You know the scene:
But let's not talk about the sex appeal part. Instead, let's talk about what this scene tries to convey to the player. Because right after this scene, the gameplay changes drastically from "run and gun shoot everything that moves" to "sneak, be careful and watch out for every single enemy". How to convey that to the unsuspecting player without writing it down and therefore killing immersion? I think they did that with two things:
1) Samus's pose
Unlike her poses in her Power Suit, which convey strength and determination, this pose here conveys insecurity and vulnurability. Instead of making herself big, she's making herself small by standing with her legs close together, and almost hugging herself with her left arm. She's not pointing her stun gun anywhere. Instead, it's just hanging there.
2) Samus's flabby buttocks and thighs
Unlike her Power Suit, which looks like hard and cold metal, Samus's lower body looks soft. Very, very soft. Note how big her backside is compared to her head or her waist. Note how her thighs rub together. Her physical condition is further revealed by her upper body which isn't flabby, but slim and untoned.
The pose conveys that Samus is insecure and therefore needs to advance carefully. Perfect for the gameplay ahead. The soft and flabby lower part of her body conveys that she's definitely weaker without her power suit, so the player understands he cannot just run and gun anymore. The conditions have changed.
Compare to a scene where Samus would have had an action pose, pointing her gun at the camera while looking dangerous. Where her body would've looked firm and fit. The player would then have rushed into combat believing that Samus was still very strong. And then he would've been confused and disappointed when he couldn't kill the space pirates with a single shot anymore.
This scene is what conveys that, simply by the way it portrays Samus.
Do you agree with my analysis? Hopefully you don't, because discussion is always most interesting when people have different opinions, and can back these opinions with well thought arguments.
EDIT: Yeah I know there's text at this scene as well where the stun gun is revealed to be rather useless.
But let's not talk about the sex appeal part. Instead, let's talk about what this scene tries to convey to the player. Because right after this scene, the gameplay changes drastically from "run and gun shoot everything that moves" to "sneak, be careful and watch out for every single enemy". How to convey that to the unsuspecting player without writing it down and therefore killing immersion? I think they did that with two things:
1) Samus's pose
Unlike her poses in her Power Suit, which convey strength and determination, this pose here conveys insecurity and vulnurability. Instead of making herself big, she's making herself small by standing with her legs close together, and almost hugging herself with her left arm. She's not pointing her stun gun anywhere. Instead, it's just hanging there.
2) Samus's flabby buttocks and thighs
Unlike her Power Suit, which looks like hard and cold metal, Samus's lower body looks soft. Very, very soft. Note how big her backside is compared to her head or her waist. Note how her thighs rub together. Her physical condition is further revealed by her upper body which isn't flabby, but slim and untoned.
The pose conveys that Samus is insecure and therefore needs to advance carefully. Perfect for the gameplay ahead. The soft and flabby lower part of her body conveys that she's definitely weaker without her power suit, so the player understands he cannot just run and gun anymore. The conditions have changed.
Compare to a scene where Samus would have had an action pose, pointing her gun at the camera while looking dangerous. Where her body would've looked firm and fit. The player would then have rushed into combat believing that Samus was still very strong. And then he would've been confused and disappointed when he couldn't kill the space pirates with a single shot anymore.
This scene is what conveys that, simply by the way it portrays Samus.
Do you agree with my analysis? Hopefully you don't, because discussion is always most interesting when people have different opinions, and can back these opinions with well thought arguments.
EDIT: Yeah I know there's text at this scene as well where the stun gun is revealed to be rather useless.
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