---------------------[Playing on 'Normal Mode']--------------------
Initially I was going to complain about the excessive backtracking to get the Gravity Suit, but I then realized that I ended up taking the long way around through the Space Pirate Laboratory instead of the convenient shortcut behind the South Phendrana Drift transporter. I just didn't notice the unassuming (cope) ice beam locked door, but I managed to snag a missile expansion along the way so not a complete waste of time. Gave me more of an opportunity to use the ice beam which is really fun, and I especially love freezing the flying pirate and shattering them with a missile; good stuff.
After that it was on my way to the Phazon Mines where I missed the Save Station and had to survive up until acquiring the 'Power Bombs' which was a little stressful. This is also where they introduce a slew of new enemy types including the various beam troopers and of course the Elite Pirate(s). I don't really like the troopers and found it a very contrived means of forcing the player to use different weapons, and it made those encounters boring since you had no real freedom in how you approached them. Although the concept of enemies reverse-engineering your tech to use against you is rather cool, I enjoyed how the game even pointed at the absurdity of Samus' morph ball and the countless deaths in attempting to recreate it.
As for the Elite Pirate; honestly quite underwhelming. His bulky but slow, I was able to avoid all of his attacks by just hiding behind cover and firing super missiles until they died. Hopefully the "Omega Pirates" prove to be a stronger foe. The rest of the Phazon Mines was fun though, lots of small puzzles between the action. You also obtain the grapple beam here and while admittedly I'm not sure of an alternative; having it be set on the same button as 'Lock-On' caused me to fall a couple times because it would prioritise the enemy across from me as oppose to my only means of not falling into lava.
I got turned around a few times by the games 'navigator' as well. I'd get an item and then assume: "OK, so now I should be able to progress" then get told to backtrack to get another item: "OK! Now I can progress" then return only then to be told to go over to Magmoor Caverns to receive the next item. The method of guiding the player via a map instruction is already somewhat frustrating but when that instruction is delayed it just becomes so much worse. The map is designed in a way that you can make shortcuts from the current objective to the next but if you decide to venture off that path it's really easy to lose sight of where you're supposed to go.
Keeping up with my negative streak; these chozo ghosts are really annoying. Thankfully you can just ignore them (most of the time) but the enemy respawns are overtuned.
