I hate to repeat myself, but Fromsoft games once again spring to mind in this respect. Every puzzle solved, every boss defeated and every skill learned feels hard-earned and meaningful. It takes a lot of effort, but it’s also very satisfying. On Tallon IV, I can’t turn off my brain and shoot willy-nilly. In a video game landscape full of titles that constantly spoon-feed you, this is another way in which Metroid Prime acts as a breath of fresh air. The 3D mini-map is an important tool for exploring the planet.
As is the case with the cryptic story, you’re mostly on your own when it comes to solving the puzzles. You don’t get any quest markers, quest logs or mini-map entries, nor do you have any companions along the way to tell you the solution to a puzzle before you’ve given it a moment’s thought. Then, when you unlock new abilities, you need to remember to revisit them. You need to take a mental note of suspicious-looking places. Only rarely do you get a direct hint as to where you need to go in order to continue. The game expects you to roam the alien world with your eyes open and your head clear at all times. With the help of a newly unlocked ability, places you feel like you’ve passed through a hundred times suddenly reveal entirely new secrets and shortcuts. The maze-like levels are connected in sometimes surprising ways, with puzzles and hidden content to discover everywhere. The interwoven game sections and various biomes are designed pretty darn cleverly.
Pretty handy: the thermal visor allows me to see enemies in the dark, as well as invisible energy sources on Tallon IV. The game feels incredibly fresh and innovative despite its advanced age – not least on account of its clever design and minimalistic storytelling. Within a matter of minutes, all my concerns and fears vanish into thin air. I start the download, following the progress bar with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. In the end, though, my curiosity wins out. Maybe I should leave my childhood memories of the game undisturbed. What if my nostalgia-tinged memories were pulling the wool over my eyes? What if, by today’s gameplay standards, the classic just wasn’t fun anymore or seemed outdated? Maybe, I thought to myself, I shouldn’t play it after all. However, the last time I played it was about 14 years ago on the Nintendo Wii as part of the Metroid Prime: Trilogy. This Gamecube classic is one of my all-time favourite games. I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive before downloading it. And the best part? Shortly after the presentation, the game was available for download on the Nintendo eShop. In what came as a complete surprise, Nintendo announced a remaster of Metroid Prime during the last Nintendo Directlive broadcast.
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