Do You Think Metroid is a Suspense Title?

[SNOlink]

I personally don't think Metroid is a suspense title. It definitely has its suspensful moments like the beggining of Prime 2: Echoes and in that series of hallways with the Metroids in them in Prime 3: Corruption. It doesn't seem like a suspense game to me because those moments are not really that common. Most of the time, you are basically just going through a series of puzzles with some enemies and sub-bosses strewn throughout the area.

 

[Skunk]

I totally agree with you.

 

[A Link In Time]

Metroid is a franchise which prides itself on isolating the player from compatriots or beneficiaries and thrusts them into a world swarming with malicious denizens around every corner. "Suspense" is definitely one of the first words which comes to mind when describing the series. The most chill inducing edge of your seat franchise moment is when the baby Metroid swoops into the rescue against Mother Brain at the end of Super Metroid. An innocent life was destroyed by a death inducing being. Although Other M is bashed for its linear gameplay and lack of wow factor it recreated the scene very vividly and emotionally. Nintendo games are traditionally deemed "kiddie" and light on the scares but Samus's bounty hunting space trek is an exception to the rule. It carries an almost Halo vibe about it.

 

[NESpowerhouse]

While Metroid definitely has its suspenseful moments such as when you encounter the SAX in Fusion and when you first land on the spacestation in Super Metroid, these moments are few and far between and there aren't enough of them to label the Metroid as a suspense series.

 

[Spirit]

Metroid has tense moments, for example the SA-X sequences in Fusion which are nerve wracking... but for the most part thinking about games like Prime and Super, Metroid games set you down in a world. There are creatures in these words; some creatures will attack if they see you, some will only attack you if you attack them and some just wont bother you at all. Metroid gives the sense in most games (for me, excluding M: OM) that these worlds that you find yourself in are fully functional eco-systems that have developed naturally through evolution to defend themselves and survive. More often than not Samus comes in as the predator, and so things do not hunt you with malice aforethought and this can lead to very beautiful, haunting , calm and relaxing situations like Tallon overworld in Prime.

Tension can be found in many game series and Metroid has a lot of it but i don't think that the series itself is predicated on the idea of tension. The title simple welcomes you to a thriving world and gives you a goal, its up to you how you perceive it; fear of the unknown or beauty in wonderment of the unseen?

 

[JuicieJ]

It has some suspense in it, but it's definitely not a suspense title. It's largely composed of intense action and head-scratching puzzles. These are what dominate the games. Metroid is first and foremost a gameplay-driven series.

 

[Lord_Cathaseigh]

I actually vote yes, if only because the atmosphere of Metroid is usually suspenseful. Suspenseful doesn't have to be paranoia, but more you never know what you'll find; so in that vain I'd say that Metroid is definitely a suspenseful game, or at least compared to other games.

 

[Ganondork]

Not remotely close. Features of suspense titles usually equate to a feeling of nervousness, perhaps even a reluctance to turn that next corner. Having played my fair share of suspense titles (Dead Space series, Bioshock series, planning to play Amnesia soon, etc.), I know from experience that Metroid is in no way suspenseful. Even back when I first played only Nintendo consoles, I never felt that Metroid could be considered a suspense title.

Metroid has never made me feel the least bit uneasy. the hallway feel never felt all that real. I can't ever recall a moment where something jumped out at me and legitimately scared me; I was usually expecting it. This is speaking from minimal experience in Metroid, though. I've only played the original, the Prime series, and Other M. I would say the Prime series would be the best one that I've played thus far to have any form of suspense; third-person shooter, and platformer-style just don't mesh well with suspense.

And that's the issue with Metroid. If it were to try to achieve a feeling of suspense, it would be best to be in first-person, that way we'd see the scares firsthand. If we're angled as high as we were in Other M, any surprise would be lost, since the thing jumping out at you isn't inches away from your screen; it's only inches away from Samus.

The one thing though is I doubt Nintendo even wants Metroid to be a suspense title. Suspense titles are generally also in the horror genre, as there needs to be a bang with that feeling of suspense, otherwise that feeling is pointless. Indeed, that feeling of being alone can make it seem suspenseful, but I'm used to plenty of games where the main character is pretty much out and about by them self (Dead Space, anyone?). And then of course horror games usually have an M rating; not normal for a Nintendo title. A third party title, sure, but Metroid is straight up Nintendo.

Suspenseful doesn't have to be paranoia, but more you never know what you'll find

With that logic, just about every game that you have done little to no research on is automatically a suspense title.