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Maple Leaf
Aug 24, 2010

Let'en my post flyen true


The Story So Far

Back in the mid to late 2000s, the Metroid franchise was riding a high that few others could hope to achieve. In 2002, Metroid Prime was released for the Nintendo Gamecube, a first-person adventure game that would define how a game like Metroid, a franchise built on and survived by its 2D platforming, could be interpreted in a 3D space, and, just one day later, we would also get Metroid Fusion, a more traditional take on the Metroid formula, and, up to that point, the final game in the chronological timeline. Metroid Fusion was the fourth installment in the story, succeeding Super Metroid which had released on the Super Nintendo back in 1994. After skipping an entire console generation, Metroid had come back with a ferocity unlike anything anyone else had seen.

The 2000s enjoyed two more Metroid Prime sequels, with Metroid Prime 2: Echoes in 2004 and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption in 2007. It also saw two spinoffs, with Metroid Prime: Pinball in 2005 and Metroid Prime: Hunters in 2006, both for the Nintendo DS. It was a good decade for Metroid and its reputation couldn’t be more spotless.

Three years after Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the series got another installment on the Nintendo Wii: Metroid: Other M, chronologically taking place between Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion. It was… considered to be a misstep in a lot of ways. There’s a lot to be said about what Metroid: Other M did to the franchise and to Samus’s character, but that’s a story for another LP. The Metroid franchise would remain dormant until six years later, when it received another spinoff called Metroid Prime: Federation Force that, well, also wasn’t particularly well-liked. It wasn’t until one year later, with Metroid: Samus Returns for the Nintendo 3DS, a remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus, that the franchise was finally able to pick itself back up.

But let’s rewind a bit.

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, there was one moment towards the end of the game where a scanned document would mention something called ‘Project Dread’ and how it was ‘nearing the final stages of completion.’ This was apparently just meant to be flavour, and the mention was removed entirely in the Japanese translation of the game, but that didn’t stop the rumours from forming that Nintendo was making another Metroid title and they were giving us a teaser via project title drop in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

But the truth is that there was a game called Metroid Dread in development at the time. Remember that Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was released in 2007. Metroid Dread had been in development since 2006, and it had been cancelled twice since then. It wasn’t until a development studio called MercurySteam, by then best known for their Lords of Shadow installments in the Castlevania series, had created Metroid: Samus Returns that Nintendo felt confident enough in their abilities, and in the current technology, to see the vision of Metroid Dread brought to life.

Metroid Dread was formally announced on June 15th 2021, after sixteen years of on-and-off development, and was released October 8th of the same year. It’s the fifth entry to the chronological Metroid timeline, taking place after Metroid Fusion, and, according to Yoshio Sakamoto, the game’s producer (and notorious man of infamy), it’s the last game to feature Metroids as a common threat. It’s not necessarily the end of Samus Aran’s story – she may have other adventures in the future – but it’s the end of the Metroids.

The Let’s Play

If it isn’t obvious by now, I’m just a big ol’ nerd for Metroid. I’m not usually one for week-one LPs, but Metroid is a special exception to me. I may or may not jump straight into doing one for Metroid Prime 4 when that game finally emerges from the crypt some time in the distant future.

As usual for my past Metroid LPs, this is a totally blind Let’s Play. Even now, a week after the game’s release (as of this writing), I’ve done my level best to avoid as many spoilers as I could for the game: we’re getting a continuation of the Metroid story for the first time since 2002. And as such, I’d appreciate it if there were no spoilers for Metroid Dread as we progress. The rest of the franchise is fair game – the last new, non-spinoff, non-remake entry to the series was with Metroid: Other M over a decade ago.

Videos:





















Maple Leaf fucked around with this message at 20:52 on Dec 14, 2021

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Olive Branch
May 26, 2010

There is no wealth like knowledge, no poverty like ignorance.

Glad as always to assist Maple Leaf in his Let's Plays with commentary and thread images! I'm excited to see how the story plays out.

AtomikKrab
Jul 17, 2010

Keep on GOP rolling rolling rolling rolling.

Now I have two Metroid Dread LPs to follow :krakentoot:

cant cook creole bream
Aug 15, 2011
I think Fahrenheit is better for weather
Really enjoy seeing you back. This will be a fun LP I think.

Carbon dioxide
Oct 9, 2012

I find it particularly interesting that in the opening cut scene, Adam talked about a "bounty".

As far as I understand it, naming Samus a "bounty hunter" was something the Japanese designers of the first game did after a misunderstanding of what it means - they thought bounty hunter just meant something like "vigilante hero". That's why you never see Samus going after bounties or whatever, and the term was never mentioned outside of Samus' supposed job title.

But apparently they made it more canonical now?

Black Mage Knight
Jan 25, 2012

stop biting my cape
I am happy seeing a bunch of Dread LP's pop up mainly because good lord this is such a good game and it is good to see more people experience that. Even outside of just the gameplay feeling incredibly smooth to control, even just the visuals and storytelling going on are just so fantastic and fit Metroid so perfectly.

cant cook creole bream
Aug 15, 2011
I think Fahrenheit is better for weather
I really don't like Adams distorted computer voice. It feels unpleasant. Like there's something wrong with my headphones.

Omobono
Feb 19, 2013

That's it! No more hiding in tomato crates! It's time to show that idiota Germany how a real nation fights!

For pasta~! CHARGE!

AtomikKrab posted:

Now I have two Metroid Dread LPs to follow :krakentoot:

:sugartits:

Man, this game looks so good, can't wait to play it once I deal with TWEWY NEO postgame.

Araxxor
Oct 20, 2012

My disdain for you all knows no bounds.
Oh boy, it's Metroid season in the subforum! :allears:

Omobono
Feb 19, 2013

That's it! No more hiding in tomato crates! It's time to show that idiota Germany how a real nation fights!

For pasta~! CHARGE!

Araxxor posted:

Oh boy, it's Metroid season in the subforum! :allears:

A Metroid and an EMMI, changing the poster from Metroid season to EMMI season, with Samus pointing her blaster whichever way.

cant cook creole bream
Aug 15, 2011
I think Fahrenheit is better for weather

Omobono posted:

A Metroid and an EMMI, changing the poster from Metroid season to EMMI season, with Samus pointing her blaster whichever way.

In the background an X is smugly folding his pseudopods as it hides the X-season poster.

Fedule
Mar 27, 2010


No one left uncured.
I got you.
Don’t stop making new Dread LPs until I have to break down and add a “no more Dread LPs” rule to the forum.

StillFullyTerrible
Feb 16, 2020

you should have left Let's Play open for public view, Lowtax
So... it has the obnoxious mandatory parrying stuff from Other M and the Metroid 2 remake, Samus gets choked by a dude 4 feet taller than her in the first cutscene, and loving Adam is still in the game.
They should have yanked Sakamoto off the series like Atlus did to Hashino.

MonsterEnvy
Feb 4, 2012

Shocked I tell you

StillFullyTerrible posted:

So... it has the obnoxious mandatory parrying stuff from Other M and the Metroid 2 remake, Samus gets choked by a dude 4 feet taller than her in the first cutscene, and loving Adam is still in the game.
They should have yanked Sakamoto off the series like Atlus did to Hashino.

Parrying was not a thing in Other M. Nor is it mandatory outside of a few instances, it just makes some things easier and unlike Samus Returns can be used at any time. Also of course Adam would be in this game it’s the direct sequel to Fusion.

bladeworksmaster
Sep 6, 2010

Ok.

The parry is much better implemented in Dread due to being faster by default, better options like the slide melee you can just blaze through smaller enemies, and plus offensive options are much better than it across the board later.

Also, I recommend checking out the below video on the full development history of Metroid Dread to see just how long, but never put off the table, this game really was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4sfKoDf0kg

bladeworksmaster fucked around with this message at 03:48 on Oct 17, 2021

StillFullyTerrible
Feb 16, 2020

you should have left Let's Play open for public view, Lowtax

MonsterEnvy posted:

Parrying was not a thing in Other M. Nor is it mandatory outside of a few instances, it just makes some things easier and unlike Samus Returns can be used at any time. Also of course Adam would be in this game it’s the direct sequel to Fusion.

I was kinda hoping he'd stay confined to Fusion, and that Samus didn't need an annoying computer sidekick.

StillFullyTerrible fucked around with this message at 04:54 on Oct 17, 2021

MonsterEnvy
Feb 4, 2012

Shocked I tell you

StillFullyTerrible posted:

I was kinda hoping he'd stay confined to Fusion, and that Samus didn't need an annoying computer sidekick.

You're right Samus does not need an annoying computer sidekick. Good thing he is not annoying.

Dr Pepper
Feb 4, 2012

Don't like it? well...

StillFullyTerrible posted:

I was kinda hoping he'd stay confined to Fusion, and that Samus didn't need an annoying computer sidekick.

How could you pay any attention to Fusion's plot and not see that Adam would be a supporting character in any future games in the timeline

Dr Pepper fucked around with this message at 05:27 on Oct 17, 2021

bladeworksmaster
Sep 6, 2010

Ok.

Also ignoring Other M, an easy task considering Nintendo themselves have apparently decided to do such as well, ADAM the AI is perfectly fine.

Araxxor
Oct 20, 2012

My disdain for you all knows no bounds.
I get that Other M left a ton of scars, but this LP is just at the beginning of Dread. Probably no need to jump the gun on how Samus is being treated just yet, especially after Samus Returns ignored a lot of what Other M did to her.

Maple Leaf
Aug 24, 2010

Let'en my post flyen true

cant cook creole bream posted:

I really don't like Adams distorted computer voice. It feels unpleasant. Like there's something wrong with my headphones.

I'm actually right there with you. I mention in the next few videos that Adam is just unpleasant to listen to.

StillFullyTerrible
Feb 16, 2020

you should have left Let's Play open for public view, Lowtax

MonsterEnvy posted:

You're right Samus does not need an annoying computer sidekick. Good thing he is not annoying.

bladeworksmaster posted:

Also ignoring Other M, an easy task considering Nintendo themselves have apparently decided to do such as well, ADAM the AI is perfectly fine.

Hard disagree... lady.

Dr Pepper posted:

How could you pay any attention to Fusion's plot and not see that Adam would be a supporting character in any future games in the timeline

I hated Adam the computer in Fusion as well, I just really really didn't want to see any more of him. :saddowns:

Sorry, to express my reasoning more clearly: I felt like Adam was a weakness in storytelling in Fusion, and that part of the aspect I liked in Metroid games was the solitude of them. Except for specific circumstances, Samus was essentially alone in these hostile situations, and the feeling was different as a result. Having a computer sidekick along for the ride removed that feeling, and made the tone in Fusion different in a way I found unappealing.

StillFullyTerrible fucked around with this message at 15:53 on Oct 17, 2021

FeyerbrandX
Oct 9, 2012

Fusion Adam wasn't great but at least had a purpose of being part of the terms of "we saved your life, we gave you a new ship, you're on the job and he's your handler. Your job is to do what he says, not wander around killing everything you see, especially the giant room labeled 'metro-metronomes. THESE ARE METRONOMES NOT METROIDS what would you need to investigate or kill metronomes for its safe its fine.'"

Torrannor
Apr 27, 2013

---FAGNER---
TEAM-MATE
I guess I'm following two Metroid Dread LPs now??

Works for me! Great start so far.

Maple Leaf
Aug 24, 2010

Let'en my post flyen true

bladeworksmaster
Sep 6, 2010

Ok.

One definite thing I enjoy about Dread lowkey is the way 3D models allow the designers to play with the environment more easily than they could with sprites. Certainly, you can’t do the background events as easily or dynamically with 2D sprites, and the environment constantly opening and closing itself around you with your tampering is a real treat old Metroid games couldn’t do on the spot like this.

AtomikKrab
Jul 17, 2010

Keep on GOP rolling rolling rolling rolling.

The animals, monsters other things happening in the background also play up the game and add atmosphere.

Explopyro
Mar 18, 2018

AtomikKrab posted:

The animals, monsters other things happening in the background also play up the game and add atmosphere.

This stuff is really well done, and I wish I'd seen more than a few glimpses of it when playing through this. Inevitably I spent more time focusing on the minimap and trying to paint in the entire thing than actually looking at what was going on in the game. Compulsive completionism can really ruin things sometimes.

Edit: I will say, this game overall does a really good job of washing out the taste of Other M. I'd had a lot of worries going in given that Sakamoto is still at the helm, but the end product makes them look pretty baseless.

Explopyro fucked around with this message at 22:16 on Oct 18, 2021

cant cook creole bream
Aug 15, 2011
I think Fahrenheit is better for weather

Explopyro posted:

This stuff is really well done, and I wish I'd seen more than a few glimpses of it when playing through this. Inevitably I spent more time focusing on the minimap and trying to paint in the entire thing than actually looking at what was going on in the game. Compulsive completionism can really ruin things sometimes.

I kinda hate how the map colors the exact positions where you've already been. I know that I would continuously jump through every room and return a bunch, just to fill all of that out. I'm usually not even obsessive, but that is a thing in games for me.

Maple Leaf
Aug 24, 2010

Let'en my post flyen true

WaltherFeng
May 15, 2013

50 thousand people used to live here. Now, it's the Mushroom Kingdom.
I'm following two Metroid LPs at the same time and it's very confusing.

Olive Branch
May 26, 2010

There is no wealth like knowledge, no poverty like ignorance.

Time to follow a third one and become one with the multiverse.

FeyerbrandX
Oct 9, 2012

I do love Samus doing all the emoting she needs, just bursting with an aura of "No" whenever a boss shows up.

e: Also I don't see her armor as "stripped down to the wire" I see those "wires" as her muscles, or the power armor's mechanism simulating muscles.

FeyerbrandX fucked around with this message at 00:44 on Oct 22, 2021

FoolyCharged
Oct 11, 2012

Cheating at a raffle? I sentence you to 1 year in jail! No! Two years! Three! Four! Five years! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!
Somebody call for an ant?

Yeah, it feels like one of those sci-fi muscle suits. Which I guess makes sense given that punching out aliens is a major mechanic.

MonsterEnvy
Feb 4, 2012

Shocked I tell you
Pretty sure those muscle parts are organic components of the suit as it’s both organic and mechanical.

AtomikKrab
Jul 17, 2010

Keep on GOP rolling rolling rolling rolling.

I feel like maybe the first E.M.M.I ran into Corpius and got wrecked?

Fedule
Mar 27, 2010


No one left uncured.
I got you.
A detail I like about the current Power Suit is how a lot of Samus' limbs just kinda obviously have these floating armour chunks grafted onto the muscle suit underneath, and it's really just the chest and face that have full coverage. There's also a lot of little animations on the armour chunks as they shift around while Samus moves. You can clearly see the armour on her feet in several of the cutscenes in this video. It's neat, and also accounts for why the Power Suit doesn't have as much damage protection as the other suits.

Pharohman777
Jan 14, 2012

by Fluffdaddy
I wonder if the suit samus is wearing is in a half-complete state. Ita clearly got more armor than the fusion suit, so I wonder if samus has been slowly assembling and scavenging stuff after fusion to get her suit all armored up again.

SIGSEGV
Nov 4, 2010


At the end of fusion she grabs the whole of her suit off an SA-X and regains all the armor pieces right before duking it out with the end boss Metroid, if I remember right, she changes sprites entirely to the set used by her at the beginning of the game and the SA-X. The suit she's wearing right now got evidently completely trashed by the Chozo at the beginning and therefore the many, many missing bits. That's why we're seeing those wiry bits, the plastic-like applique on wire bundles that look like artificial muscle and the underlying armature.

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Cirina
Feb 15, 2013

Operation complete.

SIGSEGV posted:

At the end of fusion she grabs the whole of her suit off an SA-X and regains all the armor pieces right before duking it out with the end boss Metroid, if I remember right, she changes sprites entirely to the set used by her at the beginning of the game and the SA-X. The suit she's wearing right now got evidently completely trashed by the Chozo at the beginning and therefore the many, many missing bits. That's why we're seeing those wiry bits, the plastic-like applique on wire bundles that look like artificial muscle and the underlying armature.

That's completely wrong, it's still the fusion suit with none of the armor pieces, it's just orange like the classic varia suit.

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