“Metroid Prime Remastered delivers a stunning visual upgrade, but its dated mechanics and control changes can be a source of frustration."
HOW I PLAYED: I played Metroid Prime Remastered on the Nintendo Switch. The game was purchased digitally through the eShop. I also played exclusively in docked mode with a Pro controller.
STORY — 15/20
INTRO
I am not sure if Nintendo invented this formula with Metroid games, but I LOVE how these games start out! You have all (most) of your abilities and you have a short action packed sequence to get you used to the games controls and mechanics, then the game takes all your buffs away and starts you at ground ZERO on a new planet you have yet to explore.
CUTSCENES
The remaster preserves the original cutscenes, which still hold up well. The cutscenes are few and far between (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) but the cutscenes are more used as a tool for guiding the player rather than a cinematic piece.
WORLD BUILDING
The world of Tallon IV is as intriguing as ever, with its rich lore and environmental storytelling. The remastered graphics further highlight the atmospheric details, making the history of the Chozo's more intriguing!
OVERALL STORY
The story of Metroid Prime Remastered is a nostalgic journey for longtime fans and an inviting experience for newcomers. The enhanced visuals and refined audio contribute significantly to the overall narrative experience. I still feel they peaked with Super Metroid on SNES but the story served its purpose for me. Just wasn't anything amazing or memorable IMO.
GRAPHICS — 15/15
CHARACTER MODELS
The character models in Metroid Prime Remastered are beautifully updated, showing a significant leap from the original. Samus and other characters are rendered with impressive detail, adding depth to the game's visuals.
ENVIRONMENTS
The environments are a visual treat, with textures and lighting that make Tallon IV feel alive and vibrant. This is truly what a remaster should be! This is 100% how I remember the game looking at the time. But if you play the true version on original hardware, you will know that is not the case.
SPECIAL FX
Special effects, including lighting and particle effects, are greatly improved. The fx were groundbreaking back in 2001 and with the updates in Remastered they still hold up to todays visual standards.
AUDIO — 13/15
AMBIENCE
The ambient sounds of Tallon IV are well-preserved and enhanced, creating an immersive atmosphere. The remaster effectively captures the eerie and mysterious vibe of the original game.
BOSS MUSIC
The music is definitely something from the early 2000s. The tracks were great at serving their purpose and even throwback to the original tracks, but I did find some areas to have repetitive music at times.
SOUND DESIGN
Sound design in Metroid Prime Remastered is exceptional. The enhanced audio quality brings out the finer details, contributing to the overall immersive experience.
PERFORMANCE — 10/10
FRAME RATE
The game runs at a perfect LOCKED 60fps, which is impressive giving the Nintendo Switch's dated hardware. I was truly impressed with the games frame rate especially given that it is probably one of the best looking games on Nintendo Switch.
STABILITY
Metroid Prime Remastered is remarkably stable, I ran into 0 game breaking bugs or glitches. I don't even think I encountered a single cosmetic glitch during my playthrough! Kudos Retro Games and Nintendo!
GAMEPLAY — 26/40
CONTROLS
Transitioning from the GameCube controller to the Switch Pro controller presents challenges. The control scheme changes can lead to frustrating moments, especially for players familiar with the original setup. You hold Y and press a direction on the D pad to change beam types and it's super annoying in battle situations, whereas before you would just quickly switch using the C Joystick
MECHANICS
The controls and gameplay mechanics are super dated. It is hard not to judge this game via 2001 standards from when it originally released. But any modern gamer playing this will realize the things we take for granted. The constant switching between fire types was super annoying and got old really fast.
PACING
Metroid games start off with the best pacing, always having great intros but as this was the first transition to a 3D metroid game, you could really see the limitations of the time. Retro Studios really got a lot of mileage out of the games few environments by making sort of a "Criss Cross" progression pattern, which really got tiring and made me wish for fast travel.
UI/UE
The user interface is great, I love the design but I wish you could adjust some of the sizes of elements so they didn't take up so much screen space. And some of the navigation menu's were a bit clunky.
BOSS QUALITY
The bosses were all pretty meh in this game. The end ones just throw ads at you, which is a mechanic I despise in any game. If you need to throw regular enemies at the player in a boss fight, then your boss fight is not that good.
ENEMY VARIETY
The variety of enemies is well-balanced, offering a range of challenges throughout the game. Despite some issues with mechanics, the diversity of foes keeps the gameplay interesting.
GAMEPLAY VARIETY
Metroid games do mix up the action sequences with puzzles. I found myself on a fine line of enjoyment and frustration when trying to solve Morph Ball puzzles and getting my momentum perfect to do very specific jump inputs.
REPLAYABILITY
This is a "One and done" for me personally, If you are a hardcore completionist you may want to replay the game to collect all items. But there are no alternate endings or story segments depending on actions within the game.
BONUS — 1/4
It was nice to see that Retro Studios included some colour-blind options. I don't recall if that was in the original game, but it is nice to see this level of accessibility built into their game!
OVERALL — 80/100
Metroid Prime: Remastered is a visually stunning remaster of a classic game. While it impresses with its graphics and audio, some dated mechanics and control issues can be frustrating. Amazing remaster—true to the original even at fault. I would 100% recommend you play this game on "casual mode" because even on Normal I found the enemy HP to be a bit high and annoying at times. Don’t worry about loser “Skill Issue” peeps. It’s a worthy recommendation for both long-time fans and newcomers to the series.
TLDR: 80/100 (GOOD) Metroid Prime Remastered offers a visually impressive upgrade to a beloved classic but struggles with outdated mechanics and control issues. A solid choice for fans of the original, though some frustrations may arise.
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