Metroid Prime Trilogy
I was pretty excited when Metroid Prime trilogy was announced. I’m not even too sure why. Sure they are great games, but I already owned all 3. I guess it’s just that the Wii controls actually suit these games very well, and MP3 really didn’t live up to MP1. So we were going to get a definitive version of Metroid Prime 1! Also there’s tons of bonus features on the disc, and with all 3 games on the disc, this is the best deal since the Orange Box.
Overview:
If you aren’t familiar with Metroid or Metroid Prime I’ll give a brief overview. Metroid was a game series where you played as space bounty hunter Samus, with games for NES, GB, and SNES. When the 64 came out and we jumped into 3d gaming Metroid was shoved to the side. I think that the reason was that Nintendo was no longer pushing its 2d properties and Metroid is a game that doesn’t easily translate to 3d. Better to shelf it than to release a game like Castlevania 64!
With the gamecube Retro Studios took a stab at creating a 3d Metroid and what they did was pretty crazy. They announced Metroid Prime as a Metroid first person shooter. With the amount of exploration and platforming elements used in the Metroid games it was impossible to imagine Metroid like this, but Retro pulled it off. The unique game the put together wasn’t quite an FPS. Gamers immediately started calling it a first person adventure game. All the exploration and platforming elements we loved were there and the combat took a back seat. A lock-on targeting system, the ability to still morph into a ball (which switched the game to 3d), and all the usual Metroid abilities, made the game feel less like a shooter. The Metroid Prime series ran for 3 games. 2 on the gamecube and one for Wii.
The Metroid Prime games still focus on the exploring and finding power-ups that the original series did. A lot of the story is driven through using your scan visor to investigate each area and learn more about what transpired there.
Metroid Prime Trilogy for Wii puts all 3 games on a single disc and unifies the experience between them. This mostly means that all 3 games have the same Wii features that were added for Metroid Prime 3.
Wii Enhancements:
The main new feature is the controls. All games now control with the nunchuck/wiimote combo. Using the Wiimote to aim and the nunchuck to move like an FPS. This control scheme works really nicely with these games, and there are several options you can set to suit your needs. First off is how you turn your character, the game defaults to Standard (or what I call Lost Planet mode) where moving you cursor around the center of the screen aims, and moving it away from the center changes your view point (turns left/right and look up/down). The basic control scheme makes it so that you aim on the majority of the screen and only turn/look by moving your cursor close to the edge of the screen. The advance control scheme basically makes Samus look where you aim.
You can also change how the lock on works. The default lock on mechanic is that locking on zooms your view on, and follows, the target, but you still have free aim to shoot anywhere you’re pointing. You can switch back to the traditional method which automatically shoots at whatever you have targeted. Both ways have there pros and cons.
You can also swap around some of the other buttons on the controls. You can’t use a gamecube controller still, which is a bit of a shame.
My only complaint about the new control scheme is that it’s more annoying to switch weapons and visors. You have to hold a button to bring up a menu and select the visor or weapon you want to equip. It’s just an extra step, and with how much scanning you’ll do during each game it’s quite annoying.
For the Wii version your saved games are tied to your mii profile. So you can track your progress in each game and easily switch between the 3 as you want. The 2-4 player multiplayer mode from Metroid Prime 2 is also still available.
There’s a TON on unlockable bonus items, like music, galleries and bonus game options available. One thing that’s worth pointing out is that you can unlock the Fusion suit for MP1. In the gamecube version you had to link your GBA up to do that.
Also the achievement like system from MP3 is carried across all 3 games. You unlock credits for doing certain things, and can also send vouchers to friends on your friend list to trade for credits as well. You can use these credits to unlock additional features!
Metroid Prime 1:
Metroid Prime features Samus answering a distress call from a pirate frigate where their experiments have led to the death of the frigate crew. Samus chases Ridley from the ship to the nearby planet where she discovers the ruins of an ancient civilization, and of course Metroids.
The back-story for Metroid Prime was pretty involved. There’s a lot there, but it was mostly discovered by scanning landmarks and artifacts throughout the world. The planet was broken up into several zones like the original Metroid games and had the same kind of flow. You searched for weapon and suit power-up trying to advance further into the world.
MP1 is without a doubt the strongest game in the trilogy. While the later games improved on the formula, the initial atmosphere and level design makes this game truly stand out.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes has Samus exploring a new world with yet another ruined civilization. This time however, the world is still in conflict, the defeated Luminoth beg Samus to help defeat their captors, the Ing, and restore balance to the world. Following the secret ending for Metroid Prime 1 (obtained by completing the game with 100%), Samus has a new foe to contend with in this chapter.
The planet of Aether itself is split into two: the light and dark worlds. This is where MP2 really tries to stand out from its predecessor. Instead of just having one world to explore, Samus is constantly moving back and fourth between the two in order to progress. Dark Aether is a mirror of the light work, but with a few annoying features. First off, light generating crystals are the only safe zones. Stepping outside of these means Samus’s energy will begin to drain. This makes it much tougher to explore the dark world until you get the necessary power ups. Also the way to worlds are connected becomes pretty convoluted and requires Samus to do a crazy amount more backtracking then in the first games. It also means it’s very easy to get lost and wander around for long periods of time just trying to get to where you know you have to go next.
While the puzzles introduced by hopping between the two worlds, and the varied environments are interesting additions to the game, the level design just doesn’t hold it. Trying to get from one location to another can feel like a chore, and a major part of the story requires revisiting many old locations which just isn’t fun.
For the most part Metroid Prime 2 is still a great game. It’s retains the fun an excitement of the first game, and contains an even more involved storyline. But it also brings some frustrations along with it.
The other major addition to MP2 was a local split-screen multiplayer mode. This is still available on the trilogy disc and while it’s not a great multiplayer experience it is fun to mess around with when you have some friends over.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruptions
Write up coming soon!
Conclusion:
Metroid Prime Trilogy is a great package of 3 great games with tons of added features. It’s without a doubt worth the cost, but the games themselves just don’t appeal to everyone. If you like FPS games, but wish they were more open world and exploration driven then definitely check this out. If you only love the original Metroid games, but haven’t really tried Prime, give it a shot, it’s not for purists, but Retro Studios really managed to get the feel of the original games across.
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