Nintendo’s classic science fiction series Metroid has finally found a home on the GameCube, fully exploiting the system’s exceptional gaming technology to create an immersive experience unprecedented. Gamer’s remember the original Metroid for old school NES. A shining gem of the 8-bit era, it set a standard for atmosphere, and was historically the very first game to use a password feature. GameBoy became home to Metroid 2, and finally the SNES was graced with it’s own Super Metroid. With an emphasis on gadget acquisition and exploration, the Metroid series has always pushed the technological limits of their resident console. GameCube’s Metroid Prime, the newest installation and most revolutionary by far, pioneers through the next generation gaming frontier with grace and flawlessness.
Metroid Prime has undergone a radical perception shift. Prime takes you behind the arm-blaster for a first-person point of view, using a lock-on system to target enemies versus manual aiming. Skeptics poo-pooed this move, saying a first person perspective would steal from the traditionally side-scrolling Metroid journey. I beg to differ though, for now you see through the eyes of heroin bounty-hunter Samus Aran, allowing for greater immersion and a more intimate quest.
Metroid Prime’s world consists of many diverse regions that open up to Samus in quasi-linear gameplay. There is the crumbling Chozo Ruins, the frozen Phendrana Drifts, fiery Magmoor Caverns, and a Space-Pirate’s Research Facility to name a few. Certain areas require certain devices in order to gain access, and in Metroid tradition there is much backtracking required.
Also traditional to the Metroid series would be Samus’ upgradeable power suit, and now all diagnostic functions (ammo, health status ect…) are projected before your eyes on the visor HUD, plus visors are interchangeable. With the scan visor she can hack Space-Pirate databases, decipher the native Chozo lore adorning many ancient ruins, and get detailed scientific analysis of indigenous life forms and current environmental properties. This gathering of information is a major aspect of Prime, giving you an advantage over your foes and submerging you ever deeper into the world around you. There’s also the default combat visor, and two other visors–the thermal and x-ray visors–that you must find along with numerous other upgrades that give you the upper hand.
The power suit has always enabled Samus to morph into a ball and access areas otherwise inaccessible. Prime is no exception. Now in a fully three-dimensional environment, the morph ball is subject to realistic physics and is impressively rendered from a third-person perspective. Subtle light effects emanate from thin gaps on the ball and touch any surface you happen to roll by. Tiny sparks expel from the earth as the morph ball struggles up a rough incline or collides into a wall, and when it gains momentum a ring of light forms from the central axis and softly trails behind you.
Other eye candy abounds in Prime, from raindrops rolling down your visor to rippling heat distortion off your beam weapons. Nearby explosions illuminate Samus’s face and reflect her green eyes off the visor before you. The world of Tallon IV is so artfully laden with high quality textures… it’s near impossible to find any pixelation whatsoever. On top of that, NPC animations are flawlessly smooth. Space Pirates–the mantis looking antagonists–die with rag-doll realism, flailing and bouncing off anything until smacking ground.
Music wise, Prime seems weak at first. Although instantly nostalgic, the first few hours of soundtrack seem basic and monotonous. Yet as you progress the tunes become enjoyable and parallel to current standards. A cornucopia of sound effects come across crystal clear to fully flesh out the surroundings, and the environmental ambiances saturates your senses.
All these production values combine with watertight gameplay, utilizing every aspect of GameCube’s unique controller. Metroid Prime provides a lush living world as the backdrop to an epic story of balance versus industry and good versus evil. Samus Aran’s newest adventure is a must own for fans of the series and newcomers alike. You’ll spend hours getting lost in Metroid Prime; the time and money is well worth it. As the game-case states, “Evil waits below the surface…” Finding it is up to you.
Digital Dimensions: Metroid Prime
Genre: First Person Platform
Platform: Nintendo GameCube
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars