wow this is fucking amazing but also I think the game kinda peaks in the first act. it definitely blows its load early and while it never gets bad I think it never gets quite as good as those first few hours where you're barely surviving. tho I have to say playing on hard definitely enhanced the experience because it makes every fight do or die and it becomes a game of never letting the enemy attack you because every single enemy hits like a truck now, so you have to use all of your tools. but still it becomes really easy halfway through and the game only gets easier strangely. idk might have to try it on nightmare with survival options.

now for the other positives: the atmosphere is sublime. Arkane really knows how to build tension and it shows plenty. Talos I feels hostile, like something might jump out at any second; you're never fully safe aboard the station. every place also feels lived in, like people actually used it to live there, but death and decay sprayed. it was always a bit sad when I stumbled upon a dead body, especially ones killed by mimics. those never stop being gross to see (in a good way). it really immerses you into the world.

the level design is also fantastic. not only because like I said, Talos I feels like a real place people would use, but also because it's extremely fun to navigate and memorable. I never once in my playthrough got lost while running around the station, it's all extremely intuitive (except in the zero gravity parts, those always mess with my brain), to the point that I recommend turning off objective markers as soon as you can because they ruin the experience otherwise. the levels allow for tons of creative solutions that reward the player for thinking outside the box, which is the mark of any great immersive sim. I always felt smart whenever I circumvented a locked door by climbing over the wall or sliding through a small opening using the mimic power.

speaking of powers, I found a lot more use out of them this time around. mostly for combat, but still. psychoshock especially became invaluable when fighting stronger enemies because it weakens them a ton, to the point that by the end I was barely using the traditional weapons like the pistol or the shotgun (which are also great tools and feel very good to use). if there's anything I'd knock against the game is the lack of enemy and weapon variety. there's like 6 weapons max and 3 or 4 enemy types with different variantf (like wow an electric and a fire variant of a common enemy, how original). they're always fun to fight and provide good challenge, which is why I want to see more! the weapons too, while limited are all very useful in their own right (except the stun gun which I used like twice).
and of course, I'd be remised to mention the greatest tool in the game: the GLOO cannon. this single weapon opens up so many possibilities in the level design by allowing you to create your own shortcuts that it's insane. genuinely the game would be 10 times worse without it. it's also a great and extremely useful combat tool.

I don't have a lot to say about the story. if you've played System Shock, System Shock 2 or Bioshock, then you know more or less what to expect. of course, the game is extremely well written, with the characters being very likable and really feeling alive and you want them to make it out safely. plus there quite a good number of twists in the story to keep you on your toes. the voice actors also do a fantastic job, tho I have to say the lip sync is very hazardous. there's also tons of additional themed about what it means to be human (a classic) and how corporations are evil but also the relationship between the game and the player which really caught me off guard the first time I played it.

there's also a few glitches here and there which I didn't really mind, it's more funny that anything, like that one time I accidentally clipped out of bounds.

overall, game's fantastic. probably the closest we'll ever get to System Shock 3 while never being derivative and always standing out on its own merits.

good games don't age.

that's the statement I want gamers to understand because wow this is actually really fucking good! especially for such an early title in the NES' life span. it has everything you expect from a metroidvania, like the non-linear map structure, the power ups you pick up to boost yourself, the exploration, the sequence breaking, the speedrun potential, it's all here and it holds up surprisingly well for being 38 years old.
it is very fun to explore Zebes while looking at the 8 bit sprites and listening to the 30 seconds chiptune songs. sure it is very cryptic but that's not necessarily a bad thing; Metroid is a game that is meant to be replayed and where you're supposed to take notes and potentially make maps on your own, especially with the overall layout of Zebes being given away in the manual. god this is such a cool game with how rough everything is and yet how you're able to see the foundations for how the Metroid series and all those inspired by it use to this very day, both in terms of lore (the manual calls Samus a cyborg lol) and in terms of gameplay. it's simple but efficient. you really feel Samus growing more and more powerful as you acquire more items until you get the screw attack and varia suit and then you basically become invincible. controlling Samus is very intuitive and fun, even if she is a bit too slippery for my taste.

there are two "problems" that only exist because of technical limitations, which is the lack of backgrounds making every room feel extremely similar, and also I can practically hear the console crying whenever more than 5 things come on screen and how much lag it causes. there's also the lack of save station which s understandable cause many games on the NES didn't have

now with how impressive this game is, there are some choices that make it extremely hostile to play, and especially one egregious flaw: Metroid loves to waste your time. there are so many traps and dead ends that are made to waste your time and force you to do unnecessary backtracking. this isn't "aged game design", this is the level designers purposefully being annoying, and that's what keeps Metroid from being something I'll replay often. the lack of a map, very few landmarks and repetitive rooms doesn't help navigation either.

still, Metroid is a great game that I recommend everyone plays, at the very least for historical values. and who knows, maybe you'll enjoy it too.

Completion rate: 82%

I'm not going to be a contrarian and say "IS METROID PRIME AS GOOD AS EVERYONE SAYS???" because obviously it is. everything people say about this game is true. the atmosphere is absolutely phenomenal, the game is gorgeous, the music is incredible, and exploring Tallon IV is a wonderful experience thanks to the genuis interconnected level design. I wish the game was longer tbh! I could've kept going for hours. my only nitpicks are that the Chozo ghosts you summon halfway through the game get super annoying and that the Omega Pirate is a lame boss fight. otherwise, Metroid Prime is an amazing game that deserves its place among the gaming titans.