Game Debate #86: Metroid Prime

[OptOut | 8,892]

11 minutes ago, Link said:

It is first-person perspective, though, and you shoot. It's just a shorthand. Exploration is a component in most FPS titles, and pure, non-shooty FP adventure is not a genre with many examples.

It may be an under-represented genre, but more is the pity!

You can put games like Bioshock, Hexen and Fallout 3 in this genre. The combat elements are secondary to the exploration, that becomes the primary focus of the game.

I mean, would you put Super Metroid and Mega Man X in the same genre because they are both run and gun action platformers?

There is a clear distinction between Metroid Prime and what are commonly understood to be first person shooters, and Nintendo themselves made this distinction at launch too.

Edited January 31, 2022 by OptOut

[Link | 2,726]

Okay

[Tanooki | 4,950]

12 hours ago, OptOut said:

Metroid Prime is NOT an FPS!!! 

It's a first-person adventure game, the core gameplay experience is centered on EXPLORATION and environmental puzzle solving, the shooting is not the primary focus of the game!

Twenty years later and people STILL don't seem to understand this. Personally, I think it's the best Metroid game, although the sequel Echoes is actually even better in many ways.

I gave it a 9.

 

Often I agree with you, but you're chugging Nintendo flavored kool-aid by the keg, like keg stand worth intoxication with that statement.  Nintendo conned people into thinking that, but the game itself clearly says otherwise with the very mechanics it and the AI involves itself in.  Those space pirates act like fairly decently smart for the era AI bots in how they track, lock, dodge-wave-strafe and unload hot plasma on you repeatedly.  Various other non-borderline braindead indigenous stuff offer up some FPS like smarts/evasion tactics/antics too.

Might as well call games with some depth like Half Life first person exploration too right?  YOu had to find a lot of stuff, locate switches, platform like crazy in varied environments...yet no one would ever call it that, or others like Half Life, which Metroid Prime squarely falls into very similar territory.

 

Those combat elements you call bioshock and other similar titles too as secondary you know is bs right?  Stuff like that, which is the primary way to DIE in the game if you blow at it definitely doesn't make it secondary.  Secondary would be damn near optional, stuff you could largely just evade, avoid, or just not do by finding other means.  Metroid doesn't offer largely other means, often you're stuck, especially with repeatedly locked up rooms where you learn to shoot, aim and lock well... OR DIE.  Pretty sure @Link there and others would agree.

Edited January 31, 2022 by Tanooki

[MagusSmurf | 577]

My spreadsheet says the Metroid Prime and Portal games are my favorite FPS games.

[OptOut | 8,892]

I mean, I guess we'll have to disagree, but it's a shame when people dismiss the game because it doesn't fit their standard of what they think an FPS should be, or alternatively don't even give the game a chance because they "don't like FPS". I've heard plenty of people say both these things over the years.

Also, I guess it's kinda moot if no one cares, but I gotta drop this here, the very first paragraph describing the game from Wikipedia:

You don't need to believe me, Wikipedia nor even Nintendo, but whatever you do don't let preconceived notions dissuade you from enjoying the game.

[DefaultGen | 5,428]

Nintendo published Geist, I’m not gonna listen to any of their opinions on first person shooters. 

[JamesRobot | 5,825]

3 hours ago, OptOut said:

You don't need to believe me, Wikipedia nor even Nintendo, but whatever you do don't let preconceived notions dissuade you from enjoying the game.

So it's like DOOM.  In space.  Oh wait..

[Link | 2,726]

There was no Metroid game for Nintendo 64. Just another reason why it's the worst console.

[twiztor | 855]

On 1/28/2022 at 11:10 AM, TDIRunner said:

I started the game once years ago.  It was more of a test of the game I had rather than an attempt at a playthrough.  It didn't really grab me the way I thought it would.  

On 1/28/2022 at 12:44 PM, RH said:

My experience was quite the same.  I bought it near launch, liked it, but I think that's when I took a major job change and basically stopped gaming much.  I've since booted this game 1-2 times since 2005 and played maybe 30 minutes.

I do want to play it but I just never get engaged in it enough to really get into it. I can, however, get engaged by the 2D Metroids and find myself playing many of those for days.

this also describes my feelings on Metroid Prime. bought it new, played it for awhile. It was fine. Started it again last year. played for maybe 2 hours. It was fine, but i'd rather play other games. I'd like to get back to it before Prime4 comes out. we'll see. 

On 1/31/2022 at 4:42 AM, OptOut said:

Metroid Prime is NOT an FPS!!! 

i agree that it's not a FPS. but, since Nintendo doesn't make FPS, people look at this game as N's version of a FPS (similar to how Splatoon is sometimes described as a PvP/battle royale/shooter game, even though it's not). I don't know that i agree with that assessment, but it does make a weird sort of sense. 

[Reed Rothchild | 9,577]

This is where I point out the rumors of Metroid Prime being remade for Switch.  But there's so many Metroid Prime rumors at this point it's impossible to know what to think 

[Estil | 1,265]

On 1/31/2022 at 4:42 AM, OptOut said:

Metroid Prime is NOT an FPS!!! 

It's (mostly) in first person view...and you shoot stuff.  Close enough.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,577]

17 minutes ago, Estil said:

It's (mostly) in first person view...and you shoot stuff.  Close enough.

The other Metroids have running and shooting.  Does that make them run 'n' guns? 

[Gloves | 11,826]

Y'all out here acting like you can't have an FPS Adventure game when one is staring you in the face lol. 

[Reed Rothchild | 9,577]

First Person Shooty-Adventure Mystery Vania

[Murray | 2,449]

Solid lil’ FPS. Kinda like Doom, but in space. 

[Estil | 1,265]

3 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

The other Metroids have running and shooting.  Does that make them run 'n' guns? 

That's not a real genre name.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,577]

42 minutes ago, Estil said:

That's not a real genre name.

Estil, we gotta start popping some of those bubbles you've placed yourself in!

https://www.google.com/search?q=run+n+gun+games

[JamesRobot | 5,825]

2 hours ago, Murray said:

Solid lil’ FPS. Kinda like Doom, but in space. 

It's pretty much a DOOMvania clone.  In space.

[Kguillemette | 1,547]

On 1/31/2022 at 9:40 PM, OptOut said:

I mean, I guess we'll have to disagree, but it's a shame when people dismiss the game because it doesn't fit their standard of what they think an FPS should be, or alternatively don't even give the game a chance because they "don't like FPS". I've heard plenty of people say both these things over the years.

Also, I guess it's kinda moot if no one cares, but I gotta drop this here, the very first paragraph describing the game from Wikipedia:

You don't need to believe me, Wikipedia nor even Nintendo, but whatever you do don't let preconceived notions dissuade you from enjoying the game.

Would saying I typically don't enjoy games with a first person perspective be more agreeable to you? This is just semantics to me really. 

[OptOut | 8,892]

18 minutes ago, Kguillemette said:

Would saying I typically don't enjoy games with a first person perspective be more agreeable to you? This is just semantics to me really. 

Yes.

[OptOut | 8,892]

I will say being able to differentiate with a higher degree of specificity what kinds of experience games offer, regardless of how they appear on the surface, is an important element to art criticism and media literacy in general.

Labeling games, labeling anything isn't an exact art or science, you can call Metroid Prime a first person shooter if you want to be VERY general about how you describe it.

But, honestly, I think the game deserves a more accurate description than that, I think games in general deserve a greater degree of more detailed and more literate analysis as a burgeoning art form.

[OptOut | 8,892]

6 hours ago, Murray said:

Solid lil’ FPS. Kinda like Doom, but in space. 

 

4 hours ago, JamesRobot said:

It's pretty much a DOOMvania clone.  In space.

 

Settle down you pair of fuckle-chucks. 

Metroid Prime is NOTHING like DOOM, and I can prove it:

The dude in DOOM is a dude, the dude in Metroid Prime is a chick. Totally different.

Also, Metroid Prime is in space. Case closed.

[MagusSmurf | 577]

optout it's been 20 years

i think people near universally get what kind of experience metroid prime was going for at this point. it's fine! look at the poll results, people like it! you don't need to justify it not being a clone of doom or halo or whatever in 2022!

(also, shouldn't it be "first-person action-adventure"?)

[OptOut | 8,892]

52 minutes ago, MagusSmurf said:

optout it's been 20 years

@OptOut right now:

[Estil | 1,265]

17 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

Estil, we gotta start popping some of those bubbles you've placed yourself in!

https://www.google.com/search?q=run+n+gun+games

Such as?