Metroid Prime
[Gamecube]

The Chozo had reverted back to the land and simplicity, which is how Tallon IV had become such a beautiful place. It was suppose to be a technology free home, created from the land and harmless to creatures that lived there. A meteor changed this amazing refuge in to a host to the cancerous element called Phazon. Phazon caused nature to collapse, and mutated what didn't perish. All of the Chozo's attempts at healing the wounded planet failed so they erected a temple to cover the meteor impact site. Leaving artifacts and runes behind them in hope of a savior, the Chozo people left, destined for an unknown place. Samus Aran, in possession of a Chozo created power suit fits the bill pretty well. However, Space Pirates have beat her to the punch.

Metroid Prime tells a great story. It's completely unorthodox in the fact that no story is told unless you seek it out yourself. You can complete the game with no knowledge of what is going on if you wish to do so. I chose to find out 100% of everything, and collect 100% of everything. It's a great way to get the gamer involved, making them read log entries, scanning creatures, and search out artifactual items to learn what happened and why you are there. There are a few cutscenes when certain tasks are completed, new items are collected, or when a bad boy is making an appearance. I consider this great story telling execution at it's peak. Original gameplay elements are hard to come across at this day in age. This is another reason why Prime is a cut above the rest. It's not visible to the naked eye at first glance, but this is a platforming adventure game. It is not a first person shooter. It does have shooter elements though. It just needs to be clear because anyone that comes in with a first person shooter frame of mind is going to be quickly floored by Prime. A few reviewers have labeled this "First Person Platforming," and I don't think it could be summed up any better. You will constantly be switching between visors that can be frustrating at first, but it allows for fast paced, smoother gaming. Another thing you will be switching between is beam guns. Different beams allow for interaction with the environments, affect enemies in various ways, and open doors allowing the gamer to trek on. You will collect better weapons, expansions for these weapons, and new suits with added protection and abilities. One of the most important aspects in Prime is the scan ability. The scan visor is what tells the story which is why you should access it frequently to check for weak structures, tips on how to work the Chozo equipment, items, and anything that may answer your questions. The boss fights and overall scheme of things is balanced out extremely well and will, with out a doubt, force you to use all of your wit to accomplish each task. The only real downfall with the gameplay is the enormous amount of back tracking involved, and no quick way to go about it.

Graphically, Metroid is superior. It's hard to believe but the effects are just unparalleled. Seeing various things affect Samus' visor is one of the neatest things I've ever experienced in a game. Fog, rain, heat...all of them do something to make seeing through her eyes more realistic. Watching Samus morph in to the ball is a neat sight, as is watching her beam gun transform from one gun to another. The environments are alive with vibrant colors and lifeforms. Creatures inhabit every area and take on a new look to adapt to different climates. A lot of them repeat, but it happens in real life too. Creatures adapt and change. All of the bosses are exquisite in appearance, and some of them are mammoth in size. Prime has to be one of the most graphically impressive titles on the market.

There is no talking, so voice acting is not an issue here. Gamers will read dialogue as foreboding tunes play in the background as they wonder what's next, or they will enter a peaceful place and hear a relaxing melody. Sound effects are spot on in their execution. Even toward the end of the game, the sound of Space Pirates freaked me out. Beam guns, switching between equipment, activating switches, opening doors..it's all done to perfection.

The control scheme is one thing that keeps Prime from getting to the mainstream audience. It's because of the first impression. First impressions capture Metroid Prime as a horribly designed shooting game, and that's where everyone is wrong. There is a pretty deep learning curve in the controlling of Samus. The main things to take in to consideration are that the beams are switched on the fly with the C-stick. Likewise, the visors are much the same, except they are assigned to the D-pad. Strafing and locking on to targets is done with the L shoulder button, and is really the only way you can aim with exception of manual aiming which is done by pressing the R shoulder button. The shoulder buttons are your friends. L shoulder being the auto-lock is the only real problem with the controls. A lot of times, Samus wouldn't lock on to the right enemy or object so I was forced to do it myself with the R shoulder. That's why it's there though, and it serves its purpose well. Other actions you will be taking advantage of are the morph ball transformation, bomb jump, and shooting missles. This brings about one final control issue. While switching in and out of morph ball mode is smooth as a waxed baby bottom, controlling the morph ball on the spider rails can sometimes be a pain in the ass. The direction you want to go and the direction you have to press to get there frequently changes. Other than that, the scheme is smooth like butta'.

What it comes down to with Metroid is perception and first impressions. If you can learn and adapt to the unique control scheme and lack of story line that is fed to you, you will enjoy it. It's a solid 15-20 hour game if you collect all the items, and also features a picture gallery, unlockable difficulty settings, and a special ending that shows a certain someone's face; that is...if you can accomplish the task of collecting all the hidden items.

9/10

---Frayed