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aaaahhhh cool the grand reimagining of the very first Metroid game developed by Nintendo. It took lot of thing about what made first Metroid on NES works and updated it massively to suit to modern tastes. For the most parts, it works well and very well with few obvious questions about design and direction of this particular game.



GRAPHIC

Absolutely top-notch. Colorful environment and enemies, neat graphic effects such as heat distortion, atmospheric alien design, and inspirational comic-book art direction. Even Mother Brain looks badass in her return to the first game. For GBA, nothing more could be asked for.

10/10



SOUND

It is a mixture of awesome and what-the-heck? While the soundtracks are extremely epic and memorable, they're sadly a sort of departure from staple of series. The soundtrack are totally unatmospheric comparing to rest of game by Metroid standard. They're not creepy, forebodding, atmospheric, and tense. The soundtracks are very energetic, upbeat, epic, and arcadey. Yes, arcadey. I said it. The overall soundtracks are (perhaps) complete opposite of Metroid Prime series and Super Metroid soundtracks.

If you're looking for great atmospheric ambient in this title, you're out of luck. If you're looking for great soundtracks that you can bang your head to and hum along with, this is right up your alley. As odd as I want to say this, this set of tunes are completely fitting to the setting and mood of Zero Mission and that it gave this game it own unique identity and experience.

And as for sound effects, they're solid and realistic. That's all 3nodding

9.0/10



PLOT

The plot offering is probably the most simple in Metroid canon since Super Metroid (for good reasons), yet it have some of more enjoyably surprising moments in any of Metroid games. Basically, the entire game structured as Samus's first mission involving the creatures called Metroid, expertly directed through slick and short cutscenes that helps to move the story without using any texts (except two or three cutscenes that actually use the texts, but the execution still works well).

The structure of story was mostly inspired by how the first Metroid game structured on NES and how it should played out in relationship to Metroid Prime and Super Metroid in term of canonical progressions and settings. The story writers absolutely nailed this aspect, which make Zero Mission a treat to enjoy as first canonical chapter of Metroid series.

One more thing... thought the game gonna end after Mother Brain's battle like NES? Stick around bit longer, you might be in for a treat cool too bad the story ended a tad too short when I was just started to get really engrossed in the story, a single flaw that's common in any Metroid games.

9.8/10



GAMEPLAY

As with the soundtrack, the overall gameplay of Zero Mission is a surprising departure from rest of series.

Pacing? The game moves faster than any other and it ends too early because of it.
Level Design? Expect more linear levels than horizontal ones.
Exploration? Not much, Zero Mission is very linear for its own good.
Enemies? Too few in number in many area and many are too easy to kill.
Bosses? Awesomely epic, but disappointly easy.
Difficulty? Easy and Normal are too easy. Hard is enjoyably hard, but still feels too easy because of easy-to-kill enemies and bosses

Because of many off design choices and directions, the game feel like an arcade version of Metroid that have you blazing through corridors and blasting enemies in matter of seconds as if the game subconsciously forcing you to finish it in least amount of time possible. This is a big departure from the formula established by Super Metroid and upheld by Metroid Fusion and Metroid Prime series in which slower pacing lend to better experience, atmosphere, and exploration.

Despite the odd gameplay structure, Zero Mission still feels like a Metroid game because of foundation that remained intact: exploring for new items and weapons, backtracking, finding secrets, little bit of story that required you to fill in the blanks with your imagination, un-Earthly settings, and the most important aspect of all... isolation. Even so, all of those gameplay elements, for better or worse, made Zero Mission a unique Metroid game that truly set apart from any others.

9.1/10



FINAL THOUGHT

Zero Mission isn't the best Metroid ever, but it is a fine game with tight controls and intriguing story that's greatly reimagined from first game to better fit in Metroid canon. There's lot that could have been changed or reconsidered that improve the experience by Metroid standard, but as standalone game, it is still a solid effort. A must buy for any Metroid fans to get the taste of what being Samus is like during her very first mission involving Metroids.



Final Score
9.2/10



next stop... Metroid Prime on Friday