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Metroid Prime Review

8/11/07 | Michael Loder (Loads)

Finally a good shooter for the Wii, but does this one go beyond what we thought possible?

For all you Metroid fans out, there this is the next step in the Metroid saga. The latest Metroid release since Metroid Prime Hunters on the Nintendo DS, Metroid Prime Corruption has been created for the Nintendo Wii. Making full use of the Wii remote and nunchuk attachment for the Wii, this game really does exploit the Wii’s full capabilities.

The controls are smooth, the graphics sharp. This first person shooter sets the bar for all the other Wii shooters, pushing the Wii to its limits Metroid Prime 3 Corruption takes place six months after Metroid Prime 2, with you, the gamer, once again stepping in to the shoes of bounty hunter Samus Aran. The story starts with you heading off for a meeting with the Galactic Federation to discuss issues with the massing space pirates. This is where you meet another three bounty hunters who will help Samus throughout the game. This meeting is soon interrupted by an attack from the space pirates launching you straight into the action. You are thrown into battle against reasonably easy foes that go down pretty quickly, if you’re used to the manual shooting of games such as Halo and James Bond, the Wii remote makes things a little more interesting. If you’re used to the previous Metroid games this one is in a different league, not so much with the story or the basics of the game but the controller setup and use makes up for it.

You point the Wii remote at the screen and push “A” to fire and “B” to jump. The nunchuk attachment is used to move and lock on, the crosshair is accurate and it follows the direction of your Wii remote smoothly. The game may take some time to get used to, but once you’ve begun playing you will realize what a gem this game really is. The length of the game is questionable as upgrades are given to you reasonably fast. With the full arsenal of weapons and equipment at your disposal, Samus becomes somewhat unstoppable and the added bonus of the P.E.D. (Phazon Enhancement Device) allows Samus to control the Phazon (which gamers will remember from the first two Metroid Prime games), greatly increasing her attack and armor power. Also we are given a new “checkpoint” system that gives us the opportunity to start instantly at designated save points throughout the game, making it flow more smoothly.

The game does not include a multiplayer mode like its predecessor, but this is understandable as Nintendo are still tweaking the Wi-Fi system. Multiplayer online was all this game needed to make it perfect.

The single player campaign should give you a decent 19 hours of game play in which you will have a great time shooting at space pirates and commanding your ship. Making use of all your visors and suit abilities is always fun and exciting and throws in an element of unpredictability. This game involves the Wii remote in more ways than just aiming your weapon - you must also activate switches by pulling the Wii remote towards you then turning it to the left and pushing the Wii remote away again. While you’re doing this, Samus will imitate your actions on screen in order to flip the switch. Also, we are introduced to the grapple beam that is used to move debris and disarm enemies of their shields. It is used by “throwing” the nunchuk forward, then pulling it back in order to rip the shield away. This is another little feature Nintendo have added to make the game even more exciting and interactive.

Combat is fast and exciting with a huge array of enemies that all have different strengths and weaknesses, making things more difficult for the player. Maps are large and filled with hallways with enemies around every turn, therefore you will have to make use of your map in the pause screen to navigate your way around. The cutscenes are interesting, not lasting too long and help the plot unfold, however you must hit the “A” button throughout most of them to see the dialogue, which can be a little annoying.

The graphics are surprisingly good for the Wii considering Nintendo didn’t go High Definition. The game plays, sounds and looks great - a definite must for your Wii collection!

The Final Chapter In the Metroid Prime Series goes out with a bang!

All in All

Sound:

(Good - the atmospheric noises are awesome but the soundtrack leaves a bit to be desired)

Story:

(A good continuation and conclusion to a good game)

Graphics:

(Some of the best the Wii hardware has to offer)

Gameplay:

(Same as previous games with a few additions, the Wii remote makes for great fun)

OVERALL:

(The best shooter the Wii has to offer so far, taking full control of the Wii remote/nunchuk combination)

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