A Happy Ending for AM2R Creator
The creator of the cancelled Metroid 2 fan project AM2R (Another Metroid 2 Remake) has been hired by Moon Studios, the developer behind the upcoming Ori and the Will of the Wisps.
No one was more disappointed in AM2R’s cancellation than its creator, Milton Guasti. It was a passion project and saw its release one year ago today. AM2R was an updated remake of Metroid 2: Return of Samus, the 1991 Game Boy classic, and it was received extremely well by fans alike. Within the day, however, Nintendo got wind of its release and sent a C&D (cease-and-desist) letter to Guasti, who had no choice but to shut the project down.
Nintendo’s decision to shutter Guasti’s project wasn’t exactly clear until it was revealed at E3 that Nintendo had been working on its own official Metroid remake, Metroid: Samus Returns for 3DS. Fans have been clamouring for a new, proper Metroid game for some time and they’ll be able to play Nintendo’s version this September.
Getting back on topic: The good news is that Guasti’s stellar work on AM2R got noticed by Moon Studios and he’s been hired to work on level design for the next Ori game. Guanti tweeted out his excitement yesterday.
It's a special day for another reason. I'm now part of Moon Studios, I'll be working on level design for Ori and the Will of the Wisps.
— Project AM2R (@AM2Rgame) August 6, 2017
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the anticipated sequel to the excellent PC and Xbox One exclusive, Ori and the Blind Forest which was released in 2015. It was critically acclaimed for its beautiful graphics, challenging gameplay, and Metroidvania level design. Sounds like Guasti just cemented his dream job. It’s always nice to see his hard work be rewarded in the end.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which also saw its full reveal at E3, does not have a release date yet. We’ll have it covered the moment Moon Studios drops that tidbit. In the mean time, leave a comment below.