Topic: Metroid Project Proposed For Wii U, 3DS By MercurySteam

[Shaymin]

The developers of Lords of Shadow wanted to take a crack at the front end of "Metroidvania".

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/40957/metroid-project-proposed-for-wii-u-3ds-by-mercurysteam

The developers of the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow series appear to have been proposing a 3DS and Wii U shooter in the Metroid universe.

First reported by NintendoLife in association with Tamaki (contributor to Unseen64), the Spanish developer was hiring talent from other companies to create a first-person game set in what appear to be post-apocalyptic environments. The proposal would have seen Samus playable as well as up to seven other hunters, and the game was being pitched for both Wii U and 3DS.

The proposal appears to have been designed to allow for new properties to be bolted in if Nintendo turned the project down, as a teaser appeared on MercurySteam's website at the end of July with a male character in a spaceship which may be reusing elements of the Nintendo pitch. The timing of the pitch would have been close to the first public unveiling of Metroid Prime: Federation Force at this past E3.

The full video can be seen below:

[Adrock]

I generally like MercurySteam. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was an excellent game and an excellent reboot. It's sequel/side-story Mirror of Fate managed to be even better. That said, and despite the poor reception of Lords of Shadow 2, I'd trust the team to handle Metroid correctly so long as Nintendo kept a watchful eye on its progress much like the original Metroid Prime. I'd love to see what MercurySteam could do with a 2D Metroid.

[broodwars]

MercurySteam's a talented developer. I really liked Lords of Shadow 1 & 2, despite 2 having some very glaring issues. I don't know if I'd like them as a Metroid developer, though. Upon reflection, the worst aspects of Mirror of Fate & Lords of Shadow 2 were the Metroid ones tacked on.

[Soren]

I mean, what drives a company to think their unsolicited Metroid pitch is better than the hundreds of other unsolicited Metroid pitches before?

[broodwars]

I mean, what drives a company to think their unsolicited Metroid pitch is better than the hundreds of other unsolicited Metroid pitches before?

*shrugs* It's how companies get work, and while their Metroid-style design hasn't been stellar in the past, they do have some experience with it. And really, if you were a studio previously strongly affiliated with Konami, you'd be desperately trying to get away from them as quickly as possible right now, too.

[TOPHATANT123]

If the game is still being made regardless nothing of value has been lost. The sci-fi elements of Metroid are generic as  heck, all you'd need to do to avoid copyright infringement is change the main character.

[Enner]

I mean, what drives a company to think their unsolicited Metroid pitch is better than the hundreds of other unsolicited Metroid pitches before?

Hey, won't know if you don't try, right? I suspect that these sorts of wild pitches are not as rare as we think. Retro had to get their foot in the door somehow. Or maybe Nintendo approached Retro....

Anyway, interesting to hear about the pitch. Not surprised it didn't go through. While I give Nintendo some amount of respect towards its consideration of Samus' next adventure, especially from the fallout of Metroid: Other M, their time spent waiting for the right game might create a demand that can't be satisfied by any game.

[MagicCow64]

I only played the First Lord of Shadows, but I thought it was completely mediocre with no real standouts. Mirror of Fate and 2 looked outright bad in comparison. So yeah, I wouldn't want them anywhere near Metroid, and I doubt it was in any way realistic after the behind-the-scenes mess that happened on Konami's watch.

I also thought Team Ninja was completely mediocre and unworthy of Metroid, and figured Other M was doomed from the get go. I was right on that one!

Interestingly, even guys who worked on the Prime games have proven unable to replicate that success with the Arkham Blackgate game.

[tyto_alba]

Too bad it didn't work out. Mirror of fate is among my favourite 3DS games. So is Arkham Blackgate by the way. The first Lords of Darkness was a bit of a chore and the second one kept hardcrashing the ps3. what i played of it felt overly complicated, using every button on that damned controller.