Metroid Prime

It's almost like "Myst" in the way you are dropped onto a planet with little to no information about where to go or what to do... Grade-A material from start to finish.

Perfect: from the Latin "perfectus"; entirely without fault or defect (flawless); satisfying all requirements; corresponding to an ideal standard or abstract concept; lacking in no essential detail... Add Metroid Prime to that definition.

Prime is an excellent single-player game that successfully follows the classic Metroid formula while modernizing the graphics, atmosphere, and non-linear style.

One of the best all-around games ever made.

The gameplay mechanics, alien creatures, futuristic weapons and sparse, yet dangerous environments add to the overall experience - giving players one of the most absorbing FPS games ever made.

One of the best console games of the year.

The graphics are stunning, especially some of the effects on your visor. From steam fogging it and forming condensation, to water running off of it, there are a lot of cool visual effects. The morph ball transition is seamless and gorgeous.

Warning! This exclusive sci-fi epic's mind-melting action and puzzles may sizzle your brain. But the tricky controls could put some off.

The kind of game that proves that maturity and creativity can still go hand in hand.

When the only real complaint that can't be debated is the lack of a widescreen option for those with the means, you know you have a real winner.

Metroid Prime's strengths are so overwhelmingly impressive that its minor faults quickly become an afterthought. It's quite simply a remarkable game, and a stunning achievement.

While Metroid Prime engages on no level other than gameplay, that gameplay is so perfectly tuned and refined, so continuously evolving and clever that you'll keep playing and playing, even when you're frustrated, even when you're honestly just a little bored with the back-tracking, and even though you don't care about the character or story.

The visuals are untouchable, the gameplay is tight, and the mood is hauntingly captivating. It is simply mind-blowing on so many different levels. [Jan 2003, p.184]

It's filled with over-the-top battle sequences, spectacular visual effects - and a pretty weak plot. [22 Nov 2002, p.85]

This is not the Metroid you may remember, but this is the best game to come along on any platform in a long time.

There are a million and one awe-inspiring moments saturated with detail waiting to be uncovered in Metroid Prime. Each new area is like an art exhibit.

A great game but it just lacks that killer instinct.

Although some may find the controls to be unfamiliar, once mastered, they work flawlessly.

Looks as good if not better than the most cutting-edge PC games available. It's got a unique, cool as ice visual style and a soundtrack that should be winning awards. Most importantly, the gameplay is so finely tuned and tweaked as to be a sublime experience in and of itself.

From utter blasphemy to unadulterated praise, my time with Metroid Prime stimulated a whirlwind of emotions. [Jan 2003, p.98]

Stunningly-stupendous, amazingly-brilliant.

An absolute masterpiece. It takes gaming to a whole new level, will last you a long time, and is an absolute must for any Nintendo fan, or anyone remotely interested in gaming.

The sense of being Samus is really found in the details. With just the right flash of light or glare against the visor, a thin, hazy reflection of Samus can be seen against the inner glass. It's quite cool... A fantastic, top-notch effort.

While hardcore FPS fans might be a little put off early with the amount of exploring that has to be done, those prepared to put in some serious hours will be constantly enthralled as the puzzles unravel. A visual and sonic masterpiece, MP is destined to go down as one of the best computer games of all time.

A shining example of how a classic videogame series can be vividly reborn. While taking an enormous amount of liberties with the original concept, it manages to zero-in on the spirit of the Metroid series and hit a resounding bull's-eye.

It mixes strategy, platformer, shoot-em-up, puzzler and everything else to deliver to you, the gamer, possibly the best game ever created.

The rare total package of excellent music and sound, awe-inspiring graphics, incredible gameplay, and an epic story, mixed in with an unparalleled atmosphere that draws you into the character and quest like almost no other game...with at least 25 hours of gameplay and great unlockables to boot, you'll be behind the Visor for quite a chunk of time.

It doesn't matter if you've never played a Metroid game before - Prime will kick your ass and unrelentingly own you. [A+; Jan 2003, p.62]

While Prime's graphics lack a little polish and flair and the controls never really become second-nature, the game itself simply rules.

When I first started playing Metroid Prime, I was at a loss for words. The one thing that kept running through my head was "wow."

Despite minor qualms with the controls and the bosses, the game truly is a masterpiece and is one of the best ever in my mind.

Sony should bring out a shockproof casing for the PS2 after this release, 'cause every PS2 owner will want to boot their machine in loathing frustration having seen Metroid on the Cube.

There's only really one flaw in the game - the fact it has to end.

It looks fantastic, it plays fantastic (the best usage of the GameCube controller to date), it sounds fantastic, and darn it, it is just fun to play.

A true gaming masterpiece. It is the type of game that reminds you why it was you first started playing games and manages to keep you both enthralled and amused from start to finish.

Roughly twice as long as any Metroid game to date. The in-game clock doesn't count time spent scanning, looking at the map and replaying areas after dying, which would actually make the game three or four times longer than any Metroid game.

Difficult to categorise but impossible not to love. Metroid Prime is simply a fabulous gaming experience and the best on the Cube. [GamesMaster]

It's not just one of the single most atmospheric games ever created, but it's also quite simply one of the best.

One of the finest games I've ever played. I'm still reeling from how incredible my experience with the game was.

Whether you're negotiating platforms (made simple thanks to a camera that pans down) or involved in the final climatic battle with Metroid Prime, you always feel as if you're at one with the game. And surely that's what gaming's all about, isn't it?

My new favorite game.

Metroid Prime is 100% Metroid. It may not seem like it at first, but believe me, it is.

The best game to hit any system in the past few years. No game has captivated me more or been more fun than Metroid Prime in a very long time.

The kinda game that reminds you why Nintendo really does make them the best.

Rain falling and bouncing off your gun, a blast of steam fogs your visor and leaves condensation on it, a bright flash of light lets you see your own reflection in the visor. These are just a few of the many effects that make Metroid Prime stand out above its peers. I nearly wet myself the first time I fired my weapon rapidly and noticed that heat waves came out of the barrel.

Game of the year on the Gamecube, hands down.

Definitely one of the greatest games of this year, for any console. Its superbly crafted atmosphere, genius level layout, stunning graphics, and overall euphoric game play all add up to one terrific title.

As if they dissected "Super Metroid", added a dimension, and put it back together again with slick graphics. [Feb 2003, p.96]

From the amazingly polished gameplay design to the gorgeous visuals and atmospheric soundtrack, Metroid Prime is unquestionably a must-have masterpiece and a show horse that all forthcoming adventure titles will be judged by.

Everything is perfectly detailed and brought to life, and the design is simply breathtaking. On the elevator rides, you can just look at Samus's Suit in all its glory with awe.

It oozes with so much addictiveness that the storyline plays second fiddle and reminds you of a time when gameplay was an integral part of gaming. Put simply, this is one of the best games I have played in a long, long time. [Grade = A+]

The gaming experience you will have playing Metroid Prime absolutely breathtaking. I find myself finding new ways to praise this game every single day.

The unique gameplay is so wonderfully put together, never had I had so much fun playing a video game. The gorgeous graphics and the awe-inspiring music just add to the experience.

A rare example of a complete game. Most titles lack in one aspect or another, but Prime pulls its weight in just about every part of a game you can imagine.

I have to say that the graphics displayed are the best I have seen on the GameCube, and better than most games I have seen on any platform. The environments are massive with every little detail textured to look realistic.

No, the game isn't perfect, with some minor graphical draw-backs and game-length issues, but it is as close as you can get to a perfect game without being perfect. Overall Metroid Prime is the perfect example of what a game should be. Graphically, sound-wise, gameplay-wise it is just spectacular.

It's incredible how it has stayed so true to its predecessors, yet has made the transition to a new-generation platform so fluidly. [Dec 2002, p.210]

One of the greatest games of all time. Bravo.

Metroid Prime without a doubt has become my favorite game on the GameCube, and thus far my favorite game out of this generation of gaming. My favorite game ever is "Ocarina of Time" and Metroid Prime has come mighty close to being as outstanding as that masterpiece.

The real star here is the Visor. Someone at Retro is a true visionary (no pun intended), as the Visor makes Metroid Prime more than just a 3D Metroid game.

From the very beginning of your adventure, to the final confrontation against Metroid Prime itself, you will be enthralled and enraptured.

Buy this game or you might as well consider yourself a non-video game fan. Congratulations, Retro Studios. You lived up to the task of meeting the master.

Judge this magnificent game on its own merits, allow it to burrow into your sense of wonder like the best games do, and you might just proclaim that you've played one of the best games of the year. [Dec 2002, p.24]

The learning curve is pure genius... A perfect game in almost every way.

Although the game's save-point system is fine in principle, the points themselves are often well hidden, and almost impossible to find without a guide of some sort. This means that players will often end up completely missing one, and having to adventure for some time without banking any of their progress.

Every time you sit down with Metroid Prime the experience is always entirely different thanks to the ever-expanding environment and numerous enhancements that you'll consistently come across.

The first person controls work well for the most part, but we just can't ignore a few control issues that crop up at the worst possible time.

This game is one of the best 2D to 3D translations I've seen from Nintendo, since "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time."