One of the best 2D Metroids ever! A definite must buy for any GBA owner.
Gameplay:
Having already played all the previous Metroid games and being accustomed to side-scrolling shooters, I soon felt at home. Samus is fast and controlling her is really easy. You get the hang of it immediately and are ready to kill space pirates in no time. As always, Samus looses all her equipment at the beginning of the game and she only recovers her abilities as the game progresses. A new factor has been added, all the monsters that Samus encounters are in fact zombies inhibited by a mysterious virus X. When she kills a monster, the virus is released and it is absorbed by her. Her new suit permits her to convert these viruses into energy. To cut a long story short, every time you kill a monster you get some life back. Once you really get into the game, you will see that Samus gets all her old weapons and suits back as well as new ones. The difference this time is that you cannot change which weapon you are using. The weapons seem to accumulate. So if you already have a weapon to shoot rays through walls, when you get its upgrade, you will still be able to shoot through walls with your stronger weapon. Samus soon gets her morph ball ability back, as well as her bombs, freezing missiles, varia suit and more. And she will definitely need all these weapons to face the dangers waiting. This Metroid, especially the bosses (namely Nightmare), is hard. I must have spent ages trying to beat the final boss before actually managing it. If you want to experience a challenging game, then you won’t be let down.
Graphics:
These are simply some of the best graphics for GBA around. I was amazed at how beautiful and detailed they are. Keep in mind that this game is entirely in 2D, but it has some of the best-looking 2D ever made on a handheld. The graphics are clean and crisp, and I found myself sometimes just exploring the different areas in the games just because of how good the scenery looked. When you stop, you can see Samus breathing and there is often some animation in the background.
Sound:
I think that this is the aspect of Metroid Fusion that has impressed me most. The sound for a GBA game is fantastic. You will undoubtedly recognize the Metroid soundtrack if you have already played one before. The music is a chilly science fiction style that really adds to the ambiance well. The eerie sounds are really remarkable; they manage to swing from one mood to another easily, creating a unique atmosphere. The sounds are so creepy and dark that at times they really make you believe that you are lost in space on a huge spaceship filled with monsters. The music changes very often and so you never get bored of it. I believe that the music for Metroid is just as good as the ones for Zelda.
Value:
This game’s value depends on how much grip it has on you. In my case, I played the game three times, finishing it entirely, and am still willing to play it once more. The main story is of a respectable size, even though it’s a bit short, but once it’s over, you’re far from having finished the game. Metroid is all about exploration. This game is no exception. All the levels are huge, and exploration is really fun once you’ve finished the story. There’s always something you can get in every room: a wall that breaks unexpectedly, a secret passage here and an extra room there. Every time you locate a hidden area you can be sure to discover a reward within it. The hunt for power-ups is never over, once you think you’re finished, there’s always more left. There just so many items to collect and beating monsters while looking for them is very entertaining. However if your not a very patient type of person, then it will get on your nerves quite fast as the items are very well hidden, but you should still buy the game as the story alone is worth the money you’re paying for it.
In conclusion I would say that Metroid Fusion is my favorite game on GBA. Its storyline is very gripping and you can end up playing hours with this game without getting bored. This game is seriously addictive and should be part of any respectable GBA owner. Buy it if you like anything remotely like Metroid, you won’t regret. If you’re already a Metroid fan, I trust that you’ve already bought, loved and finished this game.