Metroid Prime 2; Echoes - blog task

 

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - blog tasks

Create a new blogpost called 'Metroid Prime 2: Echoes case study' and complete the following in-depth tasks.

Language

Analyse the game cover for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (above).

The colour scheme; dark blue, black and the protagonist (robot) is orange. 

The genre for this game is action and sci-fi.

This game is part of the Metroid franchise - 7th series. 

The game cover features typical conventions of a sci-fi, action game.

This means it includes the villains the players must defeat, the guns/lasers are shown in the front cover, the different location the game could take place (i.e levels to the game). 

The tagline for the game "A war of light and darkness".

1) How does the cover communicate the genre of the game?

The cover communicates the genre of the game through the colour scheme used (typically "masculine" colours) such as blue, black and orange. As well as the props, the guns and villains the players must defeat. The locations in which the players must fight in communicates the genre as it is all set in three different locations with synergy with the matrix and scientific environment. 

2) What does the cover suggest regarding gameplay and audience pleasures?

The cover connotes that the gameplay for Metroid would be set in three different locations/levels they must complete. The audience pleasures that is reiterated whilst playing this game would be entertainment as players will be gaining rewards from problem-solving and getting to the next level. Another audience pleasure presented in this game would be diversion because players escape from their current reality to fight out robotic spiders. However, it could be argued that this game could also present surveillance as an audience pleasure. This is because players will learn about creatures in their scientific nature and it would help players will reading and inference skills, whilst playing the game. 

3) Does the cover sexualise the character of Samus Aran? Why/why not?

The cover does not sexualise the character Samus Aran because there is no clear physical denotation that Samus is supposed to be a female character. The gender of the character is left up to the player and is seen as ambiguous. I would consider Samus Aran as an non-gender conforming robot. 

Trailer analysis

Watch the trailer for the game:




1) What do you notice about genre?

This trailer connotes that the genre for this game is sci-fi and action. This is highlighted through the sound effects (non-diegetic sound) and the location the game is set which is linked to plants, dark coloured lights of dark green, black and dark blue. Additionally, the props and villains such as the killing of the robotic spiders connote the genre of the game. 

2) How is the character introduced? Is Samus Aran obviously female?

The character is introduced from a first person perspective, meaning that the player is playing the protagonist (Samus Aran). This highlighted through the movements of running and the character can be placed into a ball to move around. However, Samus Aran cannot portray any feminine traits during this trailer. 

3) How can we apply Steve Neale’s genre theory that discusses “repetition and difference”?

We can apply Steve Neale's genre theory of "repetition and difference" to the trailer of Metroid prime 2: Echoes. This means that the props and environment which this game is set in relates to sci-fi/action games however difference can be applied because in the game there is a lot of reading involved which isn't very common in videogames. 

Gameplay analysis

Watch the following gameplay clips again:

1) What does the gameplay for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes involve?

The gameplay for Metroid Prime 2 involves Samus Aran fighting off robotic spiders and other unexplainable creatures to save intergalactic marines as well as having to defeat in a big battle a dark version of herself. 

2) Write an analysis of the media language choices in the construction of the game: e.g. genre, narrative, mise-en-scene, camera shots etc.

The camera shot involved in the game would be long shots, medium shots and close-ups of the obstacles (robotic creatures). The game is played from a first person perspective meaning the players are playing Samus Aran. The genre for the gameplay is constructed around sci-fi and action because players must defaet the villains getting into their way from saving the galactic marines. 

3) Analyse the clips for audience pleasures, applying audience theory and considering media effects.

The clips highlights two audience pleasures and two media effects; 

- Entertainment and diversion.

- Competence 

- Autonomy 

Audience

Reddit discussion of why people play Metroid
Giant Bomb forum: Who exactly is Nintendo’s demographics?
Reset Era: Nintendo’s audience getting older

1) Who might the target audience be for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, based on your research? Discuss demographics and psychographics.

The target audience for Metroid prime 2 would be male teenagers from the ages of 18 to 24, as this would be the audience who likely would play this game. The psychographics linked to the players of Metroid prime 2; Echoes would be explorers and strugglers. 

2) How has Nintendo’s audience changed since the original Metroid game in 1986?

Nintendo's audience has changed because before it would only create games that was centred around group or family games. The Nintendo's games now would consist of different narratives, genre and device playing for a range of different demographics. 

3) What audience pleasures are offered by Metroid Prime 2: Echoes or the wider Metroid franchise?

The audience pleasure that this game offers;

- Entertainment.

- Relatedness.

- Diversion. 

4) What effects might Metroid have on audiences? Apply media effects theories (e.g. Bandura’s social learning theory, Gerbner’s cultivation theory). 

The effects that this game might have on audiences would be both negative and positive. This means that the negative effect would be that game imitates acts of violence against anything that is different this is supported through Bandura's social learning theory. However, a positive could be argued which is players will heighten their inference and reading skills when they play the game. 

Read this Gamesparks feature on gaming demographics and answer the following questions:

1) Who is considered to be the stereotypical gamer?

The stereotypical gamer would be described as a male, teenage years between 14-24. 

2) What has changed this?

This "stereotypical gamer" description as changed due to technology and now women playing an active role in the gaming industry especially with mobile gaming. 

3) What role do women play in the videogames market? Quote statistics from the article here.

- 50% of women make up of the gaming audience. 

4) Why are older gamers becoming a particularly important market for videogames producers? How can you link this to the Metroid franchise?

This is because they have discovered a gap in the gaming market which they want to capitalised on by creating games that would fulfil their interests, this links to the Metroid franchise because of Samus Aran. 

5) What does the article suggest regarding audience pleasures and expectations for different generations of gamer?

This article states that the older generation usually play games that remind them of a certain era or experience (nostalgia) whereas younger audiences relay on escapism from reality. 


Industries

Read this Destructoid blog on the Metroid franchise. Answer the following:

1) Why has Metroid never quite fitted with the Nintendo brand?

This is because Nintendo leans towards family/group ordinated gaming with light-hearted narrative/genre. Whereas, Metroid leans towards aggressive/sci-fi action games with narratives that couldn't be played by the masses in a living room. 

2) What franchises have overtaken Metroid in the sci-fi hyper-realism genre in recent years?

The franchises that have taken over the sci-fi hyper-realism genre would be Halo and No man's sky. 

3) Why does the writer link old boy bands from the music industry to the Metroid franchise? Do you agree with this reading of the brand?

The writer does this because they want to reiterate the effect nostalgia has one audiences, meaning they would most likely buy the game. 

4) What is an ‘AAA’ or ‘triple-A game’ in the videogames industry?

AAA - this means that the games that are new and different. 

Triple A-games - are franchises of games. 

5) Do you think there will be further Metroid games featuring Samus Aran? Should there be?

Yes, I think there will be further Metroid games featuring Samus Aran. However, this time they will include clear gendered traits of the character. 


Representation

Read this BBC3 feature on Samus Aran and answer the questions below:

1) What was notable about the original Metroid game in 1986?

The big shock revelation was when Samus Aran was introduced "he as a she" for the characters gender. 

2) What were the inspirations behind the gameplay and construction of Metroid?

They took inspiration from games like Mario and Zelda, as well as the movie Alien. 

3) Why are the endings to the original Metroid considered controversial?

The ending of the game was considered controversial because the sexuality of the character was being always being debated, the developers had set the character to be gendered as a woman. 

4) What reaction do you think the reveal of Samus Aran in a bikini would have got when the game was first released in 1986? Have attitudes towards women changed?

Nintendo has stated this “Wouldn't it be kind of cool if it turned out that this person inside the suit was a woman?". However, the attitudes when this was first released was probably shock but granted with appeal for men. This means that men would excited about the surprise. This would continue the narrative that woman are like a prize to be won, good deeds amount for rewards.

5) How have later versions of the Metroid franchise sexualised the character of Samus Aran?

The later versions of the Metroid franchise have sexualised the character Samus Aran by having her in cameo in the game "Smash Bros" where they have her in heels and a bikini. 

6) How can we apply Liesbet van Zoonen’s work to Samus Aran and Metroid?

We can apply Van Zoonen's feminist theory to Samus Aran and Metroid because of the gender roles that are linked to Samus Aran and that the prize at the end of the game is her sexuality i.e. body. 

7) What did Brianna Wu suggest regarding the character of Samus Aran?

Brianna Wu had suggested that the character Samus Aran should be considered as non-gender conforming as it can cater to a range of different people playing the game. 

8) Do you see Samus Aran as a feminist icon or simply another exploited female character?

Personally, I would see Samus Aran's character as another exploited female character. This is because they sexualise her femininity as a prize to be won. As well as not specifying what her gender is and only to point it out when it is convenient for the developers for marketing, the game to women. 


Read this Houston Press feature on Samus Aran and entitled male gamers. Answer the following questions:


1) What does Anita Sarkeesian suggest regarding Samus Aran?

Ms Sarkeesian points out that Samus Aran as an exploited female character used to profit from the male gaze. 

2) Why does Brianna Wu (and others) suggest Samus Aran may be transgender?

Samus Aran is labelled as transgender by some because the amour she has one heavily hides her gender but the ending shows that she is actually a woman. 

3) Why is Samus Aran useful for male gamers trying to argue videogames are not sexist?

This is because her femininity is hidden until the end of the game, meaning that her characteristics throughout the game is shown regardless of her gender. Therefore, showcasing her strengths of a woman without placing to her certain body type. 

4) Why are Lara Croft, Zelda and Peach not ideal examples to argue for female equality in videogames?

This is because these characters are either sexualised for the male gaze, are the second to the protagonist or used as a prize for the main characters. 

5) What does the ‘SJW’ in ‘SJW-gender politics’ refer to?

This means "social justice warrior" and is a term used to invalidate people who are calling out insensitivity among things. 

6) How can we apply Gerbner’s Cultivation theory to representations of women in videogames as discussed in the article? How might this lead to ‘entitled male gamers’? 

Gerbner's cultivation theory states that people with regular interactions with the media can be easily influenced. This relates to Metroid because the character is shown to be a women so that means that male gamers would easily see this surveillance on how to see women as object or a prize to be won. 

7) Does the videogame industry have a problem with gender? Provide evidence for your argument.

Yes, the videogame industry does have a problem with gender, this is shown through there portrayal of female characters such as Lara Croft, Samus Aran, Zelda and Peaches from Mario Kart.