Metroid Prime

[Link | 2,709]

5:02, 15%. I just got the boost ball. Going into that room, I really wanted a gun to help deal with the sheegoths (nasty polar bear types that shoot cold blasts), or more likely an ice beam. I was annoyed at getting the boost ball instead, but then I realized the navigation possibilities it will open. Then the game told me to go to the landing site, so I did and found the new boots I wanted. 

I’m glad I kept this game when I sold a bunch of GC stuff (including Super Mario Sunshine... oops) for whatever GameStop would give me ten years ago. And I only did it because I liked the music so much. 

[Tanooki | 4,933]

9 hours ago, Estil said:

I couldn't get over at the time just how realistic and detailed the graphics were...remember this was 2002, the GC hadn't even been out for a year and it could already make games look THAT good.  i miss the days when you could truly be wowed and blown away by seeing graphics on a home console that were unheard of just a few years ago.  I miss getting surprises like that.  

Not to mention the handy/clever way they put the D-pad and C-stick to use in this game and its sequel.

It's also one on a shorter list of games on the Gamecube that even today have been done just so well when you run it through a GC2HDMI adapter over the digital port (or just run a raw 720p upscaled from 480p output on the Dolphin emulator without enhanced filters) that the game still looks modern.  They did fine work with both the 2D and 3D assets that even in HD they look right at home and don't start like exposing a lot of cracks in the armor that a low res vaseline glow of SD CRTs would nicely cover up.

[Link | 2,709]

Shit. I’m getting pretty stuck. 8½ hours, 23%. I can’t beat the rock boss Theranos at Phendrana, and I think I need the spider ball to do it since theres a magnetic track in his arena. But I can’t find it and I can’t find any other way to progress. There’s only a few rooms I’m unable to cross. I’ve started writing down mag-track locations since I’ve come across a handful, and it seems like I need to use them to move forward. Same with grapple beam, I’m not finding that either.. 

I suck at nonlinear 3D games. 

[OptOut | 8,883]

If I recall correctly you get the spider ball for BEATING that rock boss. In order to beat the boss I think there are specific rocks he is made of that you have to shoot. You just generally having trouble with the boss or is there something specific holding you back?

[Estil | 1,264]

13 hours ago, Link said:

Shit. I’m getting pretty stuck. 8½ hours, 23%. I can’t beat the rock boss Theranos at Phendrana, and I think I need the spider ball to do it since theres a magnetic track in his arena. But I can’t find it and I can’t find any other way to progress. There’s only a few rooms I’m unable to cross. I’ve started writing down mag-track locations since I’ve come across a handful, and it seems like I need to use them to move forward. Same with grapple beam, I’m not finding that either.. 

I suck at nonlinear 3D games. 

Even the Zelda ones?

[Link | 2,709]

13 hours ago, OptOut said:

If I recall correctly you get the spider ball for BEATING that rock boss. In order to beat the boss I think there are specific rocks he is made of that you have to shoot. You just generally having trouble with the boss or is there something specific holding you back?

Hmm. Yes, you have to shoot specific rocks. You have to switch back and forth with infrared and normal vision because you can’t target them with regular vision at first, until the IR visor overloads. 

Just general trouble. It’s a lot between changing visors, charging shots, and evasion. He’s huge and fast and his hits do a lot of damage. I morph ball to boost out of the way but you can’t charge while doing that. I’ve only been able to get him down to about half.

I’m gonna try the charged missile shot again. I think you find it right before getting to him. It’s slightly tricky and takes time. I’ve found two more missile packs since, so it’s more viable now.

[Link | 2,709]

3 hours ago, Estil said:

Even the Zelda ones?

Heh. No. But they are pretty good about making it dead obvious where you’re supposed to go next, at times annoyingly so. 

Bloodrayne and Return to Castle Wolfenstein are particularly memorable examples of games that I never finished just because I reached a point where I couldn’t figure out what to do next.

[Estil | 1,264]

2 minutes ago, Link said:

Heh. No. But they are pretty good about making it dead obvious where you’re supposed to go next, at times annoyingly so. 

Bloodrayne and Return to Castle Wolfenstein are particularly memorable examples of games that I never finished just because I reached a point where I couldn’t figure out what to do next.

I especially appreicate how starting with Link's Awakening the mark on your dungeon map all the chests you haven't yet claimed...I don't consider a dungeon truly cleared unless you collected all the chests.  The ones inside the dungeons I mean, not the ones in the houses...even if they are very nice chests!  

[Link | 2,709]

37 minutes ago, Estil said:

I especially appreicate how starting with Link's Awakening the mark on your dungeon map all the chests you haven't yet claimed...I don't consider a dungeon truly cleared unless you collected all the chests.  

I wish they would put fewer of them that just have money. So annoying to do all the work finding some of them, for 5 rupees. Or even 100, when you already have the max and usually you barely ever even have to use money. 

[Estil | 1,264]

7 hours ago, Link said:

I wish they would put fewer of them that just have money. So annoying to do all the work finding some of them, for 5 rupees. Or even 100, when you already have the max and usually you barely ever even have to use money. 

Yeah; the wallet in the original Twilight Princess was way too cramped  

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

One of my all-time favorites. My only Metroid experience prior to playing this was horrible frustration with Metroid II. I was blown away by this one.

[SpoonMan Abrams X | 697]

I was really super into Metroid Prime and Prime 2 especially when they came out. Solid games. Prime 2 Echoes is a contender for all time favorite games.

Very interested in the new sequel when it comes out, whenever that may be

[OptOut | 8,883]

22 hours ago, SpoonMan Abrams X said:

I was really super into Metroid Prime and Prime 2 especially when they came out. Solid games. Prime 2 Echoes is a contender for all time favorite games.

Very interested in the new sequel when it comes out, whenever that may be

Yeah I agree with this actually, after really getting into MP2, I ended up liking it even more than the first. I think it helped that I played through the original multiple times, including on the hard mode, so the additional challenge of MP2 was welcome to me. Very grim game in many ways too, darkly beautiful actually.

Metroid Prime 3, on the other hand, felt more like the original to me. Not exactly a step back, but by the time that one came out it felt like more of the same, even though it is also a very good game of course.

I'm glad their taking their time with Metroid Prime 4 to get it right, and that will be a rare day-one full-price purchase for me, without a doubt.