Metroid Prime (Gamecube)
Developed by: Retro Studios
Published by: Nintendo

One of the things that has allowed Sony to overtake Nintendo in the video game market over the years is Nintendo’s unhip reputation for making games that are cute, cuddly and aimed at younger audiences. Although Nintendo has done little to counter this image in the past, they are beginning to realize (perhaps too late) that the gamers who grew up on the original NES are now in their 20’s and 30’s and want something a little more dangerous than Mario and Luigi floating on clouds and collecting stars.

What’s more, Nintendo has never really been one to take risks on creating new characters — they prefer to repeat their easily identified trademark games over and over rather than confuse consumers with unpredictable new products. This may be a safe strategy, but it’s also a dull and stagnant one. Fortunately for them, there is one original franchise that goes against just about everything you would expect from the Big N, and the time was right to revive it and reintroduce it within a 3d world.

Nintendo’s Metroid games have always been darker and more mature than their other creations. Set in a futuristic sci-fi world, deep in the isolation of space, Metroid has more in common with the Alien movies than it does with Princess Toadstool and the Koopa Kingdom. As a big fan of the Metroid series, this game is one of the main reasons I bought a Gamecube, and to call it the most anticipated game of the year would be an understatement for me. And yet, I’ve been preparing myself for disappointment. Maybe I’m a pessimist, but first person shooters rarely work well on consoles, and considering that Nintendo had chosen to outsource the development work to another company, the potential for disaster was pretty high.

Within a few short minutes of gameplay however, it is evident that Texas-based Retro Studios were up to the challenge. They have revitalized the intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran in a way that will reassure and delight old fans, while at the same time attracting all kinds of new followers.

Now, this is not to say that the initial minutes of gameplay did not come without a little bit of frustration. First person shooters definitely play better on a PC using a keyboard and mouse, and the controls for Metroid Prime take some getting used to. The main analog stick affects your movement, but by holding down the R shoulder button, gives you the ability to stand still and aim your arm cannon while looking about the world freely. On the other hand, holding down the L shoulder button automatically locks your sights on any enemies in front of you. (Sound like a cop out? It’s not… try aiming directly at opponents while on the run and you’ll quickly see why this feature is necessary.) After getting myself oriented I’ve grown to like the control setup. It’s very flexible; the only complaint I have is that strafing is a little difficult (though not impossible) to do.

Now the other big question I had about the controls in this game is how they were planning on implementing the “Maru Mari”, also known as the Morph Ball, which allows Samus’ suit to transform into a sphere that can roll into hard to reach areas. I thought they might be forced leave this out of the game, as it’s not a typical FPS style of movement. However, the way they solved the problem is brilliant. When you hit the X button, the camera view shifts back into a 3rd person POV as you roll into a ball. From here you are free to roam around with speed that is sensitive to the force you apply to the analog stick. It’s very intuitive and the realistic physics in many ways reminds me of the game Marble Madness.

Even the act of jumping is a fairly painless process in Metroid Prime, which is rare for a first person game. I think it is because Samus seems to float through the air a little… maybe the gravity is lower on the planet Tallon IV, or maybe it’s just an ability of her suit, but it makes all the difference in the world.

In Metroid Prime, Samus’ suit also has some new gadgets, including thermal and x-ray vision, plus a built-in scanning system which allows your computer to download information about creatures, environments, and gadgets. You cannot scan a creature and attack it at the same time however, which is occasionally frustrating.

The graphics in Metroid Prime are stunning. The number of different environments that are covered even just in early levels of the game are overwhelming. There are so many cool details, like for instance, the little drops of water that trickle down your visor when you rise out of water. One problem, however, is that sometimes there is too much detail in each scene, and it’s hard to distinguish between what’s important and what’s not. The scanning system exists to help you in this area, but scanning every single item in a room can become tedious after a while.

The best part about Metroid Prime, however, is the atmosphere that results from the combination of graphics and the sound. In the past, Metroid games have always felt somewhat spooky and suspenseful, with a hint of extraterrestrial intrigue. The music has always been a big part of this, and for Metroid Prime they recruited composer Kenji Yamamoto, who previously wrote the score for Super Metroid. The soundtrack is an awesome mix of ambient noise and spacey electronic melodies. It’s good enough music to listen to on its own; in fact, if they released a soundtrack for this game on CD, I’d be the first in line to buy it.

There are occasionally small cut scenes or cinematics, but there is no dialogue in this game, which is odd for a FPS but standard for a Metroid game. Samus works alone, and interacts with no one other than the hostile creatures in her way. In some ways this heightens the suspense and adds to the feeling of isolation. The first person perspective brings that out more than with any other Metroid games in the past.

In preserving the atmosphere of the game, Retro Studios also employed some cool tricks to avoid any sudden interruptions for loading time. As you explore in Metroid, the levels load in the background as you play, so there never are any stops in the game.

As a side note, Nintendo has also simultaneously released a Metroid game for the Game Boy Advance called Metroid Fusion, and they wouldn’t dare miss out on an opportunity to market these games together. Nintendo has again decided to regurgitate their past by offering a playable version of the original Metroid game if you beat Metroid Fusion and link up with Metroid Prime using their special connector cable. You can also play through Metroid Prime wearing the special “fusion suit” from the GBA game after linking the games together. Although this adds a bit more replay value to the game, I don’t consider this to be a good reason for buying the games.

Thankfully, Metroid Prime stands alone as a game that is fresh and exciting yet also in tune with its predecessors. On its own, this is a solid game that deserves a spot alongside some of the great sci-fi first person shooters like Half-Life and Halo. However, it’s much more than a first person shooter. Add in the classic Metroid atmosphere, sense of exploration and intuitive game mechanics, and you’ve got a game that’s quickly become one of my personal all-time favourites, and definitely ranks among the best of 2002. — Sean