This week's Bargain Bin Laden begins with a personal gripe: Nintendo and NST really crapped in my cereal with Metroid Prime: Hunters. Not because it was a bad game -- quite the contrary, actually -- but just because the original Prime took my favorite 2D series and sort of lodged it into a 3D environment, and was then brought to the haven for 2D gaming: a portable platform. Metroid Prime is a hell of a good time, but when I settle down with my DS, I prefer my gaming in two distinct dimensions: X and Y. Sure, there's this 2D Metroid Dread title rumored to be floating around at Nintendo's Intelligent Systems studio, but the murmurings of its cancellation in the two years since it was mentioned (not shown, mind, but only mentioned) make me fear that classic Metroid might be getting muscled out. The Castlevania DS titles have served well to ease my need for this brand of adventure gaming, but they'll never fill the void quite like another 2D Metroid.
You might be wondering what all this Metroid talk has to do with Scurge: Hive -- that is, unless you've read a preview or review of the game, y'know, ever. The comparisons are drawn for good reason: you, a female bounty hunter named Jenosa Arma, bring the pain to an assembly of weird creatures while staving off an infection you picked up on a space station. If it sounds familiar, it ought to; being so heavily influenced by Metroid Fusion, you can't help but draw comparisons between these two titles.
Fortunately, Scurge stands as one of the best Metroid-esque titles released in the last year, making it a suitable stand-in while we await a true 2D Metroid sequel. On top of that, Scurge nets a haul of extra brownie points for bringing some original ideas to the table, creating a sweaty smorgasbord of delectable 2D gaming for a very low price. Strap on your skin-tight bounty hunter jumpsuit and hit the jump for more!
Scurge: Hive (DS, GBA)
Original Release: October 26, 2006
Developed by: Orbital Media
Bargain Binned: $12.99 used for both the DS and GBA versions at GameStop/EB Games, cheaper elsewhere. I found my DS copy for $8 shipped on Half.com, so keep your eyes peeled.
It's no joke that this game is so often compared to Metroid Fusion. The story, as summarized on Wikipedia, is as follows:
Scurge: Hive features a female bounty hunter tasked with hunting a parasitic lifeform. The story follows Jenosa Arma, who has been contracted by the military on a rescue and salvage mission to Confederation Research Lab 58 on planet Inos. The perpetrator of the disaster is a virulent organism known as "Scurge," a parasite which has the ability to transform various organisms and technologies into Scurge derivatives. Jenosa has been equipped with a suit that resists infection. Unfortunately, it can only slow the infection down rather than make her immune; she is infected with Scurge the moment she first encounters it.
Change "Jenosa Arma" to "Samus Aran" and "Scurge" to "X" and you've got what is, essentially, Fusion's storyline, minus all that Metroid DNA claptrap. But let's not beleaguer Orbital Media for crafting a game that, for good reason, draws from some of its finest predecessors so heavily. Much like how Crackdown took its spiritual grandpappy Grand Theft Auto in a new direction, Scurge takes the space bounty-huntin' racket and reworks it in a way that makes for a fresh, invigorating gaming experience.
First thing's first: Scurge ain't a sidescroller. Gameplay is presented in an isometric (3/4) view, something we haven't seen in an action-adventure title in quite awhile. This alone comes along with a whole set of costs and benefits, which come in the form of a series of trade-offs. The isometric view allows for a freedom of movement in all directions and a slightly more dynamic combat system, but unfortunately only allows Jenosa to fire and move in eight directions. When you're being assaulted on all sides by baddos, this can be a bit of a pain, but it's something easily worked around by staying as mobile as possible while you're making your way through the game. The isometric view makes it somewhat difficult to gauge distances and depth for big jumps, but being able to work your way around enemies -- not just over them -- is a big plus. This is probably the biggest hurdle to get over in Scurge, but once you get the hang of it, the rest comes easy.
Jenosa's infection is an ever-present threat to your exploration; an indicator at the top-center point of your HUD displays the current percentage of infection currently bearing down upon you, and it ticks up a percent every so often, necessitating a trip to a decontamination station. These stations, positioned at locations interspersed throughout Scurge's levels, serve as charge-up locations and save points as well as a means of washing clean your filthy, dirty body and ridding you of your current contamination level. Other factors, like being struck by the angry bastard creatures that stand in your way or stepping upon certain contaminated surfaces, also increase your level. Once the gauge reaches 100%, you'll be taking steady damage until you can get back to a save point, which is both a great motivator for tearing through the game as well as a serious detractor to the sort of easy-going exploration element common amongst adventure titles.
Scurge has all the standard issue faults of a Metroid-style adventure game, including backtracking and ability-based impasses, but if you're the sort of cat who is into this sort of thing, it's likely that you already expected that. Another big difference is the inclusion of a level-based system to develop Jenosa. You'll gain experience with every slain enemy and, naturally, level up from time to time, boosting your HP and attack power. Scurge also offers a host of weapons with which to splatter your foes, but using the wrong weapon on the right enemy gives them a boost in power and energy, necessitating a dash of strategy in your ass-kickin' exploits.
Scurge is an absolutely beautiful GBA game, which means it's a pretty great looking DS game. The DS version, being a port, won't stack up to some of the beefier 2D efforts on the platform like Lunar Knights or Yoshi's Island DS, but the graphics really shine on a DS Lite. The game is vibrant, colorful, and full of creative boss battles and enemy designs, and the music is atmospheric and moody -- not quite up to the bar as set by the Metroid GBA titles, but pretty phenomenal nonetheless.
With this in mind, you might be asking yourself which version to pick up. They cost the same and the games themselves are identical except for one key difference: Scurge on the DS includes a map on the touch screen at all times. As superficial as this detail might be, it's actually fairly handy to have, particularly in some of the game's later, more labyrinthine areas. I hear tell (though have not confirmed, as I don't have the GBA version myself) that some of the environmental effects and sounds didn't make the leap to DS as elegantly as the game's other features, so the GBA might actually outclass the DS in terms of audio and visual fidelity, in this case. Choosing a version is as simple as deciding what's more important to you or whatever platform you prefer. Simple as that.
Scurge's strengths definitely outweigh its flaws, and at just a hair over a ten bucks, it's one of the best buys on the Nintendo DS. While you're praying for Metroid Dread, why not dig into a game that so heroically robs the classic series of some of its best traits? Off with you! Buy this game!
Contest:
9:16 PM on 04.15.2007
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Anyways, the whole GBA or DS debate, as well as a low print count in my area, meant that I never got to pick this up, even though I watched it struggle to get released for a few years. Linde, just for kicks, did you notice anything blatently weak in the DS presentation where you think there might be a better presentation in the GBA version? (Apologies for bad wording, I'm kinda tired.)
Metroid Prime Hunters isn't supposed to fill your 2d needs, or bring the series to 3d. Hunters, is just another of the Prime series, an already fantastic Metroid series.
Hunters was actually a good game, a little slow at first, but it had a lot going for it. Not to mention the awesome online deathmatch mode.
So, not only is your gripe about hunters unnessicary, its wrong.
Sorry, but you cant complain about a game thats meant to be 3d for not being 2d.
Fusion was the last I played for the 2d Metroids. I never beat any of them, and I haven't played them all either. I will say they are good games, but good in the way of the Megaman. I bought the anniversary edition for the cube, it has 1-8 on it. I love Megaman 1, and i was playing 2 and it was good too. After beating 1 and most of 2, I got tired of the game play and decided to try the others. They are all the same! And any real fan will say thats why they are great! But what about the gamers who didn't like it? How do you try and sell it to them and keep it alive if its the same every time. Unfortunately when it finally did change, we get the mass marketed crap we have today. Battle series 1000 X RockMan NT 2k4 Network edition! And as the list grows on for 2d Metroid, I would only assume it would take the path of Megaman and eventually change to bring in a new demographic. That means either slowly be over done into a steaming pile of crap that brings in money, or reinvent it self just enough to keep old fans happy and bring in new fans.
The problem is old fans never want to see their favorite games change. And when they do change, those fans loose interest.
The move to 3d was an excellent decision to keep the series alive. And no one can complain as its labeled as separate series. Old fans will appreciate that they sexy Samus is still there and new fans will be pulled in by the new age 3d graphics. From a profit to happiness ratio, thats about the best they can do.
Do you really need another of the same just because it is the DS? Why not bring the new found life of the game to the new systems?
Sorry, I can not feel your pain. I believe in change and that it happens for a reason, and when nothing changes for so long, it can either be really good, or really bad. I think this change was good.
I'm in agreement that change is a good thing, but to change doesn't always have to necessitate a movement to three dimensions. A lot of the elements that are particular to the Metroid series were present in Prime, but it lost a bit in the translation. Fusion and Zero Mission, on the other hand, proved that Intelligent Systems still had a lot of room to grow in the 2D department, new ideas and new play schemes to explore. Prime was good, Prime 2 was just more Prime with different weapons and a dark world (whee), and Hunters, while a fine game, was like Prime minus Metroid.
You know what that is? Fucking Quake.
Reinvention does not mean three dimensions. If such was the case, every existing franchise on every last-gen and current-gen console would be doomed. Building a successful series is about banking on what works, improving what doesn't, and expanding the reach of the franchise to incorporate new and innovative ideas that refresh the game. Hunters, though -- that was cashing in.
ZMTToxics, when you grow up with a hugely successful string of 2D Metroid games, being served a game like Prime is like having a massive iron ball shoved up your ass... and somehow magically lodged between you prostate and bladder, so everytime you sit down to play this game you feel its rough profile rubbing against your precious innards, nearly pulling your inner cock out of your ass, and you can't help but feel that something's very fucking wrong.
Likewise, if there were ever a 2D Quake (not sure if there is or not yet), I'd have the same feeling playing it.
Just because a game was born in 2D does not mean it has to become 3D because it's the logical next step in evolution. Offshoots are fine of course (look at the 2D Half-Life game), but continuing in the direction of incorporating it into a a complete core rewrite of games like Metroid is just going to end in many loyal fans shitting their dicks out of their ass wondering what has happened to their favorite game.
I wasn't saying every 2d game should be brought to 3d. I was merely saying it was a change in the interest of breathing new life into the series.
And I played Castlevania 64, and I rather enjoyed it. I still love the the 2d ones, don't get me wrong, but the 3d one added, well, another dimension of game play. I still felt like I was playing Castlevania, I mean, the giant skeletons were there, the whips, vampires, the heart of a Castlevania game. Not to mention the latest one for the ds, Portait of Ruin is a mix of 2d and 3d, and its fucking fantastic.
However, the point of a 2d quake game makes me sick. I would not play it. Quake is designed for 1 thing, fps, anything else isn't Quake. Games like Metroid and Castlevania where the purpose is to tell a story through means of action, that can work on any level. The systems they started on were limited to 2d graphics. That is the only way the story to could be displayed. If they were 3d capable like todays systems, they would have been completely different games, and now is their chance to improve apon their game concept by adding a 3rd dimension. They don't have too, but it makes things more interesting compared a 2d only game.
Quake didn't have a story other then the space marines were under attack.
I think we're talking about nine different things. Portrait of Ruin is not a mix of 2D and 3D. It has 3D graphics at intermittent points in the game, but it's not a 3D game, just like how Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins is entirely 3D graphics but still a 2D platformer.
3D graphics are one thing, but just because a game can incorporate 3D gameplay doesn't mean it ought to.
"However, the point of a 2d quake game makes me sick. I would not play it. Quake is designed for 1 thing, fps, anything else isn't Quake."
That's kind of Linde's point, from what I understand. Castlevania is designed for 1 thing, 2D sidescrolling, the same way Quake is designed for FPS. The mechanics in Castlevania evolved around a 2D environment and, if CV64 is any indicator, they don't fit very well into a 3D environment.
"Games like Metroid and Castlevania where the purpose is to tell a story through means of action, that can work on any level."
I must have missed the incredibly deep stories in Metroid I-III and Castlevania I-IV.
"The systems they started on were limited to 2d graphics. That is the only way the story to could be displayed."
I seem to remember a game called Legend of Zelda using 2D graphics to let you actually explore a world instead of simply go left and right. It made sense when they adapted those mechanics into 3D, even if Ocarina of Time did suffer from a common 2D-to-3D problem (it takes longer to move in 3D games than 2D ones). The only reason the Metroid Prime series succeeds as an adaption of the classic 2D Metroid gameplay is because it artfully implements the same Metroid feel into a 3D environment (other than Hunters, that is).
"If they were 3d capable like todays systems, they would have been completely different games, and now is their chance to improve apon their game concept by adding a 3rd dimension. They don't have too, but it makes things more interesting compared a 2d only game."
That is highly debatable. 2D is still a very viable genre that everyone attempted to abandon once Super Mario 64 came out. I thought people got this after the N64/PS1 days ended: GAMES ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY BETTER IN 3D. Compare: Castlevania 64 vs. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Compare: Sonic Adventure vs. Sonic Advance. Compare: Final Fight: Streetwise vs. the original Final Fight. Mario, Zelda, and Metroid all successfully evolved, but that doesn't mean that every series needs to.
Also, you'll note that new series are still being made in 2D, such as the Viewtiful Joe series, a superb concept (sadly dead) that I'm not sure would work as well as it did in a 3D environment.
Apologies for a long post. Also cocks.
I enjoyed Hunters, but it definitely was just an FPS in Metroid clothing. I'd love to see a 2D Metroid game, or even a 3D Prime-style adventure on the DS.
@Line and Necros: The perspective of which a game is played dosnt change the theme or the story. If rescue the princess by side scrolling, or by world roaming (not sure of a better term, its almost 4am), I still saved the princess.
These games are still based on story concepts. The older ones may not have expressed it in the game, but there were story pages in the manuals if im not mistaken. Castlevania for example, your a vampire hunter, generic plot line is you have to defeat some sort of vampire related creature, and the game is your adventure (not confuse this statement with me calling the game an adventure game, as I know its an action side scroller). Not to confuse people reading this, but the gameplay on these games are 2 parts, gameplay and story / theme. The gameplay is inherited from for the story. Make story then make game. Making a game and then adding a story doesn't work. Keeping the same top level hierarchy (the story), any style of game play can be inherited from it. The story is Castlevania, game play will be 2d sidescroller, or 3rd person 3d. Again, doesn't matter, its Castlevania.
Linde mentioned that he didnt like the direction of hunters. Thats the underlying point of this discussion. The changing of games style of gameplay. And when games are based on stories, its not about what style of game play it is (Final Fantasy 8-13 for example) as long as it works with the story.
Samus baking cakes to blow stuff up dosn't make sense. Samus using her arm cannon to blow stuff up makes sense. Depicting that in 3d or 2d doesn't change anything other then how you play. Its still metroid, just not what your used to playing to get at the story. Castlevania 64, is jut another way to play, inherited from the same base. Now, I am well aware of the ps2 games sucking, and thats a case of the gameplay not working with the story.
Or I could e entirely wrong. But its my oppinion, changing the gameplay, doesn't change the heart of the game. If it does, its no longer the same game (2 different bases, 2 different games).
Its 4am. I now have 6 hours to get my assignments done and handed it. Awesome.
It makes sense more than everything else you written. Actually, can you be 100% sure that her bombs aren't cakes?
It is pretty fun and tough.
As I mentioned earlier, I was just debating to avoid homework. :D
Super Mario 64 still feels like a Mario game. Ocarina of Time is basically a 3D Link to the Past. The reason Metroid Prime is still Metroid is that it maintains all of Metroid's mechanics and feel, only in a first-person environment (though backtracking in any of these 3D games is slightly more tedious). Linde's point is that Metroid Prime: Hunters didn't maintain that Metroid/Metroid Prime feel and instead plays as though it was Quake with a Samus skin slapped on. The scenario and plot doesn't factor into the gameplay, one of the defining aspects of Metroid. It feels like the Metroid scenario is simply being used for a Quake game. Now, will it not be fun? No, it can be fun. It just won't feel like a real Metroid game.
Similarly, Castlevania 64 maintains the basic scenario of Castlevania games (as silly as it is), yet slaps it onto a very poorly made game that attempts to adapt the traditional games' structure but fails miserably. Linde wasn't saying that your points are moot because you haven't played every Castlevania game. Hell, I haven't played them all, and it's my favorite series. He's saying that your points are invalid because you're defending what could easily be considered the worst game of the series (though in my opinion, I hate The Castlevania Adventure for GB much more), a nostalgic trainwreck that does not rise to the expectations we set for a classic series like Castlevania.
Whatever dimension you start in, you stay in. Period.