The recently revealed Metroid Ravenous is looking sharp, and will hopefully be more of a clear slam-dunk for the franchise following the underwhelming performance of Metroid Prime 4. Ravenous sits alongside a slew of other highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, including Kirby and the World Beyond, the next 3D Kirby game that sees the lovable puffball taking on a grand open-world map.
Kirby and the World Beyond stands in stark contrast to Metroid Ravenous in more ways than one. Metroid and Kirby occupy opposite ends of Nintendo's tonal spectrum, with Metroid's dark sci-fi themes, story, and tone looking especially cold beside Kirby's colorful, joyful attitude. But looking at these upcoming entries specifically, and within the context of their respective franchises, even more intriguing differences emerge: Metroid Ravenous is a tense, controlled 2D successor to the excellent Metroid Dread, and a decisive pivot away from the wide, expansive Metroid Prime 4, whereas Kirby and the World Beyond is an explosion in freedom, taking a historically linear IP and making it more open-ended. Both cases represent clear instances of Nintendo's distinct approach to AAA development.
2D Metroid may as well be considered its own IP. That is to say, 2D Metroid games are so different from the Metroid Prime titles, and so seminal in their own way, that it's better to think of them as part of a different franchise altogether. Metroid began in 2D, after all, and was, perhaps quite obviously, a key force in shaping the metroidvania genre.
چوونەژوورەوە
بۆ ئەوەی ئیدیعای شوێنی خۆت بکەیت لەسەر لیدەربۆرد!
چوونەژوورەوە
بۆ ئەوەی ئیدیعای شوێنی خۆت بکەیت لەسەر لیدەربۆرد!
What's interesting is how Nintendo is willing to continue supporting 2D Metroid development, despite Metroid being among the company's most valuable, well-known IP. This is unusual in the AAA space: you don't see DOOM, GTA, or Final Fantasy embracing their 2D roots beyond novelties, remakes, or one-off projects. This isn't a problem in most cases, and often speaks to the value of evolving game design with technology. The immersive urban sandbox fantasy of GTA is more successfully realized in third-person 3D, for example.
2D Metroid games are so different from the Metroid Prime titles, and so seminal in their own way, that it's better to think of them as part of a different franchise altogether.
By this same token, we can say that whatever makes Metroid "Metroid," that is, whatever the IP's most important quality is, can still be achieved in the realm of 2D. In fact, you could argue that certain aspects of the IP, like eliciting feelings of dread, claustrophobia, and intentional exploration, are even more effective in 2D than in 3D. This is why Metroid Ravenous is positioned as a proper, mainline Metroid game and not a smaller-scale spin-off, like the forgettable God of War: Sons of Sparta. Unlike other developers, Nintendo understands that the 2D side-scroller can be just as momentous and powerful as the cinematic, 3D ARPG.
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://gamerant.com/metroid-ravenous-kirby-world-beyond-switch-2-2d-open-world/
