What makes a work a timeless classic? When do we come to the agreement that a certain product transcends time and becomes a myth? As usual, the video game medium is much more elusive than other cultural aspects for it. It is easy to say that Titanic (now that it is going to be re-released in theaters) is a timeless classic, due to its quality, its cultural impact and its staging, still valid more than two decades later. However, when the purest element that defines your medium is interaction and being able to access certain titles on some systems is almost a matter of magic, it becomes complicated.
The surprise return of Samus in Metroid Prime: Remastered shows that the original GameCube game, released in 2002, is a true classic. Many would say timeless, but adapting to those controls and to that way of understanding first-person shooters (although this is quite far from the core concept of what is usually thought when mentioning this genre), it would be difficult for any current player, adapted and accustomed now to other facilities. That is why the work done on this remastering, which could almost have been called a remake, it’s so awesome: the visual work is just the beginning.
Moving Metroid Prime to 2023
Metroid Prime: Remastered allows you to choose between several control systems, establishing the most comfortable of all by default: the one that uses the two joysticks with which we have become accustomed to facing any first-person shooter. But I encourage you to also try out the classic GameCube game controller (which comes included), because even if you played the original at the time, chances are you’ll be like me and You may be surprised to find out how this game was played over 20 years ago.
Those limitations in which we had to control Samus through a 3D environment (for the first time in the history of a franchise always linked to 2 dimensions) fully affected the game system, its mechanics and, in general, everything. Having to lock on enemies was necessary to be able to shoot, although this has never been the main goal of the Metroid Prime series. Don’t expect a typical space shooter, this isn’t Halo, this still maintains the same essence as any 2D Metroid but transferred to 3D.
The work in the visual and performance section has no discussion. Metroid Prime: Remastered improves what was shown by the original game (although it remains very faithful in terms of colors and tones) running at a fantastic 60 FPS (both on TV and laptop). It is a pleasure to move Samus with the two joysticks and at this speed through his settings, and it will fulfill the dream of more than one lover of the saga. The theme of sounds and music has remained practically unchanged, and Metroid continues to emanate nostalgia and pure soul, with those mythical melodies and those very personal effects. It could have been updated, but I think they’ve made a good decision here by keeping the format of the original.
But, in essence, Metroid Prime: Remastered is still the same game. It is still that classic from 2002 that was defined as one of the best games (and sagas) of Nintendo GameCube, now transferred to Nintendo Switch with the necessary improvements and adaptations for any player to adapt. Yes, the lover of the original game will find here a shot of nostalgia and a work to embrace tightly (if this is your case, buy it and enjoy it without hesitation). But what about the user who has never played Metroid Prime before?
If you’ve never played Metroid Prime before…
I think that Metroid Prime: Remastered is a fantastic test of how to translate a video game classic to the current format, to confirm that the video game medium, by its very concept of interaction, it can be timeless with many nuances. Obviously, you are not going to find a game that embraces the conventions of its genres the same as a game that does, being released in 2023, but you will find many edges.
For example, the combats are not entirely satisfactory nowadays. Because of that control system from the original game, it’s all about locking on to the target and “dancing” around it, swapping the firing modes and abilities you find for Samus. It all feels more like a puzzle than a proper shooter (which, really, is what Metroid has always been). But certain confrontations, especially in the early stages, can be a bit uphill. It is unfair to compare it with other examples from decades later, but it would also be to not indicate it.
Also I have “suffered” on certain occasions with its 3D map system. Metroid Prime: Remastered, like any other game in the franchise, is due to its map, its exploration and the unlocking of abilities that will allow you to reach those places that you have gone through before and that were impossible for you to cross . However, three dimensions and navigability are not entirely positive, and on more than one occasion you will probably find yourself trying to figure out with relative success which places to return to or which direction to take. Getting lost is part of the adventure, of course, but current games like Metroid Dread take this many steps ahead (as usual).
For this reason, Metroid Prime: Remastered does not stop being an essential work for players who still remember the original game as one of their favorites, that I know that there are not few, and that they are going to reunite with an old friend in the best way they had ever imagined. All the improvements are certainly welcome and make the original adventure better, without changing it one iota, which is what is important in these classics. However, this means that new players are going to find a game that is still formidable, without a doubt, but that It can serve more as a letter of introduction about a very important saga in history and its jump to 3D than as an unforgettable adventure in itself.
The passing of the years is noticeable and makes one think about how complicated and different that is from the classics and its perpetuity in a medium such as video games
It also arrives at quite an attractive price (39.99 euros), although – to ask that it not be left – the ideal would have been to bring the complete Metroid Prime trilogy in this way with this fantastic remastering job.
Metroid Prime is an (almost) timeless classic, and Metroid Prime: Remastered does a sublime job of taking the original work and making it fully enjoyable for any current gamer.although the passing of the years is noticeable and makes one think about how complicated and different that is from the classics and its perpetuity in a medium such as video games.
