We all know that Metroid Prime is good. But is it actually fun to play? In my case, tragically, only kinda? Which is bonkers given everything this game has going for it. It’s beautiful and atmospheric (the remastered graphics are so pretty!), even quite effectively spooky at times. The gameplay replicates the experience of a 2D Metroid in a 3D world without losing a thing in translation, which is impressive even today, so I can only imagine how revolutionary it must have been twenty years ago. Good first-person platforming in a game of this era?! What the heck.
So what’s the deal? Has all the joy been sucked out of this formula for me by Metroidvania oversaturation? That might be part of it tbh. It also dawned on me while I was playing that I really do not enjoy the combat in this game, like, at all. At its best it is just kind of there; at its worst it can be incredibly annoying. And although there is less pew-pew than in other FPS games, it still feels like there’s a lot more of it than there needs to be. Why am I fighting the same dang respawned space pirate for the fifty-eighth time? What sort of satisfaction am I meant to derive from this? It often feels like the combat is only there to slow down and pad out the exploration, which is far more rewarding—or would be, if the combat wasn’t constantly interrupting and turning it into a frustrating chore. Honestly I think I would prefer a version of this game with all enemies except bosses removed, Shadow of the Colossus-style.
Speaking of bosses, I’m stuck on the final one, and after a few attempts, I’m not sure that I actually care enough to try again. Which is sad. Usually, if I sink enough time into a game to make it that far, I’ll keep trying until the bitter end. But in the case of Metroid Prime I had to step back and ask myself if I was really having any fun with it anymore. I’m still mulling that one over.
So what’s the deal? Has all the joy been sucked out of this formula for me by Metroidvania oversaturation? That might be part of it tbh. It also dawned on me while I was playing that I really do not enjoy the combat in this game, like, at all. At its best it is just kind of there; at its worst it can be incredibly annoying. And although there is less pew-pew than in other FPS games, it still feels like there’s a lot more of it than there needs to be. Why am I fighting the same dang respawned space pirate for the fifty-eighth time? What sort of satisfaction am I meant to derive from this? It often feels like the combat is only there to slow down and pad out the exploration, which is far more rewarding—or would be, if the combat wasn’t constantly interrupting and turning it into a frustrating chore. Honestly I think I would prefer a version of this game with all enemies except bosses removed, Shadow of the Colossus-style.
Speaking of bosses, I’m stuck on the final one, and after a few attempts, I’m not sure that I actually care enough to try again. Which is sad. Usually, if I sink enough time into a game to make it that far, I’ll keep trying until the bitter end. But in the case of Metroid Prime I had to step back and ask myself if I was really having any fun with it anymore. I’m still mulling that one over.