Overview of Metroid Prime Remastered (Switch)

It’s hard to believe now, but once upon a time the concept of a first-person view Metroid the game seemed incomprehensible. Prior to the release of Metroid Prime in 2002, the franchise was limited to a 2D realm with challenging environments full of secrets and hidden equipment that strengthened your abilities and combat potential as you explored. The idea that Retro Studios, a completely new organization at the time, could not only successfully reinvent the franchise in 3D space, but also Also Implementing a first-person view was frankly absurd. Nevertheless, the team achieved impressive results, creating what remains to this day one of the best GameCube games of all time.

Now, over 23 years later, Metroid Prime has been remastered for the Nintendo Switch, and Retro Studios has proven why it’s consistently ranked as one of the most talented developers in the business (although the studio did get help from a number of other developers for this one). This deafening remastered from top to bottom, and while there are a few minor glitches here and there, we feel confident enough to say that Metroid Prime Remastered is a true masterpiece and an absolute must-have addition to your Switch library.

Right from the start, when you watch Samus’ ship dock with the derelict Space Pirate frigate, it’s clear how much effort and effort went into updating the game’s visuals. The original Metroid Prime certainly wasn’t bad, and we’d say it provided a more than solid foundation to work from, but when compared to each other, the differences are striking. Everything has been changed significantly, from the environment to the enemies and even Samus herself. The essence of the original game remains intact, but it’s pardonable to think that this is a brand new 2023 Switch release and No a remaster of the GameCube title from two decades ago.

The differences extend to small details as well. As you enter the fire tunnels of Magmoore Caverns, you can see Samus’s visor fogging up from condensation, and although this effect is slightly toned down compared to the original, the actual details have been enhanced; you can see every little drop of water in great detail. Not only that, but the rain in Tallon IV’s opening world got its own dose of TLC: here you can make out individual raindrops hitting Samus’s arm cannon in the foreground, and if you aim your cannon up, the raindrops will drip down the metal hull. It’s such a minor thing and the developers could have easily sidestepped it in favor of less dangling fruit, but the effort put into tastefully improving every aspect of the visuals is overwhelming.

Having said that, we have a couple of minor quibbles. First, you may have noticed that one of the original developers expressed dissatisfaction with the way the door visuals were handled in the new version, and we have to agree with that; some of the beautiful details in the original have definitely been lost. This is a minor issue, but returning players will definitely notice.

Also, Phendrana Drifts, one of the most iconic locations in Metroid history, doesn’t have the same visual impact as the original. We were desperate to figure out why this might be, and looking back at the original game, the snowfall effect was actually toned down for the updated version, and it doesn’t look like enough so beautiful, everything is said. However, for most players, these issues won’t be a big problem at all, and newbies obviously won’t even notice.

Moving on to gameplay, the remaster boasts multiple control schemes to suit your individual needs. The default method is a new two-stick layout that’s closer to what a modern FPS game typically looks like (and yes, you Maybe invert y-axis). It actually works wonderfully and is probably the control scheme that most players will choose.

You also have a “classic” layout that replicates the original GameCube controls. We’re not going to lie; if you haven’t played the original consistently over the years, returning to this control method can be difficult. It seems rather outdated compared to the dual joystick method, as you can’t aim while moving. By the way, we tried using the GameCube with a USB adapter, and while it requires a lot of tweaking, you can remap things in the game accordingly (with the exception of the pause menu) for truly OG controls.

Then you have the motion controls, and unfortunately we’re sad to say that they really don’t work as well as they do on the Wii. If you remember, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and the later Metroid Prime Trilogy offered an “advanced” mode for motion control, and this effectively increased the sensitivity of your aiming and movement. Using the Wiimote’s IR pointer felt so natural, and it was the main reason why the Wii version of Metroid Prime felt more defined than the original GameCube, at least in the control department. However, the gyroscope controls here don’t offer the same responsive “advanced” option as they do in the Wii version, meaning that turning feels more routine even as you increase the sensitivity of the on-screen cursor. You also need to reset the pointer here when it gets lost – another downgrade from the Wii’s infrared guidance. Our advice? Stick to the new dual joystick control scheme and you’ll be fine.

However, the true magic of Metroid Prime Remastered lies in the fast-paced gameplay. If you’ve never played the original before, you’re in for a real treat. What Retro Studios did with this game is nothing short of a miracle, taking the essence of the franchise’s 2D roots and embedding it beautifully in a fully 3D environment. As with any great Metroid game, there’s a good dose of throwback as you move through the many unique biomes, and there really isn’t a greater feeling than getting a new ability or power-up and realizing that you can now access a set of new areas that were previously blocked. off.

The high level of care and attention also extends to the game’s fantastic combat. Compared to other games in the early 2000s such as Halo: Combat Development and Timesplitters 2, Metroid Prime eschewed the requirement for precise aiming in favor of an ingenious grab function. By allowing the player to target one enemy at a time, there was a lot more emphasis on movement and evasion, allowing you to move around without losing sight of your target. Add to that the ability to change weapons and visors on the fly, and combat in Metroid Prime Remastered remains exceptional.

The scanning function in the game deserves special mention. In the larger Metroid franchise, this is completely unique to the Prime sub-series and allows Samus to gain vital information about the fauna and flora of the environment. Simply select your scan visor, find scannables with an orange or red icon attached to them, and fill your head with juicy facts. Unlike cutscenes or audio logs, this is a surprisingly unobtrusive feature; if that doesn’t bother you, you can play through the game without bothering beyond the required sections, but for those who want to know anything and everything about the world of Tallon IV, this is a great little mechanic that we sincerely hope to return in Metroid Prime 4 .

Fans of the original game and its Wii counterpart will remember that Retro Studios included a fairly extensive gallery containing beautiful concept art from the game’s development. The Remastered version expands on this greatly, adding a soundtrack gallery and 3D model viewer. As you face more and more enemies in the game, you can jump into the model viewer and see their grotesque features in great detail – a really great thing. As for the concept art itself, the team also generously provided material from the original development of the GameCube game. And from the new remaster in selected galleries, so Prime fans will have something to do.

Conclusion

Metroid Prime Remastered Achieves the Seemingly Impossible: A Masterpiece Has Been Created even better. The minor issues we have with the motion controls and the occasional visual glitches pale in comparison to the improvements that have been made here. The visual enhancements are extensive, right down to the smallest detail, and it all adds up to one of the most beautiful games on the Switch, remastered or not. The new dual-stick control setup works flawlessly for veterans and novices alike, but if you’re itching to get back to the original GameCube controls, there’s an option too. With an expanded gallery to complement everything, Metroid Prime Remastered feels like a new benchmark for how old games can be thoughtfully updated for the modern age.