Nintendo has developed a reputation for releasing games that seem unfinished. They work, are generally polished, and are enjoyable to play but lack depth.
Given the strength of Metroid Prime, you’d think that out of all the games for Nintendo to push out the door without any extras quickly, it’d be Metroid Prime. But ironically, the opposite is what happened.
HOW CAN YOU NOT BE ROMANTIC ABOUT METROID PRIME?
To be fair, Metroid Prime is a game that continues to stand the test of time. Its crowning achievement upon release was successfully bringing the Metroid series from 2D to 3D.
The best part of playing through the remaster is seeing how it helped shape future FPS titles. This isn’t just a first-person Metroidvania, but arguably the foundation for several key modern classics.
Platforming in a first-person game is a considerable risk, but Metroid Prime not only pulls it off, but it pulled it off twenty years ago. The game is still lapping the competition in this regard.
You can dig into every lore log available or ignore them completely. The game’s experience doesn’t change based on how much you get out of Metroid Prime’s story. Fans of the franchise will enjoy some interconnected moments that have since become iconic.
Whether this is your first or hundredth playthrough of a Metroid game, Samus’ discovery of Metroid being kept in biological tanks still packs an emotional punch.
PRIME GAMEPLAY
If you told me this was a game developed for the modern day, I’d believe you. As a Metroidvania, you’ll spend plenty of time traversing through familiar terrain. For example, you’ll enter a new room and see a locked door.