metroid prime gamecube review
Exceptional, innovative, engaging, transcendent, superb and tripping. This is how we could sum up Metroid Prime as briefly as possible. No doubt, Retro Studio the small Texan studio to which we owe this masterpiece (recently bought by Nintendo) should be talked about in the future. Much time has passed since the last appearance of Samus Aran and the threat of the Metroids that we thought passed out reappears more worrying than ever. Investigating a distress call from an orbital station, the interstellar bounty hunter Samus Aran will fail on the planet Tallon IV former residence of the Chozos today frequented by the other customary enemy of Samus, the pirates of the space. In a panic, she will lose all of her powers which will have to be restored to her. What is phazom? How is this thing and the pirates linked to the return of the Metroids? You will know if you play.Before tackling the test in detail, let me tell you that the wait for the location has not been in vain. Some minor differences have emerged. A few voices first among others at the intro level (but not during the game, Samus being constantly alone and sane). The difficulty of the game has also been increased and the clues that will put you on the track if you drag too much will take longer to show itself. Well, nothing exceptional, but it deserved to be reported.
After the big preview devoted to the title, difficult to get back to talking about it, and yet, not everything has been said, far from it. Bold gamble, Metroid Prime has the looks of an FPS, but make no mistake, we are far from a MoH or a Timesplitters. No doubt you have already heard the term FPA for First Person Adventure, personally I prefer First Person Metroid to it (and not only because it is from me :). Basically, the gameplay of M.P takes the same bases as the other components. Lost in immense tortured levels, you will have to collect number of items, fight and make many journeys to go from one world to another, all interconnected by one or more ways which will emerge according to your abilities (have the right shot to open the right door, the right Morph Ball option to get on the right rail, etc.). But we are not faced with a stupid reconversion of an old 2D principle that we imagined badly as well worn in a demanding 3D universe.
From an FPS, M.P actually only has the HUD interface and the sometimes intense action. First observation, the gameplay is completely new in the genre. Stick C for example is not assigned control of head movements but will actually be used after a few hours you will have obtained new shots (wave beam, ice beam etc.) to switch from one to the other gear lever way. For fights, you will have to lock (L button) your targets according to the system sacred by Zelda Ocarina Of Time. Purists are already starting to growl, and yet that is not enough to make the game simpler unlike the disturbing first impressions at the start of the game. When you face your first space pirates in the dark with these crap from Metroids chasing you you will understand. Once a target is locked, Samus will circle around it and may even make quick sideways movements. To stay on the issue of combat, it will often be necessary to discover the method that suits the enemy. Ditto for often huge bosses.
Another key point of the gameplay, the visor scan which allows you to scan a large number of elements to obtain all kinds of information, both on the story and on the creatures that inhabit Tallon IV. It is also with him that you will activate certain mechanisms. Later, you will get new upgrades such as thermal or X-ray vision which will allow you to detect secret passages and hidden mechanisms.
To say that the gameplay of Metroid Prime is addictive and varied would be a good joke. It's more than that. Because in addition to your evolving weapons, you also have the Morph Ball which will itself know variations, bombs, boost or spider mode, this transformation will also be used to activate gears of all kinds and to solve puzzles not always obvious. Without speaking of course of the narrow passages which are reserved for him. I will not venture to describe everything here, it would be too long. In any case, I have to talk about jumps that could have worried more than one. M.P is also a platform game and jumps will be an important component of the gameplay, single or double, they will be done without any difficulty.
Wandering is what you feel when you start in the game. The levels are immense and no objective is clearly assigned to you. It takes time before you start to know where you are going and by what paths, especially since the roads will change (to become shorter). Based on a mixture of adventure, exploration and action, the title gives pride of place to frequent return trips and research. It is in this that we sometimes rail against the sometimes significant distance of the backup terminals. But don't worry, it's part of the Alien trip. Wandering in the corridors, sintering yourself with a band of enemies to snatch victory and an item before returning to a half-dead save point and in fear of running into an idiotic creature, it's scary.
And this anxiety is particularly well supported by the atmosphere, both visual and audio. We have never seen such complex and tortured levels in an FPS. Huge but above all high reliefs, labyrinths and very detailed architecture. We can blame a lack of relief in textures but given the number and complexity of each room, this is a bit too fussy. The environments are also very diverse (despite their somewhat classic-classic themes) and endowed with a strong personality and a swarm of details all without the slightest drop in Frame Rate. The kind of clues that betray the talent of developers. As for the apprehension felt when at the end of a long journey we tumble into a room with 4 or 5 doors without knowing where to go ...
In addition to being beautiful and provided with a game to die for, Metroid Prime has the luxury of being very immersive. Mainly thanks to the HUD which frankly gives the feeling of being behind Samus' helmet. The news takes a slight concave shape and it is a pleasure to see liquids of all kinds being projected on you (shots of drooling critters, flowing water when you come out of a pond or rain in the exteriors of the planet) or even the interference of your screen. And must of must, you will be able to see the reflection of the face of Samus during certain explosions! To this is added a slightly offset movement of the helmet. But the feeling of loneliness also plays a role in immersion, devoid of objective style "must go there because it is like that", the player feels really lonely on a planet become hostile, counting only on his scan to tell him that there are curious things going on in this or that corner.
Perfect Metroid Prime? Certainly not, but not far. First, not everyone will like it, that's for sure. But for the others, here is a short list of regrets. If this is part of the game, it can sometimes be bulky enough to redo certain passages and deliver clashes against stingy pirates twice. Another little regret, the lack of cinematics to develop the story. You will have to bet on countless log scans to reveal the entire script, a choice that requires a lot of rigor and which can especially tire a bit. Last point, the beginning of the adventure a little too soft and which is almost scary for the future, serious things could happen faster. But past these small flaws, Metroid Prime is a masterpiece. I note in passing that the screenshots (not very advantageous for the game) were made for convenience on the US version of the title.
The notes
Graphics 18/20
Perhaps not as technically impressive as Star Fox, but the environments and architecture of Metroid are staggering in size, complexity, detail and beauty, and the engine cashes in heavily loaded decors without worry. The HUD is superbly done. The screenshots really don't honor the beauty of the scenery and effects.
Gameplay 18/20
Retro Studio is worthy of Nintendo's trust, gameplay has its leg. Innovative and intuitive, it is more varied and never tiresome. The possibilities for action are vast and you never rail against flawless handling. A must.
Lifespan 16/20
About 20 hours to complete the game but not 100%. The universe is immense. In addition, a GBA with Metroid Fusion will open the doors to the first part of Metroid! Not bad.
Soundtrack 16/20
Ups and downs for music with original reworked themes. Some compositions are great, others quite dull. The effects are however very successful (footsteps that resonate in the silence ...)
Scenario 14/20
A good story but which would have benefited from being better staged with two or three cut scenes instead of perhaps too many scans.
No need to expand even more, Metroid Prime is an essential part of the GC game library, or even a must play for all machines combined. An innovative, rich and engaging gameplay truly make it an exceptional title which, in my humble opinion, should be emulated as other Nintendo productions have already done. Unless you are allergic to the concept, this is a title you should know.
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