Videogames - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Language

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

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

• The sci-fi genre is established with the robotic costume Samus Aran wears
• Colour scheme is grey, silver, blue and black which alludes to the sci-fi genre
• The font is sci-fi
• The diagonal split of dark and light on the front cover is parallel to the binary opposition of good & evil 
• The action & adventure costume is established with the gun
• The eclipse behind the title is part of Metroid's brand identity

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

• The back cover features screenshots of gameplay- examples of what you would encounter 
• Blumler & Katz - diversion
• A key selling point of this game was the online 4 player mode and this is also advertised on the cover - players would be excited about it
• The aliens are the enemies - audience pleasure of killing them
• Enemies shown - propp character theory
• Todorov's narrative theory is also established with the diagonal split
• Intertextuality with star wars - font style

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

• To a small extent
• If you see the cover for the first time, you won't be able to tell if the protagonist is male or female (gender neutral)
• The gun can be seen as a phallic symbol
• The protagonist is female but isn't being sexualised on the cover which is a positive change in the video game industry
• She is represented as being strong, brave and powerful
• However, some may say that the creators are reducing her femininity because she is represented as a male (links to Van Zoonen's theory 'be like men')

Trailer analysis

Watch the trailer for the game:

1) What do you notice about genre?

• Action/adventure and sci-fi genre clearly established
• Lots of fighting between dark Samus and normal Samus
• Fist person shooter
• The trailer alludes to hyperrealism - especially shot where glass shatters 
• Game is influenced by movies

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

• The way Samus walks is quite feminine - swaying of hips
• Her body shape is also emphasised despite the fact that she wears a big costume - narrow waist
• Lots of low angle shots when Samus Aran is in shot - this is a typical convention with female characters in video games

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

• Repetition from video games of the same genre include - fighting, guns, evil antagonist (Propp), etc
• Difference - Dark Samus
• Too much repetition in the game and not much difference is potentially a big reason for the game not selling as many copies as the original

Gameplay analysis

Watch the following gameplay clips again:

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

• Lots of gun shooting
• First person POV
• Lots of puzzle solving
• Picking up items

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.

• There's lots of information presented to the player on screen - lots of pop-ups throughout gameplay
• The 'scanning' function is an example of hyperrealism and emphasises the sci-fi genre
• There's an element of exploration in the game - similar to Nintendo's Zelda (intertextuality)

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

• The player is rewarded for their knowledge 
• Narrative - personal relationships
• Shooting, killing
• First person - personal identity
• Mystery - try to figure out what to do next 
• Game is similar to other favourites like Destiny, Halo, Star Wars, Dead Space, Sonic and more which gives the player the audience pleasure of nostalgia

Audience

Research the audience for Nintendo and specifically the Metroid franchise, including Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. You may wish to start with the following pages:

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.

From my research, I think the target audience for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes was targeted at audiences aged 12-16 but the actual audience that played the game was much older. Metroid as a whole has a really different style from typical Nintendo games (like Zelda) so it was more attractive to an older demographic.

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

When the original game was released in 1986, Nintendo's audience was much younger, now, however, the target audience has become much wider. Nintendo aims its products at a very wide target audience- all ages, genres, and lifestyles. 

Nintendo said themselves: "With the belief in our mission to put smiles on people's faces around the world through products and services, we have followed our basic strategy of expanding the gaming population by offering products that can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age, gender or gaming experience." (https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/management/message.html)

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

The pleasure of nostalgia; this is especially true for people who played the original game in 1986 and are now playing the sequels as adults. The Metroid Prime franchise also offers the audience pleasure of diversion (Blumler & Katz) and allows the player to take a first-person perspective as a 'hero' (Propp) and carry out activities like they would see in movies.

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

Metroid Prime 2 Echoes, and the Metroid franchise, in general, contain a lot of first-person shooting and killings. This type of behaviour is not only normalised in the game but it is also rewarded. This could lead to the player thinking that these kind of actions are also acceptable in the real world and imitate them (Bandura's social learning theory)

Read this Gamesparks feature on gaming demographics and answer the following questions:
1) Who is considered to be the stereotypical gamer?

Adolescent boys or males aged 18-25

2) What has changed this?

The rise of smartphones and the ability to now download games thro the app store and play store has shifted the demographic.

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

 It has been revealed that more than 50% of the gaming audience is female. While some may argue that mobile games are not 'real games', experts believe mobile gaming will pull in $36.9 billion in revenue in 2016. That’s higher than both the PC and consoles will expect to bring in.

A recent Pew survey also found more women owned consoles than men. It said around 42 percent of women said they had either an Xbox or PlayStation in comparison to 37 percent of men. 

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

People who bought gaming consoles when they were first released years ago are still playing games to this day. The average age of a gamer today is 35. This is very important for videogame producers as they have to take into account what this older audience want in a game. Younger gamers prefer competition while older gamers’ interest in it tapers off at around 40. 

This is linked to the Metroid franchise because they have an older audience.

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

Many older gamers tend to decrease the time spent on games due to increased responsibilities and other hobbies. Many, however, continue to play games in some form or another. Interestingly, massively multiple-player online games (MMOs) still seem to be a popular genre for many older gamers as they allow for many different play styles. 

Interestingly, schools have also started to use games in the classrooms to help with learning. 

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

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

Metroid is a science-fiction game and this is a genre that Nintendo isn't associated with or known for.

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

Halo, Mass Effect, 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?

He says that the now 50+ aged men running the company now may see the first Metroid they created as their own boy band- it was successful at the time but now it has died out and they keep making unsuccessful games that are criticised by old fans. It is very likely that they will never be able to make a big hit like they did when they were younger.

Like outdated boy bands who still do tours to this day, Metroid may still be making content in a desperate attempt to make money.

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

'AAA' games refer to games produced and distributed by a mid-sized or major publisher, typically having higher development and marketing budgets. AAA is analogous to the film industry term "blockbuster". (Wiki)

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

I think there will be further Metroid games featuring Samus Aran because there is still a very prominent fandom that wants one. However, I think it may not be a good idea because the game has died out and all the new content that is produced doesn't seem to appeal to the old original fans so it seems pointless to create more games.


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 original Metroid game in 1986 featured a hero- Samus Aran. At first, players were led to believe that Samus was a man (the manual even referred to her as a 'he') However, players who finished the game fast enough would be shocked when Samus took off her costume and was revealed as a female.

2) What were the inspirations behind the gameplay and construction of Metroid?
The developers of Metroid were inspired by Mario and Zelda, as well as the film Alien.

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

The ending could be seen as controversial because of the fact that the faster you completed the game, the less clothing Samus Aran would be wearing when she was finally revealed as a female. This is controversial because it allows Samus to be portrayed as a sex object and reward for the player.

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?

I think that the reveal of Samus Aran in a bikini would have first been a very big shock to many players. This is because women were still seen as quite subordinate to males or they were seen as incapable of carrying out 'male tasks' (like how Samus fights in the game) However, I think that the sexualisation of Samus would have appealed to many male players. They may have even played the game more than once and tried to beat their own time so that they could be faced with all possible endings of the game. 

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

Super Smash Bros is a game featuring many iconic hero characters all in one game. Samus Aran was also included in this game and she was given heels to wear. 

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

Liesbet van Zoonen states that gender is constructed through media language. Indeed, the sexualisation of Samus Aran tells the audience that this is how females should be looked at and this is how they should be treated. Furthermore, van Zoonen also states that the objectification of the female body is a key construct in Western culture and this builds on the previous point and links to Mulvey's male gaze.

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

Brianna Wu suggests that Samus Aran is transgender, showing that Samus Aran can even appeal to people with certain gender agendas. Perhaps this is what makes Samus Aran a hero in so many people's eyes - she defies so many conventional stereotypes.

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

I believe that Samus Aran had the potential to be a feminist icon because of er strength, skill and bravery that has led to her completing many challenges. However, the fact that she had to be sexualised in order to be revealed a s a female shows that she is simply another exploited female character.

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?
Anita Sarkeesian suggests that the female reveal of Samus Aran at the end of the game is used as a reward for male skill. However, she states that it doesn’t diminish Samus as a character, but it does sort of diminish the games themselves for using this sexist convention.
2) Why does Brianna Wu (and others) suggest Samus Aran may be transgender?
They suggest Samus Aran may be transgender because the original design of Samus Aran portrayed her as being 6'3 in height and being much more muscular - these are traits we typically associated with males. Furthermore, the designer of Samus's character also referred to her as a "new half" which parallels to the English term "shemale."

3) Why is Samus Aran useful for male gamers trying to argue videogames are not sexist?
Samus Aran is useful for male gamers trying to argue that videogames are not sexist because of the fact that she exists in the video game industry. Samus Aran is almost the only female protagonist that isn't sexualised in gameplay as much as others (like Lara Croft) and can take care of herself with no help from others. She is the first person that comes to mind in gamers heads when people argue that games are sexist: they would say 'games are not sexist because we have Samus Aran'
4) Why are Lara Croft, Zelda and Peach not ideal examples to argue for female equality in videogames?
They are not ideal examples for female equality in video games because Lara Croft will always be haunted by her cartoonish, sexual appearance in early games, Zelda and Peach are damsels too often. 

5) What does the ‘SJW’ in ‘SJW-gender politics’ refer to?
SJW = Social Justice Warrior
SJW-gender politics = Social Justice Warrior gender politics

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 argues that the more we consume the media, the greater the impact it will have on us as individuals. In relation with Samus Aran; the game sexualises the woman in the game which may lead to the male players believing this to be normal and socially acceptable. The line between reality and the game starts to blur and they may start sexualising and disrespecting women in their daily lives.

7) Does the videogame industry have a problem with gender? Provide evidence for your argument.
I think that the videogame industry has a problem with gender to some extent. Most videogames feature a male as the protagonist and this is understandable because males were the target audience for video games for many years before it became established that females are playing games too. When females are featured in a game, they are overly sexualised or deemed a damsel in distress. 

However, I think the representation of females in videogames in improving, Lara Croft now wears trousers and Overwatch is introducing a more diverse range of female characters with different body shapes and heights.