Remember how I said the original Metroid was balls-ass hard? Imagine if you could play that game but have it be at an enjoyable difficulty level. Now, you're probably saying, "but Matthew! That takes all of the engaging darkness right out of the equation!" And I'd say, "sort of, but not really." Then you'd call me a nerd for inventing a fake conversation about Metroid's difficulty. I'd slap you in the face.
ANYWAYS, Metroid Zero Mission is a totally baller game. It takes the original Metroid, adds in some more story context (Samus speaks! Well, in text form), spruces up the art direction, gives Samus her much more recognizable Super Metroid Varia suit, and adds in a whole bunch of new moves, powerups, and areas to explore. Essentially, it's like the Criterion Collection version of the original Metroid.
I was pretty blown away by the atmosphere in Metroid, and I have to say – it suffers here a little bit. The loneliness, the isolation – it's still there, but it's muted. You don't feel so much like a stranger in a strange land as someone who is totally prepared for the adventure ahead. Balancing on the knife's edge of life and death in the original Metroid is pretty engaging, if frustrating, so if you're one of those people who loves challenge and can handle that kind of stress, then I have no qualms about recommending the original over this one.
But, here's the thing – I suck at videogames, and when we're talking about the original Metroid, most people probably would fall into the definition of "sucking" too. So what Zero Mission does is streamline everything so that playing the game is unbelievable enjoyable. Now you can shoot in eight directions; you can use the Power Grab from Metroid Fusion; there's three different difficulty levels; and most of all, there's a map! Hallelujah!
Instead of fighting with the occasionally obtuse design elements of the original, Zero Mission pits you in a mental showdown with the game. Moreso than I've seen in most other Metroid games (outside of the Prime series, primarily), enemy encounters are downplayed heavily in favour of "how do I get from one end of this room/world to the other"-type exploration, meaning that you're going to be doing everything necessary to find a way around.
The game is certainly easier, then, than the original, but it's far from easy. Sure, there's a hint system, but for the most part, you're doing what you've been doing since Super Metroid: surveying the surroundings and trying things out to try and get from one end to the other. In fact, I'd say Zero Mission is the absolute best Metroid game I've played where the design and graphics are the things that show you how to accomplish your goals. Take note, developers.
You've probably noticed that I've barely talked about the plot that runs through these games. I'm even reviewing them in fictional chronological order, but I've always thought that the overt plot of Metroid games are a little lacking. Oh, sure, they're cool and in the case of the Prime games, really quite interesting I think, but it's the themes of the games that really stick with me. Here, we've got Samus hunting the Space Pirates, who are harvesting the destructive (and titular) Metroids in an attempt to take over the world. Despite the biological warfare subtext, it's pretty standard sci-fi fare, and the plot certainly gets much more interesting as the series moves along. Luckily, Zero Mission benefits from its almost graphic novel-esque presentation, and a more coherent focus on the story that's not done in a gameflow-breaking way.
Zero Mission (and the original Metroid before it) of course introduced a couple of the most badass bosses/villains in gaming, in Ridley and Mother Brain. Both are huge, imposing figures in this game, and it's too bad that they're so easy to destroy. Like I said though, this isn't a game about enemies, it's a game about exploration, and in that sense, the game delivers. The environments look fantastic for a GBA game, and I'd have to say that this is probably my favourite-looking 2D Metroid game.
All in all, Zero Mission delivers fully on its promises – it's a totally streamlined, fast-paced, fun, engaging version of the first game, and while all of those things seem to go against the design principles of the original, Zero Mission shows that there's room for both approaches. Certainly, this is one of the most polished Metroid experiences I've seen, and is just an absolute blast to play.