Feburary N-E Game Club: Metroid Prime

[Glen-i]

@Dcubed tasked me with making this thread.

Metroid Prime is a first-person action adventure game that first released on the Gamecube in 2003. A somewhat controversial (at the time) game in that it plays almost nothing like the 4 2D side-scrolling Metroid games that came before it. Instead, we have a slower paced game from the viewpoint of Samus Aran herself.

Speaking of Samus, this game takes place after the first Metroid game. Samus has beaten the Space Pirates and destroyed Mother Brain. But most importantly, she blew up Planet Zebes! Which is all that matters.
Samus has received a distress signal from a Space Pirate Frigate called Orpheon. Seeing an opportunity to blow up more essential Space Pirate stuff with no consequence, she immediately goes in, only to find that something has already done all that. Naturally, that's no fun, but Samus decides to mop up anyway. Good thing too, because she stumbles upon Ridley, except he's all cybernetic and stuff. Not one to leave things half dead, Samus chases Ridley to nearby planet Tallon IV, but loses him when she reaches the surface.

So Samus has to find Ridley, blow him up and maybe just blow up Tallon IV to make sure he's really not there. That will teach that planet for existing!

Metroid Prime retains the traditional exploration tropes that the Metroid series is known for. There's all sorts of items to find on Tallon IV which will help you on your quest to blow Tallon IV up. As well as stuff to nick, the world is littered with lots of information to scan, such as enemy weaknesses and background on what happened on Tallon IV before Samus started stamping around.

Feburary's Game Club game of choice is a game that took a massive chance with one of Nintendo's long running franchises and nailed it. Metroid Prime is a game that was unlike anything we had seen from Nintendo and cemented Retro Studios as a quality asset to Ninty. You are free to play either the original Gamecube version or the motion-enhanced version you can find in the Metroid Prime Trilogy collection. The Metroid Prime Trilogy version contains motion controls, the Spring Ball ability from Metroid Prime 3, an extra difficulty mode, faster loading times and widescreen support.

So get to it, guys. Show that planet who's boss! And don't forget to take a picture of the end results screen!

Metroid Prime is available on: Gamecube
Metroid Prime Trilogy is available on: Wii, WiiU

Edited February 9, 2019 by Glen-i

[Aperson]

Dang, this is tempting. Metroid Prime is one of my all time favourite games.

 

I have an ongoing file on the Trilogy version so I might boot that up and play it alongside Nier.

[Aperson]

OK, so I've booted up Metroid Prime Trilogy on Wii U, I intended to play the Trilogy at some point as part of my ongoing quest to clear my Backloggery though quite why I bought the Trilogy when I own the originals (well, not 3 technically but it's my brother's) I have no idea, I guess the price was very tempting.

 

I booted up the game and tried to get a bearing for what I was going for. I don't think I've ever got 100% scans in Prime so, that is my main mission this time around. My finishing time will probably be terrible but I'm happy enough with completing the logbook.

 

It's kind of hard not to compare the Prime series to Dark Souls especially the first one because I think fundementally they share many things. Dark Souls is known aside from it's difficulty for it's extremely well designed world map that interlinks with each area and the minimalistic story that set's things up and then leaves you to figure out what happened. I think Metroid Prime was doing those sort of things about 9 years in advance of Dark Souls which shows how ahead of it's time this game was.

 

I found myself in Chozo Ruins when I booted up, quickly checking powerups it looks like the last major upgrade I got was the Gravity Suit, and that meant one of the best sections of this game was coming up next.

 

The game gives you a tutorial level right at the beginning which is seemingly separate for the rest of the map but I love how as the game unfolds you go through that exact same map but underwater. And you get an amazing song with it too 

 

I like that they have this in here. After you beat Thardus the ultimate objective of where to go isnt' entirely obvious, you know there must be at least one more major area but there is no obvious route to it immediately and the only unexplored area you know of is Chozo Ruins. If you go back there and get the Ice Beam it takes you back out to an area of Tallon Overworld you may not have visited but blocks you off and I think they linked the lifts in this way so that you can get an idea of where you are supposed to go next and how one section of Tallon Overworld is way apart from the rest. You backtrack to Phendrana Drifts and discover that from Thardus' room there's a whole new area to explore and that the DRIFTS are even bigger than you thought and claim the Gravity Suit which allows you to properly access a door from where you came before. And then they turn this area that was previously associated with an action packed start to a more somber one and make the original map a larger part of Tallon Overworld. How often do you see a game pull something like that?

 

Then you get to the end and it turns that going through that is the way to progress as it finally opens up the route to the Phazon Mines which all things considered is probably the most hidden area in the game. So that's where I'm up to now. I know the game get's extremely tricky when you get into Phazon Mines. Once you save it's one long treck through two floors until you get the Power Bombs at which point they finally let you save your progress. When I played this game on Hard on the Gamecube it took me ages to get through this section.

[Glen-i]

I'm gonna be booting up my WiiU copy later today.

If I'm remembering right, I've already finished 1 on that, so I'm gonna attempt a Hypermode run this time.

[drahkon]

3 hours ago, Glen-i said:

Hypermode run

What constitutes a Hypermode run? (did I use that verb correctly? I never used it before )

Edited February 11, 2019 by drahkon

[S.C.G]

Last night, I decided that I would at least try the Wii version via Metroid Prime Trilogy, which I still maintain as being a good way to experience the game but alas...

I just couldn't get past the opening section, not for the games difficulty as I've finished the game many times over, although notably only once on the Wii version.

Nope, it was because of the controls... as great as they were back then, either my setup isn't right for it or I just don't get on with them any more.

It is a shame too because visually the game looks fantastic over RGB Scart, with full Widescreen support and decent enough sound, albeit a bit quiet.

At least I tried. (also I had to excavate my copy of the game as all my Wii games are on the "back shelf" behind all my GameBoy and 3DS games)

Tonight though, I will do what I originally intended and play my original copy on my original GameCube with my (not so) original HDMI adapter and new GC Controller.

We'll see how far I get this time and I bet I'll be in Phendrana Drifts before I know it.

Also, at least I'll get to hear the proper intro music for Metroid Prime again, that always annoyed me with Metroid Prime Trilogy, just right into the game, no original menus.

When they release it on the Switch, I hope it's a definitive collection with ALL versions including GameCube for Prime and Echoes and an upgraded version of Corruption.

Just imagine, they can have all the games in HD, with or without Widescreen and the option of whatever controller you want to use, GC, Pro or Joy Cons.

If they fumble the execution on it in any way, I get the feeling that I'll still be returning to my trusty GameCube version.

Anyway, I start again properly tonight with any luck on either Normal or Hard mode depending on my save file situation...

I've beaten it on Hard Mode before, 100% in 12 hours so I have nothing to prove. (unless I try to beat that time)

[Glen-i]

17 hours ago, S.C.G said:

Last night, I decided that I would at least try the Wii version via Metroid Prime Trilogy, which I still maintain as being a good way to experience the game but alas...

I just couldn't get past the opening section, not for the games difficulty as I've finished the game many times over, although notably only once on the Wii version.

Nope, it was because of the controls... as great as they were back then, either my setup isn't right for it or I just don't get on with them any more.

Did you have "Lock-On Free Aim" on?

Just in case you (or anyone else) don't know, it's basically an option that allows you to freely aim anywhere while locked on to an enemy. I believe it's on by default.

Metroid Prime 3 is built around it, so it works fine there, but the first two games are not designed for that, which can make things feel awkward.

With it off, the Lock-On works similarly to the original game, keeping your reticle on an enemy at all times.

Anyone who finds they keep missing even when locked on should check to see if that's the reason.

21 hours ago, drahkon said:

What constitutes a Hypermode run? (did I use that verb correctly? I never used it before )

Yes, you did use it correctly, but sorry, I wasn't planning on doing a silly restriction kind of run. Hypermode is literally the name of the new hardest difficulty in the Metroid Prime Trilogy version. You unlock it by finishing the game.

Mind you, I decided against it in the end because I forgot Trilogy keeps track of what difficulties you've finished. So I went with Veteran (Hard Difficulty) instead.

I just got the Wave Beam last night. If I remember right, I'm about to properly encounter those pesky Space Pirates. 4 Energy Tanks, 75 missiles and 2 Chozo Artifacts. Thankfully, Trilogy remembers what scans you did on your first playthrough, so I've already got 100% scans.

That scene when you first get to Phendrana Drifts is still great. All that possibility! Until you realise you can only get to 2 doors, and one of those is a save room. But that's part of the fun!

BTW, neat trick I remembered. I don't know if this works on the Gamecube version, but if you have the Power Beam active, you can rapid fire Missiles by firing a Missile, quickly pressing A to close the arm cannon and then immediately pressing the Missile button again.

Made mincemeat out of the Sheegoth with that.

[Dcubed]

@S.C.G.  Have you checked to make sure that you don’t have sunlight interfering with the Wii Remote pointer?

 

Remember that it works by IR light, so sunlight will drive the Wii Remote pointer mad!

 

As for the sound? Yeah, the Metroid Prime games are just pretty quiet in general; the GCN version was exactly the same in that regard.

[bob]

[mention=521]S.C.G[/mention].  Have you checked to make sure that you don’t have sunlight interfering with the Wii Remote pointer?
 
Remember that it works by IR light, so sunlight will drive the Wii Remote pointer mad!
 
As for the sound? Yeah, the Metroid Prime games are just pretty quiet in general; the GCN version was exactly the same in that regard.

Sunlight? Which hemisphere are you in?

[Aperson]

To be honest, I'm having similar issues with readjusting to the pointer controls. These felt natural over 10 years ago but since become a multi-format gamer and using various forms of traditional controllers ever since it's surprising how hard it actually is to readjust to actually using motion controls in a video game. This is coming from someone who played Mario Odyssey in handheld mode with both Joycon on the console. So I took Glen's advice and turned Lock on Free Aim off especially since I'm about to do one of the hardest parts of the game.

 

Anyway, just entered Phazon Mines. My memory told me that there is something I need to up to the top of the entrance hub room so I went to the top there only to find the thing rotates with an electrical pulse. The Wave Beam came to mind but I don't think that's what the game is after and I might need the Grapple Beam in order to get that route.

 

So, now it's onto the Run of Death(TM). If you don't know what I'm talking about, you have to get from the first Save Point in Phazon Mines, through a giant horde of Space Pirates and TWO whole floors of Space Pirates before finally getting to the maze that unlocks the Power Bomb. It is a really long stretch without saving and that's disregarding all the scanning you have to do if you want 100% for the logbook. For me, it is by far the hardest segment of gameplay in Metroid Prime and across multiple playthroughs it is such a relief to finish that part.

[Glen-i]

7 hours ago, GenericAperson said:

Anyway, just entered Phazon Mines. My memory told me that there is something I need to up to the top of the entrance hub room so I went to the top there only to find the thing rotates with an electrical pulse. The Wave Beam came to mind but I don't think that's what the game is after and I might need the Grapple Beam in order to get that route.

 

So, now it's onto the Run of Death(TM). If you don't know what I'm talking about, you have to get from the first Save Point in Phazon Mines, through a giant horde of Space Pirates and TWO whole floors of Space Pirates before finally getting to the maze that unlocks the Power Bomb. It is a really long stretch without saving and that's disregarding all the scanning you have to do if you want 100% for the logbook. For me, it is by far the hardest segment of gameplay in Metroid Prime and across multiple playthroughs it is such a relief to finish that part.

Should have gone with your gut. Wave Beam is what you need. (It's only for a Missile Expansion, so no need to rush to get it if you went past.) Thermal Visor reveals where you need to shoot.

I just did the Run of Death myself last night. (And got the X-Ray Visor and Grapple Beam afterwards) I agree with you, it's easily the hardest part in Prime 1. You're not quite at the point where you're powerful enough to steamroll most enemies, so it's quite nerve wracking. Every box with goodies in it is precious!

Now I've got 10 Energy Tanks, 145 Missiles, 5 Power Bombs, the Wavebuster and 6 artifacts. Might be able to blow up the planet tonight, if I can ever figure out where to use the Grapple Beam...

[S.C.G]

Well, last night after hooking up my GameCube via Component cable, plus Stereo Composite for audio, copying my old save across to a new card, deleting the first save file and connecting my new GameCube controller, putting the disc in after cleaning some light spots on the otherwise flawless disc of my launch copy and adjusting AV settings after sitting at the title screen for ages... after that it was time to play Metroid Prime once again!

So I started off on Hard Mode and died three times after beating the boss of the introductory section.

But after that I made it to Tallon IV and it turns out that my last 100% Hard Mode run in 2003 was just over ten hours, which isn't bad for getting everything and scanning everything, even non-essential stuff, so I'm still pretty pleased with that... but it does make me wonder if I could maybe try for 8 or 9 hours while still getting 100%... I don't know what the world record is for a 100% no skips or cheats or sequence breaks but I'd like to have a go at getting close to it.

The controls are perfect, just as I remember them, the aspect ratio is reasonable, the picture quality is excellent and the audio is phenomenal, much louder than the trilogy version.

I might just play through it to the end this time on this version, I mean at least I did go back to the Wii version but the controls just aren't right for my setup any more and it's not the same.

Thanks for the tips though, there was no sunlight interfering, the distance should have been enough and the audio on the Wii just seemed quiter in-game than I remember.

Ultimately though, it's getting to play through the game again that matters, hopefully just in time for that Metroid Prime Trilogy HD edition which may well get announced tonight.

[Aperson]

Attempted the Run of Death just now and got all the way up to the Power Bomb maze albeit with just two energy tanks left. Then I remembered what made it especially hard, those security drones towards the end that fire a barrage of lasers and interfere with your visor. So I died to that part and now I have to get all the scans again... at least the Pirate Frigate has Two Energy Tanks to obtain as you do it.

[Glen-i]

16 hours ago, S.C.G said:

But after that I made it to Tallon IV and it turns out that my last 100% Hard Mode run in 2003 was just over ten hours, which isn't bad for getting everything and scanning everything, even non-essential stuff, so I'm still pretty pleased with that... but it does make me wonder if I could maybe try for 8 or 9 hours while still getting 100%... I don't know what the world record is for a 100% no skips or cheats or sequence breaks but I'd like to have a go at getting close to it.

Bloody hell, that's impressive for a Gamecube time!

Unfortunately, the glitchless/no skip category isn't really recorded for Metroid Prime GCN. So the time for that 100% hard run is 1 hour and 27 minutes, they probably don't scan stuff in that either.

[Glen-i]

Anyway, I actually blew up the planet last night.

That isn't the Fusion Suit I was using...

I hate Fission Metroids... Glad they never came back.

Anyway, this game still holds up well. Even if Samus' face doesn't. The atmosphere is top notch and the world is lots of fun to explore. My only issue is that the optional Charge Beam Combos (Wavebuster, Ice Spreader and Flamethrower) are just a bit rubbish. Considering how expensive they are, they should be a bit better than what they are. But it's a small issue really.
I still prefer the other 2 Prime games to this, mind.

Edited February 14, 2019 by Glen-i

[Aperson]

Run of Death clear! Power Bombs obtained and I darted for the nearest Save Room.

 

I think a lot of my failed attempts on this may come down to incompetency at first person shooters, not from the aiming perspective because Prime uses lock on which is one of the reasons why I enjoy it more than general FPSes but from the fact that I don't really do enough to avoid attacks. On my first run on the trilogy version here I was actively trying to scan everything and took a ton of damage as a result. This time I massively reduced damage by,.. actually using cover! It's almost as if the developers designed the level around the player being able to avoid the attacks! Also aside from the Troopers nearly every Space Pirate can be defeated by the Ice Beam and Missile trick which massively saves the amount of fire you have to deal with against these guys.

 

Then the droid at the end, the one I always fail on. Turns out he doesn't actually have a logbook entry because he is impossible to scan, that eased my worries and with loads of health left the second attempt at the Run of Death ended significantly better than the first. I think the first was "remembering everything that happens in that section" rather than going off vague memories of it covering two floors of the Phazon Mines and most of the area in the end, with one of the spinning puzzles to get through.

 

And here is the problem with Phazon Mines. In comparison to other areas, you need to go halfway through the whole thing in order to get the first upgrade. Then the second upgrade comes through backtracking to the spinning mine rooms and after that you have to leave and come back for a second trip after getting the Plasma Beam and X-Ray Visor. The area feels a bit shorter than the others as a result, although I still find the area's rooms more memorable than the Space Pirate Homeworld in Metroid Prime 3. I think you spend more time in Sanctuary Fortress in Prime 2 too.

 

Anyway, I have unlocked the forcefield that leads to the last room, but due to lacking the X-Ray Visor it's time to leave Phazon Mines via the scenic route (nabbing the Grapple Beam along the way) and open up a shortcut to skip half the Run of Death (although I will need to go back down there anyway for the Flamethrower and to defeat the extra boss for the logbook).

[Aperson]

Oh bummer, looks like I'm screwed out of 100% Logbook, which is what I was aiming for... and it's all because of my past self. He missed scanning Flaaghra's tentacles and the fact that you are meant to scan Morph Ball Bomb slots. I don't think there are any scannable Bomb slots left but I definitately missed the tentacles.

 

I will still aim for getting everything else though, just got the Plasma Beam and I have decided that now is the best time in the game to hunt for artifacts since the game forced me to leave Phazon Mines.

[Aperson]

Anyone find the fact that modern gaming has lots of fast travel in it noticeable when playing older games? It's sort of ruined me here when having to go for 100% I could be more efficient in trying to claim the items but when looking up the internet to see where all the items are (I forget the location of every single one but I do remember a good chunk of where the expansions were hidden and which ones I was likely to have already gotten) I found myself jogging back and forth in the same paths and round in a circle (I went through Chozo Ruins at least three times) so try and get everything I was after. Oh yeah... and I found a scannable bomb slot so that worked out.

 

But yeah, modern gaming has spoiled me when it comes to getting around this game. To be fair though, the map is well designed with backtracking in mind, they made sure that if you need to go back somewhere there's always a shorter route to go through and the power ups you get while playing the game help you get through it all faster. For instance, the Grapple Beam makes getting through Magmoor Caverns much easier and the Spider Ball makes climbing one room in Phendrana much easier. Though, there are still some rooms you have to go the long way round to get through every time like if you want to get to Phendrana Drifts' main entrance through Magmoor Caverns, but I think the moment in the game where you realise how connected the world is comes when you take the lift in Magmoor to Tallon Overworld and the path ends up leading you right back to your ship. That's cool, it turns what was a simple corridor when you first arrive on the planet into a much more open route room and what I think this game does better than the other two Primes is have multiple lifts between areas. This is one of the best designed maps in video games, it's right up there with the first Dark Souls so the lack of fast travel really isn't too much of an issue in the end, just a modern convenience thing. I wonder if Prime 4 will have Fast Travel...

 

Anyway, 89% items now and 91% scans in the logbook. While I am not on track for 100% scans I will be able to get 100% items. One cool thing in the Prime games is that they always have exactly 100 items to pick up, therefore every Missile Expansion, Energy Tank, Power Bomb Expansion, Chozo Artifact or Powerup you get adds 1% to your item completion. Counting this, I know I have 11 items left. One is the Phazon Suit, another is the Flamethrower and there are two more Artifacts to get. That leaves 7 spare items so six Missile Expansions and one Energy Tank left. I have cleared out Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins, Magmoor Caverns and Phendrana Drifts of powerups so everything left is in the Phazon Mines. So after I beat the Omega Pirate I shouldn't be too far away from being able to take on Meta Ridley.

[Glen-i]

7 hours ago, GenericAperson said:

Anyone find the fact that modern gaming has lots of fast travel in it noticeable when playing older games? It's sort of ruined me here when having to go for 100% I could be more efficient in trying to claim the items but when looking up the internet to see where all the items are (I forget the location of every single one but I do remember a good chunk of where the expansions were hidden and which ones I was likely to have already gotten) I found myself jogging back and forth in the same paths and round in a circle (I went through Chozo Ruins at least three times) so try and get everything I was after. Oh yeah... and I found a scannable bomb slot so that worked out.

 

But yeah, modern gaming has spoiled me when it comes to getting around this game. To be fair though, the map is well designed with backtracking in mind, they made sure that if you need to go back somewhere there's always a shorter route to go through and the power ups you get while playing the game help you get through it all faster. For instance, the Grapple Beam makes getting through Magmoor Caverns much easier and the Spider Ball makes climbing one room in Phendrana much easier. Though, there are still some rooms you have to go the long way round to get through every time like if you want to get to Phendrana Drifts' main entrance through Magmoor Caverns, but I think the moment in the game where you realise how connected the world is comes when you take the lift in Magmoor to Tallon Overworld and the path ends up leading you right back to your ship. That's cool, it turns what was a simple corridor when you first arrive on the planet into a much more open route room and what I think this game does better than the other two Primes is have multiple lifts between areas. This is one of the best designed maps in video games, it's right up there with the first Dark Souls so the lack of fast travel really isn't too much of an issue in the end, just a modern convenience thing. I wonder if Prime 4 will have Fast Travel...

In some older games, I do feel like fast travel has spoiled me. But I can't say I felt that in my Metroid Prime playthrough. I wasn't going for 100% items mind, but I did get any items I could remember that I could get.

Like you said, the world is very well crafted in that a fully powered Samus can utilise lots of shortcuts to get around. So that's probably why.

It's not totally perfect though. I still get a bit irritated when Chozo Ghosts lock the doors even though I've beaten them 10 times in that room already! Just leave me alone!

I remember Metroid Prime 3 having a cool late game feature that would show you where expansions were as well as an option to mark rooms on your map so you could remember to go there later.

It also handled the "artifacts" better in that you didn't need all of them to finish the game, but getting them all would get you more expansions and even a secret (and really ominous) message that hinted at the final boss and got you a gold token to spend on concept art. That whole wrecked ship section was really cool.

Edited February 25, 2019 by Glen-i

[Aperson]

15 hours ago, Glen-i said:

I remember Metroid Prime 3 having a cool late game feature that would show you where expansions were as well as an option to mark rooms on your map so you could remember to go there later.

It also handled the "artifacts" better in that you didn't need all of them to finish the game, but getting them all would get you more expansions and even a secret (and really ominous) message that hinted at the final boss and got you a gold token to spend on concept art. That whole wrecked ship section was really cool.

I always thought that took out some of what made Metroid Metroid at the time, the fact that the game pretty much tells you where everything is was something disappointing.

 

Prime 3 did do the endgame fetch quest the best though. Prime 2 did it the worst with Prime falling somewhere in between.

 

Anyway, took down the Omega Pirate today and it took me just two attempts in this playthrough. Considering the Omega Pirate is one of the hardest bosses in the game I guess that shows how much I've played or seen this game played in the past. That being said, I don't know how I'll fare with Meta Ridley who I think is the hardest fight in the game.

 

The aiming controls make the Omega Pirate a bit easier because you can aim at specific points on his body. Then I realised that the Super Missile does quite a bit of damage (I didn't try other beam combos but they could probably have done even more) and it only took a few hits after that. I had forgotten what is the cause of so much damage in the fight until the Beam Troopers started showing up and I remembered that they are the cause of much health loss.

[Aperson]

Well, February is just about over... and I have finished the Trilogy version of Prime 1.

 

 

After looking for a while for the final upgrade... it turned out I'd missed a missile expansion right behind my ship. I'd honestly forgotten that was even there but it was super convenient since my ship was exactly where I needed to be before the final battle since it's not too far from the Impact Crater.

 

I finished on 99% lore but only because I restarted the Meta Ridley and Metroid Prime boss battles after forgetting to scan them. Something that was very apparent is that I know these bosses incredibly well and this showed in how efficient I was at dealing with them. I did die to Meta Ridley after a few controller wrangles and taking too long on the first phase but he went down in three attempts (technically two but I forgot to scan him second time), while Prime took two attempts due to missing the Phase 1 scan the first time.

 

Thanks for picking this game for the month. Really enjoyed going back to one of my favourite games of all time and finishing up the trilogy version in the future. For now my gaming efforts will go back to NieR Automata but I'll keep an eye on the N-Europe Video Game Club and if any old games that I've never played are coming up and looking to play then I may get involved.