A masterpiece for the ages.
Metroid Prime may seem like an average first person shooter, wait, I mean first person adventure(seems that's the politically correct way to describe it), but it's not. It's a completely new experience, with a control scheme unlike an FPS, but more towards a free-roaming adventure game. You can't circle-strafe, but you can lock on to enemies and run around them, Zelda-style. Looking around is a case of holding down the R Button and pushing on the analog stick. And it isn't awkward at all. After a few goes, it just feels natural.
Given that the Gamecube has been pretty lacklustre in the audiovisual department before this point, that's the first thing you'll notice about Metroid Prime. From the title screen to the gorgeous environments and finally the staff credits, everything looks drop-dead gorgeous and lavishly designed. The worlds of Tallon IV are huge and intimidating, like the frosty Phendrana Drifts, the serene and lonely overworld, and the maze-like Chozo Ruins. Each and every last room are unique and chock full of secrets. Later in the game, a lot of backtracking is needed to gather important items and powerups, but there's so much to see and do that going back to the same area twice or thrice isn't much of a chore. A ledge you might have not been able to climb will be scalable, and a wall can be blasted apart once you have the correct abilities. And the little graphical touches are impressive. Looking up into the rainy sky, you notice raindrops fall onto your visor. Brave a waterfall and your view will be hindered by vapour. Light up the area and you see your own reflection. It's a testament to how much effort has gone into making this right.
Ah, but looks aren't everything, you say. Thankfully, Metroid Prime delivers stunning gameplay. Each world is distinctive and different, enemies can be challenging at times and the boss battles are intense and usually towering 20 feet above Samus' head (some of these take up to half and hour to finish). There are some times where you'll genuinely feel jittery as you move through each room, not knowing what comes next(save rooms actually make you sigh in relief). Complete your objectives, and you're always generously rewarded with tons of powerups and extras. The weapons are classic, the visor views are innovative and provide new ways to tackle puzzles, and even the Morph Ball areas are well created.
The only (read: minor) complaint I have for Metroid Prime is that the story isn't as well-presented as it should be. From the beginning, you're fighting Space Pirates, then you crash-land on Tallon IV, but from there the story is all presented in vague bits of lore that you have to scan. Half the time you'll be wandering aimlessly not knowing where to go next(until the map screen points it out). Like I said, it's a minor complaint, but still detracts from that perfect feeling.
Overall, it goes without saying. One of the best games for this system, and Gamecube's finest hour.