Comparing two games which set out to put their own spin on the Metroid formula. Heavy spoilers and both games get a recommendation from me so I encourage you to play them before watching the video if possible.
Пікірлер: 389
@AustinJFerret5 жыл бұрын
19:27 What's bizarre about this issue is that Super Metroid effectively solved it over two decades ago, with the X-Ray Visor upgrade that let you scan rooms quickly to find various "secret blocks" rather than try all your items on every single wall, floor and ceiling. And even if you didn't get the visor, the Super Bombs had a similar function as a secondary effect.
@emperortgp2424 Жыл бұрын
then what's the point of hiding things if you have a screen-wide scan for hidden passages anyway?
@meathir492111 ай бұрын
@@emperortgp2424Because you have to choose to use it. You can scan every room, but doing so is time consuming and not worth doing, or in the case of Power Bombs, eats a limited resource that is hard to come by. Instead you use these options when you have an inkling of a secret - when you notice a strange wall or think a secret might be in the room.
@yafarblasco452410 ай бұрын
@@meathir4921 you also have to choose to check regular illusory walls in games that have them. how is the x-ray visor different? i'm sincerely asking as i haven't played super metroid
@meathir492110 ай бұрын
@@yafarblasco4524 Illusory walls are usually a lot more obvious (emphasis on usually. There’s a couple that are just… no one is finding them). They’re usually archways with a door missing, or a set of candles set on a wall, etc. In Super Metroid, fake walls look like any other wall. Granted, this isn’t true for all of them - some have visible gaps on the other side or are semi see through, but generally they’re much harder to find. Also, checking an illusory wall is a roll or attack. It doesn’t take that long. Using SM scan visor or power bombs requires you to stop, scroll with select to the visor or bombs and then use it and wait to turn the visor/for the bomb to explode. It’s wayyy slower. Halts all momentum.
@yafarblasco452410 ай бұрын
@@meathir4921 i imagine that you also get the certainty that there are no fake walls if you check with the visor, while in something like a souls game even if you check obsessively you feel like you might have missed one, which sucks. interesting how such a small mechanical difference makes a large impact on game feel. anyways thanks for aswering!
@ViridianMaridian6 жыл бұрын
Best part of this video was no mention of the word "Metroidvania"
@cube2fox5 жыл бұрын
Yeah, he only mentions Metroid in the beginning. I think "Metroidvania" was originally a term for Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, since it resembled (unlike previous Castlevania titles) Metroid with its open map. Later 2D Castlevanias continued with this style. Calling other games "Metroidvanias" doesn't make much sense. Better would be just "Metroid-style games", since this genre is not based on Castlevania. But whatever. :D
@duffman185 жыл бұрын
@@cube2fox castlevania was still early in the development of the genre and added its own mechanics to the genre that metroid and super metroid didn't have, so I think it's fair to call them that. Also metroid was arguably not the first metroidvania really. There was things like Kid Icarus which introduced a lot of the mechanics which metroid used. And things like Pitfall and Adventure on the atari. It's quite interesting the history of all those Nintendo games, it was different parts of Nintendo competing with each other to make open world games with RPG elements without being RPGs like the turn based, grindy kind that later became synonymous with final fantasy. So out of that, Miyamoto's team made Zelda, another team made Metroid, and another team made Kid Icarus, all trying to do the same thing but with their own twist
@cube2fox5 жыл бұрын
@@duffman18 I unfortunately never played Kid Icarus. I should probably do that sometime. Is it good? At any case, it's interesting how similar Zelda and Metroid are, in that they do not require you to level up. You just gain strength by collectibles. By the way, the channel "Game Makers Toolkit" compared the map of Metroid games in a video to Zelda's dungeons (it's called Boss Keys Super Metroid or so).
@ineednochannelyoutube53845 жыл бұрын
It really should be called Zelda likes...
@cyka_delik95375 жыл бұрын
@@ineednochannelyoutube5384 Well then people would think that it's a Zelda like game. Which it's not. Metroidvania is a good term for the genre. Everyone immediately knows what you mean when you use that term...which is the point.
@umbaupause4 жыл бұрын
It's odd... I distinctly recalled Matthew's voice during my own playthrough of Axiom Verge, telling me that the save rooms never hold any secrets. Yet I checked them all anyway. Maybe this kind of conditioning is already rooted too deeply?
@bioforest66026 жыл бұрын
Never stop making these videos.
@gabemewell36436 жыл бұрын
I like you dp.
@gabemewell36436 жыл бұрын
your*
@sahus3 жыл бұрын
Well, about that...
@jaykelley1033 жыл бұрын
@@sahus did he legit stop making vids or is he on hiatus?
@sahus3 жыл бұрын
@@jaykelley103 He's on an indefinite hiatus. Even he's unclear on whether he'll be back or not. He's currently putting all his efforts into game development.
@prutikLive6 жыл бұрын
Finally ESA gets some attention..thank you.
@ikmor5 жыл бұрын
Such a great game.
@TheRoarer6 жыл бұрын
I'm not sure anyone ever talks about it, but your sense of humor absolutely destroys me. Maybe it's because I come into videos with the mindset for really wonderfully written criticism. So when the humor does happen, it really takes me. I still chuckle when thinking about the Demon's Souls shortcut clip. Anyway. As always, wonderful video. I greatly admire your work.
@sebastian62806 жыл бұрын
please, if its not too tedius for you, can you tell the video and minute of the joke, i love his sense of humor as well, like in this vid ar 21:00 thanks
@ckbooks6 жыл бұрын
I agree, Matthew's humour is great because it's so dry and sparingly used. Those little personal flourishes add a lot of character to what might otherwise be somewhat sterile commentary.
@TectonicImprov6 жыл бұрын
The whole rant about lagstabbing from the DeS video is a favorite of mine for this very reason.
@TheRoarer6 жыл бұрын
I'm guessing you mean the demon's souls video? kzfaq.info/get/bejne/grJ5p7N21dGvZ3U.htmlm7s
@garrettbenedek10362 жыл бұрын
Yeah the bit at the end about code was truly brilliant. U earned my sub.
@shermanarstal6 жыл бұрын
I love both, but for some reason ESA holds a special place in my heart
@seraphcreed8402 жыл бұрын
Its the music for me.
@legrandliseurtri74952 жыл бұрын
@@seraphcreed840 It's weird, I liked the music of ESA's title theme a lot, but the rest of the soundtrack hasn't impressed me that much. None of the tracks are bad, but there is few of them and they all feel kind of the same, except maybe for the piece playing in the maridia looking area. Combine that with the fact that I don't care much for the visuals either, and it's honestly kind of impressive how f*cking much I love this game regardless, cause usually these superficial elements are very important to me.
@ddd-op5wy2 жыл бұрын
Same for me. One of the most charming and pure fun games I've ever played, I've replayed it twice and I plan to add it to the list of ~5 or so
@hiphyro2 жыл бұрын
It gives me this funky sense of deep nostalgia, especially the title screen.
@richardhelwig29976 жыл бұрын
I wasn't ready for such density of content.
@maxmustermann90586 жыл бұрын
He commented on last video that he tries to release a video every two weeks, until August
@briancordry81655 жыл бұрын
I watch this video at least once a month because ESA is an absolute masterpiece and I feel like the game needs more attention - and because you are hands down the best channel on KZfaq and I always feel like I come away a little smarter even after repeat views of the same video. Thank you.
@mikkelh97576 жыл бұрын
I'd love to see Matthew's take on Hollow Knight
@sadurrasti6 жыл бұрын
Mikkel Høg he talked a little bit about it in one of the podcasts.
@budspudsy4366 жыл бұрын
Mathew is on a podcast?
@sadurrasti6 жыл бұрын
Bud Spudsy second channel
@187Wretched6 жыл бұрын
He mentioned that he wasn't very fond of it.
@intheairex6 жыл бұрын
done to death anyways
@Indigo_Gaming6 жыл бұрын
Spot-on analysis, Matt! I think Axiom Verge really captures the feeling of a delve into the unknown better than pretty much any other game in the genre since Super Metroid. Haven't played much of Environmental Station Alpha to judge but your critique got me more interested than I had been before.
@Toastrz6 жыл бұрын
It feels so unusual to get another video from you without a several month gap in between. ...and I'm not complaining.
@WanderPIerce6 жыл бұрын
Man, I had the song "Amnesia" from the Axiom Verge soundtrack stuck in my head for weeks after playing the game, thanks for putting it back in my head Matt.
@ZeeeeSean6 жыл бұрын
Have you ever seen a video title so perfect it made your eyeballs instantly pop out, and get all goopy on your shirt?
6 жыл бұрын
prpl wut?
@jgodden80226 жыл бұрын
Hand't even heard of Station Alpha before this video, now it's definitely leap frogged Axiom Verge on my 'to get' list. Top-notch work.
@rocketassistedgoat10795 жыл бұрын
It looks like a much better game to me.
@bfkc1115 жыл бұрын
If you are baffled by the generational place of Station Alpha: I'd say it's roughly Gameboy Colour or so - rather than "between" SNES and NES. At least the style, which looks very much like "hand-held", the colours and some effects look tendentially more complex.
@Chuckkwizmo466 жыл бұрын
Have you played around with the idea of the aspect ratio of ESA being deliberate for game feel? Not necessarily to hearken back to retro games, but instead as a way of constricting what the player can know. These days that ratio can seem foreign and limiting which can emphasize the discomfort of the environment. Similarly, the lowbit art style could feed into this as well; it's enough to discern what's around you but so little that you can never fully understand. I think it restricts video games as an art form when we write these things off as missed opportunities or as a negative when it comes to building an experience.
@MAYOFORCE6 жыл бұрын
These two and Rabi-Ribi are like a trifecta of great mid-2010s Metroidvanias all with their own strengths and weaknesses
@Jinars.6 жыл бұрын
you never played Hollow Knight,did you?
@MAYOFORCE6 жыл бұрын
I played it more than the other three combined
@OldyAlbert6 жыл бұрын
Rabi-Ribi needs more love, it's amazing. I don't think Axiom is on the level of ESA, main reason being - ESA's second half, that is more La-Mulana then Metroid.
@MisterHeroman6 жыл бұрын
Here's to hoping La Mulana 2 is good. Same with the new Igavania.
@_519_6 жыл бұрын
Salt and Sanctuary?
@axelsteel33326 жыл бұрын
A week early video AND about 2 games, we're too spoiled
@iveli_alpaca6 жыл бұрын
re: shared dna/code metal gear went over this. they're called memes.
@GreenEyedDazzler4 жыл бұрын
Uh no, those are genes homie. Memes are pieces of information passed from one generation to the next through a digital structure (like the internet)
@superlosia12346 жыл бұрын
So happy to see you uploading semi regularly! You are still the best at what you do.
@panamanian9116 жыл бұрын
Never heard of Environmental Station Alpha (Was already getting ready to purchase Axiom Verge on the Switch). I'll come back to this video when I've played both. Thanks for the recommendation and I hope that you continue to do comparisons that include lesser known games.
@akaRicoSanchez5 жыл бұрын
So?
@ikmor5 жыл бұрын
Well?
@inputfunny4 жыл бұрын
And?
@Smoofmaster6 жыл бұрын
I like this format, it's insightful and brings a new perspective to the table. Really helps you stand out from all the other video-essayist reviews. Looking forward to the next time you do one of these. Kind of reminds me of NakeyJakey's "Games that should Bang" series. While I love Jakey, I feel like his concept on having a discussion on two games at once could use a little more focus and deeper plumbing.
@Lairdom6 жыл бұрын
I actually had never heard of Environmental Station Alpha before this video. Will definitely add it to the list.
@DX795Q3 жыл бұрын
Would love to see a similar comparison between Axiom Verge and Axiom Verge 2. It's really tempting to be disappointed by how different the sequel is, but I think the fact that it Verges its Axiom so dramatically is really interesting.
@luis-sophus-8227 Жыл бұрын
The sequel perfectly evolves in some regards, but in others it becomes stiff
@rmwolfe_6 жыл бұрын
oh wow, i never noticed that the environment animations in axion verge sync to the beat. but once you mentioned it i realized id kinda felt it all along. how cool. excellent stuff as always.
@Nixitur6 жыл бұрын
The beeping indicating that you're on low health is also synched to the music which is the best thing that all games where a low-health beep exists should use.
@PlatinumWeapoN6666 жыл бұрын
Solid video talking about two excellent games. The thing in this video that I cannot possibly agree with any more is the whole "regular looking walls are actually breakable/walkthroughable and have secrets hidden behind them". I cannot stand that either and I wish devs stopped doing it. Give a visual clue or something, it doesn't have to be obvious but at least something so I don't have to spend a good majority of the game running around, pushing into walls and shooting every block to make sure there's nothing hidden. It's irritating and it's been a thing for far too long. You can still plaster your game with secrets without having to resort to such a stupid mechanic.
@codythompson99736 жыл бұрын
PlatinumWeapoN666 I've never had a problem with it. I always think of Doom when I find a wall like that. Dark Souls 3 does illusionary walls really well too.
@phalanx12346 жыл бұрын
Agreed. Both Castlevania and Metroid solved this issue a long time ago--the former with familiars and enemy souls, the latter with the various visor upgrades. Why indie titles can't use something similar to both games irritates me.
@arthurjeannin33576 жыл бұрын
@Quarter Blazer Well, Dark Souls uses visual cues, so of course you don't have a problem with it. OP is talking about games where the walls aren't different in any way whether they're breakable or not, with no clues indicating that there might be something. It's a frequent thing in metroidvania indie titles, and I do agree, it's kind of annoying.
@xBINARYGODx6 жыл бұрын
It's especially stupid in age where the internet exists. If you give some form a clue, many (most?) players will probably find many (most?) of the secrets on their own and enjoy doing so. If you use the "wall that is the same as every other wall"-like-thing that leads to checking everywhere, many (most? lol) players will end up looking it up online or just ignoring it.
@umbaupause4 жыл бұрын
@@codythompson9973 But Doom also did it in a questionable fashion. "Here, hit the use key on this wall, or just attack it! It's a perfectly normal wall, but it just happens to open up and lead to a secret" is not what I would call good design in today's landscape. I guess this is one of those things where that game shows its age.
@machoke6666 жыл бұрын
why hasn't youtube notified me of this upload, it came out 16 minutes ago?
@Spodo_Komodo6 жыл бұрын
Robert Hall ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@Grubbo6 жыл бұрын
KZfaq's automated system of interaction ain't what it used to be, I guess...
@Kraigon426 жыл бұрын
RSS reader for the win. I don't rely on youtube's notifications, and anecdotally people have said even the bell has been missing some videos.
@sun332s76 жыл бұрын
I know the wait is long for these videos but the quality of these videos is always worth the wait.
@frostedbricks18286 жыл бұрын
Both these game are so underrated and I’m glad you’re giving them the attention they deserve. Great video
@danielleanderson63714 жыл бұрын
In regards to your issue with secrets behind walls at the very end, I think ESA handles it much better than AV. Like you said, AV has several different ways to check for hidden items, while ESA has only a couple. Plus, AV's secrets are usually little nooks in rooms you'd already go through, while ESA's tend to have their own spot on your map. Lastly, ESA's map is much denser than AV's, so if you see a hole in your map in ESA that's its own prompt to check it out, while AV's map is full of massive holes. To AV's credit, many of the secrets are housed in side paths, but the benefit of that is mitigated by the many gaps that do not contain secret side paths.
@phillipvance8646 жыл бұрын
Love the end bit about DNA lol. Great video as usual!
@CleaveTheDragon6 жыл бұрын
What's wrong with a game having teleporters? We could wax about how ideally every game would have some insane movement options that makes backtracking engaging but I don't see the issue in offering a convenience to the player that they can choose to use. Maybe they want to figure out if trekking to their destination is faster than taking a teleporter. It also allows them to more freely explore stuff without feeling like they might be wasting a whole lot of time. There's probably other level design and movement tricks that one could implement but in their cases maybe they had more important stuff going on and this is a better compromise than reorganizing the whole game map or drastically changing gameplay. It just seems like a weird point to pick on when it's not like the games let you just warp to any point from any location which would actually break things. It's another option of traversal in an exploration game... kinda like how a double jump is just a tool too. Another thing I'm not really agreeing with is the ratio thing. If I see a black space on a screen, I usually just ignore it cause I'm focusing on the area that is presented to me and in ESA's case it feels completely in line with the aesthetic. It's one of those things where I feel that it would lose something if it had more fidelity where that kind of presentation could feel constricted.
@patu80106 жыл бұрын
I've never heard of Environmental Station Alpha before, and looking at the end credits it seems to be a Finnish indie game too. :o
@Maldito0113166 жыл бұрын
It's a freaking amazing game. You should try it! :)
@CopiousDoinksLLC2 жыл бұрын
5:13 The logical part of my brain: "Matthew is making some great points here" The dumb part of my brain: "PARRFECTLY SQUARR"
@Forrizzledog6 жыл бұрын
Excellent video. Great perspective. I would never have thought to compare these two games this deeply, and now it seems so obvious I almost feel stupid.
@beachwind72746 жыл бұрын
He's back baby!
@MrF3legendary6 жыл бұрын
Excellent video Matt, loved hearing you praise each game for their strengths, it was very interesting!
@Tribrachidiumheraldicum6 жыл бұрын
Watching this video was a treat as is every time this quiet channel recieves it's next upload. On a slightly different note I'm reminded why I subscribed to Matthew and what makes his critiques and comparisons so enthralling. While more popular game critic Joseph Anderson spent this time writing his latest scathing 2 hour epic on whatever popular title will get him views relying mostly on saying things for shock value or blabbing on about some inconsequential biased "flaw," Matthew spent his time making a far shorter but more concise comparison on two less popular titles that was built upon legitimately interesting analysis. It says a lot about his channel and how it differs and ultimately surpasses so many of his peer's content. I was imediately delighted to see this video uploaded and was not disappointed in the final product. Great video as always!
@OldyAlbert6 жыл бұрын
I love Environmental Station Alpha since it's second half is basically more La-Mulana then Metroid (And La-Mulana is my favorite game of all time). Axiom Verge is cool, but it ends when ESA is only begins, it's a much deeper and more epic of an adventure. In the end - i'm just happy ESA gets more attention because of this video, it's a really special game.
@Maldito0113166 жыл бұрын
You. I like you. :) Contact me, be my friend, idk lol
@variousthings64706 жыл бұрын
5:30 "That's exactly the kind of axiom Axiom Verge follows.." [applauds]
@anonagon45506 жыл бұрын
I think you are unfair with ESA on two points. First: You mention the use of teleporters and how you dislike their inclusion, but I think they were a good choice for ESA, and very well implemented. The first reason is because ESA's exploration is one-way in a lot of places. You could say that the world should have been designed so that teleporters weren't necessary, but I would disagree; some of the points of no return add a lot of tension to the exploration, where you have to stay alive until you reach either a save or a teleport. The second thing teleporters do in ESA is enable certain puzzles, like the one to get the Tri-Shot, as well one in the Research Outpost. Even if there weren't these good reasons for the teleporters, I'd say they are well implemented regardless. They are sparse enough that they do not completely eliminate backtracking, as they do in so many other games. The second place where I'd say you are unfair with ESA is your final point about rooms hidden behind normal looking walls. I haven't played Axiom Verge to completion (didn't vibe with it), so I cannot defend it on this, but ESA properly telegraphs its hidden rooms, at least as far as I can remember. Take the one you used in your video as an example. You can enter the hidden room from the room below to add it to your map, upon which you will see that it is also supposed to be connected to the room to the left of it. If you go to that room you won't see a opening, so you can easily interpret that there should be a hidden path. Now, I can't be entirely sure every hidden room in the game is as well telegraphed as that one is, but I don't ever remember having a problem with one in my playthrough, so I imagine they were all telegraphed well enough. Otherwise, great video as always. Props for not truly spoiling that much of the endgame content for ESA. I imagine there would be some people who might get the first ending, think they're done, and watch this video despite the spoiler warning. You really did leave a lot for anyone who watched to discover for themselves, which is great.
@Android4805 жыл бұрын
ESA is my favorite modern metroidvania. I love hollow knight but something about ESA was so captivating to me. The endgame especially.
@ckbooks6 жыл бұрын
I'm glad you mentioned the dash in Axiom Verge. That was the single gameplay element that stuck out hardest to me when I played through. I have no idea why the input method was implemented in such a strange fashion with no way of rebinding it. Rather than being a fun, punchy, responsive tool it ends up feeling very awkward to use due to the slight stutter step as you release the movement button to tap again. It could've been an awesome addition that really opened up new level and boss design possibilities in the late game, but the control method is just too finicky to take advantage of that.
@FunSizedDragon6 жыл бұрын
Your videos keep getting better overall. Glad to see you're still creating.
@Kraigon426 жыл бұрын
I just played through Axiom Verge for the first time recently, and I loved it despite the noticeable flaws, like what you mentioned with the unclear play areas. You definitely sold me on Space Station Alpha, though.
@Caspicum6 жыл бұрын
Checking my sub box every 10 minutes of my meaningless existence finally pays off.
@Android4806 жыл бұрын
ESA completely blew me away when I played it last year. Such a good game.
@Aisha_Newhalf6 жыл бұрын
it really is good to hear your voice again
@joshuaquintero48176 жыл бұрын
Hey Matt I know this is unrelated but with the recent remaster of "Shadow of Colossus" just being released, do you plan to do something similar to the wind waker hd comparison vid you did a while ago?
@AcceleratingUniverse6 жыл бұрын
The wall phase praise can be applied to Soul Reaver for just the same reason
@CompleteProducer844 жыл бұрын
Amazing video. ESA simply does not get enough love. These are 2 of my absolute favorite Metroid-like games, though I must admit I do like Axiom Verge a bit more despite its flaws. I just liked the weapon selection and controls a bit better, and the drone is awesome. ESA has a much better challenge though which is a huge plus for that game. That plant boss is incredibly challenging
@BinaryDood6 жыл бұрын
Love ESA, a sequel is in the making. Post game content too esoteric IMO. Been looking at Axiom Verge's trailers since 2011 and wanted it since then but damn I have to buy it lol, still have to wait till the price gets low enough.
@donidino33496 жыл бұрын
Thanks Matthew for putting your hard work into these videos.
@tripodranger78736 жыл бұрын
While I love the sudden turn ESA took in the post-game, I really didn't like how you had to traverse the entire game map several times just to get the final ending.
@ckbooks6 жыл бұрын
The backtracking in ESA was something that bothered me as well. I felt that the game punished exploration at times by allowing you to open up new paths that led to dead ends unless you'd gotten more abilities, with way of knowing what additional abilities you'd require beforehand. I don't mind backtracking if it feels rewarding and offers fun challenges along the way, but often times backtracking in ESA leads nowhere, and I didn't think the regular enemies were designed well enough to make repeated encounters with them interesting.
@tripodranger78736 жыл бұрын
I didn't really mind that. That's par for the course of varying levels for the genre. My issue is that getting the last, "you did everything" ending means doing several separate scavenger hunts, and they span nearly the entire map. The last one is a complete bitch to do, too. This is in addition to several obtuse puzzles, which were already somewhat frustrating.
@Oathkeeperclash6 жыл бұрын
nice to see your content again, i chuckled at the end credits semantic rambling.
@HyMyNameIsMatt6 жыл бұрын
That comment on the way you see the world changing is something I've been really wanting from Metroidvanias for a long time.
@kennyryan41734 жыл бұрын
Really wish ESA would be added to the Switch console.
@TheBioshocksnake6 жыл бұрын
Yay, a new Matosis ;3 Any interest in analysing Phantom Pain yet?
@DesertBoxTurtle6 жыл бұрын
>he thinks Matthew eventually going to review some games that fans wants him to review LMAO Have fun to watch review on some game that was released 16 years ago. Not if that's a bad thing.
@ThrillingDuck6 жыл бұрын
Yeah, I think a large demographic of his audience want him to complete his 3 marathon collections with Phantom Pain, Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey but he's never been big on taking fan requests lol. He just sort of does what he wants.
@trayson6 жыл бұрын
Geez, you seriously have like the most relatable taste in video games to me. I don't really get into many games often, but Devil Daggers and ESA have been 2 of the few I have gotten really into in the past.
@didiodulaw74176 жыл бұрын
You were looking for the "meme" in the end, i think. Although more in the way Dawkins meant it and less in the way it is more commonly used today. Great video as always :)
@Mepholar6 жыл бұрын
Never heard you stumble over the right term in a video before. Found it charming though; and relatable. Thanks for another great vid
@CaptainHandsome6 жыл бұрын
I swear it looks like the ESA credits are constantly shrinking at the end like some weird optical illusion
@francisdillinger50516 жыл бұрын
I'd love to see your analysis of the classic Metroid games and especially a comparison of AM2R and Samus Returns.
@Combine_Kegan6 жыл бұрын
While I enjoy both games, I ultimately prefer ESA, Axiom Verge I feel suffered from a bit too much item bloat and way too many guns to cycle through. ESA's simplicity was more appealing to me. Plus the hookshot in ESA was great.
@doguipreacher6 жыл бұрын
Always a pleasure getting a new analysis from you. Im still hoping for a proper Dark Souls 3 review from you, or even a Bloodborne one if you happen to own a console. Great work as always.
@JavierSanchez-mo2ef6 жыл бұрын
Lots of the same metaphorical DNA indeed. I'm buying Environmental Station Alpha now!
@Rhetco6 жыл бұрын
Dang, ESA actually looks pretty cool. I'll have to check that out.
@MoJI4yH1806 жыл бұрын
Happy to see you again! Although, got to admit, i am holding my breath fro some 40 min-1 hour videos.
@GENIUSGT6 жыл бұрын
4:59 Don't you think they developers used a 4:3 screen ratio to give more of a claustrophobic feel or imitate a Gameboy screen?
@cestmika68246 жыл бұрын
The dashing in Enviromental Station Alpha reminded me of games like Celeste and TowerFall Ascension. Have you thought about reviewing them?
@slenderMax286 жыл бұрын
I think it's worth noting that these two games seem to draw most of their inspiration from different games in the Metroid series: Axiom Verge obviously takes from Super and the original Metroid, but Environmental Station Alpha feels more like a tribute to Fusion. This can be seen in Alpha's premise of exploring a research station where something has gone wrong, in its horror elements, and even in a few of its boss designs.
@JediPloys6 жыл бұрын
I haven't played either of these games, but I have played Super Metroid. Thinking about your point about secret walls looking like normal walls, Super Metroid also did this, but they always gave you a visual clue in the mini-map (as far as I remember, anyway). A room with nothing hidden would have a complete white outline, but a room with a secret would have a white line omitted in whichever direction the secret was. I don't know if Station Alpha has a mini-map or a regular map, but I'd be surprised if Axiom Verge didn't have that little visual clue in it's mini-map.
@moralesfox6 жыл бұрын
So many great points on two games and the genre as whole, great content. Environmental Station Alpha called my attention, i'll try that one for sure.
@FungusTrooper6 жыл бұрын
I made the Alien Script guide on Steam for ESA :D. What a great duo of games. Now I wanna replay them both, thanks!
@legrandliseurtri74952 жыл бұрын
For Christmas, I wanted a metroidvania and I had narrowed it down to a few games. Axiom Verge was not part of them, but this video still helped me feel more confident in choosing environnemental station alpha. Thanks! Why does the description say ''massive spoilers'', tho? There is some footage of what I assume are later areas, and you talk about some of the powerups found in both games, but it doesn't really feel like you're missing out on anything. Edit:So, I'm at 102% in ESA. It's indeed getting very complicated after the first ending. Still, I've manage to find a second ending mostly on my own, and I've also found a new boss behind those pillars, plus one of the rainbow keys. I also wrote down all the alien dialogue cause I've no idea yet how revealing the language is gonna work- will it automatically translate after I've done something(no idea what), or will have to make the translation myself? Anyways, it's all a lot of fun. Now, I did my final attempt at the pantheon of Hallownest of this game, which, like it's path of pain, seems a lot more easy than it's Hollow Knight counterpart(yes, I know ESA came out long before, but I bought this game because it looked like it would appeal to my Hollow Knight tastes, so I can't help but make the comparisons). Second edit:Got the usurper, maze and asteroid endings:D What a game!
@benbreuer49662 жыл бұрын
I feel that this was an interesting comparison between these two games. I actually never heard of Environmental Station Alpha before this video and I really think I should check it out, especially since it seems to have a comparable loop to Axiom Verge.
@Brandon-oc8lr6 жыл бұрын
I played AV a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I had ESA for a few months in my games but hadn't played it until I saw the title of your review. Stuck on some of the bosses but enjoying it so far and looking forward to hearing your opinions when I finish!
@Jesse__H4 жыл бұрын
The "i" in Giger rhymes with the "ea" in Team. So it's "Geeeger," essentially.
@FALCONLICK6 жыл бұрын
i havent played either game but based on the review it seems by design to show difference between 8 bit and 16 bit games. i know they truly arent 8/16 bit but it is in spirit
@Phox-in-a-Box Жыл бұрын
I disagree with your assessment of Station Alpha's art direction. I do see a distinct art style despite the low res graphics.
@SamsButterscotch6 жыл бұрын
HOLY SHIT HE WASN'T LYING!
@conoyl6 жыл бұрын
matt, that single block wall, when you first get to the surface stumped me for far longer than it should have. I don't feel so bad knowing I wasn't alone in this mistake, however. It seems to be another reason that the phase coat is by some criteria, well-designed.
@NATE-op9tq6 жыл бұрын
Actually, if I remember right, there is a "sercet" in one of the save rooms. But it's just a way to reach Mar-Uru.
@amolinya6 жыл бұрын
Welcome back!
@lvkeyne6 жыл бұрын
I really dislike how Axiom Verge hides story-relevant content behind the secrets. As I see it, mechanical/gameplay completionists and lore/story completionists are pretty different crowds that only ocasionally intersect.
@Zathren6 жыл бұрын
Weird. Notifications are turned on but nothing came through my phone? Anyway, awesome to see more content! I'm so used to waiting months for more.
@doorto61526 жыл бұрын
Great video. I found your ramble about shared code at the end very humanizing--a wonderful change of pace compared to the meat of your content. I think sprinkling a few more of those throughout the video will go a long way in making your points easier to digest for the viewer.
@BurkaMurka6 жыл бұрын
Quality video Matthew, many thanks from myself. Your content is soothing, intelligent well articulated honey
@danielleanderson63716 жыл бұрын
What a coincidence! I was just wrapping up a playthrough of Axiom Verge. I definitely need to grab ESA, now.
@-snek.6 жыл бұрын
I'm pretty happy that someone as prolific at Matt decided to give Axiom Verge some love. I still maintain it's the best Metroid game I've ever played and it doesn't even belong to the franchise.
@buggs99504 жыл бұрын
6:42 On Axiom Verge's bosses "..most of them are complete pushovers" Erm, yeah couldn't agree more. I didn't struggle at all, honest..
@edwardgibbon25576 жыл бұрын
Do you have a patreon or anything? You're a video game reviewing god. Watching your content makes me feel creative, as if I'm working on a game.
@Maggerama6 жыл бұрын
16:49 Amen, brotha! This is so.
@royalchapin33406 жыл бұрын
What a time to be alive.
@evanbennett73006 жыл бұрын
I'm so glad to see you're back Matt WOOOOOOOO
@thebuddah12533 жыл бұрын
"Until a sequel elaborates further." And we are getting one boys.
@Khrene6 жыл бұрын
The two games share ancestry
@Esmoxe6 жыл бұрын
Matthew, if by any reason you read this, you made a small cofnusion between the two games (which it's surprising is just one lol). At approximately 8:45, you are talking about Station Alpha's small health bar leading to good boss design and then that this small health bar is not necessary, and you say "Metroid has as good bosses, or even bettter, than *Axiom Verge* ". Nice video, thanks :)
@Ascorspe6 жыл бұрын
I dont believe that was a mistake. I thought he meant that Super Metroid had an even bigger health pool than Axiom Verge AND still had better bosses. ESA bosses are WAY better than the ones in SM, imo.
@Esmoxe6 жыл бұрын
Yeah, what you said is a possibility I hadn't considered.
@Coffeemancer6 жыл бұрын
Indies forget that the Power Bombs made it trivially' easy to scan a room for secret tiles, they are not bad unless you forget to make them good