Metroid Prime truly is remarkable, it will go down as a legacy in gaming history.
Taking a game series that was always in 2D form and making it 3D is no easy task. But, Retro succesfully completed the task, and created a game that will go down as a legacy in gaming history. Metroid Prime is a game of it's own genre, it may have a first-person view and involves shooting, but that does not necessarily mean that it is an FPS. Metroid Prime is more of a first-person action game, as exploration is also a major part of Metroid Prime. There are many key differences from an FPS in Metroid Prime, but the major differences in Metroid Prime that make it a first-person action game are the aiming system and lock-on feature. Samus, the main character, wears an armor suit, therefore, it would be difficult to aim. So, to aim up or down, you must stop, hold down the R button, and aim in whatever direction you wish to aim. Samus also has the ability to lock her aim on to enemies by looking at them, and holding the L button. It may not sound like it would make much of a difference, but it does. It is a very innovative system, but may cause some people to dislike Metroid Prime, but people who do like the system will most likely love it. It seems as if Metroid Prime may be what you may call "a love it or hate it" game. As for me, I love it.
Overall, the gameplay is somewhat of a 50 - 50 split of action and exploration. It is a pretty even split, so you won't ever really get bored of the action, because you will also be doing a lot of exploring. The action is, if you understand me, "simple, yet very in-depth". You have the standard shooting, and you only have two different forms of fire: standard shot, or charged shot. Along with using the lock-on feature, you will probably strafe around enemies while shooting most of the time. Once again, it may sound like a simple concept, but it makes for some fast and fun gameplay. Other than shooting, you also have the ability to morph into a ball (hence the name Morph Ball) and roll around the vast world. You occasionally get some action with the Morph Ball, as you have the ability to lay bombs as a mean of attack. Simply put, there is a large variety of ways to attack, but no matter what form of attack you use, you will have fun.
However, one of the best parts of Metroid Prime is the exploration. Trust me, there is a lot of it. You will find yourself constantly searching the massive planet of Tallon IV, searching for the next path to continue on your journey. These areas are huge, and have some breath-taking sights to see. A large variety of different types of areas only make the exploration better, as in one moment, you may find yourself crossing a giant volcanic tunnel, and the next, you may find yourself in an icy world only inhabited by vicious predators. However, you may find yourself getting lost a lot, and struggling to find a path. This also leads to something that some gamers may or may not like: backtracking. It involves a lot of exploration, but at the same time, it involves a lot of what some gamers consider "a waste of time". It can be tiring going ALL the way across one area, only to find out that afterwords, you have to go ALL the way back. It's a shame how boring this can be, but it's something we have to live through, and besides, backtracking has been an almost trademark feature of the Metroid series. It's just something that has to be forgiven, after all, it's about the only thing to complain about when talking about Metroid Prime, now isn't it?
With a perfect mix of action and exploration, Metroid Prime will also immerse you into it's giant landscape and mysterious history. To be honest, it will immerse you more than almost every other game in the video game market. One of the reasons being that it has such an excellent backstory, and that you are completely solitary in such a vast world, left to find out what secrets the ancient lands may have. The story unfolds to you because of the lore left behind by the ancient species, the Chozo. The lore tells about a story, a story of epic struggles, and the efforts of the Chozo used to banish an evil substance that ravages their home. All of these ancient tales of struggles, prophecies, and suffering will hook your curiousity, you may search the land just to find more of these ancient tales and stories. All the stories are also intertwined with the main story, which all lead to an unexpected ending. The backstory also fits Metroid Prime's sci-fi theme quite well, and it will appeal to a lot of people. Metroid Prime is just that immersive, once you get even slightly intrested in the story, you will want to learn more.
Even up to this day, Metroid Prime is still considered very strong in all categories, and it is only an even more immersive game due to it's stellar visuals. While the graphics are incredible, the plentiful small details make the biggest difference. These details can be found anywhere, and can range from little droplets running down your visor upon exiting a pool of water, or looking into a bright light, resulting in your entire visor turning white, forcing Samus to shield her eyes. And don't forget the Morph Ball. The Morph Ball moves so smoothly, so gracefully and swift, you may wonder if you're eyes are decieving you. Not to say the technical graphics are bad, they are excellent. Enemies have a lot of features, such as talons, spikes, extra eyes, etc. Creatures are also very diverse, whether it be the small turtle-like creature called a geemer, or the giant animated rock creature called Thardus, no two creatures look much like each other. Animations are also incredible. With great animations like the flying pirates blasting full speed into the air, sending smoke in all directions, it's no wonder why Metroid Prime looks so good. So, next time you play Metroid Prime, stop, look around, and appreciate how much effort was put into making the stellar visuals found in this game.
To wrap it up, Metroid Prime delivers epic orchestral pieces that sound just plain awesome. While many new pieces of music can be found, Retro also included some classic tracks you may remember from previous Metroid games, such as the music played in the fiery Magmoor Caverns, which was originally played in Super Metroid. The music sounds just as it should. If it's supposed to sound epic, it sounds epic. If it's supposed to sound dark, it sounds dark. It it's supposed to sound creepy, it sounds creepy. You get the idea. Sound effects also fit the dark sci-fi theme of Metroid Prime. The eerie noises of the space pirates may send chills down your spine, or the shriek of pain that comes from enemies as you eliminate them sound very strong and realistic. While the sound is not Metroid Prime's strongest point, it definitely deserves to be noted.
Very few times a game as good as Metroid Prime is created. It is impossible for a game to be flawless, but Metroid Prime comes close. With an immersive story, stellar visuals, excellent gameplay, and epic orchestral pieces, Metroid Prime is as close to perfect as a game can seemingly be. Most of all, Metroid Prime does innovate a lot, but it stays true to it's roots. It is very easy to tell this is a Metroid game, with many qualities found in all Metroid games. The exploration, the backtracking, the shooting, everything is there, only in 3D form. Any game that does all this deserves to be a legacy on its own. Let it be heard, Metroid Prime will go down as a legacy in the history of gaming. Farewell.