SuperKB's Ratings and Reviews
SM Redesign: Axeil Edition by Drewseph [
Exploration],
rated by SuperKB on Sep 07, 2015 (
)
Exploration],
rated by SuperKB on Sep 07, 2015 ( )
100% in 5:28
A hack released on my birthday and zodiac year and I can't believe I missed it...
Axeil Edition is definitely one of those hacks realizing its mistakes and fixing them into a better satisfying experience that even new players will find themselves enjoying. While its easier and more bearable than the original it still has some problems that still got carried to here...
This is based off of v1.4
Likes:
+ Hint System
The hint system was really a nifty addition in this game and worked extremely well trying to find where to go next when you're lost. There is nothing bad about but I think it makes the game too easy ;) Metroid is a lot more fun being isolated and finding out where you're supposed to go next on your own.
+ Better Map Details
I can now tell what connects each other on the map which improves upon the original game.
+ Auto Wall Jumping
No complaints here. Perfect execution here.
+ X-Ray Improvement
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS... One major issue I most certainly had with the original was that the X-Scope couldn't reveal a lot of hidden walls. Especially some that are required to find to progress the game. However there are still some spots (2 or 3 of them) I noticed that couldn't be revealed by the X-Ray even though it does not lead to anything important. I'll post some screenshots on the topic of your hack.
+ Speed Booster
Quoted from the 'readme' - "D-pad LEFT/RIGHT ONLY: Samus will run and crouch automatically
recharging her charge for a new shinespark."
The automatic stop and recharged shinespark was neat addition and made things much more bearable to use. However the time that Samus stops to recharge needs to be slightly shorter. I had some trouble getting a Missile tank in Marida where this feature was almost less useful because I kept hitting a wall on a slope I was trying to stop on. (I'm referring to the missile tank that's near the elevator that leads to the mid-section of Crateria).
+ Auto Morph
Can't auto-morph in some spots but still a nice touch.
+ The world is still huge!
I've always enjoyed exploring huge gigantic worlds in games I play and you made it into a reality in this hack. Great stuff here.
+ Background tunnels.
I really love how you made this more of a thing in remake. It feels very reminiscent to Metroid 2's background tunnels something I wish Nintendo did more often in their 2D Metroid games since it adds a lot of detail with the environments.
+ Additional shortcuts
Good feature to save a ton of backtracking but I will get into it more in the dislike section...
+ Lost Caverns Improvement
A lot of people for some reason think this is worse than the original, the clue was more obvious this time around thanks to the polls.
Dislikes:
- Elevator shortcuts
Adding these was a good thing but was it really necessary for EVERY single one to have a purple hatch? I only found one of them to be useful but most of them felt useless especially when it comes to speed running. It still felt like I still had to do a lot of backtracking like the original.
- Hit or misses on how difficult getting additional tanks should be.
It felt like you were trying too hard trying to make getting addition tanks bearable as possible. A few examples:
1. There is a morph ball maze that leads to a missile tank, near the area where the Speed Booster is located that MetroidPeter was mentioning when he was going for 100%. While it does have some improvements, trying to back up and move past the bomb you plant just to get across a gap is a little to difficult to execute. In my playthrough you'll notice that I got it on my first try but it actually took like 30. I originally was going to post a fail montage bonus video for this but I ended up deleting it.
2. At the very west end of Marida, there is a spot where you have to IBJ to get a Missile tank. Was adding blocks above the player that they have to bomb through really necessary? I thought it was about mastering IBJ, not unnecessarily make it more stressful.
3. Once again at the very west end of Marida, there is a super missile that is blocked by some speed booster blocks. There is a sand fall that you have to wall-jump up that stops your space jumping. It took like 20 minutes to finally get up to that chozo statue that holds a super missile. I suggest bringing the statue down a little lower.
- Screw Attack Puzzle
I literally had to look up this forum just to find out how to unlock that gate. I think it would have been better if you gave some background hint on how to unlock it, or throw in some code hidden somewhere the player would have to find (a different code each time they start a new game so that every player will have to work to accomplish getting it besides looking up a walkthrough/video and go "Oh so that's the code to unlock it!").
-Red Plasma
Bleh... Red Plasma from Metroid Prime is so overrated. I definitely prefer the original green color.
- Ridley
The damage that Ridley keeps from the Cres fight was a neat touch but it certainly made things unnecessarily difficult that he can do more damage to you depending on how much damage you given it.
- No Wrecked Ship
I think it would be better if you threw in some enemies from the wrecked ship at least. Maybe add some of those indestructible robots in Tourian to really represent how much of a stronghold that Tourian really is.
- Tourian
I can easily see why many people stopped playing this because of this area. I can see what you were trying to go for here which is very good but the REAL BIGGEST ISSUE is the rooms with 3 metroids you have to kill before they repspawn is going to anger a lot of first-time players REAL quick. Because it leaves them wondering why is it not ending. The idea what you did with a certain amount of metroids you have to kill and the fact that they unfreeze faster and get more aggressive (and eventually can DODGE your shots!?) as you progress was spot on. But that kill before respawn thing was NOT A WISE MOVE...
- Rescuing the animals.
The escape sequence is better but the issue is you have to be too perfect to save the animals at the end.
Overall great hack and its definite must play for those who is a big fan to Super Metroid and Metroid Prime. I look forward to see more improvements from you!. Keep it up!
Axeil Edition is definitely one of those hacks realizing its mistakes and fixing them into a better satisfying experience that even new players will find themselves enjoying. While its easier and more bearable than the original it still has some problems that still got carried to here...
This is based off of v1.4
Likes:
+ Hint System
The hint system was really a nifty addition in this game and worked extremely well trying to find where to go next when you're lost. There is nothing bad about but I think it makes the game too easy ;) Metroid is a lot more fun being isolated and finding out where you're supposed to go next on your own.
+ Better Map Details
I can now tell what connects each other on the map which improves upon the original game.
+ Auto Wall Jumping
No complaints here. Perfect execution here.
+ X-Ray Improvement
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS... One major issue I most certainly had with the original was that the X-Scope couldn't reveal a lot of hidden walls. Especially some that are required to find to progress the game. However there are still some spots (2 or 3 of them) I noticed that couldn't be revealed by the X-Ray even though it does not lead to anything important. I'll post some screenshots on the topic of your hack.
+ Speed Booster
Quoted from the 'readme' - "D-pad LEFT/RIGHT ONLY: Samus will run and crouch automatically
recharging her charge for a new shinespark."
The automatic stop and recharged shinespark was neat addition and made things much more bearable to use. However the time that Samus stops to recharge needs to be slightly shorter. I had some trouble getting a Missile tank in Marida where this feature was almost less useful because I kept hitting a wall on a slope I was trying to stop on. (I'm referring to the missile tank that's near the elevator that leads to the mid-section of Crateria).
+ Auto Morph
Can't auto-morph in some spots but still a nice touch.
+ The world is still huge!
I've always enjoyed exploring huge gigantic worlds in games I play and you made it into a reality in this hack. Great stuff here.
+ Background tunnels.
I really love how you made this more of a thing in remake. It feels very reminiscent to Metroid 2's background tunnels something I wish Nintendo did more often in their 2D Metroid games since it adds a lot of detail with the environments.
+ Additional shortcuts
Good feature to save a ton of backtracking but I will get into it more in the dislike section...
+ Lost Caverns Improvement
A lot of people for some reason think this is worse than the original, the clue was more obvious this time around thanks to the polls.
Dislikes:
- Elevator shortcuts
Adding these was a good thing but was it really necessary for EVERY single one to have a purple hatch? I only found one of them to be useful but most of them felt useless especially when it comes to speed running. It still felt like I still had to do a lot of backtracking like the original.
- Hit or misses on how difficult getting additional tanks should be.
It felt like you were trying too hard trying to make getting addition tanks bearable as possible. A few examples:
1. There is a morph ball maze that leads to a missile tank, near the area where the Speed Booster is located that MetroidPeter was mentioning when he was going for 100%. While it does have some improvements, trying to back up and move past the bomb you plant just to get across a gap is a little to difficult to execute. In my playthrough you'll notice that I got it on my first try but it actually took like 30. I originally was going to post a fail montage bonus video for this but I ended up deleting it.
2. At the very west end of Marida, there is a spot where you have to IBJ to get a Missile tank. Was adding blocks above the player that they have to bomb through really necessary? I thought it was about mastering IBJ, not unnecessarily make it more stressful.
3. Once again at the very west end of Marida, there is a super missile that is blocked by some speed booster blocks. There is a sand fall that you have to wall-jump up that stops your space jumping. It took like 20 minutes to finally get up to that chozo statue that holds a super missile. I suggest bringing the statue down a little lower.
- Screw Attack Puzzle
I literally had to look up this forum just to find out how to unlock that gate. I think it would have been better if you gave some background hint on how to unlock it, or throw in some code hidden somewhere the player would have to find (a different code each time they start a new game so that every player will have to work to accomplish getting it besides looking up a walkthrough/video and go "Oh so that's the code to unlock it!").
-Red Plasma
Bleh... Red Plasma from Metroid Prime is so overrated. I definitely prefer the original green color.
- Ridley
The damage that Ridley keeps from the Cres fight was a neat touch but it certainly made things unnecessarily difficult that he can do more damage to you depending on how much damage you given it.
- No Wrecked Ship
I think it would be better if you threw in some enemies from the wrecked ship at least. Maybe add some of those indestructible robots in Tourian to really represent how much of a stronghold that Tourian really is.
- Tourian
I can easily see why many people stopped playing this because of this area. I can see what you were trying to go for here which is very good but the REAL BIGGEST ISSUE is the rooms with 3 metroids you have to kill before they repspawn is going to anger a lot of first-time players REAL quick. Because it leaves them wondering why is it not ending. The idea what you did with a certain amount of metroids you have to kill and the fact that they unfreeze faster and get more aggressive (and eventually can DODGE your shots!?) as you progress was spot on. But that kill before respawn thing was NOT A WISE MOVE...
- Rescuing the animals.
The escape sequence is better but the issue is you have to be too perfect to save the animals at the end.
Overall great hack and its definite must play for those who is a big fan to Super Metroid and Metroid Prime. I look forward to see more improvements from you!. Keep it up!
