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Metroid Prime (game)
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Metroid Prime (メトロイドプライム, Metoroido Puraimu) is the first game in the Metroid Prime series, released for the Nintendo GameCube in November 15, 2002. Metroid Prime is the first game in the series in 3D and the first Metroid game released in eight years after Super Metroid. The game was developed by the Nintendo-owned Retro Studios and published by Nintendo. One of the significant new features that the game had, was the use a first-person perspective instead of a side-scroller perspective. Despite the new perspective, the many differences in gameplay that Metroid Prime had to other first-person shooters made Nintendo to officially classify the game as a first-person adventure.
Metroid Prime was first announced on E3 2001. It was later revealed that the game was meant to be played in a first-person perspective instead of a third-person point of view. This news was met with a cold reception from the fans who thought that it was a disgraceful transition to 3D. In addition to that, due to frequent layoffs and corporate reorganization at Retro Studios during development, the game was believed to be a failure throughout gaming related message boards, publications, and magazines. When it was released Metroid Prime was critically acclaimed and became a commercial success, selling over a million copies on American alone. A remake was done for the Wii with updated controls and improved graphics, released in Japan as part of the "New Play Control!" series and in North America and Europe it was released together with the other two games of the Prime Trilogy in the collector´s edition package Metroid Prime Trilogy.
Plot
When Metroid Prime was being localized for a European market, alterations were made to the scan visor logs and other in-game text, substantially altering the plotline. The American Metroid Prime Trilogy version of Prime uses a third set of logs that more closely adheres to the European plot than the original plot. It is not currently known which of the three plot lines the North American Player's Choice or European Trilogy versions of Prime follow.
Retro Studios, the creators of the Prime series, has previously announced that the changes made to the European version of Metroid Prime are unauthorized and incorrect. However, the subsequent release of Trilogy by Retro Studios calls into question whether or not that decision still stands.
North American Version
Samus Aran detects a distress signal from the Space Pirates' frigate Orpheon. She boards the frigate and finds it in disrepair, and largely devoid of life. Data found on computer terminals within the frigate suggest that it had been recently used to research the material Phazon, which the Space Pirates discovered on Tallon IV, the planet the Orpheon was in orbit above. When Samus reaches the ship's Reactor Core, she discovers the most successful biological experiment of the Space Pirates, the Parasite Queen. Samus is forced to battle the creature. Its corpse falls onto the reactor, causing it to become critical. As Samus begins to evacuate the ship she is confronted by Ridley. Ridley causes an explosion that greatly damages Samus's Power Suit, reducing it to basic functionality. Samus quickly returns to her gunship. Ridley flies away to the planet and Samus decides to follow him. The frigate eventually falls to the planet.
Samus discovers that Tallon IV was formerly inhabited by the Chozo. Thanks to the Lore the Chozo left on the ruins and temples of Tallon IV, Samus discovers that the planet had been struck by a meteor many years ago. The meteor, which would later be discovered to be a Leviathan, carried with it a strange substance, known to the Chozo as "The Great Poison". As the poisonous substance brought by the meteor spread over the planet, it caused great damage to the biosphere. At the time of Samus's arrival, it had already caused widespread mutations in the local organisms, and rendered some areas lifeless. Samus also discovers that the Space Pirates estimated that life in Tallon IV would perish in a span of 25 years.
The various carvings scattered around the Chozo Ruins document the Chozo's struggle to destroy the substance emanating from the meteor and return the planet to its original state. The Chozo, who were themselves being eroded by the substance, were unsuccessful in their attempts to right the planet's ecosystem. Eventually, they resolved to seal the meteor and the Impact Crater from which the substance was emanating. The Chozo built a Temple over the crater to contain the Worm and to stop the spread of the substance on the planet. They also sealed its entrance and left twelve artifacts scattered all over the planet that served as keys to break the seal. After this the Chozo left the planet.
After exploring the planet, Samus discovers that the Space Pirates have built a base on Tallon IV, and are experimenting with the "Great Poison" and its effects on Metroids and other local species. The pirates officially named the substance Phazon. After hacking their database on the Phendrana Drifts facility, Samus discovers that the pirates had accidentally entered the Chozo temple from the underground and discovered a strange creature within. The creature killed the miners, but was later captured and subjected to study. It was discovered that the creature was genetically similar to a Metroid, though much more evolved. It was then named Metroid Prime by the pirates. It was also discovered that the creature was immune to the negative effects of Phazon, and that it had also a high appetite for the substance. The creature was kept in a stasis tank, but it eventually was able to escape. In the process it absorbed some of the pirate weaponry to its body and then returned to its lair in the Impact Crater. Samus also discovers the presence of several Chozo Ghosts in the ruins of the ancient civilization. The corruption that the Phazon brought was so immense that it even contaminated the ghosts of the Chozo. Some Pirates were killed by these ghosts, forcing the Pirates to prevent any access to the Chozo Ruins or Temples.
The Space Pirates want to extract all of the planet's Phazon for use as an energy source and in continued biological experiments. They set up various research stations in different regions for the purpose of experimenting with Phazon. Finally, they begin excavations into the planet's surface so as to extract subterranean Phazon. This area became known as the Phazon Mines. It was also home to many biological experiments.
Samus travels over the surface of the planet, searching out the artifacts and recovering the lost functionality of her Power Suit.
Within the Space Pirates' Phazon Mines, Samus discovers that the Space Pirates had been conducting experiments involving subjecting embryos of their own species to Phazon. In a cavern in the lowest level of the mines, Samus discovers the most successful of these experiments, a huge Space Pirate called the Omega Pirate. The Omega Pirate attempts to kill Samus, but is unsuccessful. Despite its ability to heal itself by absorbing raw Phazon from the environment, Samus is able to defeat the Omega Pirate. However, it falls on top of her, deluging her in Phazon. The Phazon corrupts her Power Suit, turning it into the Phazon Suit, which has the ability to resist Phazon radiation. It also allows her to conduct Phazon from an external source to her arm cannon to be used as a weapon.
After collecting all twelve artifacts, Samus travels to the temple the Chozo built, the Artifact Temple hovering above the impact crater. There she uses the artifacts to unseal the crater. However, before she can enter the crater, Ridley, now rebuilt with Pirate Technology as Meta-Ridley, arrives and damages the temple. Samus and Ridley begin to fight. After Samus deals enough damage to Ridley, the Chozo temple reacts, firing a laser directly at Ridley's chest. This knocks him into the abyss below.
With Ridley defeated, Samus enters the impact crater with the help of some Chozo Ghosts that had not been contaminated by Phazon. Here she discovers Metroids and the presence of Orange Phazon, a substance that the scan visor identifies as 86% more mutagenic than normal Phazon.
In a room deep within the impact crater, Samus finally faces the Worm, source of all Phazon in the planet, Metroid Prime. Due to its Phazon exposure, Metroid Prime has become more powerful than anything Samus had yet encountered on Tallon IV. It has the ability to attack with diverse weapons, and is able to shield itself from all of Samus's weapons. However, it is not capable of shielding from all weapons simultaneously, so Samus is able to damage it by switching weapons repeatedly. When Samus has depleted all of its health, Metroid Prime falls to the lowest chamber of the impact crater.
The creature then leaves its exoskeleton and reveals its essence and true form. In this form it becomes completely immune to all of Samus's weapons and also has the ability to cloak itself in the visible, infrared, and x-ray portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The creature also releases Metroids to aid it in battle. This form generates pools of liquid Phazon as waste while attacking. By absorbing the Phazon and firing it out of her Arm Cannon, Samus is able to damage Metroid Prime.
Critically damaged, Metroid Prime collapses into an unstable form. In this form, the creature grabs Samus. As she attempts to escape from its grip, the Phazon Suit is ripped from her body, leaving her to escape in her gravity suit. Metroid Prime loses all cohesion and explodes. Samus is able to escape the explosion. After calling her gunship, she jumps on to it while the temple begins to crumble and fall apart. Watching safely while standing above her ship, Samus takes off her helmet and stares sadly as the temple is destroyed. After this, Samus enters her ship and leaves Tallon IV.
Back on the planet, the pool of Phazon that used to be Metroid Prime merges with the Phazon Suit. A hand begins to emerge out of the pool. On the back of the hand, an eye begins to look around. Dark Samus is born.
European Version
Trilogy Version
Samus's Gunship detects a distress signal from the Space Pirate frigate Orpheon. She boards the frigate to find it in disrepair, and largely devoid of life. Data found on computer terminals within the frigate suggest that it had recently been being used to research the material Phazon, which the Space Pirates discovered on Tallon IV, the planet the Orpheon is in orbit above. Foremost among the topics of research aboard the Orpheon is the effect of Phazon on living organisms. When Samus reaches the ship's Reactor Core, she discovers the most successful biological experiment of the Space Pirates, the Parasite Queen. The Parasite Queen is an animal native to Tallon IV that has been exposed to Phazon, causing it to grow to an atypically large size. It apparently was responsible for the destruction aboard the Orpheon. Due to the threat it poses, Samus destroys the Parasite Queen. Its corpse falls onto the reactor, causing it to become critical. Samus begins to evacuate the ship, but while doing so meets up with Meta-Ridley. He attacks her, damaging her Power Suit and reducing it to basic functionality. Samus quickly escapes back to her gunship, and both she and Ridley escape to Tallon IV. The Orpheon's reactor fails, causing it to crash into the surface of the planet as well.
Samus discovers that Tallon IV was formerly a Chozo civilization. Based on carvings in the ruins of the Chozo city, a cataclysmic meteor strike and the resulting environmental damage wiped out the Chozo living there. The meteor, which would later be discovered to be a Leviathan, brought Phazon to Tallon IV. As the poisonous Phazon brought by the meteor spread over the planet, it caused damage to the biosphere. At the time of Samus's arrival, it had already caused widespread mutations in the local organisms, and rendered some areas lifeless. Samus discovers the space pirates' estimate that in approximately 25 years, no life will remain on Tallon IV.
The various carvings scattered around the Chozo Ruins document the Chozo's struggle to destroy the Phazon emanating from the meteor and return the planet to its original state. The Chozo, who were themselves being eroded by the Phazon, were unsuccessful in their attempts to right the planet's ecosystem. Eventually, they resolved to seal the meteor and Impact Crater from which the Phazon emanates. They left behind a series of twelve artifacts that are capable of breaking the seal, in the hope that someday an individual would arrive and succeed where they failed.
This seal is an inconvenience for the Space Pirates, who want to extract all the planet's Phazon for use as an energy source and in continued biological experiments. With the goal of breaking the seal in mind, they have captured several of the artifacts. They have also set up various research stations in different regions for the purpose of experimenting with Phazon. Finally, they have begun excavations into the planet's surface so as to extract subterranean Phazon.
Samus travels over the surface of the planet, searching out the artifacts and recovering the lost functionality of her Power Suit.
Within the Space Pirates' Phazon Mines, Samus discovers that the Space Pirates have been conducting experiments involving subjecting embryos of their own species to Phazon. In a cavern in the lowest level of the mines, Samus discovers the most successful of these experiments, a huge Space Pirate called the Omega Pirate. The Omega Pirate attempts to kill Samus, but is unsuccessful. Despite its ability to heal itself by absorbing raw Phazon from the environment, Samus is able to defeat the Omega Pirate. However, it falls on top of her, deluging her in Phazon. The Phazon corrupts her Power Suit, turning it into the Phazon Suit, which resists Phazon radiation.
After collecting all 12 artifacts, Samus travels to the Chozo temple hovering above the impact crater. There she uses the artifacts to unseal the crater. However, before she can enter the crater, Meta Ridley arrives and damages the temple. Samus and Ridley begin to fight. After Samus deals enough damage to Ridley, the Chozo temple reacts, firing a laser at Ridley that knocks him into the impact crater. What happens to him is unknown, although he recovers before the events of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
Samus enters the impact crater and discovers a world completely transformed by Phazon. Here there is Orange Phazon, a substance that the scan visor identifies as 86% more mutagenic than normal Phazon. There are also creatures that have been altered so far as to thrive on Phazon living here.
In a room deep within the impact crater, Samus discovers the eponymous Metroid Prime, called the source of Phazon by the scan visor. Due to its Phazon exposure, Metroid Prime has become more powerful than anything Samus has yet encountered on Tallon IV. It has the ability to attack with diverse weapons, and is able to shield itself from all of Samus's weapons. However, it is not capable of shielding from all weapons simultaneously, so Samus is able to damage it by switching weapons repeatedly. When Samus has depleted all of its health, Metroid Prime will escape to the lowest chamber of the impact crater.
Here it metamorphoses into a new form, one that is immune to all of Samus's weapons and is capable of cloaking itself in the visible, infrared, and x-ray portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. This form generates pools of liquid Phazon as waste while attacking. By absorbing this Phazon and firing it out of her Arm Cannon, Samus can damage this final form of Metroid Prime.
When critically damaged, Metroid Prime will collapse into an unstable form with no recognizable features. In this form, it grabs Samus. As she attempts to escape from its grip, the Phazon Suit is ripped from her body, leaving her to escape in the gravity suit. Metroid Prime seems to lose all cohesion and explodes. Outside the crater, Samus watches as the Artifact Temple is destroyed by the instability within the crater. Entering her Gunship, Samus escapes Tallon IV.
Back on the planet, the pool of Phazon that used to be Metroid Prime merges with the Phazon Suit, creating Dark Samus.
Locations
Gameplay
As in previous Metroid games, Prime takes place on an open-ended world connected by elevators. The player has to explore the world in search of various suit upgrades in order to access new areas. Many elements from previous Metroid games were kept such as backtracking, platforming and exploration. New to the series, the player is put in a first-person perspective inside Samus helmet. The HUD, also known as the Combat visor offers basic information to the player, such as the health meter, number of Energy Tanks acquired, Missile count, caution meter, acquired beams and visors. Super Metroid introduced the series to the use of visors. Prime expands the concept to a new level. The scan visor for instance, has a crutial role in the game. With the use of this visor Samus is able to scan the enviroment in search for clues and information. The visor also allows to hack into computer terminals, activate elevators and gives critical information, such as the weaknesses of the different enemies Samus encounters. The player also acquires two more visors, the Thermal visor and the X-Ray visor.
The main focus of the game is exploration. The player must explore the world in search of twelve artifacts in order to access the Impact Crater, look for new suit upgrades and defeat bosses and minibosses, some which will reward the player with an upgrade. In order to offer some clues to the player, the game offers a hint system that gives a clue to the player of where to go next. The game also provides a 3D map of the world which allows the players to plot their course with ease. Many weapons and items from previous Metroid games return to Prime, such as the Morph Ball, Power Beam, Power Bombs, Grappling Hook and others. Some, such as the Screw Attack were not able to be added to the game due to time constraints. Though most of the game is played in a first-person perspective, when entering Morph Ball the perspective switches to a third-person camera. In this form Samus can access various areas that she would normally not be able to enter and has access to Bombs and Power Bombs. In some areas, while using Morph Ball, the perspective changes from 3D to 2D.
The controls, despite the first-person point of view, do not use the dual-analog control scheme found on other shooters. Instead the player controls Samus fully with the left stick and is able to aim manually by pressing the R button and then moving the camera with the left stick. Though in this form, the player cannot move. To make combat possible, Retro Studios implemented a targetting system similar to the one found in the Legend of Zelda series. The player presses the L button to target oponents, and can move around the enemy by pressing the jump button and moving the left stick to the wanted direction. The player is able to switch visors and beams by using the C-stick and the D-pad.
The game offers different kinds of endings, three in total, depending on the number of items the player collects. Obtaining 100% completition in other tasks such as scanning, also unlocks an art gallery bonus accesible via the main menu. As in previous Metroid games, sequence breaking is also possible in the game. Though in the Trilogy version, sequence breaking is no longer possible.
