170°

Here Is What Metroid Coud Look Like In Unreal Engine 4

DSOGaming writes: "Our reader ‘Nick Parladikhs’ has informed us about a new video, showing what Metroid could look like in Epic’s next-gen engine, Unreal Engine 4."

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dsogaming.com
Neonridr3655d ago

Was hoping for a little more movement from the character in the video. Graphics look sharp, but too bad Epic seems to claim that the Wii U won't support UE4 even though apparently cell phones can run it.

eyeofcore3655d ago

Epic Games laughed at Wii U for being weak yet it runs on mobile platform such as Android and iOS with current high end devices have around 80-90 GFLOPS total which equals AMD's E350-450 APU's yet apparently can not run on Wii U that has total of 366-372 GFLOPS...

ARM and Power/PowerPC are different micro-architectures while they both follow RISC design and Samsung's Snapdragon IGP's are using VLIW micro-architecture which is same as Wii U's GPU while implementation and design probably have some major differences yet mostly are minor and both use Open GL API and so does PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, Linux OS and Steam OS so by supporting any of these platforms it proves that it can run on Wii U. Specially Android and iOS.

For sake of argument, AMD recently released Athlon 5350 APU which IGP has 128 Stream Processing Units 8 Texture Mapping Units 4 Raster Output Unit and can play Bioshock Infinite and Tomb Raider at 1280x720p at 30fps on low setting with a single 4GB stick DDR3 1600MHz and is limited to single channel thus having two sticks of RAM is pointless for double the bandwidth.

Wii U's GPU has 320 Stream Processing Units 16 Texture Mapping Units 8 Raster Output Units and has four 512MB 1600MHz RAM chips embedded into the motherboard also Wii U's has eDRAM embedded inside of it which act as VRAM versus Athlon 5350's GPU that uses system memory as VRAM. Wii U GPU eDRAM consists of 8 macros or in more common english language we could say blocks that are interconnected to each other with bandwidth of 563.2 GB per second.

Wii U's GPU is capable of running Bioshock Infinite and Tomb Raider at 1280x720p at 60fps or 1920x1080p at 30fps at low preset in PC enviroment.

Bandwidth of Wii U's system RAM is an unknown factor because we do not know if it is single, dual, triple or four channel memory capable. A single stick of RAM clocked at 1600MHz achieves 12.8 GB per second thus Wii U's system RAM bandwidth could be between 12.8 to 51.2 GB per second depending if its single, dual, triple or four channel memory capable while most likely it is dual channel thus we should assume it is 25.6 GB per second.

So Wii U's at bare minimum should do twice as much as Athlon 5350 IGP Radeon HD 8400 in PC enviroment at very least.

I am not a tech expert just to warn you, I just dig up what I could find and do some research.

We have not seen what Wii U is trully capable of just yet...

Neonridr3655d ago

wow, lots of great facts there to back it up.

I agree, we have yet to scrape the surface. I was more or less poking fun at Epic for saying such stupid statements.

cyguration3655d ago

Great post.

But if the Wii U can run Cry Engine 3 I'm not worried it can run Unreal Engine 4, just disappointed Epic is acting like EA about the whole thing.

EZMickey3654d ago (Edited 3654d ago )

The Wii U could absolutely run Unreal Engine 4, but it's not worth Epic's while to port it over. There's a far bigger userbase across Android and iOS and that's why it was worth their while to make it run on mobile devices.

No offense but one doesn't need an in depth hardware breakdown to understand their reasoning, we know they doesn't see value in the Wii U and it's audience, few publishers do, they just elect to avoid putting so bluntly.

OT: This is a pretty crap render of Samus.

randomass1713654d ago

Back when Epic's Mark Rein laughed about Wii U and Unreal engine 4, everyone immediately assumed it meant Wii U was too weak to support it. Sure enough Rein said the following day that Wii U could run the engine but Epic was not doing any games for the system. No one seemed to notice that though. :/

Errefus3655d ago

I hope We get someone developer to bring the Unreal Engine to Wii U.

randomass1713654d ago

The developer who ported Arkham City used Unreal Engine 3 on Wii U.

Neonridr3654d ago

I think he was referring to UE4.

randomass1713654d ago

I know, just saying that there is a developer already who has worked with UE on Wii U before.

mohuzas3655d ago

Fun fact: Metroid Prime ran on an extremely modified version of Unreal Engine 2.

Inception3655d ago

Holy...cow...that's awesome!!!

F*, now i can't resist the urge to buy a WiiU!

Kevlar0093655d ago (Edited 3655d ago )

I remember playing Halo 4 and telling myself if a Metroid game looked that good it would be amazing. To think a Metroid will look even better is pure bliss. I can't wait for Prime 4, or whatever they call the sequel

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120°

Metroid For NES Could Be Inducted Into The Video Game Hall Of Fame

Other nominees include games like SimCity & Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

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nintendolife.com
OtterX40d ago

There are some good nominees in this list that are deserving to be inducted also, but I feel Metroid has had the most impact on the industry out of all of these. Look how Metroid influenced the evolution of the Castlevania games, and the "Metroidvania" subgenre of games have become a prevailing force in gaming today. Especially now, Metroidvanias are bigger than ever.

I can very much see Resident Evil being added later too, bc it really did popularize and define the survival horror genre. I would say that one is next in line.

ApocalypseShadow40d ago (Edited 40d ago )

Agreed. When I got my NES back then, I of course had Super Mario Bros. But I also got Double Dribble, Mike Tyson's Punch Out, Rad Racer, Zelda and Metroid. Loved playing all of them over and over. But Metroid was so deep and the music was so other worldly, that that game has stuck with me to this day decades later.

Sure other awesome games came along like Contra, Castlevania, Mega Man, etc. But Metroid really hit that sci-fi fix. And the twist of finding out who was in the suit was one of those great moments in gaming history talking with other friends in the neighborhood that had the console that rushed to the end to find out for themselves.

Definitely deserves hall of fame like many other picks. Should have been inducted a long time ago.

Miraak82 39d ago

If any Metroid game should get the honor it should be Super Metroid , it's perfection in my eyes . 30 years later and I still feel it's the most epic shit ever .

OtterX38d ago

Yea, I agree that Super Metroid REALLY raised the bar on atmosphere and exploration, still in my Top 10 or 20 games of all time. The original Metroid did set a good framework, but Super Metroid perfected it in its first sequel. Since it's the only one up for vote, I'd still vote for the original Metroid bc it did establish a very good concept of gaming in a more primitive gaming era. But, you're absolutely right.

Chocoburger38d ago (Edited 38d ago )

The GBA remake deserves it or Super Metroid, the original was a very sloppy and rushed game programmed in 3 months and it shows.

If you've never played the remake, it's absolutely a must play, fixes basically every flaw in the game. Check out ExoParadigmGamer's comparison video.

60°

Metroid Maker Should Be Next to Get a Super Mario Maker Treatment

Super Mario Maker has been a great series for Nintendo, but it is time to move on. How about a Metroid Maker? That would be interesting! Check out Jason Capo’s thoughts for more.

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nintendolink.com
iplay1up2627d ago

I hope Nintendo brings back real dungeons in BOTW 2!

deleted627d ago

Metroid certainly would be cool, but 100% Zelda dungeon maker should be the priority! It makes the most sense!

Jeriphro627d ago

The only issue with Zelda, for me, is that it won't have the same freedom of styles that Mario Marker has. Zelda 1, LttP, and the Game Boy ones could all possibly work, but Zelda also has a lot of 3D games. I guess if you limited the styles to Original Zelda, LttP, Minish Cap, and Link's Awakening, that could work. That's four different styles for a dungeon maker, but I think a Metroid Maker is closer to Mario and would probably be easier to make.

deleted627d ago

@Jeriphro Mario Maker drew mostly from its 2D roots, so I take no issue with a 2D only Zelda Maker. However, they also translated Mario 3D World elements into the 2D space, so I wouldn't mind that they do something similar with overhead Zelda games using more modern 3D elements too. A Link to the Past Remake shows how nice 3D elements can be implemented into the standard overhead Zelda view.

2D Zeldas were the games I grew up on anyways, A Link to the Past being one of my favorite games of all times! They halfway attempted a creator within the Links Awakening remake, but I'd like to see a fully realized creator. Of course though, Super Metroid was also once of my favorite games of all times so I'm dying to see a Metroid maker too. ;)

DethWish628d ago

Metroid Maker is a sweet idea

Knightofelemia627d ago

I'd go either for Metroid Maker a Zelda Maker would also be great even a Mario Kart Maker as well.

200°

2D Metroids From Zero to Dread Ranked

Now that Metroid Dread is here, it is time to officially rank the five Metroid titles that make up the 2D storyline. 35 years of Metroid storytelling finally coming to a close, and now it is time to crown the official queen of the lineup. Jason Capp is here to put the five in proper order.

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nintendolink.com
925d ago
oldenjon925d ago (Edited 925d ago )

I haven't played Samus Returns but I would've put dread in 4th or 5th place. It had big shoes to fill being the first 2D Metroid designed for home consoles and AAA sensibilities in a long time. It borrowed its innovations from modern metroidvanias, and honestly seemed it was cashing in on their popularity. The level design design and progression was a hot mess. Abilities and their order didn't really make sense in the context of these things. Bosses were basically straight out of hollow knight. Controls were clumsy and as poorly thought out as the rest of the game. It basically boils down to a bland remix of metroid and a clone of clones; A decent game when it should've been incredible.

Jeriphro925d ago

Umm... did we play the same game?? Because Dread is the best controlled 2D Metroid game to date by a long shot. Not only that, but I would argue that this is one of the most fluid 2D Metroidvania controls in recent memory.

Not only that, but the boss fights in Dread are excellent.

Decent is a major understatement. Dread is fantastic!

oldenjon925d ago (Edited 924d ago )

I'm talking about free aiming and button combos instead of weapon selection. The joy cons controls are tiny and it was really clumsy. Move your thumb even a mm then your aim is off and have EMMI fucking your face. Some reviews echo this complaint so it's not just me.

Some boss fights are good, some are bad like that electric insect. In any case, the damage they do is extreme, patterns and overall design are decisively not referencing old Metroid. There was an insane difficulty spike in the middle of the game with back to back boss fights, EMMIs, and X enemies. Then you get a uniquely OP screw attack mid-game that trivializes the rest of it and makes for whiplash and a cheap game breaking mechanic. It's all just really sloppy and incongruous IMO.

ChubbyBlade924d ago

I’m gonna hit the hard disagree on this one. I haven’t felt this way playing Metroid since Fusion and Super before that.

oldenjon924d ago (Edited 924d ago )

Um... it's a mainline sequel to Fusion and maybe even more so Super because it's not being relegated to the handheld console and the lower production values and design sensibilities that comes with. The point is that we waited almost 20 years for a game that feels like it's inspired by the games it inspired and sort of lost its identity. It should be inspiring a new generation of games. Super is vastly vastly superior to this game.

jsiddlehfx924d ago (Edited 924d ago )

I'd like to chime in. Let me first state I am pretty big metroid fan, as well as metroidvania genre player. Just going to go through your remarks here. Of course it's going to use newer innovations than stick to the gameplay limitations of old, it only makes sense trying to bring in a newer generation into the metroid universe. I am ok with this as it still felt like a metroid first and foremost to me.

Level Design was really well done, if you paid attention to the maps (not saying you didnt), there was a very elegant flow from one zone into the next. I will agree that some abilities and their orders were a bit weird (I wont go into this too deep if theres any new players reading), but yes having some of the more powerful abilities mid game and having some lighter more obvious early game abilities later was a little strange, but thats a minor gripe.

Lets talk on controls: I have 100% the game on normal as of now, so I have completed all of the pretty intense "Shinespark Puzzles" they threw in the game that really test your skills at controlling Samus. The controls are just fine, even using the joy cons to beat the game. The ability to hold buttons to alter what weapon you're using made from some extremely badass attack combos in boss fights.

You first mentioned Hollow Knight, and not sure as to how far you got on that, but if you did play it, you are aware of the damage those creatures and bosses do. So I am confused as to how you are shocked by the damage bosses in MD put out. I welcome this as its another step forward into a realm where gamers are wanting more challenging games (This coming from a person who loves souls games and can complete super metroid sub 3 hrs on 100%). The boss fights were incredible. There were a couple "bug" bosses that I didnt really consider full bosses, more like mini bosses, but I get your point.

All in All, Dread was a BLAST. It was a fluid, fast paced, fun experience. My only real complaint, was I was expecting a soundtrack that could rival or get close to that of super metroid and I was a bit let down there.

oldenjon924d ago (Edited 924d ago )

They just don't make soundtracks like Super's anymore. I would argue that Dreads chief innovations is the difficulty and boss design, which is why I think comparisons to Hollow knight are especially apt. But also, and maybe you didn't notice, the numerous spear wielding Chozo mini-bosses were very similar to hornet and mantis lords from hollow knight. Beak raven was unlike any 2D metroid boss I've ever fought, and a lot like some endgame bosses in hollow knight. I revisited Super yesterday and noticed the damage bosses do is a stark contrast to dread where it almost treats energy tanks like the soul containers in hollow knight; one hit will often deplete an entire tank. Hollow knight has mechanics that compliment its boss design (healing, deflection, badges) and dread just has dated QTEs. I died more than I did in hollow knight and didn't feel like I was having as much fun or control over the experience.

In super, screw attack is optional and along with space jump the last items you get in the game. It mostly facilitates backtracking, and the list of things it can't do is much shorter than in dread. You get speedboost and need to use it to get through a couple of obstacles, but there's not really any terrain designed to utilize it in a way that feels natural or powerful, and it's most compelling in that sloppy sort of energy/missle tank mini-game. You get grapple beam and use to grapple across a couple of ceilings, which is really bad honestly and sort of skippable too. It basically just becomes a door and hole opening tool.

It's just bad design honestly. Metroid is supposed to have an organic progression that is complemented by level design that conveys a story, and dread just feels like it randomizes progression in an uninspired maze of rectangular rooms. There's no rhyme or reason to anything that happens, it's just there because it was there before.

Like I said, it's a decent game but Super is a masterpiece of level design and just being good enough by other standards kind can unfortunately mean it's a piece of shit by metroid's standards. Oh and apparently Samus is a Jedi and Darth Vader is her dad. That's the cherry on top.

oldenjon924d ago

oops meant the list of things screw attack can't do is shorter in dread than super. it's basically OP and the level and enemy design is not an impedance to cheaping out the way it is in super. there's just no thought put into it or what it represented in super at all.

jsiddlehfx924d ago

@oldenjon it'll never be a super metroid, and nothing will touch that game, which is true. and on those remarks, its super unfair to really compare any of them to such a godlike title. All in all, I had a great time 100% it on normal. The music was lackluster, the item order list was a bit strange, but overall was super fun... I look forward to running it every so often and trying out hard mode! (All games look to others for reference. Hell even metroid looked to the Alien franchise as reference. So to critique dread for referencing another metroidvania (hollow knight) without criticizing hollow knight for referencing the obvious (super metroid) is a bit looney.

oldenjon923d ago (Edited 923d ago )

I don't think it's looney at all. Let's be honest, pretty much anything sci-fi horror is referencing alien. Samus was not originally written as a woman, and Super's story is only vaguely alien whereas Dread's story is blatantly Star Wars. Hollow Knight was a very long game that balanced its challenges with good atmosphere, exploration, platforming, secrets etc. Started my 2nd playthrough and Dread is a short, frustrating, and jumbled mess that doesn't excel at any one thing and probably shouldn't cost $60. Realized you get spin boost, then 30 mins later space jump. WTF? It's OK that this game is not perfect, and tempered my expectations before going into it. I did not think it would fail to reference, and at least try to improve upon, itself and it's own ideas though. It doesn't bode well that it will ultimately be the breakthrough title in the series. More short, derivative and expensive experiences with the metroid brand stamped on it coming your way.

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HeliosHex923d ago

"it's inspired by the games it inspired and sort of lost its identity."
That's deep.

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