When it comes to Nintendo, rarely to I purchase "remastered" games for the Switch. It never sat well with me when a remastered games was announced, at a full $60 price point, that provided "enhanced" graphics...especially for games that have come out in the last decade. Over the past few years, we have seen how much work has gone into remaking games (e.g., The Last of Us Part 1, Final Fantasy 7, Resident Evil 2, 3 and soon to be released RE4) and how they bring life back into a game or series. Majority of the time, remasters exceed expectations over remasters. Metroid Prime Remastered, which was a surprise announcement at a recent Nintendo Direct, is what a remaster should be. It keeps what made the original game so compelling while giving it the quality-of-life updates it absolutely deserves. The original Metroid Prime is one of the best games ever made and the remastered version reminds us why.
Story
The story of Metroid Prime revolves around Samus Aran, a lone hunter who receives a distress signal from a Space Pirate ship near the planet Tallon IV. Upon landing on the ship, Samus learns that the ship's crew was slaughtered by their own parasite test subjects. Samus is able to destroy the source of the parasites but takes critical damage and sees a cybernetic dragon (which is later identified as Meta Ridley) escape the exploding ship towards Tallon IV. Samus follows the being onto the planet's surface but loses track. From there, Samus explores Tallon IV to find the being that escaped from the ship as well as uncover the secrets that Tallon IV has on and below its surface.
Metroid Prime has an extensive storyline that is completely told through the lore you uncover throughout your journey. While there are cutscenes in the game, they are either establishing shots of new areas or quick intros and endings of boss fights. There is no dialog spoken from the game's characters; instead, they are told through computer logs and the environment.
The most surprising thing is that even though there is no spoken dialog or important story-driven cutscenes, the game is incredibly detailed. Even though Tallon IV is an environment, you could make any argument it is the most detailed character the game has. You can spend hours reading through the logs to understand the planet itself, the mysterious meteor that altered its environment and the Chozo race that lived there decades prior. Even after all this time since the game was originally released, it is still an achievement of storytelling that not a lot of developers have been able to do (you can make the argument that From Software has done with the Dark Souls series or last year's Elden Ring).
Gameplay
As a hunter, Samus Aran has a wide variety of weapons and tools to use during her time on Tallon IV. The Scan Visor is arguably the most important tool in her arsenal. By scanning objects in the world, Samus is not only able to understand the world and its history, but it can also be used to open up areas around the world. It can also be used to scan enemies to identify their strengths and, more importantly, weaknesses. To get through the obstacles and waves of enemies she will face, Samus will use her trusty hand cannon which encompasses her right arm. At the very beginning of the game, Samus' has a few weapons but quickly loses them when taking critical damage on the Space Pirate ship. As you progress through Tallon IV's various rooms and environments, Samus will recover this lost equipment as well as identify new ones to add to her arsenal. These include x-ray and thermal visors, missiles, and different hand cannon technology. Samus also has the ability to transition into Morph Ball mode, where Samus, literally, morphs into a ball and travel through tunnels and other environmental layouts.
What makes the game so incredibly fun to explore is the planet's layout. As mentioned briefly, Tallon IV has quite a few different environments to explore, such as a deserted Chozo temple and a heavily radiated mine. Each section of the planet is split into individual rooms with their own level designs that may require some platforming sequences to reach areas that would seem out of reach. The strength, as well as the weakness, of Metroid Prime are the secrets laid out throughout the planet. As Samus upgrades her equipment, she will be able to backtrack to areas she explored already to uncover upgrades and other key items that were hidden or inaccessible at the beginning of the game. However, backtracking is a requirement. There will be times throughout the game where Samus will be unable to progress through a certain area and her HUD will inform her that there is a piece of equipment that she will need to continue on. The problem is that this equipment, most of the time, is located in an area that was already explored (or not explored thoroughly). Now I get it...this is how the Metroid series operates, but it can be quite annoying since fast-traveling is not an option in Prime. The last third of the game, after you get the last required piece of equipment, is backtracking through and through as Samus needs to discover a dozen artifacts to unlock the final stage of the game. Of course, you can find these artifacts as you progress through the game but most of them are hidden pretty well or are easily missed. It can be quite a hurdle for some gamers to get through but luckily Tallon IV is so incredibly built out that I did not mind it as much. (Definitely wish there was a fast travel option though.)
Graphics & Audio
As I mentioned previously, Metroid Prime Remaster shows off a complete overhaul of the original game's graphics. What made the original Metroid Prime so immersive was its level of detail. From water dripping down your HUD to the close-range blasts from your hand cannon creating reflections of Samus' eyes in on her visor, it created an incredibly immersive feeling. Metroid Prime Remastered does not lose sight of the original game's art style that made it iconic in the first place. In short, the game looks incredible - as good as any Switch game on the platform today.
The audio is also another triumph. The soundtrack for each area and boss fights are fantastic - adding a cybernetic feel to the music that never gets old. Similarly, to the audio and storytelling elements, the audio brings you immerses you into the game's incredible design.
Verdict
Metroid Prime Remastered reminds us why we loved this game back in the early 2000s. It was one of the Gamecube's best games as well as remains one of the best games ever created. As a person who did not complete their first playthrough all those years ago, I was excited to play this game. Even at the $40 price tag, I felt it was worth the purchase. The number of upgrades to this game is pretty incredible and should be the standard for all remasters moving forward. Hopefully, Metroid Prime 2 and 3 are remastered with the same level of care and effort...even if Metroid Prime will remain the best in the series.
Score: 9 out of 10
Note: I completed Metroid Prime: Remastered in just over 12 hours and achieved 100% completion (items, not including scans).