This may kill some of you to hear if you are purists but Metroid Prime Remastered marks my very first Metroid game. I thought long and hard about this before deciding to go through with it and I think I made the right decision. I understand that chronologically Prime is not the first in the series, but for me this was an excellent place to start. I’m also fully aware of the fact that the Prime series plays very differently than the traditional Metroid games but at the same time they don’t. I’m excited to talk about this one.
My First Metroid Game But Not My Last
As with every new franchise that I start, I instantly became a fan of Metroid within seconds of starting Metroid Prime Remastered. Granted, I knew a bit about Metroid before starting this game. As I mentioned earlier I did a bit of research before pulling the trigger on making this my first Metroid game. Not only that but I’m well-versed in metroidvanias and I am definitely aware of the two games that inspired that genre of gaming.
Metroid is easily a history-making franchise spanning over generations of consoles and handhelds and it is amazing to still see the franchise alive and well. Whether you’re playing one of Samus’s games or fighting with her in Super Smash Bros, she has a huge presence in Nintendo’s history. What little a knew about the Metroid franchise came from friends talking about it or little info I picked up from games like Super Smash Bros. Finally experiencing a game in the franchise for myself was life-changing.
I decided that Metroid Prime Remastered was a good starting point for me because it is so different from the mainline Metroid games. I figured that it would be a unique way to being my journey with Samus and I cannot wait to continue that journey. You have heard me talk about this all the time, but the Nintendo Switch has easily become my favorite place to game because it has allowed me to experience so many franchises for the first time. I wouldn’t have that any other way. My gaming experience is going to be different from everyone else’s but that is what makes it so special. It is also why I enjoy sharing my journey here.
From 2D to 3D Flawlessly
Many franchises took their turns going from 2D to 3D. Many were successful but some weren’t. Like Mario though, Metroid pulled this off flawlessly. In my opinion they even managed to do it a little bit better than Mario. They easily could’ve gone the third person route that many franchises did, but it made so much more sense to put the player inside of Samus’s suit. Even without playing another Metroid game, I was so excited when the camera panned around Samus and then jumped into her helmet.
Everything about this game works, from Samus’s movement to everything she unlocks along her journey. To see how the developers translated everything into 3D was my favorite thing about this game. The love and care that went into this game shows in everything on screen. That statement is true for both the original game and the remaster. Seeing how Samus’s Morph Ball ability could help her navigate a 3D space or watching any of her other abilities in action here was an absolute honor.
It isn’t easy to translate a beloved franchise into a something different, but somehow the folks over at Retro Studios really pulled off a miracle here. Even in the first-person perspective and in a 3D space, Metroid Prime feels like a Metroid game. There is plenty of backtracking here and new abilities will give you access to new areas. Each new ability gives you that lovely feeling of accomplishment and you’re instantly filled with excitement to see where this new ability can take you. That is my favorite thing about metroidvania games and it felt so good to finally play the franchise that literally wrote the book on that genre.
Talon IV In All Its Glory
Metroid Prime gives you plenty of enemies to fight. Each new encounter will encourage you to scan them to find out lore and any weaknesses they may have. Scanning is incredibly useful in this game because it can give you insight into the world around you. This goes for enemies as well the the environment. Each enemy fights differently and there are plenty of boss fights to keep you on your toes as well. There’s never a dull moment on Talon IV, that’s for sure.
Each weapon you unlock gives you access to new doors. You can find upgrades for Samus’s suit around Talon IV as well. This will allow you to enter new areas like hot places or underwater sections. Believe me when I tell you that you are always on the move in this game but nothing ever feels boring. There’s always something new to discover. Sometimes those things are right in front of you. Try everything because if a wall looks breakable, it probably is. There are plenty of missile and health upgrades to find so it is always worth the look.
There are save stations around Talon IV that I cannot recommend using enough. Not only do they refill your energy, but they save your progress too. I found myself exploring a lot, forgetting to visit save stations, and losing a lot of progress. There is no autosave function in this game so keep that in mind. I learned very quickly to visit any save station I came across, even if I hadn’t done much. It was an excellent habit to form for this game.
Prepare For The Finale
Metroid Prime Remastered is a great example of a game that never stops teaching you how to play. It isn’t an overbearing kind of teaching though, instead it is more of a trial and error experience. Like most games that do this though, Prime will test your knowledge of itself in every boss fight. Towards the end of the game you’ll have used every bit of Samus’s arsenal to survive Talon IV. Nothing goes to waste in this game and I would recommend making sure you are fully prepared for the final fight.
The game tells its story through its environment so scan everything and soak it all in. Samus never speaks, and this game has a better story than most. It tells its story beautifully and leaves it up to the player how much they want to learn about the lore. Naturally I took in everything I could but it wasn’t required to enjoy the game.
This game was absolute perfection from start to finish. Every second I spent on Talon IV I fell more in love with Samus and the Metroid franchise. The game builds up perfectly to the finale. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and never stopped enjoying myself. This is certainly a game that deserves every bit of praise it has received.
