#metroid dread creature models

[molagboop]

Would you like an egg in this trying time?

This is cavegg01.

You may recognize it from the first set of rooms in Artaria, particularly where the counterattack tutorial takes place. This is a muzby egg, and it's the vessel from which muzby grubs are born into the world.

You can see muzby eggs in the background of the tutorial itself. In this shot, they're in the background below the muzzle of Samus' arm cannon.

But that's not all: there's a cavegg02, and—get this—it features two eggs. The smaller one's a bit dented on top, but we pay that no mind: this is a background asset, so we wouldn't notice that during normal gameplay.

Something interesting to note is that the egg models are hollow, likely to save space on the cartridge or to give the game less to render, allowing those cutscene transitions between maps to end quicker.

Wham, double feature! You thought I'd show you the eggs, but not the babies inside them? Nay! Muzbabies be upon you!

The grubs are orange, and their bodies grow pink near the extremities. It has a tiny head, dark pink in coloration, and mandibular structures that remind me of the grubs of real-life goliath beetles. They appear to lack eyes.

When Samus approaches the grubs, they hide behind their large forelegs. Adorable! And smart. These grubbies aren't being eaten today!

The model for this creature is called bigfistgrub. Its textures are simply labeled with "grub". "bigfist" is the internal name for the muzby, which is featured in this article on the official website for Metroid Dread (The website is now down, but fortunately, the Wayback Machine and Wikitroid have our backs!). Given that these babies are called grubs, I'd wager they pupate at some point during their life cycle, transforming into the lumbering pink pals we see in Artaria.

Speaking of Muzby...

That's right! Triple whammy.

Of the humble Muzby, MercurySteam says:

Muzby This terrestrial creature with heavy arms is one of the larger lifeforms on Artaria. It drags its arms behind as it walks. Because it dwells and has evolved in darkness, a Muzby doesn’t have the equivalent to a face. It has tough, rugged skin and high endurance, so high-powered attacks like the Missile or Charge Beam are effective. Samus can also slide between its legs when it lifts its arms to attack.

Muzby may not have a "real" face, but it does appear to have little mouth parts with mandibles in the front. Given the developers' description, I'd hazard a guess and say the muzby is blind. If those spots on its face aren't proper eyes, they may be sensory organs of a different stripe. Perhaps they process olfactory information, or sense heat. Maybe they exist to fool other creatures into thinking the muzby can see them when approached from this end, like eyespots on the wings of the Polyphemus moth?

The muzby also has nubby feelers atop this segment of the body. Perhaps the muzby uses them to sense vibrations in the environment, or maybe these organs release pheromones. Who knows!

The muzby has two huge arms on one end of its body, and a pair of smaller limbs on the other. It carries two pairs of even shorter arms behind the mid-sized set: you can see them curled up behind the animal's small "head".

The article says the muzby has a tough hide, and its exterior certainly doesn't appear to be overly chitinous. The muzby reminds me of a soft-shelled crab in this respect, especially considering the layout of the underbelly.

In-game, the muzby attacks by turning so that its large arms are facing the threat, then rearing up on its hind legs, slamming its big meaty appendages down on the opponent. It doesn't seem to have any trouble navigating in either direction.

Muzby: a beautiful creature with very cute babies!

[spinningbuster98]

Metroid Other M Part 8: The hallow ending

You know...I’ve noticed that Sakamoto’s Metroid games seem to have issues in regards to their endings

With the exception of Super, most of his other games tend to have some sort of weirdness to them. Fusion’s ending is too abrupt, with the AI turning good on a whim simply because Samus just happened to pronounce the magic word by accident, which effectively resolved the X-threat right then and there. Zero Mission ends on a bit of an anti-climax due to the added stealth section ending with a fight against a random Ridley robot. Samus Returns’ Ridley fight is wholly unneeded and goes against the feel of the original Metroid 2. Dread’s ending is clearly rushed with Raven Beak pretty much just dumping a truck load of exposition at you with little explanation.

But none of them even comes remotely close to the absolute train wreck that is Other M’s ending

So let’s run this shit by the order in which it happens shall we?

So Samus fights and kills a Metroid Queen that Madeline sicks on her. Y’know what? This is actually the one useful thing that Samus does in this entire game: had she not taken care of this thing, MB may have used it to eliminate the Federation guys that had just arrived, including Anthony. So yeah, after all this time, Samus does one useful thing

She kills a walking plothole

Why is there a Queen on the Bottle Ship? It had been long established, since at least Fusion, that Metroids are only capable of evolving into their mature forms when they are raised in the environment of their homeworld SR388, which is why the BSL had a whole Sector dedicated to imitating that place, as ADAM explained. The Bottle Ship was not modelled after SR388, in fact Samus compares it more to Zebes. Now to be as fair as possible: Fusion never outright states that Metroids ABSOLUTELY need their homeworld to evolve, ADAM could’ve just meant that it was more ideal and easier. However whatever the initial intentions may have been that’s not what the series ultimately went with, as the Prime games feature Metroids evolving into different subspecies, such as the Tallon Metroids, as explicitly demonstrated by that one room on the Pirate Homeworld in Prime 3, which featured autopsies of Metroids of various origins. Normally I’d say that the two subseries should be kept relatively seperate so as to not create any clashings, but in this case the Prime games simply evolved a concept already hinted at in a 2D game, so in the interest of continuity Other M should’ve kept this into consideration. I mean this didn’t need to be a Metroid Queen, its narrative role could’ve easily been fulfilled by just any other big monster, it’s only a Queen because fanservice and nothing else. We lost continuity due to dumb fanservice and now Samus’ most substantial contribution to this plot is getting rid of a plothole. Just great.

MB is the mastermind behind it all! So now the game enters full movie mode in order to quickly explain to me her generic backstory just before she’s killed off so that I can feel sorry for her. Samus’ narration during the ending is flat out laughable, she’s literally explaining to us why we should feel sorry for MB and how her character worked because the story itself could not be arsed to.

This doesn’t work for so many reasons, first of all being that MB’s backstory is built on some impressive levels of stupidity and unclear logistics. These dumb asshole scientists created an AI based on Mother Brains. MOTHER. BRAIN. The AI infamous for betraying her creators and trying to conquer the galaxy. You base your AI on that thing’s “thought patterns”, put her in charge of your station’s Metroids and other highly dangerous creatures, take absolutely no precautions whatsoever, and then you go full surprised Pikachu face when she starts to grow independent? And then when you decide to reprogram her you do it by trying to forcefully restrain her when you know her android body is stronger than normal humans and can telepathically order every creature on the station to rip you to shreds? I’ve seen time travelling demons with Deviantart-level designs with better layed out plans than this!!

We are not informed about MB’s personality in any way whatsoever, aside from her developing a daughter-mother bond with Madeline. She has literally no personality beyond that. Which was also the case with Mother Brain, but at least past games never waxed poetry about how deep the characrer was and why I should be feeling bad for her! The best thing I can say about MB is that her tricking Samus into walking to her death in Sector Zero was actually pretty smart, but that’s it. That’s all there is to her. She’s a fucking muppet otherwise, which is pretty funny, given that her “developing emotions” was the crux that started this whole shitshow in the first place

I must also ask: how DID they analyze Mother Brain’s “thought patterns” to create MB? Mother Brain was a literal brain in a jar who never left Zebes. Sure the Federation was aware of her existence, so I guess she must’ve come into contact with them in the past I...guess through telepathy? Crossing galactic distances? Whatever.

And of course Samus doesn’t even take her down. No that honor goes to Madeline and the GF troops, followed by Anthony being revealed alive and as the one who previously stopped the engines of the station and is now allowing Madeline to be brought in for questioning. I mean why should Samus even do anything after all? She’s just an outsider as Adam put it at the start of the game: all this shit that’s been going on isn’t her story, it’s Adam and his men’s!

Oh and, just to put this here real quick, it’s sometimes said that the japanese version makes a distinction between the broader Galactif Federation and the guys behind the scenes here, who are supposed to be part of the Army, which is absent in the English version...except that’s not true. The English script certainly uses the terms “Galactic Federation” and “Galactic Army” pretty interexchangeably, but the distinction is there, especially with Adam flat out calling these guys a group of Ringleaders, saying that the broader GF was indeed contemplating making Metroids but that Adam conviced them otherwise with the exception of these guys, so the whole “the Galactic Federation as a whole is not corrupt, only a select few members are” idea has always been there in every version of the script. I’m more interested in knowing if this idea also existed in Fusion and was already a thing back then or if it’s a retcon that Other M came up with as a way to justify Samus still working with the GF in later games like Dread.

Anyway the day is saved! The villain was anti-climactically disposed of! Adam was a dick head to the end and died uselessly! Samus seems to have gotten over her issues for some reason, but hey if she’s happy then who am I to complain right?

Unfortunately we’re not quite done yet. We still have a little bit left before it’s truly over

[sepublic]

Firstly, I love the homage to Mother Brain as Chozo tech here, but also the Omega Cannon from Metroid Prime: Hunters!!! Did the Chozo and Alimbics interact at some point? Did the Chozo copy from them, or the other way around?

Either way, I love this homage to a relatively obscure Metroid game, one that is continuing to be relevant in other mainstream titles, such as with Sylux being a major character in Prime 4! I appreciate that the Omega cannon hits HARD, a weapon worthy of destroying Gorea; But it’s balanced by being very limited in ammo, which I feel gives its power more weight and rarity that explains the Alimbics’ hesitance- Especially since it can kill EMMIs!

I like the idea of using a broken EMMI as a starter, tutorial version for beginners, before eventually moving onto standard models! But also I love how even this broken EMMI manages to be tricky by moving its head away from the Omega Cannon’s line of sight, so you have to aim and adapt, and take your shot!

In general, I’m so glad we’re having a Nemesis-type enemy in Metroid! An adaptive, real-time pursuer that adapts is a welcome improvement from the SA-X, and the robotic and unnaturally precise and geometric movements... Great!

The noises and scanner really make this feel like an alien predator hunting you! A relentless, mechanical creature that is both living and not, it’s borderline uncanny valley. You’re always on your toes around it and vice-versa as you place a dance of death where you both react to the other’s movements.

The EMMI killing Samus by jabbing a needle into her throat is just GNARLY and wonderfully brutal! I like the use of the melee counter as a last resort, reminds me of Survival Horrors like Clock Tower! I’ve always wanted to see Metroid incorporate more Survival Horror elements, it just FITS to the idea of being hunted and isolated by a predator trying to corner you!

The EMMIs are wonderfully sleek and lithe, but still maintain a sense of raw metal power and invincibility, a balance between mechanical edges and organic shapes, like their own movement! Agile, tactile, adaptable and flexible, lethal contortionists that can attack from any angle or position- They give me 2003 Clone Wars Grievous vibes, which is GREAT!

There really is no safe way to approach these things without an Omega Cannon... Hopefully you’ll get an upgrade that helps slow them down, possibly the Ice Beam. The glowing red cycloptic eye, the round heads- The EMMIs are kind of like the Diggernaut, did the Galactic Federation reverse-engineer like with the Aurora Units? If so, then love the visual design cohesion of Chozo creations here!

I LOVE the usage of backgrounds and environmental storytelling here, again this is what I always wanted a new 2D Metroid to take advantage of after Samus Returns! The invisible enemy, the little details and changes so that you get a sense of progression and landmarks, how things have occurred and changed, so the rooms don’t look too alike...

Even the shadows! The light casting the shadow of a moving background creature is SUCH a small yet brilliant way to keep players on their toes! I adore the enemy selection, already much better than Samus Returns, and the movement and melee counter feels so much more dynamic; Here’s hoping fights and action respond the same way too!

I particularly love the idea of breaking and changing the environment, but in a way that can cut off past rooms unless you get a new upgrade- Very clever idea to add to the puzzle motif of Metroid games! Metroid Dread is already doing phenomenally in terms of what I hoped to see, and I hope the developers take full advantage of the Switch’s hardware for Enemy AI, environmental storytelling, and the map’s size!

Also- Glad to see Adam act as a central computer for Samus to infer with, a helpful database of sorts! Pretty obvious idea, but I’m grateful to see it!

[flairina]

Flair’s Dreams, January 2018

Certainly been a while. Some of these are written in shorthand, so if you bother browsing through these, forgive me for that. It gets better later on.

1/3/18: (2:00-6:45)

I end up inside Shin Megami Tensei world (again- it's apparently happened at least twice before) due to someone taking an unwanted photo of me, and thinking that I'd like it to do such. The SMT world in this case is a giant, ever shifting tower of some sort, which rumbles as if hit by an earthquake while changing. I end up in a section controlled by Alice (the demon) called "Tick Tock Goes the Clock", with decor describable as the inside of a building from Alice in Wonderland where the main colors are pink, white, and gold. I have some sort of feud with the White Rabbit (the guy/demon who brought me in here?) before I'm finally left alone. I try to remember the way a few demon conversations proceed (the short mushroom demon likes men and alcohol, the four winged cerulean bird thing thinks pants are kind of cool, etc) when the tower shakes, and an 8-demon procession turns down the hall. Some are the bird thing but there are two kinds I've not seen before, one of them a sort of floating blue horse thing. They enter the room on the left (structured like a classroom) and emerge from the other door, behind me, singing and generally unaggressive. Two girls who are permanent residents here are also part of the line, and notice me. Brooke (a black girl with long, thin pleats/braids) says hi, while the other girl (a white girl with her hair curling up at the front off of her head like a squirrel's tail) asks her how I keep getting here. I tell her it's sheer random chance, as is how I keep getting out of here. The demon's singing appears to be summoning a wedding chapel, which I stop through my own music somehow, causing it to make a weird whiffling noise as it blinks back out of existence.

1/5/18: (Powers Dream?)

I'm either "playing" as, or actually am Samus (Metroid), and am currently in the middle of Metroid Prime 3, which requires me to ascend a space pirate "tower" ("urchin"-like room was notable). This is a late game area, and the entire 3D outline of it can be seen on the map. I make it to a normal office room (somewhat out of place) filled with space pirates, and use the photon beam to eliminate them. The charged shots are purple, and track/hone in on the enemies. There is a "tooth" language that only the pirates can access/understand, but by pulling them out of the stomach of a dead one in the corner (it ATE the teeth for some reason), I should be able to understand it soon. I'm no longer Samus, and decide to raid the nearby wardrobe for something to wear, but mom is suddenly in the room, trying to move stuff out. In the closet behind me, there are lotions on the top shelf, including a "snuggling" lotion.

A strange species of creature catches four DnD-type characters (all human men) and intends to transform them, allowing a single last request from each. They then twist the requests to make the transformations ironic, turning the group into a girl, a mutant raccoon, Princess Daisy (request involved a sneer), and a ____ (ICR what, but it wasn't human). The non-humans alleviate this by make themselves look like copies of the girl and Daisy member, and progress on, thinking that someone can reverse this in the area below a nearby canyon. Just as they're about to head down, they all transform back- but as each other instead of themselves, which shocks and frustrates them.

1/8/18: (2:??-7:20)

There is a person who is repeatedly turning into combinations of three different animals in order to fight something in a dark, pseudo-futuristic room. I can see them on screen to shoot at one point, and the twins from Flip Flappers are involved.

A giant snake "person" (just looked like a two-story tall snake) attacks me and others in a city alley. It can't tell people apart easily, but recognizes me from smelling my runny nose somehow, and comes after me.

The tent I was sleeping in outside an apartment is torn apart by the weather, which picked it up and proceeded to rain, HARD, solely above my stuff.

I need to give an example of something I have "triumphed in" for a required stage show. I'm slightly late, and the first example I give has something to do with electric powers? I then switch to saying I triumph in comedy itself.

1/10/18:

2D version of a 3D game, sand "castle" area, stars to collect Mario-style, giant mantis creature (boss?) in 3D Pikmin-esque leaf area, fought using morph ball (Metroid)?

1/11/18: (9:00-9:45 and 10:00-10:22, naps) (1:17-6:45)

Endbringer attack (Worm), it’s The Simurgh, “sometimes they stay dead for days, but they always get back up” (the Endbringers can be killed, but they don’t stay down), I’m at work, Blasto’s stuff turns everything inside purple and monstrous, and dogs become zerg-dogs, I’m Taylor, I run outside, “unlike inside, here, the bodies were real” I think to myself, envisioning them, except there actually aren’t any, I can’t even see the destruction, find some old guy and walk with him, there’s a giant model of earth to the right, see places on the continents being struck with poofs of red smoke, it represents something that’s actually happening, one barrels right into us, something to do with the endbringer attacks, some other guy with us now, old guy climbs into treehouse, which is thankfully unoccupied, speaks a little about how fire extinguishers are less effective in the arctic, then falls asleep in a bed in the back, me and the other guy sleep ourselves, and wake to the kid and his friend recording something nearby, they don’t notice us until I stand (I’m me again), they protest my presence, tell the kid to help me wake the guy in the bed up, they’re related?, go to scientist guy’s large yellow house, guys named Rick and Ray live here, they have a “human tainting” chamber/tube, think I’m watching videos at class/work and just getting really immersed, stop and wake as a result

I’m in a movie theater watching an animated movie, and become convinced that because the movie has characters named Rick and Ray and I JUST dreamed about that that I got the info about the future, movie ends, person in snake cosplay, accidentally head off in a sideways moving elevator for 50 minutes, come back, see giant gel monster things, fancy plaza with tennis courts and such, night sky looking ceiling, family has been waiting

I receive information that implies I am the girl who “won the game” and left for Heaven 6 months ago. I took “The Lilac Path”, was compared to a flower, and either literally was or was represented by a white, harsh featured woman’s mask with thorned briars behind it.

1/12/18: (1:??-9:30) (Powers Dream)

Fast vampire guy with long hair and Klaus (BBB), huge and intricate mansion, they’re after me/her (multiple tenses- I was “playing” as the female MC from a forum quest?), there’s a person cannon in the next room which is somehow Homestuck related, vote on song to play as we send off to another house, decide on Here from The Ancient Magus’ Bride, I still have pills left, but didn’t realize until I literally bit into them.

Five story playground equipment in backyard of house me and two girls broke into, we go inside, Yoda uses Spaceballs to distract a bunch of stormtroopers so he can turn them into water, I ask how that makes any sense, The Force can’t do that

Filthy purple room with green stringy things everywhere, on a team playing “hide and seek” (keep three items away from other team), room is too small and empty for this, novel new strategy, I distract the seeker when he comes in by fighting him with a rubber sling ball, and time runs out

A black guy with dreads/braids is sitting in a mostly black room at the top of a tower, a silver staircase leading inside. I’m not him, but can feel him comb his hair, somehow. He threatens Hannah Montana, until I, as Ayumura Tamako (but seen from a third person perspective), along with some tall guy, break through the outside wall (which has only air beneath it) and interrupt. I throw some sort of purple laser boomerang at the black guy, the results of which ICR, before I start to feel as if I’m just imagining this part, like I’m just daydreaming. Not liking this, I decide to leave this dimension, and fly(?) outside to do so.

1/13/18: (1:??-9:30) (Taste Dream)

There is a "Dream Dungeon" game, played in the style of SMT: Strange Journey, with a black and white map. There are small, reddish-pink bipedal creatures with oversized arms called "Neebles", that are extra powerful compared to the normal enemies, but I beat the first one fairly easily all the same.

In order to change fate, I need to alter a teddy bear/my alarm/my phone, which allows me to wake up early.

Card game where pictures must be matched, in a kitchen, blue and white buttercream doughnut I can taste, need Dad to help me snap a lobster's neck, which I think I'll be able to taste as well, something about planetary alignment and 413, I suck root beer from a fish grenade thing

1/14/18:

List of chapters, two centered around betrayals by cultists with red robes, Mom and I in a light white-greenish hallway, star projections on our feet, they signal that this is the spot to leave from, we spin to teleport out, we were on chapter 6, but then chapter 9 happens

Good, bad, and normal dream all forced to revolve around the same thing: a yellow and red thing with scales.

Make it to "banned" area by getting banned, made completely of sand colored blocks (seamless), indoor confinement with a single reception desk, place a portal there so it's a good thing (would have taken forever to get there otherwise).

Competition, sports style events, grannies and ___ on one side, robots and ___ on the other, I end up winning (most were gun events), take granny as prize, it'll all be connected soon anyways so it doesn't really matter...

1/15/17: (2:00-6:30)

I'm in my house, upstairs, while everyone is sleeping. I head downstairs, and Mom (who was asleep upstairs) sits up from the couch and screams at me, seriously startling me.

I'm playing/editing a game, from the inside, via the dev mode. The beginning mostly consists of large colorful platforms (with things on them) and floating bars (balance beams), some of which have yellow "slowdown" pads on them, all floating in the sky. There are two large, worm-like dragons with dark blue shell armor flying in the sky above. I passed by the Sun and Moon God area before, and end up going back to interact with them. They stand on small platforms above a larger central one. The sun god has eight arms. They speak to me, but their dialogue implies that you shouldn't be able to see both at once- I can, because I'm still in dev mode, which I'd forgotten. Cursing, I restart in normal mode, with a lot of progress lost.

The setting is a school, where many of the teachers are special (supernatural or otherwise) in some way. A wiry black "electric gremlin" locks 33 other monsters in with it in a room to play hide and seek, or rather "hide and shock" with them. In the hallways, there are several vocaloid-like beings who have "load" put upon them whenever a video starring them is uploaded. This existence is hard on the original/first of them, a girl with shoulder-length brown hair and a yellow and pink outfit, as because of the other's popularity they won't ever leave or fade away (while she will?). Phoenix Wright is nearby, and becomes angry with her, rushing at her to attack. I'm also there, and try to hold him back, but he begins transforming into a giant blade armed monster thing, making this difficult. I try disabling him with elbow strikes to the head, and ICR what happens after. Elsewhere, in a giant gray stone cavern with a thin spread of water covering the floor (possibly in the school), there are a ton of people milling about. A mouse cursor (moved by someone unknown) that can jet water out of its tip climbs up a rock near a big deal villainess woman in a black dress. Her name is revealed to be something familiar (something with "night" in it), just before she grabs and restrains a tall black man with pink dreads, who slashes at her with his hands and wounds her arm. She's intrigued, as that hurt her more than she's been hurt in the last ___ (some number of hundreds of) years. She tears away his disguise, revealing him to be Death the Kid (Soul Eater). Because he's in danger, a portal forms and teleports him out. I'm left somewhat confused however, as the "disguise" person is still around. The scene then plays out again, fully animated this time (it wasn't originally), no different except that DTK briefly turns into an orc. Above/upstairs, a group with bulky red and yellow cloaks (like bulky, darker versions of the Journey characters) and names based on angels have been waiting to leave this place, and are disappointed when the portal (the upper half of which was sticking through the ceiling) quickly closes. Later, an older male teacher fed up with doing nothing, along with me, decide to go looking for whatever is going on around here after hearing about the animal colonies that were here being gone (only the moving pictures/drawings remain). A horse and maid were previously kidnapped from here; if we could find the horse we'd have a lead. We proceed down a long hallway with rooms in the middle, but I keep getting ultra tired, and have to keep resisting sleep. We get to the front area, which has a setup like a shop with fully stocked shelves (mostly wigs?). The teacher decides we need wigs, and steals one. I grudgingly take another (a tokyo ghoul one), but don't think I'll be able to fit my hair under it. The teacher tells me to just do the best I can until we get downstairs. I think to myself that I'm glad he's having fun at least.

1/19/18:

Game with woman in blue who dies, I wonder how it affects Mom and Ian's dreams, Ian wants me to watch Castlevania "M___ of Blood" because it ties up plot threads from Dawn of Sorrow, but I don't want to, part of it plays out IRL in front of us, guy in white suit fights the boss on an altar at the back of an elementary school library like place, using millions of spears from the walls and floor, the boss counters with vines and just as many swords.

A familiar (as in a witch's familiar) sort of thing is floating over the sink, but I don't want to accept it as one (as mine?) because I know it won't listen to me.

There are giant piles of snow stacked in mountains outside the house, in the middle of spring, the huns from Night at the Museum are going around the neighborhood hitting everyone in the face with snowballs, I get excited (this is apparently an annual event), I go outside to change my panties for some reason, dude with a sharp object in hand comes after me, I flee through tall grass back to the house, recent argument between me and Elizabeth?

1/20/18: (2:00-9:??) (Powers Dream)

I'm in a small (less than 20) group of people with "God" powers, allowing us to fly, and giving us various other abilities as well (some of us, at least?). I'm relatively new to the group (and the area?), and worry that they dislike me, especially after I did something that I didn't think was rude, but they did. I try to find a moment to apologize, but can't seem to- there are too many kids in the house that all (or at least most) of us are living at, leaving precious few moments that everyone is available at the same time. Later, I'm at a sort of futuristic store, full of white plastic tubes and such, where I pick up two small items I didn't mean to. The one in my right hand is small, white and pink, and semi-triangular, and somehow shakes me when I hold it. Nearby, a girl from my group who sort of looks like Miu (DRv3) points out a tiny hammer either in or near something on the floor, which was relevant to the adventure/plot that happened previously where we attained said flight/godhood from. Later, I'm walking with Josuke (JJBA) under a winding overpass. It starts raining the second we step under open sky, and stops when we step under the pass, repeatedly. This indicates to both of us that we're under attack, thus we summon our stands. Josuke's looks kind of like Frieza (DBZ), while mine is long and kind of insectoid, with at least six limbs and enough flexibility to curl through the air. I then warn myself, still also back at the store somehow, and am that version of myself again. I tell the girl from my group about it and she goes to get the others, before I realize that it hasn't actually happened yet (there are two different time versions of me running around, and I'm currently the earlier version). I run out of the store and down the stairs, trying to talk to someone telepathically as I do(?). I come across a girl I know/have talked to on the stairs, and tell her I need to break her arm (which we discussed previously) in order to draw "their" attention, as I can't think of any other way. She's not happy about this for obvious reasons, and so tries to jump from the stairs and break MY arm to prove that will also get their attention. This fails utterly (my arm fails to break with her weight), and I tell her that's why it won't work with me before lifting up the girl (the crowd gasps) with the same arm and tossing her into the bookcase on the nearby wall, feet first. This makes her body turn cartoonish, and other people around pull her out as I hope that's enough and rush out of the building. Even later, there are many floating pillars high in the sky, with a central larger pillar meant to be reached by jumping from the smaller ones. A guy from my group is up here, doing just that (landing on the sides), and upon noticing the three golden glints in the central pillar, starts making his way there (they indicate either treasure or entrances). He doesn't manage it via jumping, and so ends up just flying there. I follow him in, and it turns out this is just the temple of the "Jungle boss" we beat already, so there's no new treasure here. The boss is basically just moving circular sawblades on a slope that descend slowly on a conveyor belt, which need to be broken by being "bowled" over. There are cardboard cutouts of rocks that turn real when bowled off to the side for this explicit purpose. The guy didn't do great on this before, but he just didn't get it I don't think, because I do very well with no practice at all. Also, by clogging the entryway, you can basically win automatically. Once we do, the guy who monitors this place asks if we want to go up to the top again, to which I say nah, we've got it, and just fly up on my own. While doing so, I think to myself that I'm getting too used to flying, and won't know how to go without it soon, to the point that I've memorized how it feels (like being "lifted" by the inside of the back of the shoulders/heart area). It then "slips" out of me in midair, which I panic about ("Hey!")- it feels as if God (who I envision as a long haired black guy made of stars and space) is lifting me up by my shirt.

In Grandma's room, whole slabs of my leg meat suddenly fall out, causing me to fall to my knees. My leg looks like raw chicken on the inside, and a large shard of rough, bloody bone comes out from just above my ankle, along with a chunk of the side of my foot. It doesn't hurt, but I still panic, and ask Mom what to do... and she just tells me to put it back.

Girl with seven different voices in her head, she's a parahuman, she sings to Lung (Worm), which is hilarious, on the Christmas before, a nerdy boy (who was the girl?) is driving, his different personalities are taking over intermittently, he gets in trouble due to something that happens in the car.

Sentient, pyramid shaped guy made of rock called Mr. Volcano, he's actually really tiny, church area where the ground is covered in high dark water that can partially(?) be walked over, all the buildings are black, giant orb building I get on top of, see family below and wave, will have to backtrack all the way if I want to get to them though.

1/21/18:

I get out of (my) bed, wander out to the theater area, starscape ceiling everyone is staring at, find family in the crowd, was backstage earlier (metal area with green room in back) that I was seen in.

There's a weird researcher looking guy in my bed, he all but tries to molest me, I know he's not real but still feel him poking me under the armpit, to get rid of him I sit up fully, say when I look up he'll be gone, and he vanishes.

1/22/18: (Powers Dream?)

Check-in room for an unfinished movie (early access?), I look like a woman with dark hair in a suit and have a fake ID/page to get in (the result of disguise magic?), guy with "Taurus" in his name tries to get in, I can tell he's also disguised/fake by what he says, somehow he's revealed to the rest of the room, he escapes into the dark-bluish dungeon/labyrinth outside, Ben 10 (or someone similar) pursues in a tiny, fast, white spider form (Kumoko?)

1/23/18: (1:3?- 6:40)

Four people meet up at the center of a town after a period of time, and show off proof of what they beat in order to let them proceed. Two did the normal version, one did a lesser version, and the last did something strange. They enter an aqua green palace, and somehow complete several “incorrect” fights.

1/26/18: (2:50-10:00)

Giant waterfall with bumpy, multicolored ground all around, the waterfall itself and the ground goes all around the area, it has a complicated "fall", Ian and I are there?

Robin, Jason, and Anne (The Wotch) are in a pink, cluttered bedroom, Robin is wearing a weird ninja outfit thing, they transform, Robin turns female and his clothes constrict into a really tight dress, later, on a lawn, Anne straight up admits to a guy (cheerfully) that she's altered his memory, with a display on a laptop that has a bunch of gold rectangles together and flashing, missing red ones to display the missing memories.

Someone is coming after an enemy “boss”, but it's actually a decoy, being issued commands by a scientist girl (the real final boss, so to speak). She goes through the underneath of her base to change the wires and such, where the light is dark purplish.

Guy who makes those around him extremely clumsy and can make himself Happosai-sized, making him very hard to hit or catch, I was on a team to guard against/catch him previously, one of the girls on the team gets frustrated enough to suggest arming everyone with guns, I corner him in a mall, in an area that's sort of like a giant tube, I still can't manage to hit him though, he goes on to be an ice skater, in the same mall someone is trying to use their henchman to kill people, but they're too incompetent, I'm on to them.

1/27/18: (2:00-9:30) (Powers Dream)

In a flat, "outer space" void, there is a spiral of gymnastic mats that leads to the Five God Dragon (Yugioh) at the glowing center, you can step outside the spiral of mats too, but that's no fun, there are enormous, whale-sized fish under the blackness that you can catch.

I'm a beautiful female ninja with shiny black hair and an elegant pink and green (seemingly peach inspired) outfit that looks like a mix between a dress and robes, walking through a town. It is possible to obtain small chests there (both normal brown and aqua green ones) from events, the latter only being openable with keys obtained from fights. There is a free hot spring that I want to go to, but I get interrupted before I can, and end up stuck going to a snowy mountain area for a mission. The entire time I just want to get back to the hot spring, to the point that I keep letting my clothes partially slip off. The guards, of which there are two lines on either side in front of me, find this very weird. I drop into the below-ground snow tunnel they are standing over to begin my mission.

I'm in a mansion/dungeon that anyone who enters supposedly only has a single night to escape. However, you actually have an endless amount of time, because time will stop progressing outside it the moment you enter. I'm dressed in a black leotard with gold accents along the sides. Coming up from a dark below ground area, I progress through an area of enemies that are no longer tough for me to beat (though they're destroyed before I can encounter them, via horizontal lightning), picking up the lightning items they drop. I think to myself that I need something blunter to kill them, since I want the kind of items they'll drop if I use a blunt weapon. I've explored most of the place, but have no idea where to go now. There is a rule that I need to stay out of the sight of the mansion's guards/servants, which poses a problem as there is one crouched right in front of the door to get back to the entryway (their stare is seen as a red cone of light). I hit the lights from my end (which only lasts a few seconds) and scamper out, climbing up a ladder across the way on to a catwalk. There are buttons on the wall to the left to press, and a gathering of people up ahead of me, one of whom is a kid who will alert the adults in 7 seconds that I'm here. It's possible to bribe him, and I have before, but I don't this time, instead swinging to a slightly lower catwalk, followed by another. I then fall/slide down a pit that leads to a furnace, turning into Bendy (Bendy and the Ink Machine) and moving off into a smaller side-tunnel.

1/29/18:

Video game/board game/obstacle course, Mario-like bit with aqua blue flooring and small electrified bits to jump around, upper area with movable present like boxes.

1/30/18:

The Protagonist (DDLC) was meant to be a girl from the start, but was changed. He enters a mall where there is a large flashy display overhead with the DDLC girls on it. Later, it turns out Monika has been with us (in the real world) the entire time, possibly due to a game glitch caused by a poster. Furthermore, because of someone's severed hand, she is  omnipresent/everywhere at once at all times. She can control things by using her left hand for the mouse and her right for the keyboard (or the cursor, which is separate from the mouse?), which she reveals while in a car with me and _____ while suffering from awareness overload.

In a store, I "hatch" shriveled, radioactive bats. There are bats that "counter" them that look more like bluish, quadrapedal lizards the size of large dogs, most of which are sealed off in a toxic/radioactive factory mostly composed of tunnels, which ends up becoming the "endgame" area we have to traverse. Inside, the Homestuck trolls are sprawled out in a tunnel to the left, looking dead (they aren't), and for some reason we start a cookout just inside the entrance.

[thecultofculture-blog]

They come in all shapes and sizes, some with deadly skills and others with questionable intellect, but every villain needs a horde of henchmen to help them carry out their nefarious plots. Plus, players need something to kill as they hone their skills for future boss battles.

From the horrifying right hand men to mindless cannon fodder, here is The Cult of Culture’s top 10 video game henchmen!

10. Kremlings – Donkey Kong

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The Donkey Kong series features plenty of bad guys, but none compare to the prowess of these reptilian henchmen. The Kremlings come in a variety of forms from standing alligators to the annoying Klaptrap, but all of them serve King K. Rool in his quest to steal DK’s famous banana horde.

While the average Kremling might be an idiot walking straight to their deaths, other members such as the Rockkroc can make any level a difficult challenge. Who knows what these crocodiles want with bananas, and who cares?! Pummeling these henchmen is way too much fun.

9. Bob-ombs – Mario

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There are all sorts of henchmen lurking within the Mario universe, but none gets the job done like a Bob-omb. Why? These walking, and sometimes talking, bombs sacrifice their lives for Bowser’s cause. First appearing in Super Mario 2, it’s hard to imagine a game without them now.

These single minded kamikaze minions can give anyone a run for their money, especially in large numbers. However, like all mindless henchmen these bombs are easily thwarted. In some cases, they can even become a weapon to throw at other enemies. While they’re certainly not the largest threat in the game, they sure do make it more fun.

8. Grunts – Halo

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Ah, the comical grunt! Sometimes, you have to feel bad for the Unggoy. These poor aliens are the workhorses and cannon fodder of the Covenant Empire. Cowardly, usually unintelligent, and pathetic on the battlefield, the only advantage these aliens have is in their numbers.

Grunts can be found in abundance throughout the Halo series ranging from mindless idiots firing laser pistols to the more dangerous Unggoy Heavy, but it’s hard to take an enemy that falls asleep on the battlefield seriously. The never ending chance for a fun kill, mass numbers, and comical relief make these goofy aliens awesome video game henchmen.

7. Badniks – Sonic

Common sense dictates that any evil genius should have an army of evil robots at his disposal, like the Badniks. These dastardly animal-like mechanisms are constantly getting in Sonic’s way as he attempts to stop Dr. Robotnik’s wicked plans.

In the original games, these automated death machines were powered by real life animal friends of the game’s protagonist that would be released upon destroying their metal captors. They come in a variety of styles, each with their own weaponry, and some are even modeled after Sonic and his allies. While some are easier to take down than others, they all can lead to a fateful game over screen.

The Badnik’s undying loyalty, determination, and massive numbers earn them a spot on any top henchman list.

6. The Star Wolf Team – Star Fox

Lead by Wolf O’Donnel, this team of galactic felons seeks to destroy the Star Fox team. While they run their own operations these days, they were originally henchmen for the evil Andross as he attempted to take over the Lylat planetary system.

These humanoid animals are expert fighter pilots, especially Wolf, putting any player’s skills to the test when facing them in a dog fight. Their highly advanced Wolfen starfighters, determination to kill Fox McCloud, and evil cunning made them incredibly dangerous henchmen.

While their original appearance was in Star Fox 64, fans of the series can face off with them once again in Star Fox 2 on the SNES Classic Mini.

5. Darknut – Legend of Zelda

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Since the very first title in the Zelda series, these knights have been one of the top choices in henchmen for Ganon. Heavily armored and highly skilled combatants, they are often considered the toughest non-boss enemy in the game.

Their heavy armor makes them impervious to head on attacks, forcing the player to wait for a chance to strike from behind. They carry a large shield that they use to deflect any arrows, as well as a gigantic sword that they often use to charge at Link. While a one on one fight with a Darknut is going to require your best moves, many games feature insanely difficult rooms filled with these evil knights.

Terrifyingly fierce, these opponents test any players mettle. Therefore, they certainly earn a spot on this top videogame henchmen list.

4. The Tarkata – Mortal Kombat

A mix of humans from Outworld and a demonic race from the Netherrealm, this vicious warrior army serves Emperor Shao Kahn (or whoever is ruling Outworld at the time). Their large mouths harbor razor sharp teeth while spikes protrude from their bodies. These nomadic creatures are tribal, brutal by nature, and downright evil.

The most famous of Tarkata is named Baraka, a prominent character in the MK universe, who’s brutal fighting style and arm spikes make him a great character choice and a deadly opponent. He leads the Tarkatan hordes into Earthrealm in both timelines as they slaughter countless warriors and imprison helpless civilians.

These video game henchmen are not to be taken lightly and prove to be worthy adversaries for even the most skilled fighters.

3. Space Pirates – Metroid

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This alien species is one of the most brutal in the entire Metroid universe, destroying and enslaving civilizations out of sheer pleasure. They are an intelligent race of arthropods who use advanced technology to create devastating weapons. One on one they aren’t much of a threat, but their numbers are vast and can easily overwhelm a player.

These cronies serve Ridley, a giant pterodactyl-like villain, who has led them to unleash some of the most dangerous things found within the galaxy. They are constantly experimenting on themselves and other species with mutagenic substances such as phazon or biochemical weaponry, which has led to some horribly monstrous results as well as widely altered appearances. Their brazen attitude and superiority complex has led them to attempt harvesting deadly aliens such as the Metroids.

They know no fear and will fight Samus to the death in Ridley’s quest to conquer the galaxy. With minds like worker bees serving the hive, these aggressive Space Pirates make formidable henchmen.

2. Red Arremer – Ghouls ‘N Goblins

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If you have ever played one of the titles in the Ghouls ‘N Goblins series, you know exactly who these pesky devils are. Although small in stature compared to other enemies in the game, the Red Arremer are lethal opponents.

Serving the ruler of the Demon Realm, these demonic foes swoop down at high speeds to attack Arthur with their sharp claws and teeth. Incredibly fast, they can be hard to dodge and even harder to attack. In fact, they’re so good at dodging your weapons that they will even taunt you by dancing.

It takes several hits to bring down a Red Arremer, but the satisfaction after killing one is priceless. Why did they make number two on the list? They are one of the most annoying yet successful henchmen in video game history being one of the few who actually succeed in killing the protagonist. While you might succumb to henchmen now and again, you will most certainly land on that dreaded Game Over screen more times than you like to admit because of these demons.

1. Verdugo – Resident Evil 4

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Henchmen to Ramon Salazar, who happens to be a henchmen of Lord Saddler, these are easily one of the most terrifying creatures you can encounter in any video game. Considered Bio Organic Weapons, they are the combination of human and insect DNA implanted with the Plagas virus. What makes them the top henchmen on The Cult’s list?

For starters, their appearance is horrifying. They initially hide behind demonic looking cloaks with their nothing visible but their clearly inhuman faces. Never speaking and never moving without a word from Salazar, they give off a a dark, ominous presence. Once the cloak comes off these insectoids are the stuff of nightmares. Their mouths are comprised of two salivating mandibles that open to create a horrid sound, while their entire body is cased in a jet black exoskeleton.

The Verdugo attack with large tri-clawed hands and an long tail that features a deadly blade-like point at the end. The move at superhuman speeds as they stalk their prey, snarling and gurgling. In Resident Evil 4 Leon Kennedy faces off against just one of these abominations, which proves to be one of the toughest fights in the game. They are capable of withstanding gunfire and explosions to the point where a player can fire off all of their ammo to seemingly no effect.

The only way to destroy it (without having gone through the game a few times to acquire the Chicago Typewriter or Hand Canon) was to freeze it with liquid nitrogen and use the action kick button. However, the beast can still muster up the strength to claw Leon while frozen. What made this fight the most terrifying was being stuck in such close quarters with a lightning fast opponent who could tear you in two with the flick of its tail.

Subservient, deadly, nearly invincible, and downright horrifying monsters, the Verdugo are the perfect henchmen for any villain’s evil plot. Thus, making them the ultimate video game henchmen. Thankfully, they haven’t appeared in any further RE games.

Thanks, Henchmen

Without henchmen in a videogame, things would be awfully boring. They give us something to wail on, practice trick shots with, add a challenge, and sometimes even give us comic relief.

Which henchmen would you have added to the list? Let me know in the comments section below! There were so many to choose from that I actually had a hard time slimming this down to just 10.

If you liked this post and want to see more from The Cult of Culture, follow us on Facebook or sign up for our weekly newsletter.

  The Top 10 Video Game Henchmen They come in all shapes and sizes, some with deadly skills and others with questionable intellect, but every villain needs a horde of henchmen to help them carry out their nefarious plots.

[molagboop]

Something I neglected to show during my first post about Experiment Z-57 is the concept art for its environmental body double in Dairon. I couldn't fit it into the post due to Tumblr's image limit only being 10 pictures per post, but here it is: Pages 114 and 115 from the Metroid Mission Logs.

While I'm here, I'd like to share a few frames from Z-57's animation set that I took screenshots of for reference purposes. Now that Tumblr allows us to put 30 images into one post, I can make posts as long as I want! More images for everyone!

Z-57 is firing a beam in these shots.

Here are some extra screenshots of the Dissected Corpse for good measure. This particular view of the creature's face never made it into the original post because of the old image limit.

Ever notice how Z-57's eyes are smaller and rounder than Corpius'? Corpius has these sort of elongated, oblong-form eyes (perhaps indicating that it's a wild type or unaltered specimen?), while the Experiment looks… domesticated somehow? Corpius' eyes look like they've grown into those uneven, craggy grooves it has for a skull-face, but the Experiment gives me different vibes. Round, calculated eyes that look like the face was carved specifically for them. Corpius' eyes bulge from its face in a particular way, and they're arranged unevenly.

If these two met face-to-face, would Corpius mistake the Experiment for a different animal altogether? Or if it were capable of sapient thought, would it consider the Experiment some ghoulish freak of nature, like a simulacrum of its kind? Like "I don't know when that thing went into that big building, but whatever it is, it came back wrong".

Maybe round eyes are a characteristic of younger specimens, who knows: I'm just spitballing here. I'm not sure I ever got around to talking about the eyes in the original set of posts, but they were featured in my venn diagram.

More Z-57 under the cut! I took all these screenshots, why not share them with other artists?

It's roaring in this set.

Best quality: its wiggles.

Experiment Z-57 is preparing to fire a counterable beam in this next round of screenshots.

When I made the original posts, I had to combine a few images to save space: There's one image that combines two in-game screenshots of the Dissected Corpse's room before and after the X are released with a shot of the boss, showing that they're the same monster. I'll deliver them here separately. As a treat.

Bonus: Corpius T-pose

I'm gonna go back to taking screenshots now: have a nice day.

[molagboop]

I'm going to be making several posts about Experiment Z-57. In this first post, we'll be taking a good look at its corpse. In the next post, we'll look at the boss, and an entirely different boss will be covered after that. I'll analyze things even further in a fourth post (Edit: Five posts. I'm writing five posts). I'm going to add a little list for navigation down below and update the links as things are posted:

Dissected Creature

Experiment Z-57

Corpius

Comparisons, Part 1: Let's Talk About Legs

Comparisons, Part 2

2023 Update: extras

Metroid Dread spoilers beneath the cut.

The first time you see this thing, it's being prodded by lasers in Dairon. If you come back after the X have been released, you'll find that its corpse is missing, and that Experiment Z-57 has freed itself with a good deal of force. You need to fight it in Cataris during a story event. I was going to provide screenshots to demonstrate this, but I'll have to put that off because Tumblr only allows you to attach ten images to a single post.

Something fun to note is that the lasers are included in this creature's .bcmdl file. The textures for the lasers are not, at least in the version of the file I exported. You could probably bundle them with it using a script or a slightly different exporting method than I did. In any case, I know where the textures for these lasers are located, and I did not bother exporting them with the dissected creature. We won't even be looking at the lasers.

Onto the good stuff! I should preface this by reporting that the dead experiment is labeled "Dissected Creature" in the files. This becomes very apparent if we peer into its open chest cavity.

I can't say for sure exactly what any of this mushy stuff is. This is an alien organism, so resemblance to any Earthly organs may or may not be superficial. In any case, we can see a cyan twisty tube towards the abdomen that looks like real world intestines, a pair of blue discs that form a heart-shape in their adjacent position (possibly lungs?), and above those lies a bright red bulb.

Here I've flipped the creature over to get a better angle for screenshots.

Here's a shot of its ribs and its right hind leg. Z-57 has six legs, with three on each side. The front legs are connected at the base of the neck, the middle legs are on top of the open ribcage, and the hind legs are located at the junction between the creature's torso and abdomen. Below, we can see the segments where each leg is connected to the torso.

The front and back legs each have four toes armed with curved, bony talons, while the legs in the midsection each have one toe. Close to the body, the legs are almost purple, but their pink hue becomes more apparent in the middle of the limb. The further back you go towards the abdomen, the more orange pigmentation we can see in Experiment Z-57's legs. The front legs are almost devoid of yellow. Its legs grow darker as we get further away from the body: the hard scales on its feet are black.

And this is the head. Its eyes are small and round, and its skull becomes dark and discolored the closer it gets to the flesh of its neck. The neck doesn't appear to be in good shape; this may be an indicator of how long Z-57 has been dead, but I'm also not an expert in the changes in color (and other physical traits) that occur in flesh as it decomposes, so I couldn't say for certain. Large lumps appear to have formed in scattered clusters, and its veins are quite prominent. The eyes are a dull yellow-orange.

The bottom half of its jaw is split down the middle.

(It's very tempting to make comparisons between this thing and Corpius, but I'll get to that after I've expended this post's image limit.)

Its back is protected by a hard, black carapace. Z-57's spine is arched. It's positioned as though it's curled up like a dead bug, and the fat abdomen paired with the six legs and the stinger makes it look kind of like a wingless wasp.

Did I mention it has a stinger on the end of its abdomen?

The soft underside of its abdomen is orange, and grows redder as the flesh draws closer to the shell.

That concludes the bulk of our initial exploration into Experiment Z-57's corpse. I'll write about its modifications and the differences between its corpse and its X-form later. I might have to make a fifth post just to compare and contrast corpse-57 and X-57.

[molagboop]

The level of detail in Metroid Dread is astounding. Take for example, the Armadigger. If you don't know any of the monsters by name, it's the little four-legged guy on the platform by the blue tank in the center of this image:

Its name was revealed in an official capacity in this article (ARCHIVED LINK: post updated July 13, 2023. The Metroid Dread official website appears to have been taken offline), but that's not why I've brought you here. I've come to make another model reference post. Select the individual images to get a closer look at them.

The humble armadigger is a quadrupedal four-eyed creature with brown fur.

Of the Armadigger, the official Metroid Dread website has this to say:

Armadigger A violent, four-footed creature native to ZDR. Charges at Samus with great speed when she’s detected and will quickly change its direction and try again if she evades the attack. Fight back with a Melee Counter or attack it from outside its charging path.

Source: Metroid Dread Report vol. 8: Surveying planet ZDR

It appears to possess a shell of some sort in the darker slabs on its back, but those could be large tufts of fur. Perhaps it's a thicker, furry, armored hide? Each leg has three toes, all of which have claws. It has a stubby tail and curved black horns on either side of its face. A bit is clamped between its teeth, holding some sort of muzzle or a bit of equipment in place, and it wears a metal collar.

Something to note is that these creatures are depicted alongside Chozo warriors on a mural in Elun's orrery. It seems to me that the Mawkin used armadiggers as war hounds.

You may have noticed a few details in the last image. Namely, the armadigger's nipples. They're mammals! They also have cute little paw pads on the bottom of their feet.

You may have also noticed another detail. If you've ever owned a dog, and he's asked for belly rubs, you'll be familiar with the concept. Yes, this is from unmodded, vanilla Dread. No, it has no animations assigned to it. It doesn't even have any bones. Will you see it during normal gameplay? No, you'll never even notice it.

That's what dedication to the lore looks like. Nipplé y bolas.

[molagboop]

Model Reference Masterpost

I might as well compile a list of all of my reference posts. You may also find something of interest by looking through the "blender shenanigans" (no quotes) tag on my blog.

Model References

Sapient NPCs (Chozo, etc)

Raven Beak turnaround (no T pose): posted because I was mad at Chozo necks.

Raven Beak's head

Chozo Soldier general anatomy reference (long post)

Elite Chozo Soldier: Elite soldier intro cutscene shots, Elite soldier combat animation shots

Creature Model References

Armadigger

Caterzilla

Chozo Zombie: Part 1, Part 2

Corpius

Deer

Dissected Creature (Experiment Z-57, corpse)

Dredhed

Dropter, Iceflea, and Sharpaw

Experiment Z-57

Infester

Klaida (part 2)

Kraid

Kreep

Magma Crab

Muzby, grub, and egg

Nailong

RB-X

Scourge

Takumaku

Vulkran

Background Assets

gravitysuit_chozo (Cataris)

The giant robot in the background of the Cataris EMMI Zone

The mural from the Quiet Robe cutscene in Ferenia

chozobaseasset04, aka "table with bug"

Hanubia jets

Ferenia elevator /background mural

The spider magnet statue in Artaria (the one that crushes Corpius)

Raven Beak's desk

chozosancstatuel2: the four-legged guardian animal statues in Ferenia

The statues in Escue's arena

This list is going to get longer, and will be updated as posts are created. I'm linking this in the pinned post.

Examining Details On Dread Models

Raven Beak's shoulders

Quiet Robe's everything

Chozo height: Wherein I line up all the Chozo and Chozo-adjacent models to compare their height. Here's Raven Beak and Samus back-to-back.

chozosancstatue01

Peeling back the moving panels on Raven Beak's arm cannon

Raven Beak X's chest markings.

Ferenia's guardian beast statues look like armadiggers.

An analysis of Corpius, the Dissected Creature, and Experiment Z-57: Parts one and two. 2023 update: concept art and extra shots.

Chozo Soldier: Elun model quirks (featuring concept art)

[molagboop]

What do you plan to showcase next? The details of what you’re sharing is amazing!!! I can’t wait for your analysis of the hyper suit.

I've taken screenshots of muzby and sakai that I haven't done anything with yet. I have a bit of prep work to do before I take on muzby, because that subject is bit more broad than the average creature. Not quite as loaded as Corpius was: that one came with a lot of baggage by virtue of sharing obvious similarities with the experiment, but muzby is also related to another creature (three I think; one of those is an almost obscure X-form), and there are background assets I need to get shots of too.

I need to replay Metroid Dread before I do anything with Sakai because I was going to say a thing about it, and then I found something that contradicted that thing, so I need to check my work to make sure I'm not pulling anything too far out of left field.

I also have about a billion different shots of Raven Beak, but almost none of them are the kind of shot that I take for the express purpose of a showcase. I need to organize them into groups based on criteria such as "this is a shot of his head at an angle" and "this is a shot of his arm cannon at an angle".

I also need to figure out how I'd do a post for him and other sapient NPCs. There's so much to cover there that it couldn't be confined to one post, and I don't know how possible it is to find the Chozo Soldier reference that started this with the greater Tumblr search bar, so I need to consider that as well. "What good is an artist's reference if they can't find it" and all. It's a matter of formatting, and I have a few options:

Make a post, hit the image limit, post it, save a reblog of that post to drafts and delete the posted version, rinse and repeat with consecutive reblogs until it's done.

Publish it in fragments like Experiment Z-57, but with each issue covering different regions of the model.

Wing it??

Also relevant to this point, I made a post a while back about Quiet Robe's more obscure features, but I'll need to remaster that post on top of covering the expected bases because I managed to rip him in a way that provided me with better quality textures. Haven't quite put that one to bed just yet, but all the different variations of Samus' suit are definitely on the list! There's so much to talk about there. I haven't ripped the morph ball yet, and I can't remember how much the actual physical model of the ball changes from suit to suit, so it'll be fun to figure out whether or not I'll have to extract like six different morph balls.