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Metroid Dread |OT| Prime Hour

carlosrox

Banned
Well this was certainly surreal!

(This is the Co-Owner of Mercury Stream)



Video wasn't even anything special, I'm surprised he reacted to it. He doesn't seem very active at all either. Oh well, still really cool to get some kind of reaction!

Ps. Just in case it's not perfectly clear, this is my video he responded to.
 
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Mister Wolf

Member
Well this was certainly surreal!

(This is the Co-Owner of Mercury Stream)



Video wasn't even anything special, I'm surprised he reacted to it. He doesn't seem very active at all either. Oh well, still really cool to get some kind of reaction!


I think he can relate to what the gamer was feeling at the time getting that near death victory. We've all been there.
 
Now that I think of it, it’s a bit sad they didn’t exploit ice more in Dread. One nice thing about old Metroid games is how ice expanded the platforming possibilities. But the ice missiles here only serve that in one specific instance, iirc. They’re basically just there to clear up a bunch of blocked passages.

Like I said elsewhere, I feel like new Metroid games are introducing so many power-ups that are used just as “keys” to open a few “doors”. Dread doesn’t go as far as Zero Mission, which required you to collect an “upgrade” to grab on ledges (seriously, wtf?), but there’s some powers that are just needed to clear up a path to the next one, or to collect a few extra tanks.
Yeah Ice Missiles and Grapple Beam are barely used in platforming and it’s a bit odd. Once you get Flash Shift using Grapple for movement is almost useless except for a few EMMI sections with water.

Then even more items are less useful when you take into account Speedrun tricks, but that can’t really be helped. Unless they patched the exploits, but that would make speedrunning a lot less interesting.

Speaking of which I’ve played through the game twice again. Once on hard doing a practice Speedrun that took 4:05, so I just barely missed the art unlock for that. Then I did another Speedrun on Normal of 2:56. Now I just have to retry it on hard and I’ll have all the game’s achievement art.

I know some of you guys (not the person I quoted) are a little down on Dread and Zero Mission, but damn they are fun to sequence break and Speedrun. I too was a bit disappointed with Dread (specifically how it reused a lot of mini bosses and other assets, which I explained in an earlier post), but since Zero Mission there hasn’t been a Metroid with this many intended sequence breaks and ways to approach the game.

It does seem pretty linear first play through because the game uses a lot of indirect way finding, but you can really open it up if you know how. Gonna probably play it two more times; gotta get my damn money’s worth since I got a Switch just for it.
 
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kunonabi

Member
Yeah Ice Missiles and Grapple Beam are barely used in platforming and it’s a bit odd. Once you get Flash Shift using Grapple for movement is almost useless except for a few EMMI sections with water.

Then even more items are less useful when you take into account Speedrun tricks, but that can’t really be helped. Unless they patched the exploits, but that would make speedrunning a lot less interesting.

Speaking of which I’ve played through the game twice again. Once on hard doing a practice Speedrun that took 4:05, so I just barely missed the art unlock for that. Then I did another Speedrun on Normal of 2:56. Now I just have to retry it on hard and I’ll have all the game’s achievement art.

I know some of you guys (not the person I quoted) are a little down on Dread and Zero Mission, but damn they are fun to sequence break and Speedrun. I too was a bit disappointed with Dread (specifically how it reused a lot of mini bosses and other assets, which I explained in an earlier post), but since Zero Mission there hasn’t been a Metroid with this many intended sequence breaks and ways to approach the game.

It does seem pretty linear first play through because the game uses a lot of indirect way finding, but you can really open it up if you know how. Gonna probably play it two more times; gotta get my damn money’s worth since I got a Switch just for it.

I don't mind sequence breaks but when they are baked into the game they really aren't sequence breaks anymore, just alternate sequences. Now, that alone isn't necessarily an issue but the real problem is when it results in devs creating a more linear game where sequence breaking becomes the designed method of achieving a sense of freedom and non-linearity which is what I feel like turned out to be the case with Dread. It's great that the speedrunners have a lot to play with but it just sucks that there is much less agency when it comes to a standard playthrough. Of course, in all fairness this isn't really a Dread issue it's a post-Super Metroid issue as increased linearity has been the focus of the main series for some time. I guess the reason it really bugged me in Dread is because everybody was giving off the impression that the game had gone back to being like Metroid/Super Metroid and coming off suffering through Fusion again I was really looking forward to that.

Honestly, I'm not even sure why they bothered with Ice Missiles. They're basically only useful for the those weird plant/fungus things and like one puzzle.
 
I don't mind sequence breaks but when they are baked into the game they really aren't sequence breaks anymore, just alternate sequences. Now, that alone isn't necessarily an issue but the real problem is when it results in devs creating a more linear game where sequence breaking becomes the designed method of achieving a sense of freedom and non-linearity which is what I feel like turned out to be the case with Dread. It's great that the speedrunners have a lot to play with but it just sucks that there is much less agency when it comes to a standard playthrough. Of course, in all fairness this isn't really a Dread issue it's a post-Super Metroid issue as increased linearity has been the focus of the main series for some time. I guess the reason it really bugged me in Dread is because everybody was giving off the impression that the game had gone back to being like Metroid/Super Metroid and coming off suffering through Fusion again I was really looking forward to that.

Honestly, I'm not even sure why they bothered with Ice Missiles. They're basically only useful for the those weird plant/fungus things and like one puzzle.
I was also a little annoyed that it initially seemed like it was more linear like Fusion and Other M, what with the way the game blocks you off from backtracking early on. At the very least it does has options for veteran players to circumvent that though, unlike Fusion and Other M.

Super Metroid has some heavy environmental hinting stuff like that, but it’s minuscule compared to newer games true. It would be nice to go back to being more open like Super but the sad truth is Nintendo probably wants to avoid turning off people who are “navigationally challenged.”

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I don’t agree with it but they probably feel to draw in a larger audience, they need to design the intended path for the lowest common denominator. Giving hardcore Metroid fans options for sequence breaking is a pretty good compromise, though like I said, not ideal.
 
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kunonabi

Member
Yeah, It's just how Nintendo wants the series to be really. I mean the so-called classic Metroid "formula" only really exists in Metroid, Super, and the Prime games so there isn't much point to really fighting the more linear approach which is pretty much the bulk of the series at this point.
 

carlosrox

Banned
Time for another video dump.

Some of these are *SPOILERS* so beware. I've marked the ones I think more clearly qualify as spoilers.



One of my favorite moments in the entire game. The way this was shot was just so good. And I didn't expect it, even if trailers hinted at it, especially not so suddenly like this.


Fuck me I just love how they hammered home that the major enemy from the last game was returning and left that hint box at the bottom in your face. Beautiful stuff.


Beautiful! I actually wish there were somehow a way to get deeper analysis of some of the rooms in the game beyond just visual storytelling. Would love to know more about this room.


So awesome.




 

Moonjt9

Member
Just finished this. I’m a huge Metroid fan, and this game was a bit up and down for me.

I was worried about the art style when I saw preview footage, but the full game is gorgeous and I loved all the environments. Awesome job there.

combat was great and Samus felt great to control. Boss fights were challenging, especially the final boss. Very good stuff.

I felt the game was pretty linear, and a few times I wanted to back track, I was basically cut off from doing it. The map seems pretty disjointed even with all the teleporters around. I found exploration to be a bit cumbersome as a result. However, the gameplay and unlocking new abilities was fun, though some do seem a bit pointless(Ice missiles and grapple).

However, I have one huge complaint and it’s the EMMIs. My god they are just not fun and the frustration of dealing with them and trying to kill them when you get the omega gun just grinds the game to a halt. This game would be better if they were removed. They single handedly drop this game from a solid 9.5 to an 8 for me.

I enjoyed the game overall, but it seems like Metroid is going in a different direction than what Super had laid out.
 

carlosrox

Banned
the frustration of dealing with them and trying to kill them when you get the omega gun just grinds the game to a halt

Wouldn't that only be the first time? From what I understand you basically have to find the one spot that gives you enough distance to get your two different shots in. Doesn't seem to be much in the way of experimentation once you've found the right spot. I'm not sure if there's more than one spot to do it or not but it becomes pretty obvious when you know what's going on.

On my second game I've killed the first two with ease.

unlocking new abilities was fun, though some do seem a bit pointless(Ice missiles and grapple).

I do agree the grapple beam felt underused but I'm confused that people don't like the ice missiles. Freezing enemies is super fucking fun. I do wish the classic ice platforming made a return but maybe next time.
 

carlosrox

Banned
So it doesn't seem like anybody actually knows what the outcome of the story is. I've been looking up story explanations of Dread and I'm seeing very surface level explanations with very few questions asked.

So was Samus only cured of the Metroid suit or was the Metroid DNA wiped entirely? If not, how is this any kind of actual end to that arc? If Samus is still infused with Metroid DNA then she's still a threat. She's still a target. Not sure how the next game isn't gonna treat her status as something important/part of the same arc if she's literally a fucking Metroid.

How did Quiet Robe cure Samus and overcome his X infection? Why did ZDR blow up? Why was Kraid infused with Raven Beak?

I think there's a lot of questions that don't really have any answers. That's why when I finished the game I asked if the story actually makes logical sense or if it's a hodge podge of ideas - which is fine, but I just wanna know if that's the case or if everything can actually be explained.
 

gradient

Resident Cheap Arse
So it doesn't seem like anybody actually knows what the outcome of the story is. I've been looking up story explanations of Dread and I'm seeing very surface level explanations with very few questions asked.

So was Samus only cured of the Metroid suit or was the Metroid DNA wiped entirely? If not, how is this any kind of actual end to that arc? If Samus is still infused with Metroid DNA then she's still a threat. She's still a target. Not sure how the next game isn't gonna treat her status as something important/part of the same arc if she's literally a fucking Metroid.

How did Quiet Robe cure Samus and overcome his X infection? Why did ZDR blow up? Why was Kraid infused with Raven Beak?

I think there's a lot of questions that don't really have any answers. That's why when I finished the game I asked if the story actually makes logical sense or if it's a hodge podge of ideas - which is fine, but I just wanna know if that's the case or if everything can actually be explained.



Quiet Robe wasn't Quiet Robe, it was an X copying him.

Prevailing theory is that the X parasite retained much of Quiet Robe's memories and mindset which is why it took action to save Samus. We already saw this in the SA-X in Fusion where the SA-X was hunting Metroids in the same way Samus was and essentially mimicing her behaviour and mission. Then at the end of the game it sacrificed itself to help her overcome the Omega Metroid because it was the prime target and greater threat.

The Chozo and in particular Quiet Robe's tribe were well known for their mental discipline and control, even going so far as to partially lobotomize themselves to prevent them doing harm. If the X copied that then it copied a very strong willed individual and possibly a being that was itself altered to prevent it doing harm.

How did it cure her? it seems most likely that it just caused her Metroid DNA to regress. There's nothing to say it removed the DNA, just that it returned enough control to her to allow the transformation to regress. They seem to have deliberately left that open for future games.

Why did ZDR blow up? Because we needed a cool escape sequence. Anything I put forward would be pure speculation - so I say that Raven Beak had a dead man's switch tied to the thermal reactor that you unclogged. When you killed him, it triggered the countdown. Alternatively, Quiet Robe-X did it because he had a mission to exterminate the X.

Why was Kraid infused with Raven Beak? Don't know. Maybe Kraid is a mutated form or genetic offshoot of a Chozo and all Chozo have that potential. We know that Space Pirates aren't a single race and the origins of many including Kraid and Ridley are a mystery.
 
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So I’m gonna blur most of this out but the Metroid Suit has given me a few ideas.

Firstly I’d like to see a new challenge mode added to the game where you can do a full play through with it, but every hit is a one hit kill (or 2-3 hit maybe). Basically a Heaven and Hell mode for those familiar with DMC.

Secondly I think it would be nice if Metroid Prime 4 took place after Dread. Prime 3 really wrapped up the Phazon storyline, so the only real connection to it is Sylux.
Sylux could work in any point in the timeline I think, and having him keeping tabs on Samus after she’s become a Metroid in Dread could work.

Gameplay wise having access to Samus’s Metroid Suit/Hyper beam could work similarly to the PED suit in Prime 3, where it’s limited use but really good, and it would make the subseries mechanically consistent too.

They probably won’t do that but I just don’t see how they can cram much more in between Zero Mission and Samus Returns in the timeline, without it starting to seem ridiculous.
 

Tschumi

Member
i sold my nintendo switch today, and with it dread, unfinished... i was so annoyed by how it was actually impossible to counter the whatsems, on my switch lite at least, that i never played more than a few minutes of it.

may i, one day, find the inspiration to get and finish this game. probably when this is all 10 years old and free.
 

dcx4610

Member
More thoughts now that I'm at the end.

I'm genuinely shocked at how hard this game is. It's honestly the hardest game I've played since Blasphemous which is stunning since it's a Nintendo game. I died a good 10+ times on several bosses and kept expecting at some point to get a prompt asking if I wanted to skip the encounter - nope.

While I'm happy there's a legit challenging Nintendo game, I do wonder how casual gamers or even just "regular" gamers will react to the game. I can't imagine someone of just average skill being able to beat some of these bosses, getting frustrated and turning it off.

Again, I'm happy Nintendo doesn't hold your hand but they've cultivated this attitude of hand holding for decades now and it's odd that out of the blue, here's this hardcore game. Once I beat Dread (I'm...dreading the last boss based on these previous encounters), I think I'll finally give Metroid: Samus Returns a chance on the 3DS. It's the one 2D Metroid game I stopped playing for whatever reason and never finished.

I'm also looking forward to the Prime Collection eventually. I had only played and beat the first game and never got around to 2 or 3.
 

daveonezero

Member
i sold my nintendo switch today, and with it dread, unfinished... i was so annoyed by how it was actually impossible to counter the whatsems, on my switch lite at least, that i never played more than a few minutes of it.

may i, one day, find the inspiration to get and finish this game. probably when this is all 10 years old and free.
Emmi? The counter is like frame perfect it is super hard. Best to just avoid them.
 

Aldric

Member
More thoughts now that I'm at the end.

I'm genuinely shocked at how hard this game is. It's honestly the hardest game I've played since Blasphemous which is stunning since it's a Nintendo game. I died a good 10+ times on several bosses and kept expecting at some point to get a prompt asking if I wanted to skip the encounter - nope.

While I'm happy there's a legit challenging Nintendo game, I do wonder how casual gamers or even just "regular" gamers will react to the game. I can't imagine someone of just average skill being able to beat some of these bosses, getting frustrated and turning it off.

Again, I'm happy Nintendo doesn't hold your hand but they've cultivated this attitude of hand holding for decades now and it's odd that out of the blue, here's this hardcore game. Once I beat Dread (I'm...dreading the last boss based on these previous encounters), I think I'll finally give Metroid: Samus Returns a chance on the 3DS. It's the one 2D Metroid game I stopped playing for whatever reason and never finished.

I'm also looking forward to the Prime Collection eventually. I had only played and beat the first game and never got around to 2 or 3.
It's really not that hard. I think they know this kind of game appeals to a specific type of players so they can make it a bit challenging, with indie games like Hollow Knight or Cuphead selling very well on Switch they know there's an audience for this kind of experience on the system.
 

kunonabi

Member
It's really not that hard. I think they know this kind of game appeals to a specific type of players so they can make it a bit challenging, with indie games like Hollow Knight or Cuphead selling very well on Switch they know there's an audience for this kind of experience on the system.
I hate to be that guy but I don't really get this notion that the game is super hard. The bosses were all pretty standard video game fare and never took more than a couple tries to get the patterns down and regular exploration isn't much either with all the checkpoints, recharge stations, and counter pick-ups. The game even gives you those easy door enemies from fusion to recharge before a bunch of the bosses. The Emmi counter windows are short sure but they're easy to get past and you have the checkpoints and invisibility to help out with them anyway.
 

Marty-McFly

Banned
More thoughts now that I'm at the end.

I'm genuinely shocked at how hard this game is. It's honestly the hardest game I've played since Blasphemous which is stunning since it's a Nintendo game. I died a good 10+ times on several bosses and kept expecting at some point to get a prompt asking if I wanted to skip the encounter - nope.

While I'm happy there's a legit challenging Nintendo game, I do wonder how casual gamers or even just "regular" gamers will react to the game. I can't imagine someone of just average skill being able to beat some of these bosses, getting frustrated and turning it off.

Again, I'm happy Nintendo doesn't hold your hand but they've cultivated this attitude of hand holding for decades now and it's odd that out of the blue, here's this hardcore game. Once I beat Dread (I'm...dreading the last boss based on these previous encounters), I think I'll finally give Metroid: Samus Returns a chance on the 3DS. It's the one 2D Metroid game I stopped playing for whatever reason and never finished.

I'm also looking forward to the Prime Collection eventually. I had only played and beat the first game and never got around to 2 or 3.
Nintendo made a game that novice gamers will fail at and that intermediate gamers will beat, but the gameplay is so deep that only truly gifted gamers will enter god mode. I'm glad Nintendo didn't cater to the casuals and sell out. This game will age very, very well.

 
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carlosrox

Banned
i was so annoyed by how it was actually impossible to counter the whatsems

It's not though. It's hard but not impossible.

On my second game I've found it way easier to do the EMMI parry. I can do it twice in a row sometimes.

-----

I mean, the game would definitely be difficult for someone who doesn't game lots/for a long time so I can understand how some find it so hard. Even for a seasoned gamer it poses a nice challenge. However for gamers with experience it is exactly that - a challenge, one that is pretty easily overcome with some practice. The last boss was tough and first few fights I was like WTF do I do against him? After a few tries I saw the pattern. Total number of tries was probably 10-15 which I don't think is that bad.
 
More thoughts now that I'm at the end.

I'm genuinely shocked at how hard this game is. It's honestly the hardest game I've played since Blasphemous which is stunning since it's a Nintendo game. I died a good 10+ times on several bosses and kept expecting at some point to get a prompt asking if I wanted to skip the encounter - nope.

While I'm happy there's a legit challenging Nintendo game, I do wonder how casual gamers or even just "regular" gamers will react to the game. I can't imagine someone of just average skill being able to beat some of these bosses, getting frustrated and turning it off.

Again, I'm happy Nintendo doesn't hold your hand but they've cultivated this attitude of hand holding for decades now and it's odd that out of the blue, here's this hardcore game. Once I beat Dread (I'm...dreading the last boss based on these previous encounters), I think I'll finally give Metroid: Samus Returns a chance on the 3DS. It's the one 2D Metroid game I stopped playing for whatever reason and never finished.

I'm also looking forward to the Prime Collection eventually. I had only played and beat the first game and never got around to 2 or 3.
I made the mistake of answering a "how was your weekend?" question at work and mentioned that I got Metroid. This poor bastard got all excited and talked about how he remembered it from NES, and has a Switch for MarioKart. I warned him that it's difficult but he went ahead and got it. Dude is probably going to get rocked lol.
 

Tschumi

Member
It's not though. It's hard but not impossible.

On my second game I've found it way easier to do the EMMI parry. I can do it twice in a row sometimes.

-----

I mean, the game would definitely be difficult for someone who doesn't game lots/for a long time so I can understand how some find it so hard. Even for a seasoned gamer it poses a nice challenge. However for gamers with experience it is exactly that - a challenge, one that is pretty easily overcome with some practice. The last boss was tough and first few fights I was like WTF do I do against him? After a few tries I saw the pattern. Total number of tries was probably 10-15 which I don't think is that bad.
I dunno about the second part to what you wrote, I play games way too much, yeah.

I accept it's not impossible, but I really tried it scores of times and never once got it, and I was varying when i clicked it and everything, using the same Emmi so i knew what animation they would do, etc etc... I got sick of it

I had a lot of other games going at the same time and just said "I'll come back later", but didn't. I was annoyed that i couldn't roll into vents, i know fully well that it was because I need to get the Powerball power up, but it was annoying so i went to play other games, like i said..
 
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People just don't like being pursued. It's an annoying restriction to them.
That's me normally. But these are clearly labeled areas with generous save points. And the emphasis is just on using fun movement options to run around and platform.

Something like RE Nemesis though is cool, but I dread (haha) playing it most of the time and don't actually enjoy it that much. The EMMIs being actually fun is probably the most shocking part of the whole game for me.
 
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dcx4610

Member
Beat it last night with 12 hours playtime which felt a little short. Died several times on the last boss but wasn't too bad. The biggest issue is the length of the fight and my impatience with how the game handles saves.

One of my biggest pet peeves in modern gaming is making you repeat sections that you've just played. This made sense on the NES since games were typically able to be beaten in single sittings and the challenge is in learning patterns and getting better. It makes zero sense in 2021 to have to repeat sections or watch something play out again.

There are numerous times throughout the game where instead of starting you back to where you were, you are are having to sit through a cut scene (you can skip them) or repeating the same action you just did. I just don't have any patience for that. I just did it. I don't want to do it again. The only logic I see is that perhaps they are giving you a chance to backtrack and get upgrades before proceeding. To me, if you've made it that far, you should be well equipped enough to handle the challenge. Riding an elevator, watching a cut scene, then another cut scene, dying and having to do that again just feels silly and breaks the flow. Start me back at the boss fight.

Other than that minor complaint and the weird difficulty spikes, I really enjoyed the game. I'm still going to give it a 7/10. I don't think it's great but it's a good game.

I will say
I cracked up at Samus actually being a Metroid. It finally happened. The green/alien Metroid suit was awesome and fun to use. I really wish they would have let you started a new game with the suit. it would have been easy mode but it would have been fun to play. I also really liked the story over all. For a Metroid game, the story is pretty minimal and while this is still in that vein, it at least added more lore to Samus and made things interesting.
 

NeoIkaruGAF

Member
For my standards, Dread is anything but hard.
I struggled with Dark Souls 3, gave up Sekiro at the final boss, but Dread was just a matter of paying attention to patterns. Yeah, some minibosses re a pain in the ass and ramp up the difficulty suddenly and significantly because of their speed (I never managed to parry them), but nothing major. Also, redoing stuff in this game is nothing compared to the chore of going back to where you died in a Soulsborne game.

I 100%’d Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection though, so my idea of challenge is probably very different from yours, lol.
 

carlosrox

Banned
but I really tried it scores of times and never once got it, and I was varying when i clicked it and everything

I dunno what to tell you, that sucks. Literally not even once??

The best tip I can think of is to not really watch his eye or focus on it but to sort of unfocus on his eye specifically and react to the general red glow that fills up the whole screen. I was finding that worked better for me. It was almost like glancing away from the EMMI entirely.
 

Banjo64

cumsessed
Escue has just fucked me in my anus 5x in a row. Sleep deprived, so probably not the right time to deal with an aggressive boss. Going to pick up again tomorrow.
 

dcx4610

Member
Controversial take. I just beat the Samus Returns remake on the 3DS and I think it's better than Dread. Better map, pacing, good music, exploring and lots of puzzles. Less difficult but still challenging. It felt like a true Metroid. I liked Dread but something felt missing. If you like Dread and haven't played the 3DS game, give it a shot. The controls are exactly like Dread.

I'll have to get around to the Gameboy version at some point. It's the only traditional Metroid I haven't beaten now.
 
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Just took out the blue EMMI last night and i have to say that...

Having that break from EMMI fights in that period before this made the game so much better. These EMMI's (IMO) ruin the otherwise excellent pacing and fun factor. They're more of an annoyance than anything, not fun at all.

That said, this is still probably my GOTY at this point. Just loving having this series back in full form!!!
 

carlosrox

Banned
It's that TAM again. These are all clips from my first game. Still (slowly, again) playing through my second game on Hard. These are from the second half of the game so definitely potential spoilers.



I loved this room in particular. All those details really caught my eye.








There's something about Morph Ball rooms that bring me such joy. Maybe because it's just so damn Metroid.




*Spoilers*


*Spoilers* Yeah this was totally unexpected. Made me sad but also was just enjoying every little twist and turn. Game was just so damn awesome at this point.


 

Marty-McFly

Banned
It's that TAM again. These are all clips from my first game. Still (slowly, again) playing through my second game on Hard. These are from the second half of the game so definitely potential spoilers.



I loved this room in particular. All those details really caught my eye.








There's something about Morph Ball rooms that bring me such joy. Maybe because it's just so damn Metroid.




*Spoilers*


*Spoilers* Yeah this was totally unexpected. Made me sad but also was just enjoying every little twist and turn. Game was just so damn awesome at this point.



This game is so gorgeous. How does Nintendo do it?
 
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