phatscott25's Ratings and Reviews
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Super Metroid: Subversion by TestRunner and AmoebaOfDoom [SM Exploration], rated by phatscott25 on Nov 08, 2022 (Star Star Star Star Star )
100% in 8:08
This hack was completely off my radar until it came out of literally nowhere with someone bringing it up in a discord server I'm in, and after having finally finished it today, I was completely floored by the gameplay, the ingenuity, the flavor in having so many mini-areas, and especially the new items and mechanics that the game brought to the table. The log system was honestly one of the coolest things I've ever seen in a romhack and I made sure to read through everything new that came up, just for the little lore tidbits or little tips and tricks (even if I knew them already). I never got lost playing the hack, nor did I ever feel like I was stuck on where to go for an extended period of time. The new music was really cool too, and hearing some tracks reimagined in the SM format that really fit some of the areas made everything feel that much better! This hack feels creative in a way that I can't describe, much like how I felt when I played Ascent. Completely beginner friendly AND appealing to veteran players of SM, this hack has something for everybody, and I couldn't recommend it more!

EDIT: I would like to add that I did have one slight problem with the romhack's flow, mostly between traversing an area that is split in two that doesn't have a shortcut between the two paths until a good bit later in the game, but it was mostly just an inconvenience, and compared to the backtracking of a hack like Metroid Mission Rescue, I really can't complain much.
Metroid Mission Rescue by Mettyk25jigsaw [SM Exploration], rated by phatscott25 on Jul 04, 2021 (Star Star Star Star Star )
62% in 30:00
Really feeling a 2.5, but I would be generous enough to give this one a 3. I found out about this hack after Rando league, since one of the divisions was named after the hack, and figured I'd give this one a shot. I had no idea what I was expecting, and the hack itself has some neat ideas, albeit being very confusing. The hint room in both Easy and Normal really helps as to keep the player knowing where they're supposed to go the first time around, since this hack is gigantic. I played on the newest version on Easy, which you can find in the forums for the rom hack (I actually had to update midway through because v2.43 has a broken room in Base Zero that I needed to get through to progress).

First things first, this hack will get you lost very quickly, and with little direction beyond the hint room, you will honestly be stumbling around for a majority of it just figuring out where to go (I WOULD RECOMMEND AGAINST PLAYING ON HARD FIRST TIME AROUND, THERE IS NO HINT ROOM). There are some neat editions to the hack and neat mechanics regarding some particular items, but the overall gameplay of the hack is really hurt by the large amount of stumbling around and trial and error the hack can expect of you. The hack isn't too difficult, but part of that was because I played on Easy. This hack is also very long, so expect a days worth or more of total playtime. The endgame door hunt is a general slog, and is a very grueling part of the hack. A lot of minor items are hidden in places where there's no feasible way you could find them unless you got lucky or knew beforehand.

I would not recommend this hack for a newer player, and certainly not as a first hack, but there are a few good things worth playing this hack for. The introduction of being able to run in a ball after collecting spring ball is nice, and there is a unique custom HUD for switching between items fairly quickly. There are also quite a few extra bosses, most being Torizos and Ridleys. Overall, I would definitely recommend giving this one a shot, but do be warned: you WILL get lost, and you may need to step away at some point if it gets frustrating. Play on Easy or Normal the first time around, and follow the hint room well.