Jeremy Parish
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Here eye go
🕑 Added 2015-03-20 14:42:19 +0000 UTC Good morning and welcome to another chapter of The Anatomy of Metroid Fusion. I've traded in frequency of these posts for quantity — I'm trying to write about the game according to its natural rhythms, so this entry took quite a bit longer to put together than the earlier updates. Anyway, I'm trying to make good on my promise to defend the game's design choices within the context of the Metroid series while looking fairly at which decisions worked and which didn't, and this is the first major opportunity I've had to tackle that discussion. Agree? Disagree? I'm curious to hear everyone else's feedback!
Comments
Brad Gravett
This reminds me of the bad reviews Luftrausers gets on Steam. I think there are, in general, two kinds of people: those who like the rush of success itself, and those who revel in the struggle for success. For whatever reason, the former kind tend to get more attention from developers than the latter. It's certainly easier to merely grant success, in the context of a video game; it's a much more accessible thrill. Conversely the satisfaction of struggle is much more nuanced. Failure is a big component and it often borders on frustration. The line between challenge and frustration is fine, and seems to be different for even individual players. Video game publishers are notoriously risk-averse, like Hollywood producers. It seems, to them, like an intuitive decision to cater to "success having" excitement. It's easier to provide and seems to have a wider audience, or at least more vocal. For better or for worse, it leaves "success getting" excitement to smaller-scale indies like VVVVVV and Super Meat Boy. Fusion probably came at the time when console games were starting the grand paradigm shift away from gameplay that provided success-getting excitement (as in, quarter-munching and rental-extending design) and towards success-having excitement. It probably has to do with video gamers growing up. The generation reached its adolescence. People are much more likely to own copies of the games they play instead of borrowing, renting, or paying per-play. This generation is also much more conversant with developers and publishers, and willing to push back at the market through sales and press.
Daniel Velazquez
I remember enjoying Fusion all those years ago for it's level design and not so much the narrative. Thankfully, you shed a some light into the way those choices impact the way you progress and the limits that are baked in a section of a level. Also, I am fascinated by the way a game can hint at you what to do like you point out but never outright tells you. Those are some of my favorite parts of your analysis.
