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Scurge: Hive (GBA/NDS, 2006)

Subgenre: Metroid-like/ARPG (exp point leveling (via green blobs from enemies which also heal you a bit) - no stats shown on the status screen but leveling up increases HP, energy and AP. You also get HP and energy upgrades from defeated bosses), Also similar to Monster World IV (single entry points to all areas after the first and you can't revisit them later), Collectathon elements (some doors require up to 6 keycards, activating the nodes that unlock the boss room in each area - about 6 per area), Killathon element (sometimes have to clear a room to be able to solve a switch puzzle in it)

Movement Mechanics: Double jump, Long jump via grappling hook

Perspective: Isometric View, Some side view focused segments

Other: Hub area (single entry points to all other areas, separate intro area/level), Metroid Fusion-inspired setting and premise (virus infection (called Scurge) theme in a sci-fi setting, AI assistant (although here its behavior is sometimes affected by the virus or a villain), start on a separate space station then land on an alien planet (SM), female and bounty hunter protagonist), Basic ranking system (you're ranked per area after beating the boss in it; enemies killed, efficiency)

Infection mechanic (basically a time limit - need to visit save points to decontaminate, infection level increases faster if stepping on red scurge matter)
Linear structure overall (mostly linear progression through areas for your first time through them as well besides the order in which you collect keys - taking alternate paths leads to dead ends). Temporary points of no return when reaching new areas meaning you can't backtrack into the hub area/area 1 to test out a new upgrade until finishing that area
Some backtracking to previously visited sub areas in the hub area (area 1) to progress
Pretty frequent save points and the game reveals their location (but not the routes to them) early on in each area
Maps are top down view and don't show room topology, Destination markers on the map (can also tap the destination with the stylus for some mission info)
Some interesting movement and traversal abilities/tools (grappling hook/tether - lets you pull frozen enemies and some objects+works like a long jump accessed at certain points after upgrading it, adrenaline rush/time slow - slows down enemies and hazards around you, )
Three "elemental" guns with secondary functions and enemies have affinities to these (EMP and Dissipate also open doors or trigger mechanisms via certain switches, Combust also burns vine obstacles and melts ice blocks). If hitting an enemy that's weak to a weapon then it has a chain effect while if the enemy is strong against it then they gain a stat bonus instead
Some other interesting weapons (cryostasis - freezes enemies near you (lets you use them as blocks for pressure plates), bombs/plasma - destroys certain obstacles)
Start with an item drop magnet
Puzzle element to some boss fights (intro, area 3/worm, area 4/transforming virus)
Decent puzzles (blocks and switches, water level manipulating in one area, some spatial reasoning puzzles - falling down through pits in area 1 2nd visit for example and parts of rooms only being accessible via a detour, some timing puzzles which involve platforming+slowing down time while hitting timed switches)
Find text logs from previous crew members and later on receive radio transmissions from survivors (similar to System Shock, however you tend to get told where the next upgrade is here without having to pay attention to them much)
Enemies are pretty good at chasing the player in the sense that they can jump to higher platforms (similar to Spider-Man: Web of Shadows DS) but they also tend to get stuck on corners in narrow paths
Some shortcuts however it can be tricky to use them effectively since they are often one-way and/or you have to take a less direct route or fall down to a lower floor
Unlockable hard/insane/ultra modes (stat tweaks and less health dropped by enemies?, ultra mode=start with ultra shot and max HP), alternate avatar color schemes and boss rush mode
DS ver.: Separate map screen (have to go into the pause menu on GBA), Higher resolution/more zoomed out view
Enemies respawn as soon as you leave the room they spawned in - can be annoying as rooms tend to have a lot of enemies that chase and surround you. Some rooms also have enemy spawning machines. In a few cases this respawning doesn't happen but it's rare
No neutral or friendly creatures

Some notable cons:

Solved puzzles often don't stay solved leading to having to redo some switch puzzles (even activating a node (unlocks boss rooms) resets the puzzle in the same room)
No dodge or block moves and no strafing/aim lock - could've been added in DS ver. since it has two more buttons
Annoying repeated beeping sfx when at low health+loud and repeated heartbeat sfx when virus infection reaches 60% (+a more subtle repeated sfx when in a room with a keycard in it; can at least mute all sfx?)
Some control/interface issues (some delay before you start shooting when pressing the button, stop shooting if you're hit while holding down the button (have to press it again), can't move while shooting, etc)
Some points of no return within areas - seems pointless overall
The contamination mechanic is kinda harsh which discourages you from taking alternate paths through areas instead of always going for the nearest save point/decontamination point
Very spongy final boss unless you grind (at least lvl 50+, since there the contamination mechanic is still in effect you'll have to or you can't beat it in time, last phase is pretty tedious even if you did grind)
No fast travel within areas - starts getting rather tedious in area 3 onwards

Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review

Influenced by: Metroid Fusion, possibly Landstalker, Juka and the Monophonic Menace, Super Mario RPG, Spyro (GBA), Gauntlet (draining health)?

Influenced: