Metroid: Samus Returns

Samus Returns is both a return to form and a look to the potential future for 2D Metroid games, where combat plays a bigger role and exploration involves clever thinking rather than persistent guessing. Fans get more than they bargained (and hoped) for, and everyone else gets an excellent 2D action game with one of the most captivating and capable video game heroes around.

Metroid: Samus Returns is a remake that plays it close to the original, for both good and the bad. To its credit, the story (or lack thereof) is still a thrilling exercise of environmental storytelling and the puzzles are varied and interesting; however, the lack of boss variety, experimental stop-and-go gameplay, and dated visuals make this Metroid title more of a love letter for old-school fans, and potentially a chore to those more accustomed to contemporary genre norms.

Metroid: Samus Returns is a triumphant return to form for the franchise, and its greatest victory is that it makes it feel as though Samus never left to begin with.

Metroid: Samus Returns isn’t just a simple reimagining that improves on the original game's limitations and notable issues. It’s a phenomenal blueprint of the 2D Metroid formula that captures the series’ best elements while adding in gameplay refinements and mechanics that feel just right. Some repetition lingers, but that's hardly enough to hold the game back from returning Metroid to the top tier of platforming.

Going into Metroid: Samus Returns, I was hopeful and optimistic. But given the past decade of Metroid, it was hard to not be a skeptic. After beating Metroid: Samus Returns, my skepticism washed away, mostly thanks to the fact that this 3DS game pays a loving homage to the greatness of past entries while adding enough new elements to feel like a fresh and wonderful modern experience.

Despite the flaws with its pacing, Metroid: Samus Returns feels like true classic reborn- with all the polish expected of a modern release and stands proudly among the other fantastic 2D entries to the series.

While Metroid: Samus Returns is technically a remake of a 90’s GameBoy game, it’s truly a rallying cry for Metroid fans to gather and enjoy how fantastic Samus’ journeys can be. Despite a few hiccups, the fresh combat mechanics, addicting exploration, and wonderful cinematic tone make this one of the best Metroid games ever made.

Metroid: Samus Returns is a triumphant return to form for the franchise, and its greatest victory is that it makes it feel as though Samus never left to begin with.

Impressive effort with a few noticeable problems holding it back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.

It has been a staggering 13 years since the last 2D Metroid game and Samus has finally returned to her roots. But Metroid: Samus Returns doesn’t merely hope to satisfy a sense of nostalgia, it transcends those aspirations to become a much more compelling experience. It takes nearly everything about its predecessors that made them great and introduces new elements that make gameplay feel fresh and exciting.

To call Metroid: Samus Returns a remake feels unfair. Remakes are old games with new coats of paint: an upgrade in resolution here, reworked artwork there. Samus Returns is far more than that. It’s a top-to-bottom reimagining, bringing the bones of a game that’s over 25 years old into the modern era with fantastic results.

Metroid: Samus Returns’ amalgamation of some things old and some things new results in a 2D Metroid game that, while at its most evolved, is caught in somewhat of an identity crisis. There are brief flickers of brilliance showing us what this exploratory new take on the series could have been, but it often finds itself carrying the overbearing weight of being a pseudo-authentic remake. Metroid: Samus Returns will satisfy most, but leaves too much to be desired to be considered a true leap forward.

I was delighted by Metroid: Samus Returns. It hits pretty much every note you hope to see in a Metroid game, and MercurySteam's console background is evident in their flair for the dramatic— whether in their introductory cutscenes or their boss battles. Their dramatic reinvention reinvigorates the source material and strengthens the story's bridge to Super Metroid. In short: They nailed it.

MercurySteam’s first outing with the franchise is also different enough from the recent fan remake AM2R, so fans shouldn’t hesitate to pick up this rare gem. This might be Samus’ first 2D adventure in more than a dozen years, but it’s a great reminder of why we fell in love with the franchise in the first place.

While not allowing for the subterranean trek through SR388 to fully flourish in its own individual right, Metroid: Samus Returns is nonetheless a highly enjoyable remake of one of the series’ more overlooked and forgotten entrants. With new items and gameplay mechanics added into the mix, not to mention the surprisingly tense confrontations with the many titular foes throughout, Nintendo’s own take on how Metroid 2 would and should fare in the modern age is frantic in its action but carefully balanced by the series’ slow-burning exploration. With Metroid Prime 4 looming on the horizon, the signs here at least are notably promising.

Samus Returns has an appropriate name. It really does feel like a homecoming for a franchise that I love. It’s great to be playing a new 2D Metroid. But it doesn’t just work off of nostalgia. Samus Returns’s new ideas actually add improvements to the classic Metroid gameplay. It might have come a little later than I liked, but Nintendo proved that they can still make this franchise exciting again.

Metroid: Samus Returns is absolutely worth adding to your collection, as it’s a challenging and hugely rewarding game that’s full of surprises.

While it’s been marketed as a remake of Metroid II: The Return of Samus for Game Boy, Metroid: Samus Returns is more of a much-needed reboot of the 2D Metroid games we know and love. It’s a safe, modern take on Super Metroid, one of the greatest games of all time. Aside from some repetitive boss fights and hand-cramping controls, it’s nearly everything I could ask for as a fan of old-school Metroids.

Metroid: Samus Returns provides a strong return for the series, but ultimately the source material the remake is based off of holds it back from being more than it is...

While this isn't Samus' greatest adventure, it is still a very good one.

Still, as the name of the game implies, Metroid: Samus Returns is a homecoming for one of Nintendo’s most beloved heroes, and it’s a return to form that many had been anticipating for years. To revisit something said at the beginning of this review, it has been 13 years since Samus starred in a side-scrolling shooter and after playing through this latest title it’s odd to think of any rational reason as to why she ever left.

Samus Returns is not the most faithful remake in history, but taken on its own terms it’s a fun shooter with just enough Metroid flavour to keep fans happy.

A superb remake of Metroid II and the best 2D entry since Super Metroid, that doesn’t compromise at all in terms of challenge, complexity, or atmosphere.

This is right up there with Super Metroid in terms of sheer class, taking the spirit of Metroid II: Return of Samus and transforming it so wondrously for the modern day that it is barely recognisable, with a plethora of brand-new extras thrown in. Metroid: Samus Returns is no mere remake of a Game Boy classic; it is a love letter to the Metroid series, and a thorough reimagining of the core concept, adding in some favourite elements from later releases, and new content that fits hand in glove.

Metroid: Samus Returns shows why 2D Metroid is still top-tier. It’s far from the perfection that Super Metroid had, but this takes my least liked 2D Metroid game and reimagines it so completely that it almost beats the remake of the original Metroid in my estimations. If someone at Nintendo can add the ability to switch control schemes, it would make a huge difference. This is the return we’ve been waiting for, though I want Nintendo to develop the “Next Mission” in 2D for the Switch themselves.

The game is well paced, you gain abilities fast, and the moment you start to feel powerful the difficulty increases significantly, as it should. Samus Returns when fans needed it, and she does it in the best possible way: a classic, pure Metroid experience with a good range of well-thought, smart modern additions that plays better than ever.

Don’t be fooled by the connection to Metroid II: this game has been revamped, redesigned and rejuvenated to such an extreme degree that to all intents and purposes it’s a brand new adventure. This is far and away one of the best Metroid games ever made, and one of the best examples of the entire Metroidvania genre as a result.

Metroid: Samus Returns is a great return to form after the Federation Forces debacle and should make fans of the series happy with the final product. Aside from a few presentation hiccups and difficulty curve, the improved visuals and added content make for a solid entry in the Metroid universe. We have been waiting for Samus to return for a little while now, but the wait has been worth it.

Samus Aran regresa por la puerta grande con una aventura que es todo un ejemplo de cómo deberían ser todo los remakes: esculpido sobre la piedra de Metroid II, pintado con los colores de Super Metroid y bañado con el barniz de Metroid Prime. Samus Returns no sólo es un gran Metroid: también es uno de los mejores juegos de Nintendo 3DS.

No es la saga más explotada de Nintendo, y eso no es malo; si acaso, le pone a MercurySteam las cosas más difíciles a la hora de estar a la altura de algunos de los títulos más queridos y respetados de una de las compañías más veteranas del videojuego.

Si son fans de Metroid entonces es más que obvio lo que tienen que hacer: Samus Returns es un título que simplemente deben jugar y que no puede faltar en su colección; es imprescindible para ustedes, más aún porque con su apoyo le harán saber a Nintendo que todavía hay enorme interés por la IP.

Un juego que se mantiene muy fiel a la habitual fórmula de la saga y al título en el que se basa, pero que a la vez se siente como una nueva aventura, con pequeñas novedades y un apartado gráfico completamente renovado.

Si hay algo que debemos destacar de la producción de Mercury Steam y Nintendo es que por fin ha vuelto la esencia 2D de Metroid. Y lo hace ofreciendo una versión mejorada, actualizada y mimada del segundo capítulo de la saga. Es un gran comienzo, —pese a que este capítulo no es el más querido por los fans—, hecho que nos hace pensar en una futura revisión de Super Metroid o incluso en una nueva e inédita iteración de la franquicia.

El trabajo de MercurySteam con este Samus Returns ha sido tremendamente positivo. Se percibe un mimo y un cariño ya no únicamente hacia la saga sino hacia el género y el propio título. Un afán de adaptarlo a los tiempos que corren aunque ello suponga eliminar parte de su ADN sin que esto afecte a la experiencia del jugador. Un arcade plataformero puro y duro que encaja a la perfección en la portátil de Nintendo, del que disfrutaréis mientras jugáis y pensaréis en el mientras no lo hacéis.

Metroid Samus Returns es un trabajo de reconstrucción ejemplar. Mantiene el esqueleto del clásico de Game Boy, con un tremendo respeto por las claves de la licencia, pero añadiendo novedades con precisión de cirujano para erigir un videojuego nuevo, con excelentes valores de producción.

Con el último Metroid en cautiverio y la galaxia en paz, Samus Returns nos ayudó a olvidar el fiasco y mal sabor de boca ocasionado por Metroid Prime: Federation Force, y nos llenó de esperanza por el futuro de la franquicia. Sólo esperamos que Nintendo tome nota.

Mercury Steam hat nicht einfach ein altes Metroid vom GameBoy modernisiert, sondern eines der technisch und inhaltlich besten Spiele seiner Art entwickelt.

En matière de level design, de gameplay, de fun, de décors et même de musique, MercurySteam et Nintendo signent une excellente copie, nous offrant un des meilleurs jeux d’action/aventure 2D de ces dernières années. Si vous avez une 3DS, voici un titre à ne surtout pas manquer.

Sans crier au grand retour d'une licence un peu malmenée sur ces deux derniers épisodes, on peut s'accorder sur le fait que Metroid : Samus Returns constitue une belle remise à niveau d'une aventure nomade souvent mal aimée de Samus Aran.

Mercury Steam démontre un talent fou dans l'exercice du remake avec cette version méconnaissable de l'antique Metroid II : Samus Returns sorti il y a déjà un quart de siècle. La copie rendue n'a presque plus rien à voir avec l'original, et c'est tant mieux : la quantité d'armes, de gadgets et de situations librement rajoutée par le studio ibérique transcendent complètement l'expérience, et accoucheraient presque d'une toute nouvelle aventure. Presque.

Metroid Samus Returns est clairement l'un des derniers grands jeux de la Nintendo 3DS avec un gameplay efficace et varié. L'épisode bénéficie d'un remaster de qualité avec de nouvelles features qui rendent le jeu moins punitif et plus accessible pour les nouveaux venus. Toujours aussi sympathique à jouer, le jeu perd un peu de son côté exploration mais ceci se fait là aussi au bénéfice des jeunes joueurs qui doivent déjà faire face à des ennemis assez punitifs.

Metroid: Samus Returns é o Metroid que todos esperavam. Inovador mas fiel às suas origens, desponta numa aventura digna da sua herança. Com uma longevidade surpreendente e uma jogabilidade intuitiva, é uma proposta muito bem desenvolvida que vai agradar tanto a veteranos como a recém-chegados.

Metroid II: Samus Returns è senza dubbio uno dei giochi più interessati nell'attuale panorama del 3DS. Da tempo si sentiva il bisogno di un titolo del genere su questa piattaforma e per fortuna il capostipite è arrivato a reclamare il suo trono. Di fronte a voi ci sono un sacco di ore di esplorazione, piccoli rompicapi e scontri che metteranno alla prova i vostri riflessi. Un ottimo antipasto per farsi venire ancora più fame in attesa del prossimo capitolo per Switch.

Un eccellente level design, un paio di aggiunte brillanti al titolo del '92 ed una struttura di gioco invecchiata benissimo sono solo alcuni degli ingredienti alla base dell'ottima qualità del prodotto finale. Da qui Nintendo dovrà ripartire per garantire un futuro florido alle avventura bidimensionali della cacciatrice di taglie più sexy del pianeta.

L’operazione remake ha funzionato meglio che ai tempi dell’acqua cheta di Zero Mission (era il 2004), anche se la direzione artistica lascia il tempo che trova (ma le animazioni sono ottime) e se l’esplorazione è vagamente annacquata rispetto al passato. Ma, al netto delle dita scricchiolanti, Samus Returns è comunque un gran bel giocare.

Складывается впечатление, что сам Ёсио Сакамото, куратор двумерных «Метроидов», не очень понимает, что в них главное, за что их любят, какие механики в них более уместны. А фанаты, сделавшие AM2R, понимают.

Мне не доставляет удовольствия ругать Return of Samus, но и хвалить его просто потому, что это первый за долгие годы официальный настоящий «Метроид», и все могло бы быть хуже, тоже не хочется. В мелочах игра добавляет немало полезных особенностей, но стоит присмотреться, как смысл происходящего теряется.

Metroid: Samus Returns doet de franchise eer aan door het enige Game Boy deel de moderne tijd in te slingeren. Het steeds verder komen in de wereld door de Metroidvania principes die de serie groot maakte, voelt fantastisch en Samus laat zich soepel besturen.

De game speelt weer als een ouderwetse Metroidgame en daar is op zijn tijd niets mis mee. Fans van de Metroidserie dienen deze game op de dag dat Samus Returns uitkomt te gaan halen. Sterker nog, Metroid Samus Returns hoort in elke collectie van elke zichzelf respecterende 3DS of 2DS bezitter thuis.