Samus is back on 2D on 3DS, but is she safe from her co-creator?

Metroid: Samus Returns has a bunch of people excited, and for good reason: it’s been years since we’ve had a proper Samus adventure, let alone a 2D one. I count myself among those who are thrilled to know that Samus Returns is coming September 15, but I know that for some people out there the wounds are still fresh from the disappointment of Other M. Let’s breakdown what we know about the game so far.

The Developer

MercurySteam is a name that Nintendo fans haven’t heard since 2013. That’s when the developer dropped Castlevania: Lords of Shadow—Mirror of Fate on 3DS. It currently sits with an aggregate score of 72, which is by no means bad, but I’m going to go on the record as saying that I think Mirror of Fate was a little underrated. Diehard Castlevania fans seemed to have the biggest problem with it, as MercurySteam attempted to straddle the line between Koji Igarashi’s Metroidvania titles on Game Boy Advance and DS and its own PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 take on the series. As someone who considers himself a Castlevania diehard fan, during my time with the game I soaked in its fun, combo-driven combat, fascinating mix of lead characters plucked from the history of the series, and stunning presentation. It was also not afraid to be dark on a system known more for family fair.