Yay! I just finished Metroid Prime earlier this evening. It’s an amazing game, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to add it to my all-time favourites list.
The visual design of the world is astonishing, the music is fabulously atmospheric, the puzzles are accessible without being overly simple, and the reward structure is brilliantly judged to keep you playing just that little bit more. The enemies throughout the game become increasingly tough, but the learning curve is tuned to help you get past them before they become frustrating. The bosses are bosses are tough–as they should be–but rarely do you get the impression that they’re impossible. It’s always a case of, “if I just try it one more time, I’m sure I can beat it!”
When I bought our Gamecube back in March, it was Mario Sunshine and Super Monkey Ball 2 that were the compelling reasons to buy it. Well, the Monkeys are up on eBay right now because they’re so damn frustrating, and Mario is coming dangerously close to that same fate. Just like with Super Mario 64, we’ve got to a point where it feels like a chore to have to get the next gold star/shine/silly-ass flying pig to progress to the next stage.
But Metroid Prime? That ought to have been the real reason I bought the ‘Cube. My thumbs still hurt, but it’s the pain of satisfying accomplishment.