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[Bragr]

Metroid Dread was planned as Metroid Fusion's sequel 15 years ago and was destined as the end to the main Metroid arch that concerns Samus versus Metroids.

The Metroid head kingpin, Yoshio Sakamoto, tried to get the game off the ground, but the Nintendo DS struggled to support his vision. Development was canceled several times as the prototypes for Metroid Dread never became what they needed to be, it never become what Sakamoto wanted. Over the following years, rumors of Metroid Dread flew around, speculating that it was either canceled or about to release very soon, folks were jonesing for a new 2D Metroid but it never came to be. Eventually, the name died out and it became just another title that never came to pass.

Fast forward to 2014, MercurySteam, a Spanish developer tasked with making a new Castlevania trilogy for Konami had just released Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, the third game in the Lords of Shadow trilogy. The game was mediocre at best and sold like fucking shit. It bombed like hell. It was especially disappointing considering the first two games were well received and liked by fans.

After the failure of Lords of Shadow 2, MercurySteam somehow got into talks with Nintendo to remake Metroid Fusion. However, it didn't fly, Nintendo didn't buy it and they were rejected. But Sakamoto saw their love and passion for Metroid and gave them a chance to work together with Nintendo to develop a remake of Samus returns. In 2017, Samus Returns comes out, it's a big success, people love it. Nintendo's trust in MercurySteam grows, MercurySteam gets the go-ahead to develop the infamous Metroid Dread, the game Nintendo tried to make so many years ago.

And here we are, a few days away from MercurySteam's biggest console title since the original Lords of Shadow, and finally, for Metroid Dread to see the light of day.

 

[cireza]

people love it

Game is pretty shit honestly. I don't understand how this team is still being given big projects.

 

[Synless]

Game is pretty shit honestly. I don't understand how this team is still being given big projects.

Except it isn’t shit and instead is damn good. Keep licking salt though.

 

[KuraiShidosha]

After playing Super Metroid for the first time in my 34 years of life just recently, I look at the Dread videos and they feel like something is missing. I can't describe what it is, maybe it's because it's 3D instead of 2D but it just feels off.

 

[kunonabi]

Except it isn’t shit and instead is damn good. Keep licking salt though.

The second half of Samus Returns is garbage.

 

[Mr Hyde]

Metroid Dread is going to be a huge hit, mark my words. Nintendo is flexing it left and right, even promoting it with new OLED model. Maybe Ninty is picking up MercurySteam as a first party developer similar to Next Level Games, given the big success of Luigi's Mansion 3?

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

Returns and all of the Castlevania’s were great in my opinion (except for the stealth missions in LoS2….but we all know who’s fault that was).

 

[KyoZz]

Metroid Dread is going to be a huge hit, mark my words. Nintendo is flexing it left and right, even promoting it with new OLED model. Maybe Ninty is picking up MercurySteam as a first party developer similar to Next Level Games, given the big success of Luigi's Mansion 3?

The game is obviously gonna be a success yeah, but people are worried by the quality.

 

[Fbh]

It's a game that looks like a $20-30 indie game but will be launching as a full $60 retail release and probably never going on sale because Nintendo.

So the quality of the gameplay, level design and bosses better be top tier

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

I’d take an educated guess that Nintendo followed the development of Dread a bit more closely than Konami followed that of the Lords of Shadow game. Remember what the devs at Retro Studios said about the development of the Prime games - Nintendo would chime in to tell them to move a single crate in a room, stuff like that.

Then again, Federation Force was released knowing very well it wouldn’t go down well with fans, and Samus Returns felt pretty formulaic. It was a good game, but with a few hiccups and too much recycled stuff (like, Lower Norfair/Magmoor Caverns music again? Really?). So everything is possible.

 

[AJUMP23]

After playing Super Metroid for the first time in my 34 years of life just recently, I look at the Dread videos and they feel like something is missing. I can't describe what it is, maybe it's because it's 3D instead of 2D but it just feels off.

Mario is missing.

 

[Punished Miku]

Lords of Shadow was sick as hell. They didn't bomb. Reviewers and SOTN fanboys have made their lives hell from the start though. They deserved better.

"We got caught in a s***storm"

In October 2010, a little-known Spanish developer, backed by a veteran Konami employee finally given his shot at the bi…

www.google.com

 

[catvonpee]

I they they did the best they could when having to deal with Konami. I wouldn't say that the people calling the shots at Konami are hardcore gamers or even rational by any stretch of the imagination. They just wanted to make as much money as possible while spending as little resources as possible.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

Eh Castlevania LOS part 1 was excellent.

 

[SantaC]

Metroid Dread was planned as Metroid Fusion's sequel 15 years ago and was destined as the end to the main Metroid arch that concerns Samus versus Metroids.

The Metroid head kingpin, Yoshio Sakamoto, tried to get the game off the ground, but the Nintendo DS struggled to support his vision. Development was canceled several times as the prototypes for Metroid Dread never became what they needed to be, it never become what Sakamoto wanted. Over the following years, rumors of Metroid Dread flew around, speculating that it was either canceled or about to release very soon, folks were jonesing for a new 2D Metroid but it never came to be. Eventually, the name died out and it became just another title that never came to pass.

Fast forward to 2014, MercurySteam, a Spanish developer tasked with making a new Castlevania trilogy for Konami had just released Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, the third game in the Lords of Shadow trilogy. The game was mediocre at best and sold like fucking shit. It bombed like hell. It was especially disappointing considering the first two games were well received and liked by fans.

After the failure of Lords of Shadow 2, MercurySteam somehow got into talks with Nintendo to remake Metroid Fusion. However, it didn't fly, Nintendo didn't buy it and they were rejected. But Sakamoto saw their love and passion for Metroid and gave them a chance to work together with Nintendo to develop a remake of Samus returns. In 2017, Samus Returns comes out, it's a big success, people love it. Nintendo's trust in MercurySteam grows, MercurySteam gets the go-ahead to develop the infamous Metroid Dread, the game Nintendo tried to make so many years ago.

And here we are, a few days away from MercurySteam's biggest console title since the original Lords of Shadow, and finally, for Metroid Dread to see the light of day.

Too bad nintendo didnt reject them.

 

[lh032]

So in other words, Metroid Dread:

 

[Moses85]

I know a Game that was also nearly 15 years in development…

 

[Buggy Loop]

I’ll say the same thing I said on the eve of Deathloop review embargoes : Always bet on the opposite of GAF sentiments.

 

[Astral Dog]

The game is obviously gonna be a success yeah, but people are worried by the quality.

No doubt Dread IS gonna be high quality, the difference with Castlevania is that MS had zero direction, Konami simply let them do as they pleased even with the first game, managment problems made LoS2 what it was. Samus Returns, while far from perfect was a big step in the right direction making a traditional Metroid game on the limited 3DS(and a remake of the weakest 2d Metroid) and they learned a ton working with Nintendo's supervision. Its really a joint effort.

Dread already adresses most of the issues Samus Returns had, lack of enemy variety, graphics, 60fps framerate, an actual story, new soundtrack etc. We just need to play the actual result but it looks fantastic the team has alot of talent

 

[Marty-McFly]

PSA

Rare sucked without Nintendo

When you take an already talented dev like Mercury Steam and pair them with Nintendo EPD, you're destined to have a great game.

Nintendo magic rubs off on those they they work with.

 

[Marty-McFly]

No doubt Dread IS gonna be high quality, the difference with Castlevania is that MS had zero direction,

Another difference is the Mercury Steam is co developing with freakin Nintendo EPD.

 

[Astral Dog]

Another difference is the Mercury Steam is co developing with freakin Nintendo EPD.

Yep, some guys will bring Other M, but that was another project with very different goals. basically an awkward attempt to get casual gamers on the Wii, Dread is gonna be awesome and the first traditional 2D Metroid since Fusion(but also a sequel to Samus Returns) .its in good hands.

But anyways, we don't have to wait long now, reviews are coming soon and i think Gaffers will be surprised

 

[JapaneseGamesRULEZ]

Well, it certainly looks like something PS3 could run easily.

 

[SantaC]

mercurysteam has never been good with gameplay.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

PSA

Rare sucked without Nintendo

When you take an already talented dev like Mercury Steam and pair them with Nintendo EPD, you're destined to have a great game.

Nintendo magic rubs off on those they they work with.

Konami and them put out a excellent game.
Microsoft and them put out excellent games.

That "magic" Konami is known for as well.

 

[xellos2099alpha]

I would say lord of shadow 1 is really good.

 

[Xellos]

Their Castlevania games had the disadvantage of being nothing like previous Castlevania games. They're sticking close to the template with Metroid and Samus Returns was a good first effort.

Nintendo is probably giving them much better direction/support than Konami did.

 

[Neff]

Samus Returns was awesome apart from the unnecessary Ridley cameo

Rare sucked without Nintendo

After, yes. Before, no.

 

[Astral Dog]

I’d take an educated guess that Nintendo followed the development of Dread a bit more closely than Konami followed that of the Lords of Shadow game. Remember what the devs at Retro Studios said about the development of the Prime games - Nintendo would chime in to tell them to move a single crate in a room, stuff like that.

Then again, Federation Force was released knowing very well it wouldn’t go down well with fans, and Samus Returns felt pretty formulaic. It was a good game, but with a few hiccups and too much recycled stuff (like, Lower Norfair/Magmoor Caverns music again? Really?). So everything is possible.

Samus Returns was still well recieved and a success for what it was, a low budget late 3DS release to prepare MercurySteam for Metroid Dread.

And nobody gives a shit about Federation Force that was another team entirely with no relation to Samus Returns and Dread

 

[MagiusNecros]

Samus Returns was awesome apart from the unnecessary Ridley cameo

I liked it actually. From my perspective the relationship Samus has with the "cameo" is a good parallel to Ellen Ripley and the Xenomorph which is what heavily inspired a lot of stuff about Metroid in the first place.

It's a recurring thing that Samus can't escape from.

 

[Astral Dog]

Samus Returns was awesome apart from the unnecessary Ridley cameo



After, yes. Before, no.

Idk, it added a cool final boss and one epic moment after hours of nothing its not like they cut Queen Metroid to fit him in

 

[Little Mac]

Some of you actually think Nintendo is going to let Mercury Steam fuck this up? Remember when Metroid Prime was announced and people shit a brick because Retro was at the helm and it was first person perspective? Everyone said it would suck and it ended up being one of my top 3 games of all times!!!!

Now all i need is a switch.

 

[yurinka]

Fast forward to 2014, MercurySteam, a Spanish developer tasked with making a new Castlevania trilogy for Konami had just released Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, the third game in the Lords of Shadow trilogy. The game was mediocre at best and sold like fucking shit. It bombed like hell. It was especially disappointing considering the first two games were well received and liked by fans.

After the failure of Lords of Shadow 2, MercurySteam somehow got into talks with Nintendo to remake Metroid Fusion. However, it didn't fly, Nintendo didn't buy it and they were rejected. But Sakamoto saw their love and passion for Metroid and gave them a chance to work together with Nintendo to develop a remake of Samus returns. In 2017, Samus Returns comes out, it's a big success, people love it. Nintendo's trust in MercurySteam grows, MercurySteam gets the go-ahead to develop the infamous Metroid Dread, the game Nintendo tried to make so many years ago.

And here we are, a few days away from MercurySteam's biggest console title since the original Lords of Shadow, and finally, for Metroid Dread to see the light of day.

Nintendo hired Mercury Steam because they made the best selling ever Castlevania game.
Nintendo got happy with that first Metroid, so gave them this second Metroid which will become the best selling ever Metroid game.

 

[fersnake]

After playing Super Metroid for the first time in my 34 years of life just recently, I look at the Dread videos and they feel like something is missing. I can't describe what it is, maybe it's because it's 3D instead of 2D but it just feels off.

yep probably but this is the closest we're gonna get from Nintendo. if you play super metroid u got chils everytime.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Their track record is bad enough that no amount of Metroid deprivation can make me care about this game. Samus Returns was pretty awful.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

I wonder if it scores better than MS best offering?

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Reviews

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow takes place at the end of days. The Earth's alliance with the Heavens has been threatened by a dark and malevolent force - the mysterious Lords of Shadow - darkness reins the world. Across this shattered land, the souls of the dead wander unable to find peace...

www.metacritic.com

 

[carlosrox]

This meme that Mercury Stream sucks and has no talent whatsoever is definitely a retarded one.

lol people saying Returns sucked? Hardcore delusional right there.

 

[Shut0wen]

Mercurysteam has been proven they are great developers, jericho at its time was an ok budget shooter and castlevania LOS was unreal, even with kojima name on it he literally did nothing but pick how bellmont looked but even to this day it was great game, the 2nd game i havnt played but from reading what went on behind the scenes was that dave cox become cocky as fuck believing he was amazing at his job and plus the development splitting into 2 teams, i quite liked mirrors of fate tbh would of been amazing if it was given more time, also the metroid 2 remaster was amazing as well, especially with the added ripley fight

 

[Neff]

This meme that Mercury Stream sucks and has no talent whatsoever is definitely a retarded one.

Yep. They've had a couple of misses, but when they're on form they're very strong. And by all accounts Dread appears to be their strongest yet.

 

[HotPocket69]

The thread title should honestly be a little longer

 

[Big Baller]

Retro made 2D Donkey Kong but Ninty didnt deem them good enough for 2D Metroid apparently. We'll see if their faith in MS has paid off or not.

 

[ManaByte]

Lords of Shadow was sick as hell. They didn't bomb. Reviewers and SOTN fanboys have made their lives hell from the start though. They deserved better.

"We got caught in a s***storm"

In October 2010, a little-known Spanish developer, backed by a veteran Konami employee finally given his shot at the bi…

www.google.com

Is the rumour that you created a Metroid prototype for Wii U and 3DS also bullshit?

Enric Alvarez: That's more bullshit.

Really?

Enric Alvarez: People have a lot of imagination and time to think about stuff, but that's not necessarily the truth.

So you're saying, categorically, you did not work on a new Metroid prototype for Wii U and 3DS?

Enric Alvarez: This is exactly what I'm saying.

 

[Nautilus]

Metroid Dread is going to be a huge hit, mark my words. Nintendo is flexing it left and right, even promoting it with new OLED model. Maybe Ninty is picking up MercurySteam as a first party developer similar to Next Level Games, given the big success of Luigi's Mansion 3?

Oh, never thought about it.Yeah, makes sense.It's not like they are doing anything else(as far as we know), and the last time they got this much attention was with Castlevania, and that was a decade ago.

And given how much Nintendo is pushing this, it seems Nintendo has a lot of faith in its quality.

 

[Astral Dog]

Retro made 2D Donkey Kong but Ninty didnt deem them good enough for 2D Metroid apparently. We'll see if their faith in MS has paid off or not.

A 2D Metroid by Retro would be pretty awesome, but its NOT because Nintendo thinks Retro Studios (and Tanabe) aren't 'good' enough, Sakamoto and EPD are in charge of the 2D Metroid series and Retro Studios has been busy with Donkey Kong Country, Metroid Prime 4 and god knows what else(Prime 1 remake?).

This schedule lets them work on multiple Metroid projects at a time and generally works well for them. Retro's time is reserved for other games.

Again right now we have a new Metroid because Sakamoto has been working hard with MercurySteam since 2015, and Tanabe had trouble with Prime 4 until they restarted development in 2018

 

[Bragr]

"When you deal with them at a close distance, you understand why they are who they are. I'm not going to lie to you; they are extremely demanding. They require the very best constantly, all the time, and beyond. But it's been a great experience. We've worked in the past with other publishers, with Codemasters, with Konami, and they were very different experiences. We had a great experience with Konami, but Nintendo is another thing. There are many, many Nintendo fans who don't like any other games except for their games. Now I fully understand why that is." - Enric Alvarez

From an interview when they made Samus Returns, on how it is working with Nintendo.

 

[Golgo 13]

Mercury Steam always struck me as such a curious choice for a partner for Nintendo - I haven’t seen a great output of quality from them, honestly. I really hope Nintendo HEAVILY supervised this and had input from EAD, etc. Unlikely but I still hope this game is great.

 

[Azelover]

Game is pretty shit honestly. I don't understand how this team is still being given big projects.

I really enjoyed Samus Returns. Yes, it is one of the worse Metroid games. But it's still a good game.

 

[Marty-McFly]

This meme that Mercury Stream sucks and has no talent whatsoever is definitely a retarded one.

lol people saying Returns sucked? Hardcore delusional right there.

It's just a forum troll meme. Returns was very well received in user scores and the press.

 

[HotPocket69]

It's just a forum troll meme. Returns was very well received in user scores and the press.

So what?

 

[Nautilus]

It's just a forum troll meme. Returns was very well received in user scores and the press.

Yeah, never understood the hate either.Metroid has a very weird fanbase that is very hard to please. Its specially weird that they are so defensive when not all metroid games are all that great, when they usually treat like they are. Played Fusion lately and I mean, its a good game, but the compliments stop there. Returns feels like a natural evolution of the franchise that was (mostly) being held back by being a remake/reimagening.