Metroid Prime

The Metroid series; one of video gaming’s oldest and most well received franchises to date. With stellar ratings praising the near perfection of the series, it is a franchise that is hard to ignore. Metroid Prime was a later incarnation of the series, released on the Nintendo GameCube in 2002 by Retro Studios and Nintendo after an 8 year hiatus since the previous Metroid game was released; Super Metroid. The game, as in all other Metroid titles, stars bounty hunter Samus Aran as she explores the remote planet Tallon IV and battles the Space Pirates in a science fiction style. During the 80’s and 90’s, Metroid was something of perfection to the video gaming community, tampering with its successful formula seemed taboo. But that’s just what Metroid Prime was; it brought the game from the limitations of the 2D world to the 3D world in a fashion that looked like a first person shooter. Many fans were outraged at this decision, but upon the release of the game, fans and critics alike met it with universal acclaim. The game centers around Samus discovering the ancient civilizations of the long-disappeared Chozo race and wreaking havoc in the Space Pirate research facilities, all on the mysterious planet of Tallon IV. Samus learns of a poisonous meteor that crashed into the planet years ago, and how its destruction killed off the Chozo race. The Space Pirates soon land on the planet to harness the very energy that destroyed the Chozo, and Samus learns that she must defeat the Space Pirates and destroy the source of the poison to save Tallon IV from complete destruction. The Chozo race embodies one of the most typical science-fiction stereotypes; mysterious, advanced, and enlightened beings that have ascended past mortal limits. These creatures are usually depicted as gods or creators in sci-fi settings, and have no attachments or weaknesses to the world. The Chozo were previously a race of unlimited technology, but they left it behind to achieve inner enlightenment. This race begins to defy typical stereotypes through the act of returning to their mortal forms to save their planet. This action is what ultimately destroys them, as opposed to the stereotype of perfect beings gaining immortality. The music that is heard when exploring the Chozo Ruins is usually dismal and dreary, but other areas are serene and peaceful. I personally enjoy the tracks and think it adds layers to the overall experience of the game. At the time of its release, the graphics and visuals were some of the best displayed in a videogame, and they still hold up to today’s standards. An interesting part of Prime is that the story can be completely ignored, as the background information is read by scanning the environment, which is completely optional for those who prefer game play over story. The general impression of the game is typically one of amazement and awe. The attention to detail coupled with stunning visuals and a fantastic soundtrack allows the player to be completely immersed within the game and its story. The game really epitomizes the essence of exploration and adventure. One of my personally favorite areas of the game, Phendrana Drifts, displays an overload of effects that immerses a gamer in unprecedented ways. The music is some of the best I’ve ever heard in a video game, and everything, from the diverse life forms occupying the landscape to the infinite snowflakes slowly drifting to the ground possesses the best graphics the video gaming industry could offer at the time. The title of the game is Metroid Prime, identifying itself with one of the most renowned series in the history of video games. The developers of the game, Retro Studios and Nintendo, produce many of my