Surpririsingly good NES Metroid-style fan game. The way old power-ups are now split between functionalities actually add an interesting twist, as does the addition of the "Core" upgrades. While the areas explored are mostly themed the same way as in Metroid 1, I do like the different tone and atmosphere compared to the original. I also like that it doesn't end with an escape and the atmosphere of the Core is utterly fantastic.

If I do have weaknesses to note, it would be the bosses. The player become very powerful far too quickly for most bosses to be a threat and most of them are not threatening enough. The issue is in the lack of escalation; in a vacuum, their patterns are fine. The issue is that the rate at which you get upgrades very soon outstrip the HP and damage the bosses can take and inflict. Kraid and Ridley in particular can be disappointingly brute forced by the time you reach them. The sphere bosses and the final boss are good though. One note about the final boss though; I wish there was a visual indication when the final boss is vulnerable or not.

The story is also a bit weak but I found that the game more than compensated with its tone and atmosphere. If anything, this added to it; made it feel like a "typical mission" and put the emphasis more on the world you explore rather than any sweeping narrative. I appreciate that the final boss (and main antagonist) is NOT Mother Brain in this one. Though it does leave one to wonder why Kraid and Ridley are there then.

Overall, I'd say it's actually one of the better fan games I played and went beyond my (rather modest, to be honest) expectations. It's not perfect per se, but it's above average. And I mean that in a good way.