I realize I never reported my Hard Mode 100% clear of Ori and the Will of the Wisps! Game is most certainly in my top 10 all time, and once Metroid Dread/Castleween festivities are over, I definitely plan to go back and attempt my first sub-4-hour run (one of the last achievements I have left, except a no-death clear, which I most certainly do not have the patience for at this point in my life).
I also played a whole ton of Metroid Zero Mission! It's been a while since I've given it this degree of attention (in fact, I probably dug into it even more than when it was new), getting a sub-two-hour clear for the first time ever, as well as a Hard Mode clear for the first time ever (which was quite slow, but netted 90% completion, which is my highest clear percentage ever).
I certainly understand people's issues with Zero Mission, but after playing a ton of it and Fusion, I ended up really clicking with its controls and movement and it just feels so good. It's also admirable how hard it strives to be all things to all players. It's a great entry point to the series, chronologically coming first with very accessible controls, Chozo statue recharges and waypoints, and adjustable difficulty settings. It refines a lot of Fusion's elements, while attempting to address a lot of the more prominent gripes about that game (bomb jumping and single wall-jumping are back, and easier than ever!). And it actively rewards low-percent runs, speed runs, and completionism alike! And while its hard mode is primarily just tweaking some values, it does make resource management very interesting (and in cases where it does add enemies, it really changes up those areas. I remember the approach to the Ice Beam just being a formality on Normal, but becoming a bit of a gauntlet on Hard).
Of course, it's also the only Metroid game to actively account for sequence breaking. Or at least, actively design the alternate paths. In Super, they HAD to realize breaks were possible when they include things like bomb jumping, the shinespark, and wall jumping (though I don't know if they intended single wall jumping). I know a big criticism of Zero Mission is that the alternate paths don't feel like you're putting one over on the devs, and I see that. But at the same time...designing alternative routes that are fun, satisfying, and don't mess up the game's playability while also creating the illusion that they were oversights for the player to exploit is kind of a lot to ask. Also, I'm someone who counts Super Metroid as one of my top three favorite games of all time, but I can readily admit that Zero Mission regularly tests your abilities in more technical ways. It's a tradeoff...I still prefer Super overall, but I was really enjoying the appeal of Zero Mission in this latest playthrough.
Some things that really stood out to me was finding the Screw Attack early, as well as pulling off several shinespark tricks for Super Missiles. I'm not always in the mood for the technical, precise execution of these types of challenges, but they're well designed and I really enjoyed them in the moment. I think it also helps that Super Missiles and Power Bombs are much rarer than in Super Metroid, and there seems to be more correlation between the item type and the challenge of obtaining it.
The one disappointment I came away with in this replay is the reminder that Zero Mission is really lacking the atmosphere and tension that most Metroid games deal in. It's why I'm a monster who actually enjoys the stealth sequence...it's the one time the game approaches its predecessors in that regard. And the catharsis of getting your fully powered suit is nice.