I-n-j-i-n

Which is unlikely to ever happen since Epic basically is in Microsoft's wings. Unless Sony and Microsoft team up or something crazy happens, it's not going to be ported. Maybe for the PC, but that isn't even in rumors right now.

^ That is precisely why it's awesome. The developers didn't hide their admiration for Super Metroid specifically. Also, I hope DLCs include new maps, new bosses and maybe giving enemies a menace that they lack. Upgraded AI too, maybe. Also, Shadow Complex 2 is a necessity now. It must happen.

It IS Team Ninja, so maybe they would add a few melee options. But yeah, the melee in Shadow Complex was so incredibly satisfying. Didn't feel right not having it when I went back to Super Metroid and SoTN recently. Though I think the way it's done in this game makes killing enemies too easy.

Bosses only seem to get challenging when you put the difficulty way up high, but then again, you can go off the screen and rain grenades at them. They need to fix that in the sequel so that you're stuck in the same screen as the enemy like in Metroid and the bosses can fish you out with a major attack.

Either way, you just KNOW it that they're setting it up for a sequel anyway. As a first in the series, it's still a head above Metroid 1 at least. lol I only disagree in that the game actually has a lot of good moments, but it simply could have used more. When Jason goes off and sinks the lower half of the base and the melancholic piano music plays showing what a murderer you have become, that was downright Metroid-caliber. It's also a shame that the earlier, tense fights are not relevant anymore in the second half with the extreme amount of upgrades you get. Which was not too much of a problem in Super Metroid with the difficulty until you get the Screwattack, then you basically can't die, ever.

I actually bought a brand new copy of Valkyria Chronicles in Gamestop

It's still the best spiritual sequel to Super Metroid that everybody has been wanting. Prime games are 3D. That rules that out. Fusion was great, but there was almost no real exploration. Zero was as prequel. Then Shadow Complex comes in and has insurgent speed runs. That is the true spirit of Super Metroid.

Actually there's some subtlety with the 'kill them all' part (somewhat like in Super Metroid with the baby Metroid) in that Jason Fleming obviously is weened into becoming a killer. And he didn't start out that way.

I still like Super Metroid best actually. It's just that the small little touches in Shadow Complex is just brilliant and it is basically engineering the future of Castletroids, literally. If Shadow Complex had more original enemies and unique bosses, I'd say it could give SM a run for its money. For what it's worth, I still liked playing it more than Super Metroid. That's not a real knock on Metroid at all as I see it.

Honestly, one of the few things I think 360 does better is the user interface. Xbox Live really could still use more upgrading, but that just shows how much more people expect out of it. Definitely more user friendly than the PSN, Home or the Store, though I still think the content is very good. But strangely, it's not as intuitive as the 360's Xbox Live.

Sounds like a great deal. I caved in and bought Batman AA for 360 though.. total impulse buy that I'm not regretting too much. As for a PS3 Slim, I actually got it yesterday walking into a BestBuy and it was tucked into a corner where ironically, a fat PS3 + Uncharted pack was laying. I thought it was the same pack so I nearly missed it. Also the slim doesn't even say "Slim" on it so I got confused too. It's just a black square looking turd with a simple PS3 logo on it. So far so great. I don't see why some people think it feels "cheap" compared to the fat PS3. It doesn't. I'm still not fully into the system yet even with an Optical Out and HDMI plugged in since I still need to work out its online-quirks. Can't go online with it without the right settings..

Unfortunately, doing speedruns without golden guns is the way to go, because the best gun can basically kill everything without a problem in a shot or two in Hardcore mode. Other than that, it's still great. And yeah, the story is not exactly the most captivating either. You're just a GI JOE going against COBRA and Cobra Commander. Seriously.

I'm going to cry a little tear if my nearest Toys R Us or Walmart or BestBuy or the three Gamestops I know doesn't have it in stock or is sold out. I am loaded with PS3 games that needs playing. Anyone else buy a ton of games and accessories before getting a console? It's like house arrest.. At least 360 games are still great. Otherwise I'd have gone mad.

The thing about Shadow Complex in replays is that unlike SoTN or Super Metroid where the shortcuts and exploits are just that: exploits, not really meant to be exploited since some speedruns get into dead-ends, the 'exploits' in Shadow Complex is actually built in. So it makes for a lot of cryptic, getting-advanced-guns-in-2-minutes thing possible. And when you DO run into a deadend, the game makes you know it. Creepy..

I'm sure it'd be an experience if the story is great and the 3D works wonderfully. But yeah.. the blue, fantasy-furries... Honestly, I'd have no problems if they at least looked more realistic (I know, that'd be a paradox), but at least the eyes that aren't 100% larger than the usual anime-eyes..

That teeny tiny "optical out" really gave me a sigh of relief. lol As for the old PS3, I can see the draw. The main thing for me though, is that the Slim is supposed to give off less heat and use less energy. That, and I guess the entertainment center can use a ninja-Bluray player instead of a total behemoth.

Aesthetically, I actually still prefer the 360. The concave works and it stands out in the media center, especially standing vertical. Controller, I'd actually say it's about even except for the d-pad. Even if the Dual Shock d-pads have been giving me blisters for a decade now.. And I have to agree with the online. Free is nice, but there's been so many horror stories with the uneven online connectivity and support, while it's UNIFORM for a 360. So if you have a good connection to a friend over Xbox Live, the chances are, almost all games will have good connection online. As a pure gaming console, the 360 just feels very tightly made IMO. Especially if we start factoring in online-play. Other than that, I really want the PS3 for the Bluray, the ability to go online and the Sony trinkets I'm honestly more excited about than even Nintendo's right now. Nintendo is still great, but I'm tired of waiting a freaking year or two for them to release a good sequel.

Thanks for the advice, though I found out that my heavily occupied receiver has a MONSTER Optic Cable plugged into my DVDs. I tried it out again and I'm convinced it should be enough for my system. I'm not a crazy audiophile, so a slightly downgraded surround is enough. Besides, it already sounds movie-quality to me on DVDs. Should be only better in the full Bluray experience. I'm not going to blow another untold amount of dollars for another Monster cable (don't know how it was there. I must have gotten it in a package. I'm glad though, because even though it is prohibitively expensive, it IS built like a freakin' tank), so I'll have to switch the Optics to my PS3 from now on. So now all I'm worried about is whether the reduced ports in the PS3 Slim = No optic cable.

The plot is very Metal Gear-ish and you even don a robot ninja suit like Gray Fox or something. And some enemies actually fight like they're Bionic Commando, hanging off of the ceiling and tossing grenades at you. But otherwise, this game plays so much like Super Metroid it's not even funny. But it's way more advanced than any 2D Metroid game ever was, due to the more sensitive jumping mechanic and the freeform aim with the right analog stick. Some of the funniest moments was where you literally run just like Samus Aran later in the game. You really can't make a game more Metroid than this. As for the sparse music, I agree unfortunately. But what is there is amazing at least. I just hope Chair is really into making a sequel or two after this game becomes a massive success. If they make a series of this caliber, I won't be afraid to say that there's finally a 2D exploratory game series that is better than either Castlevania or Metroid. Maybe they have a new classic in the making here.

I have to stop playing this game for a while, because I'm starting to lose concentration with everything. I still can't believe how great it really is. Basically my only real complaint is that it doesn't have that Castlevania/Metroid history and the 3D/2D hybrid means sometimes targeting faraway enemies in the back-drop can be a bit iffy. But that's about it. There are so many passage-way exploits, I can imagine you can literally slice the map in two to beat this game. This game seriously makes SoTN and Super Metroid actually feel a bit claustrophobic in the way the exploration works. Very nice touch that most major rooms in this game has two or even three ways to enter. Oh, and when that odd Tim-Burton Batman-esque music kicked into one of the rooms, the goosebumps were almost painful. Again, not the iconic stuff you find in Castletroids, but the music is very nicely done.

Yeah, I have no doubt the HDMI option would be fantastic, except my surround sound setup is strangely antiquated. It has EVERYTHING except HDMI. ugh.

Not really. Those who first watch anime, the shockers like Elfen Lied and Evangelion most likely will make a huge impact because you probably won't find that kind of combination of violence and storytelling in almost any media (It'd even be heavily restricted in games too. Especially anything sexual). For starter anime, it's actually a pretty good choice. Though it'd be a funny segue for anime viewers to get into something extremely mellow like Aria next.

Blech. I hope the cheapo Optic Cables don't fry my system too, by the way.

Sounds good. Now they have no excuse. I'm only worried that when I get a PS3 Slim (finally), the store would try to sell me $100 Optic Cables for my surround sound. And I hear $4 ones are just as good too.

If it doesn't break, then my friends can grovel in the dirt with a cheaper alternative. lol. Their lunchmoneys, not mine.