and space exploration, the Metroid franchise is a must-play. The series takes place in a futuristic galaxy where interstellar travel is common and multiple intelligent alien races live near one another. Samus Aran, the main character of the series, is a female human who works for a powerful interstellar government called the Galactic Federation. Her primary nemesis is the Space Pirates, who are plotting to use the planet Zebes’s Metroids for their purposes.
The Metroid games are known for their dungeon-like atmospheres, with dark, ominous environments that make you feel completely alone. This sense of dread is what makes the series so compelling.
The Metroid series also features a unique gameplay mechanic that allows players to scan the environments and enemies for information. Although this feature is not essential to the game, it helps create a moody atmosphere that modern games lack. It also encourages players to explore the environment carefully, which is the heart of a Metroid game.
It’s a great platformer
Unlike many games of its time, Metroid was one of the first to offer players an expansive world full of nooks and crannies to explore. This made it an early favorite for speedrunning and a pioneer of the platformer genre. It also offered varied endings and was one of the few games to showcase a female protagonist.
The Metroid franchise takes place in a science fiction setting where humans are part of a spacefaring sovereignty with multiple other intelligent races. These races are both allies and enemies of the Federation, whose galaxy-spanning dominance is threatened by the vicious alien race known as the Space Pirates.
Developer Mercury Steam’s first entry in the series was a remaster of the curious if not entirely spectacular GameCube title Metroid Prime. Although the pacing and flavor have been tweaked somewhat, this is still a Metroid game through and through.
It’s a great adventure
One of the most satisfying aspects of Metroid is its engrossing story. It takes place in a science fiction setting, depicting humanity as part of a space-faring sovereignty known as the Federation along with other races who are both allies and mutually exclusive rivals. The galaxy’s antagonists are the Space Pirates, an interstellar cabal of villainous alien races who reject the Federation’s rule.
The Metroids were first bioengineered by the Chozo to combat a dangerous parasitic lifeform on planet SR388, but they mutated into feral predators that consumed the entire ecosystem. They became difficult for the Chozo to control, and they eventually destroyed the colony on Zebes.
Metroid Prime 3 Corruption carries on the series’ tradition of storytelling and gameplay while introducing new ideas and filling in gaps. For example, Samus’s fusion rifle can detonate a variety of powerful explosives that provide new abilities for traversing the game’s intimidating environments. The game also features new stealth mechanics that allow players to take advantage of the Phantom Cloak’s camouflage capabilities.
It’s a great horror game
Metroid is a great horror game, even though it doesn’t feature the kind of visceral scares that have made many video games famous. Instead, it relies on an atmosphere of dread and a sense of mystery to cultivate the appropriate mood.
It also offers an interesting conceit in its structure: the player explores planets and their passageways, discovering power-ups that allow Samus to reach new areas. This gives the series a structure that has come to be known as “Metroidvania,” a portmanteau of Metroid and Castlevania.
In addition, the series features some truly terrifying creatures. One of the most memorable is Mother Brain, who appears as a one-eyed bipedal monster with drooling saliva and noxious breath. Mother Brain is the ultimate symbol of a corrupt and self-serving government that tries to control all of existence. The Metroid series is about fighting back, even if you feel like all hope has been lost. The series also shows that there is always a way to survive, even in the most desolate of places.