The future of the series

[Naner]

This topic is being discussed in parallel in various other threads around the board, and I figured we had to have one place to talk and think about it.

Many fans are expecting another series hiatus now. Other M didn't sell very well by Nintendo standards and its reception was pretty much the definition of "mixed reviews". Some people loved it, many people liked it, many people hated it. And now we know Kirby is getting a 20th anniversary treatment (though I think a compilation disc for Wii is pretty lame), while Metroid got nothing but a tweet, a Facebook post and three Virtual Console titles last year.

I still don't think they're abandoning the franchise. After the reception of Other M, they're probably going to be very cautious with the next game, because they don't want that to happen again. Sakamoto needs to figure out what he has to do so the next game is better received. But, as we've seen countless times before, Nintendo doesn't make games simply for commercial success - otherwise, we'd be playing nothing but Wii Sports, Mario Kart and New Super Mario Bros. now. Skyward Sword and Kid Icarus Uprising are good examples of games acclaimed by the fans and media, but with only above average sales. And they knew that was going to happen to those games, but that didn't stop them from getting made. Pikmin 3 is going to come out soon and is going to end up the same way - great reviews, OK sales - with all the additional expenses of developing for a more powerful system. With very few exceptions, Metroid games have followed the same fate (only Metroid and Metroid Prime sold more than 2 million copies worldwide).

Finally, I think Sakamoto has enough power in Nintendo to make almost any game he wants to. If he shows the directors a good idea for a good game and gives good reasons why we'd like it, I doubt they'd deny its development. My biggest question is who he'd develop the game with. Nintendo SPD couldn't develop it by themselves, and I doubt they would work with Team Ninja again. Probably some other in-house team... but who?


PS: I won't even touch the question of whether it should be first-person, 2D or 3D. Right now, I'd be happy with either one.

[DarkPhazonElite]

I have to agree with this. I did like Other M, but I would honestly rather see them take their time and give us something really good next time, story-wise. I also agree with what you said about if games were made just for sales than we would be playing nothing but Wii Sports and such...I think I would die if we were all stuck with nothing but casual mainstream stuff! Gamers would really be SOL if it were only about sales!

[Emperor Ing]

whatever it is I think it should be first-person, 2D shooter.

Oh yeah baby, you heard me.

[okey]

whatever it is I think it should be first-person, 2D shooter.

Oh yeah baby, you heard me.

Anyways, I don't think Metroid is dead but I do think it's going to be a few years before we hear of a new game.

[doc O. Mire]

Well, on the subject of who Sakamoto could work with, the obvious answer would be Retro, but I'm pretty sure they're already working on something. It'd be interesting to see HAL make a metroid game, but again, I'm pretty sure that they'll be busy working on the next SSB game. Team Ninja is almost definitely out, and I'm not entirely sure why they and nintendo worked together to begin with. They aren't exactly the biggest of nintendo supporters.

However... what about an Ubisoft x Nintendo Metroid game? They've been very supportive of the wii, 3DS, and seem to be very interested in the wii u. And they've made some very good games with first-person combat and adventure gameplay in the past. I'd think it would make an interesting combination seeing what they do with metroid... but maybe as a spin-off game like the Prime series was

[Tianna]

However... what about an Ubisoft x Nintendo Metroid game?

Oh my god, I think I had a nerdgasm. Instead of first person whatever, my mind went to Creed-style play, but with Metroid.

[Naner]

SPD+Retro would be awesome, but I'm pretty darn sure Retro is already working on some non-Metroid project right now. Maybe next year...?

HAL? Nah, they're too focused with Kirby and Smash. Though I'm not sure how involved they'll be with Smash now with Project Sora around.

And Ubisoft... Doesn't seem likely. For every good game they release, there are 5 (or is it 50?) shovelware titles... But like Tianna said, Creed-style Metroid would certainly be interesting to see.

[okey]

Team Ninja is almost definitely out, and I'm not entirely sure why they and nintendo worked together to begin with. They aren't exactly the biggest of nintendo supporters.

Have you ever played Ninja Gaiden? There's item progression and semi-open levels, and the combat smokes anything in a Metroid game. I can see why someone thought it was a decent idea at some point.

[doc O. Mire]

SPD+Retro would be awesome, but I'm pretty darn sure Retro is already working on some non-Metroid project right now. Maybe next year...?

HAL? Nah, they're too focused with Kirby and Smash. Though I'm not sure how involved they'll be with Smash now with Project Sora around.

And Ubisoft... Doesn't seem likely. For every good game they release, there are 5 (or is it 50?) shovelware titles... But like Tianna said, Creed-style Metroid would certainly be interesting to see.

I was thinking either Creed-style or Red Steel 2-style. Red Steel 2 had some amazing graphics and first-person combat, so, with the help of the metroid staff at nintendo, they could make another Prime... or, at least, another first-person metroid. Then there's still the more obvious Assassin-troid game there, and I seem to recall many people, myself included, wanting an open-world metroid game taking place in an explore-able city. Lastly, there's the team that worked on Rayman, who have shown their ability to make large, interesting 2d environments and could do very well making living, breathing two-dimensional worlds for a metroid game.

Have you ever played Ninja Gaiden? There's item progression and semi-open levels, and the combat smokes anything in a Metroid game. I can see why someone thought it was a decent idea at some point.

I was refering more to the fact that I can't think of a single other game team ninja made for wii, so they'd had little to no experience with it when they began work on Other M

[Emperor Ing]

A problem with a lot of these "dream-team" scenarios is that people seem to be under the following two assumptions:

Oh! This company has made a good 2-D platformer! That means they can make a good 2D Metroid game!

Oh! This company has made a good 3-D action game! That means they can make a good 3D Metroid game!

Also, lol at the comment "Ninja Gaiden combat smokes Metroid combat out of the water"

Since when has combat in Metroid ever been more than a large puzzle in and of itself? This ain't God Hand, or Ninja Gaiden, where combat is necessary and an intrinsic part of the play experience. Metroid has never had (nor should it) a singular focus on combat mechanics, outside of two games, with the first (Hunters) being complete garbage in the combat dept., and the second (Other M), no matter how satisfying certain moves proved to be, was essentially a poor man's Ninja Gaiden in that regard. While I would like to see the mechanics in Other M expanded upon, I don't think going the full-on action route is necessarily a good idea for the series.

[Zynux]

While I would like to see the mechanics in Other M expanded upon, I don't think going the full-on action route is necessarily a good idea for the series.

I think it could be alright as long as they don't sacrifice other important Metroid elements to make it completely action. I've been waiting for a long time for a game that has high-octane action, yet filled with non-linear, intricate levels, progression, and still have some emphasis on puzzles. I have yet to find a game like this, since most action games have good action but seem to sacrifice everything else (though they've been doing a decent job at progression), and games that seem to focus on dungeon design and puzzles seem to heavily sacrifice the action department (especially Zelda). Metroid: Other M could have very well been this type of game, but alas it was not the case; they reused the same power-ups and sacrificed level design and made it incredibly linear.

Red Steel 2 had some amazing graphics and first-person combat, so, with the help of the metroid staff at nintendo, they could make another Prime... or, at least, another first-person metroid.

I personally think we should avoid yet another first-person Metroid (or just a first-person game in general) in the foreseeable future. Falling back into the blanket of Prime (or something similar) will probably prove more detrimental to the series then helpful. I know with Other M's disappointment everyone wants Prime (or something similar) again but I just can't see how's that's a good idea...


This may sound strange, but bear with me. I wouldn't mind a more mystery, investigative Metroid game your job was to investigate dangerous Bounty's and other scenarios across the galaxy (Let's ignore the supposed retcon of Samus' Bounty Hunter occupation and just pretend Nintendo was smart and didn't do such a thing).

It would be typical Metroid fare: non-linear level design, most likely 3D third person (or 2D could probably work fine), environmental story telling (maybe with scans and logs, etc.), feeling of isolation in most areas of the game, maybe with some mystery and investigation thrown in (Sakamoto said he liked mystery, right?). And maybe the mysteries that you uncover opens up to a bigger mystery which becomes the game's Big Bad...

Just throwing some ideas (probably bad) out there. I think Prime 3's initial concept had potential, so maybe they should really consider exploring such a concept? A lot of the ideas in the "The World Needs Metroid 5" thread also had some ideas that had potential (not sure about the city one, I'll have to re-read it when I'm not lazy ).


Now, as much as I rant about innovation and such, the most logical step would be another 2D Metroid that tries its best to incorporate what made Metroid stood out, but at the same time distinguish itself as not merely a clone but a set apart game.

[EmpReb]

Valve. Enough said. Just please fucking give it to Valve and let them go to town on Metroid. PLEASE.

[Naner]

I agree with Zynux. I don't think going back to first person is a really great idea. No matter what, the game would always be compared to and overshadowed by Prime. The same could be said about a 2D one and Super, but I don't think it would suffer as much in that case. A third-person 3D game, though, would be compared to Other M, which would probably help it.

And story-wise... I think it may be time for some serious change of pace. Maybe a game without Samus or an all-out reboot.

Valve. Enough said. Just please fucking give it to Valve and let them go to town on Metroid. PLEASE.

I thought we were talking about how we don't want to wait a decade for the next game? And besides, a company focused on making PC games and a few ports making a console exclusive? I doubt they'd make a game that they can't put on Steam.

[doc O. Mire]

I agree with Zynux. I don't think going back to first person is a really great idea. No matter what, the game would always be compared to and overshadowed by Prime. The same could be said about a 2D one and Super, but I don't think it would suffer as much in that case. A third-person 3D game, though, would be compared to Other M, which would probably help it.

And story-wise... I think it may be time for some serious change of pace. Maybe a game without Samus or an all-out reboot.

Without Samus? Well I could see several ways for that to work: either going back to the chozo and playing as one of them, going to hundreds of years in the future where Samus is dead and the Federation has finally managed to create a metroid army, or another character's story that's parallel to Samus' like Anthony's, a Space Pirate's, etc.

Also, I'd certainly be fine with a metroid game done in the same style as New Super Mario Bros, or, more recently, Kirby's Return to Dreamland. Or one more along the lines of Other M's perspective, though, in that case, I'd want a controllable camera this time around

[VGMStudios]

Personally I wouldn't mind a game with the perspective like gears, gta or even xenoblade where you can control the camera.
Having one exploring samus' past is a neat idea. But not having her in it will be a real hard concept to accept. I don't think allot of ppl will accept that idea.
if they ever make another one it should be from in house like they a did with super. I don't think they should contract it out anymore. It worked with retro but I don't think anyone else but in house knows the franchise well enough to do it justice.

Vgm out...