Gamer's Perspective

Back in the day, when men dominated the role of the videogame hero, there was one woman who defied convention and showed the men that women were able to lay the smack down. That woman's name was Samus Aran.

From her exploits on the NES in the original Metroid, to the Gameboy in The Return of Samus and her incredible stint on the SNES in Super Metroid, Samus has been the bain of the Space Pirates existence for almost 20 years. With all of this video game history behind the Metroid series it was quite easy to understand my concern when Retro Studios (a Texas based game studio for God's sake!) was given the reigns to one of my most beloved game series. Those fears were, thankfully, completely unfounded though as Metroid Prime emerges to be one on the best games of this, and arguably any generation.

What grips you as you land on Tallon IV after a brief intro/tutorial mode is the intense musical score. The music of Metroid Prime draws you in like few other games have, as each section of Tallon IV is vastly different, so too is the music. This provides an original experience every time a new section of Tallon IV is accessed.

Combined with the incredible aura that the music provides, Metroid Prime's Graphics shows that the Gamecube has a lot to offer under its hood. From the wet, tropical organic landing site,to the frozen wastelands of the Phendrana Shore, to the searing heat of the Magmoor Caverns Tallon IV is an eerily beautiful backdrop. Enemies are interestingly designed, both artistically and intelligently and fluid in their movements. Not only are characters movements fluid but the game rarely, if ever, dips below 60fps, drawing one into the action completely.

While musically and graphically Metroid Prime shines, all the atmosphere in the world won't help a game with mediocre gameplay. Mediocre though, is not an adjective I would use to describe Metroid Prime's gameplay. The Metroid series has been built around exploration and intense boss battles. These two elements worried many gamers when the first screens arose showing the world of Tallon IV through Samus' visor via the first person perspective. Exploring the world of Tallon IV through Samus' visor is a treat. Not only are items cleverly hidden but many items require quite a bit of intellect and skill to obtain, once they are discovered. Coupled with the fact that there are so many items to discover and the exploration part of the game alone is enough to provide hours of quality gaming. Even though the exploration aspect is so good it doesn't mean the combat was passed over. Weapons systems are easily accessible and the button layout, while a little challenging to get the hang of at first, is easily mastered ensuring that one can draw the appropriate weapon at the right time. This is vital due to the amazing boss battles that ensue, sometimes without warning. (I implore you to save often.) While these battles can be difficult at times, at no point do you feel overwhelmed. These battles are so engaging and well designed that you continue to try again and again until victory is achieved.

This review wouldn't be complete if the connectivity with Metroid Fusion was not addressed. To prevent any spoiling of this I will leave it by saying it is well worth picking up a copy of Metroid Fusion and the System Link cable as it is one of the best connectivity features yet in a Nintendo title, not to mention that Metroid Fusion is a great game in its own right.

Metroid Prime is a game that no Gamecube owner should miss. If you are not a Gamecube owner it is the type of game that should make you one. Don't hesitate, run, don't walk, to your local game store, throw down some coin and enjoy a superb gaming experience.

My Final Score is a 9.3

Jeremy Mravlja Gamer's Perspective