No questions asked this game fricken rules. It is easily one of
the best games I have ever played and most enjoyable
Gameplay:
Metroid prime is a first person shooter at heart, but it relies heavily on
Adventure elements. Which is what makes this game so damn unique. On one hand
your blasting the piss out of baddies in first person mode but on the other hand
you left to explore the huge world of Tallon V. Unlike most first person
shooter you don’t get rewards for blasting the most enemies, your progress is
based on how many upgrades you locate (and trust me there are a lot of them).
Even though Metroid is a first person shooter the game is built around more of
an Action/Adventure concept. Which is really quite ground breaking, I have yet
to see any other developer pull this off and still keep the actual Metroid
feel to it from previous games.
Your objectives are quite simple you go from A to B collecting various upgrades,
wasting baddies, and fighting some huge bosses. The best part is that there is
no one there to tell you how to progress. I mean you can explore the whole
world by yourself progressing your own way or you can activate the hint system
which tells you where to go, but it doesn’t tell you how to get their or what
you have to do once you’re their.
Tallon V is the world where Samus does all here exploring. It is split up into
various regions with different weather attributes to them. Chozo Ruins is a
desert level where there is a bunch of old Ruins, which Samus must trek
through. The Actual Tallon V Over world consists of lush green vegetation,
and pools of water. This is the main area where you get access to all the
other parts of the planet. The Phendora drifts are the snow covered peaks on
the opposite side of the Over world. There are many more environments such as
the fiery Magmoor Caverns, and the underwater goodness of Space Pirate Frigate.
Visuals:
Outstanding!!! The detail that went it to this game is beautiful. Its like
nothing I have ever played before. Every single room has its own unique
attributes to it, not one room in the whole game looks like a previous one.
Just the amount of time Retro spent creating the exquisite architecture for
each level deserves praise. It’s seriously insane how good the level design
in this game actually is and the time spent crafting it.
Just look at Samus helmet as you walk through different weather settings and
temperature changes, you actually see condensation form obscuring your view
temporarily, very cool. If you happen to blast some near by water the mist
that sprays back spatters on lens. The Attention to detail is definitely worth
it the eye candy is amazing.
The textures are extremely sharp and vibrant extremely life like. Each
environment has its on texture layout so you don’t see overlapping from one
environment to the next. I must really hand it to Retro for being able to pull
this off.
What about the Particle effects well let me tell you they are just as gorgeous
if not even more gorgeous than the textures. From the sand twirling around in
mid air, to the water lapping against the shore, to the fire of the Magmoor
Caverns. Extremely well done and very life like. Even to the charge and
disperse of Samus weapons look very good and extremely detailed.
Audio:
No slacking in this department either, no siry bob. When Retro decided to go
with the midi format people were upset, thinking there is no way a midi music
tracks could do justice to a game of this caliber. Maybe they where right, but
they forgot one important element when you mix midi-formatted music with Kenji
Yamamoto a god in the video game music industry you get orgasms for you ears.
The music has a very edgy, industrial, and fast paced sound to it, which even
in midi format sounds good. Don’t take my word for it just boot up prime and
listen to the title track I guarantee you will love it.
The SFX are just as well done, half the time you don’t even notice some of
the stuff but if you listen closely you will be amazed at what is actually
their. Such things as when you jump and land you hear the clunk of Samus’s
metal armour smashing together as if it were a glorious symphony. On Tallon
V you can actually here the raindrops hitting the ground. It’s the little
things that make the real difference and Retro has this game chalked full of them.
Control:
Words cannot describe how good the control in this game really is. Sure it may
take a bit of time to get used to but it actually compliments the game instead
of dragging it down *cough cough* Medal of Honor Front Line *cough*. The best
way to describe is to take The legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time control scheme
beef it up, and toss in some perfect dark and there you have it. This control
scheme give you the ability to lock onto your target and strafe around it
while you render it useless with one of your almighty guns. Which comes in
pretty handy in some intense battles.
Another definite innovative feature is the ability to switch your guns and
visors while in gaming play. Retro has developed a one-button touch system
where the C button changes your weapons and your D-pad changes your visors.
Which is a must considering the amount of times you need to change your visor
or weapon on the fly either to locate an enemy or to incinerate it.
Replay Value:
Metroid Prime has no multiplayer modes or nothing like that but, but that
doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have a killer replay value. There is always
something calling you back to it (at least that’s what I found). There are
lots of upgrades you can find, sure you can beat the game with only some of
the upgrades, but finding them all is part of the adventure. Some incentive
Retro has added to the game is multiple endings, which mean the higher, your
progress the better ending you get, and the only way to up your progress is
to collect all the upgrades. I’ve spent literally hours looking for upgrades
and I still haven’t found them all, but unlike other games that I usually
through down and say screw it, Metroid keeps me coming back for more. Which
is really weird but yet at the same time making its replay value extremely killer.
I finished Metroid prime in little under a month with 77% and about 16 hours
logged into it. That doesn’t mean its over does it? Hell no! I still enjoy
tramping around the countryside looking for upgrades and blasting baddies.
Which definitely a good thing. Even after you beat game its still calls
you back for more, what more can you want from a game?? Especially one so
beautiful and with killer story line.
To end this Review I would like to say Metroid has to be one of the best games
I have ever played that’s right ever! Its definitely up their with Zelda
Ocarina of time. Retro did a excellent job my hats of to you guys and I’m
eagerly awaiting the sequel you guys are working on which supposed to be a
secret so shhh you didn’t hear it from me.
|
