Recently I started playing my first game of the Metroid series – “Metroid Fusion” which was released in 2002 on Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance system. Being a newbie to this famous franchise of action-shooter video games, I didn’t know what to expect exactly. And man, I was blown away by the tight gameplay and engrossing storyline which is full of plot twists and conspiracies. But there was one key element of what made this game so exeptionally enjoyable for me – the music score.
In this game you play as the intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran who is sent to a space laboratory after an emergency call from its crew. Soon after her arrival the heroine finds the space station devoid of humans, only to learn that an unknown species called “X” has occupied the lab and infected every living thing in it (including the researchers and their study subjects).
As you make your way through the hazards and hoards of enemies found inside the huge space station, the music accomplishes an atmosphere of danger all the time. Right before you face a powerful alien monster, you are treated with this track:
I feel tense whenever I listen to this short track.
There are other facets of darkness in Metrioid Fusion’s music – this piece carries more of an ambient mood, but has an intimidating and slightly desolate tone to it:
This track is playing when Samus explores an underwater maze full of aggressive aquatic creatures.
Since the plot takes place in a futuristic environment, there are some tunes which convey a steely or robotic electric vibe, as you can hear below. It’s the battle theme of some of the games fast-paced bosses:
Metroid Fusion’s soundtrack is a great example of how music can contribute to the atmosphere and thus to the overall experience of a video game, pulling you in much deeper as a result. I can’t wait to delve further into the Metroid series and explore other gems, music- or storywise.
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