| Difficulty- This game is quite a challenge. The puzzles are clever and the enemies are tough. As you proceed through the game the enemies become noticeably harder, but fortunately you unlock new abilities, items, suits etc. to stem the tide. The boss fights aren't easy, and many enemies can give you a run for your money (namely the Space Pirates). After you beat the game for the first time you can play through again on the hard setting. Hard? I thought the first time through was hard enough. Old school, hardcore gamers will appreciate this one. Intelligence- The A.I. in this game is superb. Enemies know where your at and react appropriately. They take cover, duck, jump out to shoot at you and then take cover again. Creatures pop out of the ground when they sense you are near, and airborne foes swoop in to try and take a chunk out of your suit. I was impressed with the tenacity of some enemies. Gameplay- Metroid's controls are intuitive and rather quick to learn. The joystick controls your movement throughout the world, the pad lets you swap between your four visors, and the C-Stick toggles between your four different beam weapons. You jump with B and shoot with A. The L trigger locks onto enemies while R lets you aim manually. Z brings up your map. The Y button fires missiles and X transforms you into Morph Ball mode. Once in this you can lay bombs with A, speedburst with B, lay power bombs with Y, or transform back with X. Maybe it sounds complicated here, but it really isn't. Sound Effects- Great, just like everything else in the game. The pang of footsteps on metal grating, enemy cries, and the hot bolts of your blaster being fired off really bring this game to life. It feels like a living, breathing world. Get surround sound and it's even better. Hats off to Retro Studios Music- Good, sci-fi music, pretty cool and it usually doesn't get old. Nice and technical, it fits the game perfectly. Not much else to say about that. Interface- Metroid's interface is quite simple. The start menu is very simple and good looking. No confusion whatsoever. In game interface is all displayed on your HUD. How many energy tanks are currently full, missile ammo, visor selection, beam selection, and bomb levels are all displayed along with the current danger level right there on your visor. The 3D maps are a little confusing after being used to 2D maps, but once you get the hang of it it's easy to find your way around. Multiplayer- Metroid Prime does not support a multiplayer mode. Overall- Metroid Prime is a great example of what gaming should be. It's fun and challenging, and it has some of the best graphics, music, and overall atmosphere ever. Plus, if you really dig around and scan everything there's a great story to it all. Probably one of the best games ever, and my vote for the best console game of 2002. |
| 10 out of 10 |