Spoiler level: High. Expect specific mechanical and story spoilers.

I played version 1.0 of the GameCube version of Metroid Prime, on a Wii, with a widescreen mod. Although I do own the game, I used Nintendont, which may have improved the game’s performance. I achieved 74% completion with most objects scanned and all but one E-tank, judging by the HUD.

The controls are passable. Tank controls may feel like an odd choice, but they are probably the best scheme that the controller could accommodate; dual-stick aiming would have heavily compromised the button mapping, and the controller’s trigger buttons would have worsened the feel of the weapons, as most sport a one-press, one-shot scheme, which keeps combat frantic and direct. The existing controls are also poorly tuned. Cycling between enemies with the lock-on is finicky at best, as is target acquisition. Weapon switch speed, while fine for combat, bogs down traversal, as all doors require the correct beam to open, even after being unlocked once. Samus also turns too slowly, feeling more like Jill Valentine than a bounty hunter.

Metroid Prime’s true zenith lies within its masterful progression and atmosphere. Samus herself demonstrates the widest gulf, granting a taste of power during the prologue before her upgrades are stripped away, then slowly expanding her capabilities until she can dispatch any enemy with ease. The world similarly shifts; initially, Samus encounters only naturalistic enemies and ancient structures, with adventurous music befitting an uninhabited planet. Over time, the Space Pirates and their modern structures eventually begin to reveal themselves, accompanied by a foreboding score. These industrial complexes present the atmospheric highlights of the game: the music pauses, the lights go dark, Samus is in trouble, and it’s up to her to turn the tables. Her actions have a real effect on the world, and eventually, the Space Pirate logs scattered throughout the world reflect this, mentioning them directly and becoming increasingly panicked over time. This holistic approach to progression sells just how much of a cannon Samus becomes: the world fears her very presence.

Combat likewise shines, with enemies that vary greatly in strength and strategy. Samus Aran’s attacks sport great depth - there are four main beams, each with a charge attack and an unlockable combo attack, missiles, and fringe attacks like the Morph Ball Bomb. Most enemies are broadly vulnerable, but certain combinations hold valuable niches; for instance, the Ice Beam and a missile can dispatch stronger enemies quickly, but only if the player develops high accuracy. Deep into the game, however, the exceptionally powerful Plasma Beam obsoletes the other options. Seemingly as a counter to this, enemies vulnerable only to specific beams are introduced, distilling their encounters to a simple weapon selection. Still, the combat remains enjoyable, if a little heavy on enemy spam near the end, treating Samus’ newfound power more as an avenue for catharsis than a game breaker.

Tallon IV’s level design is very intentional. Instead of featuring a vast world filled with grand vistas and cities, it instead mostly sports cramped indoor areas and walled-off outdoor courtyards. This is clearly a level design concession - it keeps the world’s scale in check - but it removes a sense of placeness from the world. The world also features other artificialities, such as a high amount of platforming. Initially, platforms and environmental hazards integrate with the environment, but eventually these are replaced with arbitrary floating platforms spaced just far enough apart to be cumbersome, and Samus’ lack of movement options renders them boring. Despite this, the world remains chock-full of secrets, and many of them are telegraphed well, even if they are not yet obtainable with Samus’ current gear. Overall the level design is quite palatable, keeping the pace reasonable and the brain spinning.

At least, reasonable most of the time. This game has some of the most volatile backtracking I have ever seen in a game.

Metroid Prime features no fast travel system, which is an admirable design goal, but its areas are too linear. For instance, reaching Phendrana Drifts from the Tallon Overworld presents a ten-minute-long trek, consisting largely of walking and extremely basic platforming. Samus is provided with some movement upgrades, but these save little on backtracking at best. The double jump provides decent time saves in earlier areas, but none for later areas which expect it. The Grapple Beam, conversely, is unlocked criminally late into the game, rendering it mostly useless.

Enemy progression also permeates nearly every area of the game, and while I praised it earlier, it can also turn backtracking into a chore. The worst example, Chozo Ghosts, appear throughout the Chozo Ruins later in the game. By this time, Samus is powerful enough to handily defeat them, and yet they constantly grind down the pace of backtracking. Samus also cannot reliably target them without the X-Ray visor, elevating their annoyance until it is acquired.

Additionally, the Chozo Artifacts are gated rather arbitrarily, best illustrated by the Tower of Light. A player may decide to do some early backtracking through the ruins with the knowledge that the artifact is present, reach the tower, and complete the upper section. Despite this, without the Gravity Suit, the player is pointlessly stuffed from actually obtaining the artifact, forced to spend twenty minutes returning later. It is a blatantly arbitrary lock that is unfortunately repeated elsewhere.

This all puts the player in a tough position - he or she can either backtrack early to potentially gain some artifacts and useful upgrades, but likely spend multiple extra boring hours on the game because of this, or instead the player may choose to defer backtracking until the end of the game, completely destroying the pace of the finale. This volatility has the potential to turn backtracking, which usually acts as a respite that relaxes the pace and tension, into a complete pace-breaker.

Lastly, the game suffers from a few minor oversights. While most camera controls can be inverted, the map’s controls cannot be. The map likewise suffers from a combination of transparency and poor shading, which cause frequent depth confusion. Lastly, the visor transparency setting affects both decorative and functional elements, such as the mini map, health and ammo displays, and beam selection. These should have been separate sliders.

Overall, Metroid Prime leaves me conflicted. On one hand, I love the combat, the exploration, the atmosphere, and the sense of mystery presented by the world, but on the other hand, dry backtracking and an overall lack of challenge leave it sitting somewhere short of true greatness. Still, it will easily hold one’s interest enough to see it through.