Metroid Prime Remastered Review – A Modernized Masterpiece

Metroid Prime has long been considered one of the crowning achievements of Nintendo’s GameCube library. The series’ seamless transition to the first-person genre was defined by its frenetic action, massively explorable environments, clever puzzles, and daunting boss encounters. The original title was released in 2000, and the sequels have worn off. Metroid Prime Remastered, however, brings it back to its full potential, much like Samus at the end of every game.

Metroid Prime Remastered gives the original, already stellar title a new look. While not unique to this release, I’m struck by how well the art style of Metroid Prime translates to modern visuals. Beautiful character models are enhanced with exquisite textures and improved lighting. The sound quality is even better which makes the soundtrack all the more enjoyable. You could fool even a non-expert player to believe that this was a 2023 release.

Not only are the visual changes notable but also modernized controls make it even more enjoyable. Metroid Prime v2.0 has many control settings that allow you to choose how to play. The classic and pointer controls are meant to evoke the motion-control Wii and single-stick GameCube settings. The best way to play Metroid Prime is with the Dual Stick.

The default setting maps movement to left and aims to right, which is the best control modernization that I recall. The new control system makes virtually no concessions. I am proud to say that the modern first-person shooter brain knew almost all of its actions without any guidance or tutorials. When combined with the lock-on system of Samus’ suit, this game delivers the amazing power fantasy of being one of the galaxy’s ultimate bounty hunters.

Metroid Prime Remastered brings these new improvements to the table, allowing a wider audience to enjoy one of the most beloved Nintendo games of all time. Exploring Tallon IV is an eerie and atmospheric delight; the original development team at Retro Studios clearly understood how to transpose Metroid’s established formula of obtaining new powers to aid in thoughtful exploration of an ever-expanding map to an all-new genre. Throw in memorable boss fights, stellar environmental storytelling, and exciting combat encounters, and Metroid Prime’s superb design still feels awesome.

My Metroid Prime revisit was a success with minor issues. The unwieldy camera when you’re a Morphball, the lack of a real waypoint system, and the cluttered HUD show the game’s age but are miniscule complaints in the grand scheme of this remarkable remaster. The dated checkpoint system, the excessive backtracking and other nitpicks are minor issues that add tension and feel cheap.

Metroid Prime Remastered has more to it than meets the eyes. This is an ode to how timeless and stunning the original design was. It is more accessible thanks to the visual and performance enhancements, but the most important aspect of the upgrade is that it controls better than any shooter on Switch. Metroid Prime in 2002 was an outstanding game, and this assessment is still valid in 2023.