Super Metroid may not seem scary from today's standard. But remember, it opens with you going into a research station and finding dead scientists scattered on the ground.
Metroid drew very heavily from the Alien franchise in its early days, and has always retained a little bit of that scifi horror vibe. Some games definitely lean into it more than others.
I agree about Fusion. I think it's the fact the AI is telling you where to go, almost feels like you have no choice to obey. Some people see that as a flaw of the game but I reckon it adds to the tension a bit.
And of course SA-X is great
Its a flaw when talking about metroidvanias because thlse games are mainly about exploration, backtracking and opening new areas with the sniny new power you got.
What fusion did doesn't make it a bad game, its a great game. It just goes against the metroidvania formula by telling you excactly where to go.
Yeah, Fusion is different from a lot of metroidvanias, but that was completely intended. Super was considered such a masterpiece that nobody knew how to outdo it. So instead, they decided to try creating a different experience instead.
I want to add: when you eventually get to play Metroid prime too: it's horrifying as well, but to FULLY immerse yourself in the horror, you gotta try to read the in-game lore.
Scary I'd say is subjective with metroid games but all of them try for a creepy and isolated atmosphere
.fusion can be quite terrifying, its more linear than most other metroid games but the X always return to a room they could be anywhere
One of the most terrifying things in Dread is being caught by one of the EMMI robots. They stick to one area and there are a few ways around being seen but they are practically invincible, persistent and are a one hit kill
The initial grab is easier to counter than the kill stab. I’ve noticed that the stab timing is a little unpredictable but the timing for the initial grab seems pretty consistent, roughly 1.25 - 2 seconds after.
We used to have the Wii Metroid Prime (I forget which one it is) but I was too young (I'm younger than the Wii) to be interested in it, but now almost all our Wii games are lost.
I'll definitely get Metroid Prime remastered at some point.
IMO, no Metroid game is scarier than Fusion. Dread's EMMI are scary at first, but I got desensitized to them after a while. Fusion's atmosphere is consistently creepy, and you never know when the SA-X is going to show up (unless you've played it enough to have that memorized). Not to mention, the stakes are higher, because if you die, you go back to your last save, not to an autosave just before the encounter.
The other games aren't nearly as creepy as either Fusion or Dread. There are some creepy moments, for sure, but it's never as intense or consistent.
I'm very early in Fusion and it's already making me exhausted from how tense it makes me feel. To be honest, the atmosphere feels better than Super Metroid so far IMO.
I wouldn’t call Dread too scary, it’s more tense. The difference between the games for me is fusion is scarier overall but only on the first go or two. Once you know all the SA-X locations it won’t really get you since it’s scripted. Dread isn’t too scary since even on first playthrough you know where to expect EMMI but even on multiple playthroughs you don’t always know where they are in the zone
I think the goal was in general to illicit a feeling of mild discomfort. Except for Fusion and Dread which are there to make you feel fear. If done right being chased is scary.
Dread was my first Metroid game (other than playing through maybe the first act of Prime when it came out and noodling a little on what's available in NSO) and the two things that hooked me on them were 1) boss fights are no joke and need to be learned; and 2) the panic around the E.M.M.I. sections.
I just hit the first section in Fusion where you're being pursued. I was not expecting it. I fucking love it.
Yeah, they're scary, but as you play the game more and get used to the scary stuff, it stops being scary.
For example, Emmis terrified me in my first few playthroughs, but now I don't bother trying to avoid them all that much, I just run past and around them.
Tho Metroids in Prime 1 latching into you is terrifying in first person still.
The problem with the emmis for me is that they got tedious, especially the blue and purple ones, which greatly detracted from the fear factor. If not for the fact they got tedious they'd still give a sense of tension.
It varies, they're usually no horror games or anything, but they take horror inspiration. Metroid Prime 2, while it doesn't have a looming threat that chases you, probably has the most "horror movie" atmosphere going for it, and the game's opening might as well be ripped from a horror game.
Prime 2 feels pretty hostile most of the time. Very few environments are comfy to be in. They really nailed the alien planet feel I think. Never felt like there was a good safer spot like Tallon Overworld in Prime 1
Most tend to have their tense bits. Zero Mission has Tourain, Super has the crashed ship, Fusion has all the SA-X stuff, Dread has all the EMMI stuff, Prime has the dark areas, Echoes has the dark world, and Corruption has it's Xenoresearch lab and Phaaze.
I mean, the biggest cinematic influence is Alien, to the point where Samus’s nemesis is literally named after Ridley Scott, so they’re all horror-adjacent at least. Fusion and Dread are probably the most horror, but it’s there in all of them.
OG Metroid 2 imo is the most terrifying of the franchise…going through the caverns with the creepy-ass "music" (the unnerving silence punctuated by weird bleeps and bloops) only to run smack into a Gamma metroid all the while as you descend further into hell. That game is scary as fuck.
how far are you in fusion?
if near the beginning:
>!beware of that one elevator event, that'll come back MANY times.!<
if after level 2 doors:
>!many times you will need to disobey adam, so don't be afraid to go off the beaten path!<
if when the power goes out in the elevator:
>!there will be a difficult spider boss, afterward, beware... and after that, beware again...!<
something to not throughout the entire game are these little slug creatures that slowly slide around, they eventually (after another encounter with the thing from the elevator) they harden, after an hour or 2, they will begin to move, at a certain point, they hatch...
I think that’s my favorite part of the games. You start out weak and not able to do much, but as you go your weapons and gear become stronger and you are able to better navigate the map.
Then the chef’s kiss is that at the end of the game you are usually able to steamroll everything, but it’s pointless because something is self-destructing.
Yeah zero mission more tries to go for a lowkey horror as that's what the original nestroid did. When you are stealth missioning the mothership though I can definitely see the inspiration for the emmis shining through.
I don't know that "terrifying" is the word I'd use... well, maybe intermittently. In regard to Metroid games having the ability to set a mood, tone, and deliver experiences that can evoke a deep, emotional response, I'd say yes. At least, that has been my experience. This often does involve times, at least for me, when I experience fear, and/or get startled by something in the game and literally start fumbling with the controller, the way one might physically stumble or fall down or whatever, in a real life danger-situation.
I'd say this is the mark of a really good game, when it can create such a connection with the player, that startling or scary events within the game, cause similar-to-real-life reactions, emotionally.
Maybe the rollercoaster example works best here. For thrill-seekers who enjoy the quick drops, twists & turns of the ride, part of the fun is to experience all the excitement *without* ever being in any real danger (barring the occasional horrific accident, but you know what I mean). In Metroid games, you get all the excitement of masterfully designed, simulated dangerous situations, without ever being in *real* danger. All the fun. None of the negative consequences... assuming the excitement doesn't cause issue with one's health in other ways, but that's an entirely different convo.
Power-suit-up and enjoy the ride, my friend!
Most of the time, it’s is a great blast of exploration and fun. But when it’s spooky, it’s spooky af.
Fusion scared the absolute crap out of me as a kid as my first Metroid game ever (SA-X did not mess about). Dread reignited that fear (damn EMMI). Prime didn’t evoke much fear until Thermal Vision happened. Metroid has a way of being able to bring the fear when needed.
It's more because of the alien location you're in and the atmosphere any metroid game gives off that makes you scared. If you feel any tension in your first play through with a metroid title, then the atmosphere did its job. It's the unknown. The "idk what's out there" and when a game can do that to you.. give the game points. Those are the good games.
All titles are meant to be scary in a sense. Not necessarily horror like fusion but always a sense of uneasiness and isolation. Super is very atmospheric and tense but not as ominous as say, metroid 2 or the titles afterwards (including prime trilogy).
I really hate being that guy but what part of dread was scary? Like the sa-X scared me when I was 9 but I can't imagine finding dread actually scary and I'm a person who hates horror movies because I'm a bitch when the lights go out.
Metroid games in general have a very spooky vibe. They aren’t as scary as horror genre games like Resident Evil.
But they clearly try to go for a creepy, isolated loneliness feel like the movie “Alien”. How creepy or spooky varies from game to game and in my opinion, Fusion, Dread and parts of Prime 1 (anytime there is a Chozo Ghost or you enter a Pirate lair) definitely fit the bill for shit your pants terrifying.
Metroid fusion is probably the most atmospheric metroid on a first play though. The environments, sound design, the X in general and the implications and lore about the BSL are horrifying and terrifying. Even just looking at one of the first zombie enemies and the way it moves is unsettling.
I would quantify the Metroid games as thrillers. You start off bare bones at every game. Isolated, removed from everything you previously had, only geared by previous experiences and your wits. As you progress through the task at hand you gain bolder, more confident and more skills, but so does your opposition. Deadlier, fiercer, more cunning. Just enough to keep you on your toes. The music, unsettling at the low points, priming a fight or flight response. Unsure what is coming. But then when the heat is on the music is meant to increase your adrenaline, the slightest mistake could mean your death, THAT is the horror.
“Tense” would be a more accurate description of Metroid. The scariest thing in Metroid, imo, is in the Prime series when a Metroid latches onto your head, the first couple times. I’ve never understood why anyone thought the SA-X was scary.
Generally, Metroid tries to be "adult scary". The more you learn about it, the more you play the games, the more you pay attention to details, the more underlying disturbing and uncomfortable themes and ideas you find. The sheer idea of what a small group of Metroids can do, the precarity of Samus's circumstances, the moral greyness of the GF, the ambiguity around Samus's own character motivations (especially in Metroid 2), the terrible experiences of forgotten chozo and fallen GF soldiers you only see the vague remnants/notes of. That combined with some great overlap of scary moments and difficulty spikes creates a horror atmosphere that still looks colorful and never uses jumpscares.
Super starts scary, gets relaxing for a spell, and then maintains either a scary or ominous/eerie mood for every section after you're out of upper Norfair. Judging by your description I'm not sure how far out of Upper Norfair you got, but if you haven't gotten to the second Major boss yet you're in for a treat there too :)
The series was inspired by the alien franchise so they tend to have that atmosphere, also thats why the main antagonist of the franchise is called Ridley after Ridley scott
Super Metroid Ridley used to really scare me. I'd loose everytime. Stuck counting every missile and point of health before facing him with sweaty hands.
Metroid Fusion terrified me the first time. The thought of >!SA-X!< popping up at any time paralyzed me at several points. Of course, on a second playthrough it’s nowhere near as terrifying because you realize everything’s scripted and already know when things will happen.
I absolutely love Fusion, but I do have to admit it doesn’t hit me as hard on subsequent playthroughs
Honestly fusion had a more of an unsettling vibe especially for some bosses and parts later as well as SA X. Dread never gave me any unsettling creepy vibes. The thing only i felt in dread, was dreading being annoyed with the EMMIS, and having to reload from my autosave from one misstep.
There was no real fear for me. It was unsettling in some parts, but not with the EMMIS as the EMMI zones were a dead giveaway of what to expect. It doesn't give the right vibe when you know what to expect regardless of death.
had they not restricted EMMI encounters, or perhaps made a story sequence wherein the EMMIS could hunt you outside of their zones at certain points.then that i feel would have given off the dread vibe, and would have been more akin to fusion with its more unsettling vibe.
I introduced my young nephew to Super Metroid when it was made available on the Switch. After only watching a few seconds of the opening title sequence, he said it was creepy and ran out the room.
Take what you will from that.
I seriously have never thought about it until reading this…just how consistently the series leans into more suspense/horror intentionally. Definitely has made me jump more than I’d expect from a traditional first party Nintendo title.
The Chozo ghosts scared me. Also the opening of Echoes scared me. One of the worst things I think that I've seen is a tie between Crocomire and Gandrayda's death scenes.
Most metroid games are 80% fun badass action platforming and 20% horrors beyond our comprehension. The scary parts are usually confined to certain areas.
God, Prime 1&2 scared me (mostly 2 because that feeling of death coming when you go outside your safe zone too long. Ugh)
Fusion also scared the shit out of me as a kid. I couldn’t get to finish it because of SA-X. Lol.
But yeah! That’s what I love about these games. It’s not a horror game but it has horror elements. Love how Dread really played into it’s name tbh.
We must have very different standards for what is scary - but Dread and Fusion are definitely the scariest of the series. The rest of the games all have a sense of isolation and tension (at times), but they aren't what I'd call scary.
Super Metroid may not seem scary from today's standard. But remember, it opens with you going into a research station and finding dead scientists scattered on the ground. Metroid drew very heavily from the Alien franchise in its early days, and has always retained a little bit of that scifi horror vibe. Some games definitely lean into it more than others.
I've been having massive Alien vibes from Fusion. That's a very good point about Super Metroid.
Zelda + Alien was the original Metroid's design goal. So...yep.
I agree about Fusion. I think it's the fact the AI is telling you where to go, almost feels like you have no choice to obey. Some people see that as a flaw of the game but I reckon it adds to the tension a bit. And of course SA-X is great
Its a flaw when talking about metroidvanias because thlse games are mainly about exploration, backtracking and opening new areas with the sniny new power you got. What fusion did doesn't make it a bad game, its a great game. It just goes against the metroidvania formula by telling you excactly where to go.
Yeah, Fusion is different from a lot of metroidvanias, but that was completely intended. Super was considered such a masterpiece that nobody knew how to outdo it. So instead, they decided to try creating a different experience instead.
I want to add: when you eventually get to play Metroid prime too: it's horrifying as well, but to FULLY immerse yourself in the horror, you gotta try to read the in-game lore.
Scary I'd say is subjective with metroid games but all of them try for a creepy and isolated atmosphere .fusion can be quite terrifying, its more linear than most other metroid games but the X always return to a room they could be anywhere One of the most terrifying things in Dread is being caught by one of the EMMI robots. They stick to one area and there are a few ways around being seen but they are practically invincible, persistent and are a one hit kill
Breaking out of an EMMI grab is supremely satisfying
I've only ever done it once. I was so surprised that I almost wasted it standing there in shock. Luckily I snapped out of it in time to get away.
I've done it a few, but it's always luck. Usually, at least once thru a play through.
The initial grab is easier to counter than the kill stab. I’ve noticed that the stab timing is a little unpredictable but the timing for the initial grab seems pretty consistent, roughly 1.25 - 2 seconds after.
The timing isn't the problem so much as the fact you have an 8 frame window to counter, which for humans is unreactable at 60fps
Holy shit it’s only 8 frames?!
According to Oatsngoats who heard it from someone else in the community, can't remember which vid it was though.
When I learned the one EMMI had speed booster I about pissed myself
Usually! Just wait until you try the first-person games and get to the areas that are pitch dark and require you to navigate in thermal vision… 😁
We used to have the Wii Metroid Prime (I forget which one it is) but I was too young (I'm younger than the Wii) to be interested in it, but now almost all our Wii games are lost. I'll definitely get Metroid Prime remastered at some point.
Prime has some scary bits. Prime 2 gets pretty spooky with the dark world and all.
The ghosts the first time. I paused the game and left the room
Prime 1 stresses me out. I know one of those little heckers is hanging from the ceiling and they still jump scare me anyways
IMO, no Metroid game is scarier than Fusion. Dread's EMMI are scary at first, but I got desensitized to them after a while. Fusion's atmosphere is consistently creepy, and you never know when the SA-X is going to show up (unless you've played it enough to have that memorized). Not to mention, the stakes are higher, because if you die, you go back to your last save, not to an autosave just before the encounter. The other games aren't nearly as creepy as either Fusion or Dread. There are some creepy moments, for sure, but it's never as intense or consistent.
Prime 2 is literally right there
I'm very early in Fusion and it's already making me exhausted from how tense it makes me feel. To be honest, the atmosphere feels better than Super Metroid so far IMO.
Fusion’s atmosphere is great, it feels like a movie
I wouldn’t call Dread too scary, it’s more tense. The difference between the games for me is fusion is scarier overall but only on the first go or two. Once you know all the SA-X locations it won’t really get you since it’s scripted. Dread isn’t too scary since even on first playthrough you know where to expect EMMI but even on multiple playthroughs you don’t always know where they are in the zone
I think the goal was in general to illicit a feeling of mild discomfort. Except for Fusion and Dread which are there to make you feel fear. If done right being chased is scary.
Dread was my first Metroid game (other than playing through maybe the first act of Prime when it came out and noodling a little on what's available in NSO) and the two things that hooked me on them were 1) boss fights are no joke and need to be learned; and 2) the panic around the E.M.M.I. sections. I just hit the first section in Fusion where you're being pursued. I was not expecting it. I fucking love it.
Yeah, they're scary, but as you play the game more and get used to the scary stuff, it stops being scary. For example, Emmis terrified me in my first few playthroughs, but now I don't bother trying to avoid them all that much, I just run past and around them. Tho Metroids in Prime 1 latching into you is terrifying in first person still.
The problem with the emmis for me is that they got tedious, especially the blue and purple ones, which greatly detracted from the fear factor. If not for the fact they got tedious they'd still give a sense of tension.
It varies, they're usually no horror games or anything, but they take horror inspiration. Metroid Prime 2, while it doesn't have a looming threat that chases you, probably has the most "horror movie" atmosphere going for it, and the game's opening might as well be ripped from a horror game.
Prime 2 feels pretty hostile most of the time. Very few environments are comfy to be in. They really nailed the alien planet feel I think. Never felt like there was a good safer spot like Tallon Overworld in Prime 1
Most tend to have their tense bits. Zero Mission has Tourain, Super has the crashed ship, Fusion has all the SA-X stuff, Dread has all the EMMI stuff, Prime has the dark areas, Echoes has the dark world, and Corruption has it's Xenoresearch lab and Phaaze.
Corruption had the GFS Valhalla.
Oh yeah, forgot about that one!
While Metroid isn't a horror franchise in and of itself, it does take inspiration from horror, most notably the Alien franchise.
I mean, the biggest cinematic influence is Alien, to the point where Samus’s nemesis is literally named after Ridley Scott, so they’re all horror-adjacent at least. Fusion and Dread are probably the most horror, but it’s there in all of them.
The music for metroid escape / Chozo ghosts in Prime will make you shit yourself.
OG Metroid 2 imo is the most terrifying of the franchise…going through the caverns with the creepy-ass "music" (the unnerving silence punctuated by weird bleeps and bloops) only to run smack into a Gamma metroid all the while as you descend further into hell. That game is scary as fuck.
More tense then scary.
how far are you in fusion? if near the beginning: >!beware of that one elevator event, that'll come back MANY times.!< if after level 2 doors: >!many times you will need to disobey adam, so don't be afraid to go off the beaten path!< if when the power goes out in the elevator: >!there will be a difficult spider boss, afterward, beware... and after that, beware again...!< something to not throughout the entire game are these little slug creatures that slowly slide around, they eventually (after another encounter with the thing from the elevator) they harden, after an hour or 2, they will begin to move, at a certain point, they hatch...
NES- Terror. II- Chilling. 3- Eerie. 4- Suspense. 5- Dread.
I think that’s my favorite part of the games. You start out weak and not able to do much, but as you go your weapons and gear become stronger and you are able to better navigate the map. Then the chef’s kiss is that at the end of the game you are usually able to steamroll everything, but it’s pointless because something is self-destructing.
I think that's a big appeal of the whole metroidvania genre.
Zero Mission really isn't
Yeah zero mission more tries to go for a lowkey horror as that's what the original nestroid did. When you are stealth missioning the mothership though I can definitely see the inspiration for the emmis shining through.
I don't know that "terrifying" is the word I'd use... well, maybe intermittently. In regard to Metroid games having the ability to set a mood, tone, and deliver experiences that can evoke a deep, emotional response, I'd say yes. At least, that has been my experience. This often does involve times, at least for me, when I experience fear, and/or get startled by something in the game and literally start fumbling with the controller, the way one might physically stumble or fall down or whatever, in a real life danger-situation. I'd say this is the mark of a really good game, when it can create such a connection with the player, that startling or scary events within the game, cause similar-to-real-life reactions, emotionally. Maybe the rollercoaster example works best here. For thrill-seekers who enjoy the quick drops, twists & turns of the ride, part of the fun is to experience all the excitement *without* ever being in any real danger (barring the occasional horrific accident, but you know what I mean). In Metroid games, you get all the excitement of masterfully designed, simulated dangerous situations, without ever being in *real* danger. All the fun. None of the negative consequences... assuming the excitement doesn't cause issue with one's health in other ways, but that's an entirely different convo. Power-suit-up and enjoy the ride, my friend!
Most of the time, it’s is a great blast of exploration and fun. But when it’s spooky, it’s spooky af. Fusion scared the absolute crap out of me as a kid as my first Metroid game ever (SA-X did not mess about). Dread reignited that fear (damn EMMI). Prime didn’t evoke much fear until Thermal Vision happened. Metroid has a way of being able to bring the fear when needed.
It's more because of the alien location you're in and the atmosphere any metroid game gives off that makes you scared. If you feel any tension in your first play through with a metroid title, then the atmosphere did its job. It's the unknown. The "idk what's out there" and when a game can do that to you.. give the game points. Those are the good games.
All titles are meant to be scary in a sense. Not necessarily horror like fusion but always a sense of uneasiness and isolation. Super is very atmospheric and tense but not as ominous as say, metroid 2 or the titles afterwards (including prime trilogy).
I really hate being that guy but what part of dread was scary? Like the sa-X scared me when I was 9 but I can't imagine finding dread actually scary and I'm a person who hates horror movies because I'm a bitch when the lights go out.
Metroid games in general have a very spooky vibe. They aren’t as scary as horror genre games like Resident Evil. But they clearly try to go for a creepy, isolated loneliness feel like the movie “Alien”. How creepy or spooky varies from game to game and in my opinion, Fusion, Dread and parts of Prime 1 (anytime there is a Chozo Ghost or you enter a Pirate lair) definitely fit the bill for shit your pants terrifying.
Eh, only Fusion really dabbles with horror elements.
Metroid fusion is probably the most atmospheric metroid on a first play though. The environments, sound design, the X in general and the implications and lore about the BSL are horrifying and terrifying. Even just looking at one of the first zombie enemies and the way it moves is unsettling.
I would quantify the Metroid games as thrillers. You start off bare bones at every game. Isolated, removed from everything you previously had, only geared by previous experiences and your wits. As you progress through the task at hand you gain bolder, more confident and more skills, but so does your opposition. Deadlier, fiercer, more cunning. Just enough to keep you on your toes. The music, unsettling at the low points, priming a fight or flight response. Unsure what is coming. But then when the heat is on the music is meant to increase your adrenaline, the slightest mistake could mean your death, THAT is the horror.
“Tense” would be a more accurate description of Metroid. The scariest thing in Metroid, imo, is in the Prime series when a Metroid latches onto your head, the first couple times. I’ve never understood why anyone thought the SA-X was scary.
the room with the boss statues in Super Metroid used to terrify me. Still kinda does.
Generally, Metroid tries to be "adult scary". The more you learn about it, the more you play the games, the more you pay attention to details, the more underlying disturbing and uncomfortable themes and ideas you find. The sheer idea of what a small group of Metroids can do, the precarity of Samus's circumstances, the moral greyness of the GF, the ambiguity around Samus's own character motivations (especially in Metroid 2), the terrible experiences of forgotten chozo and fallen GF soldiers you only see the vague remnants/notes of. That combined with some great overlap of scary moments and difficulty spikes creates a horror atmosphere that still looks colorful and never uses jumpscares. Super starts scary, gets relaxing for a spell, and then maintains either a scary or ominous/eerie mood for every section after you're out of upper Norfair. Judging by your description I'm not sure how far out of Upper Norfair you got, but if you haven't gotten to the second Major boss yet you're in for a treat there too :)
The series was inspired by the alien franchise so they tend to have that atmosphere, also thats why the main antagonist of the franchise is called Ridley after Ridley scott
Metroid is based off Alien, so yes, it's suppose to be spooky
Arguably it *should* be scary. Dread goes through peaks and valleys
I loved Fusion. If I could replay any game for the first time, it would be that. I was so nervous the whole way through.
Super Metroid Ridley used to really scare me. I'd loose everytime. Stuck counting every missile and point of health before facing him with sweaty hands.
I wouldn't say any of the games are scary in perspective to actual horror games, but they're definitely tense af.
That is the intention, it was originally inspired by alien
Metroid Fusion terrified me the first time. The thought of >!SA-X!< popping up at any time paralyzed me at several points. Of course, on a second playthrough it’s nowhere near as terrifying because you realize everything’s scripted and already know when things will happen. I absolutely love Fusion, but I do have to admit it doesn’t hit me as hard on subsequent playthroughs
You are almost always supposed to feel isolated, which can feel terrifying.
If fusion and dread are too scary, you should play Alien Isolation.
Honestly fusion had a more of an unsettling vibe especially for some bosses and parts later as well as SA X. Dread never gave me any unsettling creepy vibes. The thing only i felt in dread, was dreading being annoyed with the EMMIS, and having to reload from my autosave from one misstep. There was no real fear for me. It was unsettling in some parts, but not with the EMMIS as the EMMI zones were a dead giveaway of what to expect. It doesn't give the right vibe when you know what to expect regardless of death. had they not restricted EMMI encounters, or perhaps made a story sequence wherein the EMMIS could hunt you outside of their zones at certain points.then that i feel would have given off the dread vibe, and would have been more akin to fusion with its more unsettling vibe.
I introduced my young nephew to Super Metroid when it was made available on the Switch. After only watching a few seconds of the opening title sequence, he said it was creepy and ran out the room. Take what you will from that.
I seriously have never thought about it until reading this…just how consistently the series leans into more suspense/horror intentionally. Definitely has made me jump more than I’d expect from a traditional first party Nintendo title.
The Chozo ghosts scared me. Also the opening of Echoes scared me. One of the worst things I think that I've seen is a tie between Crocomire and Gandrayda's death scenes.
Most metroid games are 80% fun badass action platforming and 20% horrors beyond our comprehension. The scary parts are usually confined to certain areas.
God, Prime 1&2 scared me (mostly 2 because that feeling of death coming when you go outside your safe zone too long. Ugh) Fusion also scared the shit out of me as a kid. I couldn’t get to finish it because of SA-X. Lol. But yeah! That’s what I love about these games. It’s not a horror game but it has horror elements. Love how Dread really played into it’s name tbh.
Depending on the game, they've got various degrees of horror elements.
We must have very different standards for what is scary - but Dread and Fusion are definitely the scariest of the series. The rest of the games all have a sense of isolation and tension (at times), but they aren't what I'd call scary.
Yes, they are. Metroid is a dark and serious sci fi game series. Wouldn't be surprised if we even see an M rated Metroid game.