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[Mark Mayers]

You can't morph into a ball in Axiom Verge.

Why can't Metroid crawl?

[ProgramGamer]

The drone cannot become functionally identical to the morph ball. Only boring level design can force it to be functionally identical, in a cumbersome way.

I'm gonna spoil the game for you, but since you didn't answer my other question and since you seem uninterested in axiom verge anyways, I'm not gonna feel bad about that.

You eventually get the ability to teleport to your drone, which not only makes the drone functionally identical to the morph ball, but extends your movement options because you can teleport to it in midair. You even get an upgrade that lets you shoot your drone really far, which extends movement even further.

Does that count as "boring level design" in your book?

[J-Snake]

You eventually get the ability to teleport to your drone, which not only makes the drone functionally identical to the morph ball, but extends your movement options because you can teleport to it in midair.

I know. But you are lacking mechanical understanding. It is still not functionally identical to a morph ball. The fundamental difference of a morph ball is that you don't break dynamism, you remain the same actor and don't split yourself. This allows for deeper gameplay in regards to the main actor himself, potentially (I am not saying Super Metroid lives up to its potential, but it introduces powerful principles so many fail to see and elaborate on). But it is not like Axiom Verge cares about that. The mechanical interactions are flat, and so is the combat.

Look at it this way. A transformation of the same object remains one single, but deeper continuation. Splitting yourself into multiple objects increases your quantities but ultimately reduces depth of a single one by breaking continuation. Given that you are not playing Starcraft (where you have rough control over quantity of units), but a game where you have full control over an actor instead it tends to result in more flat gameplay.

[ProgramGamer]

But you're essentially shooting yourself out of your own gun. Sure, Axiom Verge's conservation of momentum is practically non-existent, but the drone does allow you to do some mechanically interesting stuff that you wouldn't see in a Super Metroid or whatever.

Axiom Verge's thing is not mechanically deep combat (and neither is Super Metroid), it's about variety in gameplay options, a dark existential theme, and the exploration of an alien world. I recommended Axion Verge to you because you seemed to be interested in dark themed metroidvanias.

And yet we argue about what counts as a morph ball or not. I'm not continuing this conversation.

[J-Snake]

You asked me. I told you. Btw. I didn't say I haven't played it. I said that I don't like it.

Axiom Verge's thing is not mechanically deep combat (and neither is Super Metroid)

Well, that's too bad.

it's about variety in gameplay options, a dark existential theme, and the exploration of an alien world.

Which is a boring world because everything is mechanically flat.

[ProgramGamer]

There is one problem with Metroid, it is directed by child-friendly Nintendo.

If dark themes alone don't make you enjoy a game, then don't complain about new Metroid games not having them, and don't cite the lack of dark themes as the ONLY flaw with modern Metroids, because someone might do something as atrocious as recommending you a dark themed metroidvania.

[J-Snake]

Child-friendly themes imply child-friendly gameplay in Nintendo land.

[SchriefFighter]

Yeah, you wipe out aliens in Metroid...not exactly kid friendly.

[J-Snake]

You mean those blobs with oversaturated colors, yeah I am not afraid of aliens

[rj]

j snake again proves himself to actually be a group of bees on a typewriter

[Mark Mayers]

Yeah, you wipe out aliens in Metroid...not exactly kid friendly.

For real though, the original Metroid II is a game about genocide.
You go to planet SR388 to KILL ALL METROIDS.

Then you accidentally become the 'mother' to the last Metroid, as it hatches and Samus is the first thing it sees.
THE LAST METROID IS IN CAPTIVITY, THE GALAXY IS AT PEACE.

Nintendo is ostensibly the Disney of video games, but occasionally they have games with darker themes.

---

Also I very much enjoyed Axiom Verge. Idk where the hate is coming from, it's a great game.

[Superb Joe]

You mean those blobs with oversaturated colors, yeah I am not afraid of aliens

the last metroid is not in captivity... Trap Them

[J-Snake]

How much time would you spend in the toilet to compose this statement without Mark Mayers help?

[Photon]

I've certainly had my fair share of differing opinions (I for one didn't particularly enjoy Axiom Verge,) but I feel like we're nitpicking here. I hardly consider the Metroid Prime series "child-friendly" because it has oversaturated colors, to name one of the points. Metroid Prime 2 in particular stands out to me in terms of atmosphere, particularly the wasteland and swamp areas.

[J-Snake]

Also I very much enjoyed Axiom Verge. Idk where the hate is coming from, it's a great game.

Don't get me wrong. I am not hating on it. I just don't like it. If you can immerse yourself into it, that's great, more power to you. I just need certain mechanics and challenges to go along with it, exploration alone doesn't do it for me.

[omnilith]

Hey now, J-Snake is a real stand up guy, by which I mean he makes me want to stand up and leave the room! Ha ha ha. But in all seriousness, J-Snake, you know all of us here wish you well. As in, we all wish somebody would throw you down a well!

[JWK5]

I just need certain mechanics and challenges to go along with it, exploration alone doesn't do it for me.

In all fairness, that is where for me "open world" games lost their luster. At some point all their mechanics started to blur together and while I do crave a really good open world game there is only a handful that really are mechanically entertaining to me.

Sometimes a game is just missing that special spice you're looking for even if it's got the right flavor for everyone else.

[J-Snake]

Sometimes a game is just missing that special spice you're looking for even if it's got the right flavor for everyone else.

Yeah, that is often true.

Nintendo is ostensibly the Disney of video games, but occasionally they have games with darker themes.

I don't think Nintendo is even able to produce a game with mature content as their mentality is conditioned to stay within a child-friendly bubble. They perceive every idea through this mental filter and that is reflected within all their games. I guess it happened to be an exception that they had someone with a mature vision for Super Metroid who is long dead now. And I can imagine his vision wasn't greatly received within his own company.

Here is the Crocomire fight in Super Metroid. Just recall how detailed and terrifying he looks and sounds. Then take a look at these Metroid Prime bosses. What are those? Child toys? Take a look at the boss 22:20, is this chunky toy supposed to make an impressive entrance with that dumbed down monotonous music? This is not how vicious creatures look like.

[rj]

j-snake i dont know why you posted "i eat ass" fifty times but to answer your question: metroid fusion is better and darker than both

[rj]

aesthetically i mean