Customer Reviews

Metroid Prime (Player's Choice GameCube)

5 star:		(86)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Metroid Prime is the sort of game into which you have to invest some time to get the full benefit of it's charms.

It's not easy - and despite it's record ratings, it's certainly not for everyone ; casual gamers should look elsewhere as it's not GoldenEye or Halo. It's not a pick-up and play game, and you should expect to struggle through for several hours. You'll come to dead-ends which cannot be traversed (you'll need a power-up!) and so this will involve a fair amount of back-tracking. Gradually though, you'll start to get to grips with what you're actually doing.

Once you do...the game is a masterpiece.

The easiest comparison to Metroid Prime is the Turok games on the N64. Vast spralling levels with various save points, and lots of ugly bugs to kill. But it's a vast improvement to those -overrated- games ; the graphics are crisper, the level layout better and the map system is far supeior.

For a couple of hours, you'll ignore the map. It looks overly complicated, and isn't the usual way you make your way through an FPS. Metroid Prime, however, isn't an FPS and you'll need the map to explain just what the hell you're supposed to be doing. Once you get to grips with it's instructions, the game is a joy.

Qualms about the control system have been raised, and YES, it takes a short while to get used to. Soon, however, you'll be well adept at switching between 4 guns and 4 visors (at the same time!). Straffing is still a minor problem, but it's more or less compensated, and it's doubtful you'll meet an untimely end as a result. The presence of a jump button, meanwhile, adds an extra dimension to the experience.

Metroid Prime is an intelligent, action packed game that deserves to be sampled by the serious gamesplayer. I wouldn't advise renting it - unless it's a for a period of at least week. No, Prime is a game that demands your time and attention.

Once it's got them, it'll rock your world.

Metroid Prime is certainly not your average First-Person Shooter! It is however, an original idea of introducing Interactivity, Exploration and slowly unravelling the Mystery of what events occurred on Tallon IV. Samus Aran is an Interstellar Bounty Hunter, who explores dangerous and unforgiving worlds, armed with her Advanced Chozo Suit. You'll lose track of time as you fall ever-deeper into this encapsulating experience, amongst wonderous landscapes, breathtaking scenery, and peculiar creatures living amongst a planet in near extinction.

First off, you'll have to get used to one of the most intuitive control systems ever created. You have the capability to change viewing modes to Scanner, X-Ray, Thermal, etc, controlled with the D-Pad. As well as change your Armed gun functions being Plasma, Ice, etc with the C-Stick. You'll have to scan your enemies to find their weak spots, then use your initiative to get to them. Samus can even morph into a ball to gain access to secret areas, etc.
It is an experience that will be hard to forget! The World of Tallon IV is magically created with amazing graphics, and the Atmospheric Soundtrack only emphasises this magic.
You'll explore new parts of this troubled planet, uncover new areas and Creatures, and encounter the Space-Pirates who you must protect this planet from.

The Attention to detail, that has been applied to this game, is phenominal. The glimpse of Samus Arans' face as she takes a lift down to the volcanic region of Tallon IV, or the reflective Flash of her face on the visor as a Space-Pirates missile explodes a little too close for comfort.

It is truly a joy to play, and now that its part of the Nintendo Players Choice, you have no excuse not to purchase this Marvel.

It is truly The Pinnacle Of Single Player Gaming

I loved Super Metroid on the old SNES. I love the Metroid Fusion on the GBA. But this one ...

I bought an American Gamecube specially so I can play the imported version of this game. Was it worth it? A most definate yes!

At first I was worried about the transition from 2D platform to First Person. But my fears were soon washes away. If you ever played the old games "Another World", or "Flashback" you know how real the world feels. This is the same feeling I have when I play Metroid Prime. On entering some levels I just stand there (if I'm not been attacked) and look at the visuals.

The combat system is something else. In someways it is a little like the Zelda N64 games where you 'lock on' to an enemy and attack it until either it runs away, or is destroyed. The difference is that as you progress through the game you get more 'Combat Scan' systems, which include heat vision.

Some of the environmental effects are so suttle, like spots of water on your visor, that you don't realise them at first because they are so natural.

The sound track is both gripping and none intrusive. The sound effects are spot on to the actions performed.

The game map is something else. This is by far the best mapping system I have ever seen. You can zoom in, zoom out, rotate, and can step through other sections of the mapped area. You can see very clearly where you are and which way you are facing. Great, and very handy when playing.

If you buy only one game for the Gamecube, then I'd buy this one!

Have fun!

just to say that anyone who gave this game under 5 stars is a complete idiot. Read the other reviews if you want to know about the game, i just wanted to say that the person who gave it 1 star was probably a 4 year old, flaming it because it was 'too hard' . This game is a masterpiece. perfect

I felt I had to write a review jst to state something other than how much I like this game; a LOT of people, including one or two reviewers here, have made comments saying that they were disappointed with 'Metroid Prime' because it's not like games like 'Halo' or 'Quake'; but the point is that it really isn't trying to be.

'Metroid Prime' is NOT a normal first-person shooter; 'Metroid' games have been around since the 1980s, and have never been about just shooting and surviving, there's a lot more to it. Power-ups, new abilities, upgrades and such are vital to success in this game, and it requires much more thought than the everyday shooter. This isn't to say that 'Metriod Prime' doesn't deliver when it comes to the shooting action; to put it bluntly, it's cool, and the action gets pretty frantic. What annoys me is when people go on about how this game isn't like other shoot 'em ups; surely it's nice to have games being produced that do something DIFFERENT to every other shoot 'em up? I highly recommend this game; it delivers in every conceivable way a game should, and, with it being a 'Player's Choice' title now, you're picking up a great game for a good price.

I have owned a PS2 since the day it come out and have enjoyed plenty of games which are exclusive to the console, like devil may cry and red faction (superb by the way) etc etc. But having seen the list of games exclusive to the cube I simply had to buy one just for zelda and as a bonus, Metroid prime.

What a decision, this game alone is worth the money of a cube and two games, this game is a masterpiece!

When I first booted up the game I was in great anticipation as I have heard nothing but praise for this title, so hopes were very high, and golly gosh, weren't my hopes fulfilled and sum' more. The game begins on a derelict ship and is basically a training level but cleverly uses an actual level which coicides with the games story so there is no need for a tedious training session you usually find in other FPS titles. The game throws you in it straight away and you are quickly introduced to the various unique aspects this game uses, such as the scanner and all-in-one gun arm thingy me bob. Which are both executed perfectly, okay you have to scan everything in sight to fill your log book but still adds a new dimension to a usually linear and typical genre of the FPS, and that is exactly what this game is not, a typical FPS, it is much much more, with the use of the metallic morph ball, the game also adds a brain using puzzle element, instead of just hammering the A button and killing everything in sight.

The graphics are possibly the best to date on any console, (maybe with the exception of resident evil). The delightful, little yet very detailed, things retro studios have included make this game extremely polished and add a sense of realism, for example, when you get a blast of steam from a pipe in the face, your visor becomes obscured by the sight of condensation from the water, small things like this make you realise retro studios have spent alot of time adding detail to this game to make it as close to perfect as possible, and, honestly they are a nat's wing away from perfection.

Sound is also a big plus. The music is very atmospheric and works well with the action, instead of using a soundtrack like most shoot em ups, the music changes depending on what you are doing, for example if you encounter a boss the music will suddenly become fast paced and heavy whereas if you pick up an item the music if very light hearted and creates a sense of achievement. There isn't really alot of voice acting as Samus doesn't speak, and being the only human, there is not alot of polite conversation going round as pretty much everything you encounter needs shootin, which, is a good thing.

With every game however, there are always flaws. The major concern would be inability to strafe, which is essential for a FPS. You can sidestep and circulate around an enemy when locked on but it becomes frustrating when turning a blind corner and not knowing what's around it. Another flaw would be the fact that you cannot dodge or move out of the way of attacks very well, when fighting a boss the attacks always hit you no matter how mobile you are, i suppose it adds a sense of realism like the level of health lost when attacked but then again fighting bugs with weapons on an intergalactic planet is slghtly far fetched!

Even with the flaws, you cannot take away the fact that this game is a superb, polished, very detailed example of how games should be made and simply a must buy if you own a gamecube, and if you don't, buy one for this and all the other nintendo exclusives.

I put off buying this at first because, at the time, I was not a big fan of FPS, and in my younger years I had absolutely loved super metroid, so I was unsure of how this would stand up to it. Now, I really, really wish I had given it a go long before. Not only does it stand up to super metroid, which is often revered among retro gamers as one of the best games of all time, but in my opinion, surpasses it.

I love the gameplay style, because it is not a true FPS. It is a first person adventure game. The point of the game is not to go around shooting anything and everything that takes your fancy, as with halo, but to find everything you need in order to restore the planet.

The storyline is that a large meteor, containing a radioactive substance called Phazon, crashed into the planet. It's inhabitants, the Chozo, tried to seal the crater after realizing what the Phazon was doing to the animal and plant life on the planet, and it was even affecting them as well. Some were driven mad and became murderous, or were just killed by the Phazons effects. They called it the poison. There was also a large creature in the impact crater, supposedly born of Phazon, which had been mutated more and more by the Phazon, which they called the worm, but is also known as Metroid Prime.

When you arrive, the planet is basically deserted, it's inhabitants gone, they either left or were wiped out by the Phazon, it's not known which, but the Phazon's energy signature has attracted a dangerous enemy of Samus Aran. The space pirates. They have set up bases on the planet to harvest the Phazon, for their own uses. They also use it to mutate metroids they brought with them, and even experiment on themselves. Possibly the toughest boss in the game is created by these experiments.

You search the planet to recover lost abilities, and also some new ones, scattered around by the Chozo, in the knowledge that one day samus would come, and could use these powerups.Once you have recovered these abilities, and the 12 artifacts needed to unseal the impact crater, you can access Metroid Prime's chamber and face it.

If you are considering buying this, get it. If you are trying to decide whether to get this or Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, get this. The majority of players of both agree that this was the better game. And for those who feel they have finished this game, have done everything that needs to be done, and have basically mastered this game, visit the metroid2002.com forum, in the Metroid Prime section you will find much, much more challenges await you. I know I did. And on the main site you will find some unbelievable things can be done with this game.

I bought this a good couple of years ago, and I've played it time and again, it's one game I can always return to. And in those 2 years of playing, I ahven't mastered this game, not totally. I've achieved many things the creators didn't intend, but not all of the known ones. And I haven't tried the major sport this game creates. Speedrunning. Charging hard and fast to get through this game in record time. The world record I believe is currently held at 1 hour 4 minutes, although I hold great respect for anyone who even tries to speedrun this game.

Many games go into a stage where they are pretty much forgotten. This is one game which will never die. There are just too many gamers devoted to it, even now, over 4 years since it's release. With so much to do, this one game you shouldn't miss out on.

Metroid was a game that i didn't associate with, I played as Samus on the original SSB but that was about it. Then i got the Gamecube, with it i got Double Dash, Pikmin, SSBM, and LotR. I played through most of these and decided i needed a single player game, instantly my contacts recommeded Metroid Prime. So i bought it for only £16, how bad could it be i thought?
I started playing, almost trying to find something wrong so i could say to my friends "Naw i prefer [insert other game here]" but there was nothing, i blamed the controls at first but i gained the grip about 15 minutes after starting and i decided that Metroid prime was indeed the ultimate single player shooting game.
If your shy of shoot-em ups, then still get this. For you can go round admiring every nook and cranny of the world. You can even shoot scenery and see your effect on it (Eg. Birds circling above you? Blow-em up!) The world is an intricate story book which you have been pulled into, and trust me dont even TRY to pull yourself out.

I think all those who like all those shot em ups this is perfect of you.this game lets you see though the eyes of the bounty hunter samus aran.you can chane the weapon and your visor.many different places to visit to the coldest phendrana drifts to the hotest magmoor cavens.
This game doesnt give you a clear veiw of of what it's about but it's good enough with the blasting super missles to the smallist of creaturs.
you need to snan all what you see and collect the missle and energy tanks to complete this game.you will meet silly and bosses for babies and boss you hide under your pillow while battling.
Don't be scared if they forgot it because they hav'nt yes you guessed wright the `morph ball` and as they allways do gave it some upgrades.not only to the morph ball but the weapons and lots more.
If you have played the metriod games and seen and defeted him(it) IT'S BACK! but not till later so don't get any nightmars.if you take my advice and buy the game SCAN EVERYTHING espeicaly the bosses.buy this game. it bloos you off you seat.will you be able to handle it? try for your self

written be tom.garner p.s take this advice

I had a chance recently to play the new Metroid prime game.

Firstly the jump from 2D to 3D is great. The Graphics are fantastic and is something so original.

This is so much more than a normal 3D shot-em-up. The heads up display (or HUD) is based around a helmet. Built into the helmet you have a computer that can scan the environment and tell you about enemies and other areas around the levels.

This is a great new feature for a first person shooter. It not only helps you out throughout the game but also adds something more to the story and you start feeling as if this world really exists. Each enemy has a background and information. It shows how much work has really gone into this game

The control style is so simple to use and even if your not that good at first person shooters you will still enjoy every moment of this game.

The sound and music are also fantastic. All the music and effects are original pieces that help to create an atmosphere within the game.

Looks like Nintendo have another corker on there hands with this one. This is why people need the Gamecube! A must buy for any Metroid and First person shooter fans.