The Game Cube's "Game of the Year"
Written: May 05 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Almost perfect, almost everything, that great-looking final boss at the end
Cons: Some backtracking
The Bottom Line: Despite the great next-generation graphics, it seems like I am still playing a classic, old school Metroid game.
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| jesse12's Full Review: Metroid Prime for GameCube |
I remember playing the very first Metroid game on the NES. Gosh, I had to be about 12 years old at that time. After that, I don't remember ever playing any of the other Metroid games.
Due to the hype of Metroid Prime for the GameCube, I figured that the previous Metroids had to be pretty good, and I'm sure many readers know allot more about that than I do.
Metroid Pime was voted "Game of 2002" by many gaming mags and websites. It got some great reviews.
Well I got to play the whole game for myself. After finishing the game, the thing that keeps going through my mind is that final boss at the end of the game.
Concept:
Metroid Prime takes place on a planet known as Tallon IV. After the Chozo were wiped out by a giant meteor that fell from space, an evil alien race known as the Space Pirates took control of the planet.
Don't let their names fool you. These are not the types of dumb space pirates that you are thinking of.
The space pirates are more like scientists and researchers who plunder other planets, take their lifeforms, and manipulate and mutate them. One particularly special lifeform that they manipulate is called the Metroid, from the planet SR388. The metroids are of great use to the pirates because they provide a good way of harnessing energy, and are helpful in their schemes for domination of the universe. The game itself is named after a super Metroid called Metroid Prime, the cool boss that I was talking about.
Samus Aran is the sexy girl in that cool armor that is trying to stop them.
Gameplay:
Yes, Metroid Prime is one of the best games to grace any system in years. It is clear that allot of thought and effort went into this game. Retro Studios, I applaud you. They did such a good job of capturing the flavor of the old Metroid that you have grown to love, and making it work perfectly in a next generation engine.
Metroid Prime takes place in the first person perspective, but calling it a first person shooter is an incorrect phrase. Metroid is an epic adventure. There is a whole lot more to this game than just simply blowing away enemies with your blaster side arm. Sure there are tons and tons of enemies that try to make your life hard, but I would say that Metoid Prime is more like the Zelda games, than your standard first-person-shooter. There is allot more dept to Metroid than that.
Every time that samus obtains a power up through the various means, the game-play changes a little. First You are exploring, and fighting in the first-person, but after you obtain the morph ball Samus shrinks into a small yo-yo shaped object, and you are automatically switched to the third person perspective. Samus will need to transform into that ball to get into small tunnels and solve cool puzzles. You can use the morph ball at will, and some of those scenes using the morph ball among the most memorable.
But latter it gets better. Samus will get the ability to stick to some surfaces like a magnet and roll up wall and across ceilings. I love that scene where she uses the morph ball in the water tanks. It reminded me of those little toys I used to play as a kid. There is just so much diversity in the gameplay that it never gets old.
I will admit that this game can be a little tough at times. You will get to fight allot of cool enemies. Some of them are pretty smart. There are various kinds of space pirates, but those color-coded pirates are interesting.
After having all three weapons-Fire, Ice, Wave, and Power, you will find that these color-coded pirates represent one of four elements. These folks deal some serious damage, when they come in groups. I found a way to quickly dispose of the Fire troopers and the Ice troopers, but the Wave troopers and Power troopers don't go down the easy way. I like to avoid those guys if possible. Those Power Troopers are particularly nasty. And of course, you got the leach like Metroids that latch on to you and suck your life out.
Unlike most other games, the bosses of Metroid Prime are tough. I tell you some of those bosses really keep you on edge.
Metroid is also a game of different perspectives. Using the x-ray and Thermal visors is required to solve the many mysteries of Tallon IV. There is also the scanning Visor, which is like a super computer that can hack into any other computer, and give clues and info on the many enemies and lifeforms on the planet.
The only complaint that I have with this game is that there is a good deal of backtracking throughout the game. On the plus side passing through this beautiful world is a pleasure.
Graphics:
One of the best looking games on any platform. The combination of the excellent art and design with a polished and powerful 3D engine is very impressive. To me it is like a work of art.
This game features some very good-looking environments. The Chozo architecture, dark foreboding caverns, and those cool looking areas only accessible by morph ball are just some examples.
What really looks good is that most of the environments look like they were hand drawn by some great artist. These guys did so well in capturing the essence of classic Metroid.
Like I said earlier, Metroids graphics are enjoyed in more than one perspective. Aside from the normal vision, Samus obtains thermal, and x-ray vision. Each of these visors adds diversity to the awesome graphics engine of Metroid Prime. There are some places where you are required to use one of those visors. Let me give you an example. There are some crazed ghosts of the Chozo dead that will attack Samus with great speed. They seem to disappear and reappear in different places. But when you use the x-ray visor, you can keep track of their movements. Then there are the Shadow Pirates. They have a cloaking ability that makes them invisible. These guys are fast, and the only way to keep track of them is by using the x-ray. All enemies in x-ray mode look like strange, white, ghostly entities. A pretty cool effect.
There are some really cool dark caves and locations that require the thermal visor to actually see where you are going. One place in particular that keeps going through my mind is a pitch black cave with luminescent mushroom growths that give off an strange light in the deep blackness. You got to use that thermal visor to navigate the cavern. It looks so awesome.
There is so much detail put into the effects. When you use the thermal visor and there is a bright explosion, the thermal visor will be overloaded and have to shut down. And now with Samus's regular vision. When there is a bright energy blast, you can see the reflection of her face on the visor. Or when approached by an energy-based entity, her visor will become all static from electronic interference.
I like those security drones. When you blow them away, they will get all crazy and spin around until they blow into a bright explosion. During that time, your visor will fuzz up from the interference. Then there are those cool Flying pirates that shot a halo of missiles at you. After you blow them away, they also go crazy, do a suicide dive towards your position, and blow the crap out of you. There are so many cool effects that I can't mention all of them.
The hard boss battles are also cool. I remember fighting that giant Phanzon powered pirate, or Met Riddley. Those guys will fight you with long distance attacks but when you get close to them, you will get your butt handed to you. When those giant bosses slash, and bash you at close range you loose all perspective, because you are being knocked in circles. Those bosses look cool but they have nothing on the final confrontation. Metroid Prime himself is the coolest, most well designed final boss that I can remember ever fighting.
This guy is just awesome. If you get frustrated at some point in the game and want to give up, don't. Because your efforts will be well rewarded with one of the best final confrontations in gaming. Yes, he's one cool looking boss.
And to top it all of this game runs at a constant 60 frames per second, and runs quite smoothly. The resolution is high, and it is clear that this is a game of high quality.
Sound:
Up to Metroid standards. I would give it an almost perfect score. The cool Metroid style music and the great sound effects are all good. I also like how there are no voice-overs in this game. It seemed appropriate for a Metroid title.
Conclusion:
Is it the best game out there? I don't know, I'm still playing Wind Waker. I will get back to you on that with my upcoming Wind waker review. But I will tell you one thing, it's going to be a close call between the two.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jesse12
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Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 2 members
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