Hello all, welcome to the beginning of a game series review. For the next few review we're going to be looking back at the early days of the Nintendo Gamecube and the launch of the Nintendo Wii.
We're going to be looking at the series that has been with us Nintendo Fans since the beginning.
Metroid
Ever since the first Nintendo Entertainment System we first saw this intergalactic female bounty hunter fighting off 2D aliens,monsters and space pirates that we didn't see her for awhile.
Then in 2002 we saw her again in a new light, Metroid Prime was the first in the series to be a First Person Shooter. This was a big change in the series. Did the change work? Yes it did.
Let's take a look at Metroid Prime.
Story
50 years prior to the arrival of Samus a strange meteor hit the planet of Tallon IV, a planet home to the Chozo race. the race that trained Samus to be the hunter she is today. The meteor contained a strange element and with it a powerful creature.
Fast forward 50 years a distress signal was sent out and Samus went to investigate, it turns out the ship was a Space Pirate research frigate. Samus arrives to see the ship torn apart and nearly destroyed, while searching the ship Samus discovers the Pirates were researching a new element known as Phazon and were experimenting on the creatures of Tallon IV to see what the effects of Phazon would have on the creatures.
The ship begins to loose power and is on a crash course to Tallon IV, while escaping Samus discovers her nemesis Ridley,believed to be dead. Escaping and going down to Tallon IV.
Samus arrives on Tallon IV to discover the planet in chaos, the monsters of the planet has run rampant and has nearly destroyed the temple of the Chozos. Samus must stop the Space Pirates' plan, defeat Ridley and discover what is causing the spread of the new element Phazon.
Presentation
Metroid Prime has aged, it hasn't aged badly but comparing the graphics of Metroid Prime to any modern game today the age difference in graphics is painfully obvious, but for the time it was made it still looks great.
From the ripped apart Space Pirate research frigate, the dark and ominous abandoned temples of the Chozo and the lava filled core of the planet Metroid Prime does a great job at treating your eyes to sweet candy and presenting you with horrifying enemies to face.
Gameplay
Although the point of view is different the spirit of the gameplay isn't. Remember that feeling you got in previous Metroid games when you were scared to continue through the level or were curious enough to try and make your way through a monster infested hall way to find a suit upgrade is still there.
You still face giant horrifying monsters(obviously) and still come across puzzles and challenges that test your experience and knowledge of the game. Different however is the addition of Scanning, scanning enemies will give you better info on what you're facing, even on walls, doors and objects. Scanning the environment will give you a clue to what happened prior to your arrival and even give you a better hint as to what weapon or power-up you need to use in order to find a new path way to find an item or continue your current objective.
Scanning everything will unlock a surprise ending.
In fact a lot of the game is very similar to the past Metroid games except for the game being played in a First Person point of view. Facing large enemies will result in you earning a new suit, searching every hole, nook and cranny will reward you with Missile expansions and Beam specific powerups and important suit upgrades.
However unlike past Metroid games this style of gamplay is expanded more and increases replay-ability. If on the first run you can't find every suit expansion and suit upgrade then maybe the next run you can do better and fend off more enemies with ease.
In fact the more upgrades you find the more rewards you unlock such as concept art, a new difficulty to play on and a hidden ending.
The Verdict
Metroid Prime starts of the new series the right way. Although it has changed in the way we see and play Metroid, the spirit and core of the game has not changed and in fact has been expanded in a bigger and broader way.
Scanning the environment, enemies and power ups earns you bonus content, searching every nook and cranny will reward you with power ups and suit expansions.
If you are a die hard Nintendo fan and you want to go back to see the classics play Metroid Prime. I guarantee you it will not be for nothing.
I give Metroid Prime an 8/10
We're going to be looking at the series that has been with us Nintendo Fans since the beginning.
Metroid
Then in 2002 we saw her again in a new light, Metroid Prime was the first in the series to be a First Person Shooter. This was a big change in the series. Did the change work? Yes it did.
Let's take a look at Metroid Prime.
Story
Fast forward 50 years a distress signal was sent out and Samus went to investigate, it turns out the ship was a Space Pirate research frigate. Samus arrives to see the ship torn apart and nearly destroyed, while searching the ship Samus discovers the Pirates were researching a new element known as Phazon and were experimenting on the creatures of Tallon IV to see what the effects of Phazon would have on the creatures.
The ship begins to loose power and is on a crash course to Tallon IV, while escaping Samus discovers her nemesis Ridley,believed to be dead. Escaping and going down to Tallon IV.
Samus arrives on Tallon IV to discover the planet in chaos, the monsters of the planet has run rampant and has nearly destroyed the temple of the Chozos. Samus must stop the Space Pirates' plan, defeat Ridley and discover what is causing the spread of the new element Phazon.
Presentation
From the ripped apart Space Pirate research frigate, the dark and ominous abandoned temples of the Chozo and the lava filled core of the planet Metroid Prime does a great job at treating your eyes to sweet candy and presenting you with horrifying enemies to face.
Gameplay
You still face giant horrifying monsters(obviously) and still come across puzzles and challenges that test your experience and knowledge of the game. Different however is the addition of Scanning, scanning enemies will give you better info on what you're facing, even on walls, doors and objects. Scanning the environment will give you a clue to what happened prior to your arrival and even give you a better hint as to what weapon or power-up you need to use in order to find a new path way to find an item or continue your current objective.
Scanning everything will unlock a surprise ending.
In fact a lot of the game is very similar to the past Metroid games except for the game being played in a First Person point of view. Facing large enemies will result in you earning a new suit, searching every hole, nook and cranny will reward you with Missile expansions and Beam specific powerups and important suit upgrades.
However unlike past Metroid games this style of gamplay is expanded more and increases replay-ability. If on the first run you can't find every suit expansion and suit upgrade then maybe the next run you can do better and fend off more enemies with ease.
In fact the more upgrades you find the more rewards you unlock such as concept art, a new difficulty to play on and a hidden ending.
The Verdict
Scanning the environment, enemies and power ups earns you bonus content, searching every nook and cranny will reward you with power ups and suit expansions.
If you are a die hard Nintendo fan and you want to go back to see the classics play Metroid Prime. I guarantee you it will not be for nothing.
I give Metroid Prime an 8/10
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