This Wii-exclusive game is, as it says, the trilogy of the three Metroid Prime games, condensed into one disk and upgraded controls from the original Gamecube versions to Wiimote controls. This provides a spectacular and massive experience for any gamer, following the adventures of the bounty hunter Samus Aran through an epic adventure against a mysterious parasitic substance known as Phazon. The Space Pirates are the main enemies throughout the game, but many other natural and unnatural enemies provide challenges as well.
This is the first new game I have played for a while now, so I was expecting something special. And, boy, did I get it. Having played for 10 hours, I was less than halfway through the first game. This gives you an inkling of how massive this game is.The graphics are very good for a shooter on the Wii, while also being highly varied, through marshy swamps, fiery caverns, snowy plains, high-tech spacecraft … the list goes on and on. Load times are almost nonexistent, and the music is gripping and absorbing, while being unobtrusive.
The gameplay itself is excellent. Imagine a futuristic version of The Legend Of Zelda, with puzzles on a massive level, requiring you to gain items in one area that unlock secrets and areas across the whole game, and also puzzles on a local level, using visors, beams and the morph ball, all of which I will explain shortly. The controls are very well designed, and can be partially customised.
You start with the power beam, the combat visor and the scan visor. Each beam that you gain has a different power – the power beam is your standard beam, the ice beam uses ice etc. You have to use different beams to unlock doors by shooting at them, and for a more powerful shot you need to find the charge beam, which also draws energy and other power-ups towards you. The combinations of charge beam and missiles that can be unlocked are incredibly potent weapons. The various visors are all necessary for the completion of the games, especially the scan visor. This gives you a detailed chunk of info on any enemy, item, or boss that you come across. To gain 100% in any one game you need to scan everything, and thus get a full logbook of detail. This gives you a veritable treasure trove of information, solving the age-old problem of “I don’t remember what that creature does, how do I defeat aarrgg”. It also provides, when you find certain panels, some background to the planet’s history.
The Morph Ball, an essential tool in your adventure
One of the essential parts of Samus’ adventure is the morph ball. This transforms Samus into a small ball 1m in diameter, with all the pros and cons of being in a ball shape. The morph ball bombs are incredibly handy, allowing you to break through small spaces, and the power bomb later in the game is probably the most powerful weapon, though not always the handiest. There are unique puzzles with the morph ball, using the combination of bomb jumps and other techniques that you can unlock to navigate around small areas in a 2d pinball style.
A new feature of the trilogy is the credits you get throughout the games. These are awarded for certain achievements, such as beating a boss or scanning everything in the game – not an easy task by any means. These allow you to unlock bonus art and other features at the main menu. They are awarded in different types in each game, so you need to play all three games to unlock some features.
So, to sum up a massive, phenomenal game. Amazing. Buy this game if you haven’t got the previous Prime games individually. Or even if you do, still buy it. The vast amount of playtime, gameplay, and sheer enjoyment is well worth it.
