Sony may win the title with “The Last of Us Chapter II” in 2020, but this year Nintendo has taken the lead in the top spot. Of course, the various postponements in 2021 are generally quite a weak year, but no matter when it is released, the outstanding performance of Metroid Survival Fear is destined to shine. The return to the 2D roots of the series is unforgettable, and its alien world feels expansive and cleverly designed.
First of all, one aspect that makes us and many other players fall in love with “Survival Fear” is its survival horror impact. When Sams tried to return to her spacecraft, she was tracked by robots called EMMI, which desperately wanted to extract her Metroid DNA. Escape from these weird beasts either requires you to act fast, or you have to sneak sneakily with your phantom cloak, and the penalty for failure is very severe, because you have to watch Sams brutally pierced. Although they appear regularly, these chasing faces will not become boring, because each EMMI has unique abilities, and they will use these abilities to hunt you down.
The level design here is also very good. The ZDR planet includes jungles, frozen areas and areas full of lava for exploration. The scale of the map is huge, and as you defeat all kinds of boss monsters in the game and unlock new powers, some parts will gradually become available. Looking at the map, it is easy to be confused by its size, but its design is very smart, and you can always be guided by the newly acquired abilities. Even if you do find yourself going around, as long as you have the right tool set, it still does not prevent you from looking for a large number of collectibles and hidden missile containers.
The number of powers you can use exceeds the powers previously seen in the 2D version of Metroid, which means you will continue to gain new ways to interact with the world. This also makes the battle feel very diverse, because you have many different ways to inflict pain on the enemy and avoid their projectiles. Your mastery of these abilities is the most tested in boss battles. For example, in experiment Z-57, you need to use a rocket to accurately position its limbs and roll them into a ball to avoid projectile waves.
“Fear of Survival” also scored the highest in terms of display, and its eye-catching visual effects were used to promote the functionality of the Switch OLED model. It may happen from a 2D perspective, but the level of detail displayed in its strange alien background is jaw-dropping. The 3D plot animations here also contribute to some of the most beautiful visual effects on the Switch. What is impressive is that Mercury Steam can subtly integrate them with 2D clips. Since the game industry is almost no longer popular to launch 2D games, it is refreshing to see that this game style can be developed on modern hardware with an AAA budget.
“Survival Fear” and “Assemble!” “Animal Crossing” and “Super Smash Bros. Special Edition” have become another must-have exclusive product for Nintendo Switch. Returning to retro style in the 4K gaming era is a bit risky for Mercury Steam, but fortunately, its level design and presentation complement some of Sams’ greatest adventures. Its comprehensive level of polish makes it easy to become our best game of the year, and we firmly believe that Metroid Prime 4 will be just as special.