GENRE
	First-Person Adventure
	DEVELOPER
	Retro Studios
	PUBLISHER
	Nintendo
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1
	CONNECTIVITY
	yes
	BUY NOW AT

After eight years of fans’ kicking and screaming, our beautiful Samus is reborn in a glorified prequel, chronologically taking place after the first Metroid game, but prior to the GB sequel. Needless to say, all is well, and we can breathe clearly once more. Against all the odds, Retro Studios was able to get back on its feet and deliver something truly wonderful to the masses.

visuals

Whoa Jimmy, check out those graphics! Early on, it was known that Retro Studios had what many considered the most state of the art rendering equipment in the industry, but that’s not what mattered at the time. Once everything began to fall into place, twas’ back to the dazzling effects and that “uber-cool ball” that a certain Samus would morph into. Metroid Prime is often grouped with games like Rogue Leader and Resident Evil Zero when one wants to show off the graphical prowess of their Cube, in an often-futile attempt to stack the system’s power up against Bill’s box. I should hope that this title is sufficient evidence to counter the theory of graphical inferiority, and that we can all sit and enjoy the visual splendor that Prime has to offer.

Amidst the seamless transitions from woman to ball are virtual light shows and frantic combat. Your plethora of beams produce a steady tide of electricity or a piercing ray of red hot plasma, only to be shown up by the power heavy explosion of an aptly (and simply) named power bomb. Scan your area and look up -- as there is lightning ripping through the clouds -- partnered with a steady flow of rain; the little droplets splashing softly on the smooth surface of your durable visor. Retro took advantage of the first person perspective, yes, and added in monster guts and facial reflections to the visor, too. The different visors really impressed me, as coloration and depth were perfect for the respective thermal and x-ray modes. Samus’ major foes are all brought to life on a grand scale, with new and ingenious bosses added to the fray of some familiar or otherwise similar faces. Perhaps most important of all, Samus herself is deliciously displayed as one badass, heavily equipped "mutha."

audio

Judging by the amount of work that went into the game’s visual presentation, there is little chance that Nintendo and Retro would have butchered the accompanying sounds. Likewise, progressing through the game is music to one’s ears. The good old Metroid scream has made its triumphant return, and the explosive nature of beam upgrades is commendable. The clank of footsteps on metal amidst the wave of factory equipment has a sort of ominous feel to it, as a hostile space pirate just may pop out and attempt to tear you to pieces, giving off that unnerving battle roar that is replicated in their death. It is true -- every action has a reaction -- and when one begins flailing from their shot out grappling beam, they may just lose their grip and create a loud splash in a lake below. The typical solution is to double-jump out of these sticky situations, which itself gives a mechanical boosting sound. From the buzzing of a deadly pack of “wasps” to the immediate switch of a visor, Prime’s sure to have it covered.

The same composer from all the previous Metroid games, Kenji Yamamoto delivers quite the thrill through his atmospheric tones and chilling musical score. There are only a couple instances when the music felt a bit too rehashed. While the score is not as timeless as I had hoped, the musical talents of Mr. Yamamoto have pervaded once more. He likely had an instrumental role (no pun intended) in the placement of certain sound effects; in order to compliment the music while creating a transition of mood as the plot continually thickens.

gameplay

Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion were indicated at start up (by Nintendo themselves), as three and four, respectively. Metroid Prime, on the other hand, was not. One may realize that this decision was a logical one on Nintendo’s part, as the game is awkwardly placed between two existing games, and breaks away from the traditional lineage of the series with its unorthodox first-person perspective. It still retains much of the classic Metroid formula, even if several mechanics were sacrificed in the process. Thus, Nintendo was quite clever placing it chronologically after the first game, for the neglected abilities were not yet contrived until later points in the series. With that in mind, Prime does play like a charm.

You’ll be happy to hear that you must find all your items (as in previous games), for they technically do not give you anything from the start. That is, aside from your trusty power beam. In addition to all the required items needed to progress, there are plenty of hidden missile expansions one can search for. The difficulty of the puzzles is at the level one would want them to be, and the combat is fast and exciting. Unfortunately, particularly in boss battles and when one is surrounded, the first person perspective can act as a hindrance to traditional combat. It is harder to do a quick turn-around, and you can’t just flip out of the way anymore. Likewise, the first person perspective doesn’t allow for on-foot speed boosts, screw attacks, high jumps, or freezing enemies into platforms. These innovations are a part of what made the last Metroid so exciting. Confronted with such speed, movement, and aerial obstacles, I think the most logical choice for Nintendo’s next 3D Metroid would be to let you choose your perspective; the third person view acting as a cross between Mega Man Legends and Zelda.

With the negative and inevitable out of the way, Prime does borrow from Zelda by having a Z-Target-esque auto lock by the way of the L-button. This is of particular similarity when facing bosses, for once evaluated, you can lock onto their weak points and devise your attack. Naturally, this is very exciting, as is hearing the scream the baddies let out when they are evaporated in a fiery inferno of plasma. The more-concentrated shooting elements new to this installment are fun—as is hopefully divined by my brief little description of a pictured demise—and isn’t something that in and of itself should be taken negatively. Remember, the emphasis remains on story (gathered through scanning surroundings) and exploration, just as it always has. I couldn’t have been happier to discover such, and hope you have as much fun destroying your foes and unearthing secrets.

multiplayer

N/A

overall

Metroid Prime is a fine example of what next generation gaming is all about; Nintendo has truly reached that “Cubic” landmark we’ve all been waiting for. They couldn’t be more correct in calling it a first person adventure, for if it were classified a mere first person shooter, the competition just wouldn’t stack up. The lack of multiplayer is of no matter, as Nintendo surely doesn’t want Prime to detract from future, traditional first-person offerings. So feast your eyes, ladies and gentleman, for Nintendo has successfully created an all new genre, as it has done many times before -- this time melding the fast paced play of PC shooters with the sheer adventure and exploratory goodness of Zelda -- which remarkably spawns what feels and plays like an authentic Metroid experience. Any inherent flaws aside, Metroid Prime has made a name for itself as one of the greatest games of all time. Bravo.

A few years ago, a massive amount of pressure was levied against Nintendo from the U.S. media and the public for the release of a new Metroid game. It's been a long time in the making, but like a male virgin in the middle of a cheerleader pillow fight in college, it was worth the wait. Unlike the other long awaited sequel from Nintendo, Mario Sunshine, Metroid Prime has delivered both in terms of innovation and quality. The unique idea that supports this game is that it's an action title with a first person twist. Like any first-person shooter, you see through the eyes of the protagonist. With Samus, that means you see through her visor, sweat, HUD's and everything else. Unfortunately, you can't look straight down into the suit and check out her duel cannons but it's still a very cool perspective. What makes this game unique also hampers it a bit, in my opinion. Sometimes, looking through the visor of Samus can be a bit limiting. It feels like you have the blinders of a horse on, particularly in boss battles. The lack of a strafe controlling scheme (when you're not locked on to an enemy) can add to this frustration. The only other complaint that I have is that there is no multiplayer or co-operative mode here. In a world of online multiplayer games, this is inexcusable. This really hampers the replay value of the game as well, because the GBA hook up just doesn't do enough to bring you back for more. Other than those complaints, I have to say that, much like going on a date with your mother, Metroid Prime is definitely a satisfying journey to go through. The soundtrack and sound effects are magnificent and the visual candy is stunning. I've been pleasantly surprised before and Retro has done a good job of proving my initial expectations of their ability wrong. Metroid Prime is a solid game, but is it a system seller? I'll save that "system seller" mantle for Strip Porn Poker 128, thank you very much. I will say that Metroid is a game that is way above average. I'm impressed. 9.3/10 -- Eric Mattei

9.6/10