Metroid Prime

Released: November 17, 2002 (USA)

Platform: Nintendo GameCube

Introduction

Metroid Prime is a first person adventure/shooter game released in 2002 for the Nintendo GameCube.
While it is technically a shooter, the game focuses more on exploration than combat. It was universally praised by critics upon release, and is the highest rated first person shooter of all time according to Metacritic.

The game stars a scientist and bounty hunter by the name of Samus Aran, and you play as her after she lands on a planet known as Tallon IV. The game revolves around finding upgrades to Samus' suit and eradicating the substance known as 'phazon'.

Impressions

I'm not a huge fan of shooter games, but Metroid Prime is definitely an exception. Part of that was probably the focus on exploration and puzzle-solving, which you do across the whole game world. The world was another major factor in my enjoyment of the game. Tallon IV, the game world, is an interconnected set of five areas, each with a distinct atmosphere. When I took an elevator up from the lava-filled caves of Magmoor Caverns into the snowy Phendrana Drifts, I was in awe. I think the world, and using Samus's suit upgrades to traverse it, is what makes this game great, and the amazing atmosphere is what makes it stand out to me.

Gameplay

When you play as Samus, you use her arm cannon to defend against aliens, open doors, and solve puzzles. The game starts you out with a very limited set of abilities, but as you progress you find upgrades to your moves that let you access new areas. Some of these include Space Jump, which lets you jump in midair, the Grapple Beam, which lets you swing across gaps, and my personal favorite, the Wavebuster, which sends out a Ghostbusters-style stream of electricity from your arm cannon that leeches the life of the monsters you attack. 

The Wavebuster being used in a peaceful waterfall area

The game uses these upgrades very cleverly, however. For example, early on in the game, I saw a ledge too high to reach with my abilities at the time. But later, after I got the Space Jump, I remembered the place I came across before and I was eager to go back with my new upgrade to explore more of the previous area. In fact, the whole game is based around this concept. The designers made a large game world that let me go wherever I wanted, but they guided me through it by giving me an ability which let me access a new area, where I would gain a new ability and the cycle repeated. And even though this structure was similar for the whole game, it never felt the same to me. I think this is because of the sense of progress I felt as the world opened up to me with my new abilities.

Fans of the Metroid franchise will be very familiar with this style of gameplay, as this is how all Metroid games are set up. But for me, what sets Prime apart from other Metroid games is that it's in 3D, and instead of seeing Samus' journey through a planet from a sideways, 2D perspective, I got to see it from her perspective as new areas open up before my eyes.

Discovering a new area in 2D Metroid

The game uses these upgrades very cleverly, however. For example, early on in the game, I saw a ledge too high to reach with my abilities at the time. But later, after I got the Space Jump, I remembered the place I came across before and I was eager to go back with my new upgrade to explore more of the previous area. In fact, the whole game is based around this concept. The designers made a large game world that let me go wherever I wanted, but they guided me through it by giving me an ability which let me access a new area, where I would gain a new ability and the cycle repeated. And even though this structure was similar for the whole game, it never felt the same to me. I think this is because of the sense of progress I felt as the world opened up to me with my new abilities.

Fans of the Metroid franchise will be very familiar with this style of gameplay, as this is how all Metroid games are set up. But for me, what sets Prime apart from other Metroid games is that it's in 3D, and instead of seeing Samus' journey through a planet from a sideways, 2D perspective, I got to see it from her perspective as new areas open up before my eyes.

Discovering a new area in Metroid Prime

Music

The music of Metroid Prime isn't great music on its own, and it isn't supposed to be. While it does have a few catchy melodies, the music's main purpose is to add to the atmosphere and immersion of the game.

For a given track, there is usually an ambient background, which may consist of simple chord progression, and a slow melody. "Tallon Overworld", which plays in the game's first area, is an example of this. The slow, almost triumphant melody and ambient chords really fit the sprawling, rainy forest of the game's first area.

"Phendrana Drifts", another song that follows this pattern, is this game's best known track. Even before I knew of its popularity, the theme stuck out to me because of how well the soft piano melody went with the snowy landscape of Phendrana Drifts.

The only exception to this is "Magmoor Caverns", a quick-paced song that features a prominent, ominous melody. I thought this type of song worked very well, because I usually entered this area with the intent of passing through it quickly.

Art/Visuals

Even though Metroid Prime was released in 2002, I feel like the visuals hold up. This usually isn't the case for semi-realistic looking games like this one, but the blocky models of some areas only added to planet's alien feel. The game also had some really cool effects for its time, which have not aged badly. When Samus makes contact with a burst of steam, for example, her visor fogs up, and when there's a bright flash of light, you can briefly see the reflection of her face.

Fog effects

Samus's reflection

The game has some beautiful vistas. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes the game so aesthetically pleasing, but I have to commend the art directors for making the alien planet so different from Earth, yet so beautiful. I also noticed that each of the areas had distinct color palettes, which helped distinguish them from each other and change the mood.

Story/Characters

Metroid Prime is a game based on exploration, and while it doesn't have much of a "story", the game has extensive lore that can be found and read while exploring. The story of the Chozo, the alien race that once lived on the planet, is gradually revealed to the player as they scan panels on the walls. This is entirely optional, but it adds an extra layer of depth to an otherwise simplistic story.

The only real character in the game is Samus herself. She never speaks, and the only time you see fully see her is during cutscenes. Like many Japanese games, this is most likely done to make her easier to project onto. By giving her no dialogue, the player feels like they are the one in the game, instead of controlling an entirely separate character. This definitely enhanced the game's immersion factor, but left Samus without any real character development.

Samus's face is finally revealed at the end of the game

Impact/Context

As I've mentioned before, Metroid Prime was the first 3D entry in the Metroid series. The games Metroid, Metroid II, and Super Metroid preceded it, and were all in 2D. However, Metroid Prime was released 8 years after the previous entry in the series, which came out in 1994, so Metroid fans had high expectations for the game. When it was first revealed to be a first-person game, there was a lot of backlash. Fans thought the new perspective would ruin the classic gameplay. Once the game was released, though, it met near universal critical acclaim from critics and fans alike.

Metroid Prime was also the first game produced by Nintendo's newly-acquired American studio, Retro Studios. While today Retro is well known for making masterful games, they had to prove themselves with Metroid Prime. It is widely assumed that Retro Studios was acquired as a replacement for Rareware, which was one of Nintendo's best studios in the late 90's until it was bought out by Xbox. Because of this, Metroid Prime was reassuring to people who thought the loss of Rareware would limit the number of quality games Nintendo would release.

Metroid Prime is currently the first game in a trilogy. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes was released 2 years later, also on the GameCube, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was released 3 years after that on the Wii. Metroid Prime Hunters and Metroid Prime Federation Force are online multiplayer spinoffs for the DS and the 3DS respectively, and there was even a Metroid Prime pinball game released for the DS as well. Needless to say, the Prime series proved to be a beloved and best-selling series.

Notes

I hope this post was informative and relatively unbiased! I can't promise the same for Super Mario Galaxy, the next game, because that game is my favorite game of all time. 

EarthBound

Released: August 27, 1994 (JP), June 5, 1995 (USA)

Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Introduction

EarthBound is a role-playing game that was released in 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. I've played it twice, once in 2015 and once last year. It was written by Shigesato Itoi, a Japanese celebrity copywriter, and has gathered a cult following over the years.

While most Japanese RPGs at the time were fantasy themed and set in medieval times, EarthBound was distinct because it took place in 1990s America. Instead of potions, there are pizzas and burgers, and instead of swords and knives there are baseball bats and frying pans.

Impressions

As a game, EarthBound grew on me. It started out pretty slow, but what sticks in my mind about this game is the bright setting, memorable moments, and the feel-good story. I also remember the darker undertones that are prevalent throughout the game, which add depth and meaning to the overall positive message.

EarthBound is a balance of surface-level quirkiness and dark undertones, all draped in a cartoony depiction of American culture. It is also a heavily self-aware game, and it frequently satirizes the common tropes of other RPGs. The game is beloved by its cult following (and me) for all of these reasons.

Gameplay

EarthBound's main weakness is its gameplay. There are a bunch of frustrating aspects of this game that would never be seen in a modern game. For example, in order to talk to someone, you have to stand next to them, bring up a menu, and select 'talk' from the menu. If you want to read something, you have to do the same except select 'check' instead of talk.

Another problem I ran into was that when moving around, I would get my characters caught on trees, buildings, and rocks because of the poor collision detection. It wasn't a huge deal, but for me it made the game seem less 'finished'.

One thing I found great about the gameplay, however, was the battle system. When you get hit in a battle, your HP is not lowered right away, instead using an 'odometer' that gradually rolls down after the attack. For example, if you get hit by an attack that will kill you, you still have time while your counter rolls to 0 to heal yourself or to defeat the enemy and end the battle:

Music

Another aspect of EarthBound that everyone seems to love, including me, is the music. Taking inspiration from classic rock and jazz, the music really adds to the "small-town America" vibe. Some songs even sample all sorts of pop songs, from "All I Need is Love" to the theme songs of Monty Python or The Little Rascals. This video shows how each one is incorporated into a song from EarthBound, and I think it's worth a watch:

Aside from the music that samples pop songs, the rest of the soundtrack stands on its own. There are songs that capture the feeling of an American town (see "Boy Meets Girl"), songs that provide a sense of sci-fi unease (see "Threed, Zombie Central"), and the triumphant, feel-good song that has variations throughout the game and finally plays in full during the credits (see "Smiles and Tears").

Art/Visuals

Some examples of the sprites

When it was released, EarthBound was criticized for not having the best graphics. But as the game aged, the bright, Charlie-Brown-esque art style has remained just as vibrant as it was back in 1995, while other games that aimed for high-quality graphics quickly looked outdated. I like how the cartoonish style lets the designers exaggerate the features of the characters to reflect their personalities.

Story/Characters

I've mentioned this a few times before, but EarthBound is hiding some dark undertones. The main story, of four friends setting out to save the world from evil, includes some subplots you would never expect in a Nintendo game. Towards the beginning of EarthBound, you have to rescue one of the main characters, Paula, from a group known as the Happyhappyists. Happyhappyism is a religious cult bent on painting the world blue, and the leader takes Paula captive and intends to marry her. Right after you walk into Happy Happy village, a woman approaches you and asks for you to donate money. If you refuse, she follows you wherever you go. Everyone you talk to has been brainwashed, and they all try to get you to join, claiming that their lives have been a lot better since joining. They also sort of resemble the KKK, so that's something.

Another troubling part of the game is the story of Pokey Minch, Ness's (the main character's) neighbor and the main villain of the game. Early on, we see that he has physically and emotionally abusive parents, and that even though he's mean to Ness, he wants to be friends with him. When that doesn't work out, he spends the rest of the game gradually succumbing to his lust for power. At the end of the game, Pokey has completely deteriorated emotionally, and plays a role in the terrifying final boss fight:

Impact/Context

When it was released, the game sold very poorly. EarthBound is actually the second game in a trilogy, and until very recently was the only one released out of Japan. There, the series is known as Mother, and EarthBound is Mother 2. In America, however, it seemed that the game would die out in obscurity.

But EarthBound started to develop a dedicated fanbase. It started out when a few fans started a website, today called starmen.net. Over the years they grew in size and made fan art and music, and today are famous for being one of the most welcoming and dedicated fanbases in the video game community. They even have their own Wikipedia article.

Because of the EarthBound community, the game has gained much greater recognition, and the first game, Mother 1, has even been released worldwide. The community’s greatest achievement, however, has been creating a fan translation for Mother 3, the game that still hasn’t been released outside of Japan. The translation, which I have played, is professional grade.

Notes

Well, this was EarthBound, and frankly I probably should have done a smaller game as the first post. I had a lot to say about this game and I couldn't fit it in a blog post without it being VERY long. Next up is Metroid Prime, so stay tuned.

Introduction

Introduction

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Hey, this is Andrew, and as the first post in my blog I'm going to give an introduction and what you can expect from my posts. This is a gaming blog, and each post will be about a game I have played in the past. These will mostly be Nintendo games, because that's what I like to play. I'll give my thoughts on different aspects of each game: the visuals/art style, the music, the gameplay, the characters/story, the atmosphere, and what made the game really stand out to me and stay with me. I will also cover interesting tidbits about the game's development and how the game was received when it was released, just to give some context to people who might not be familiar.

Mario Kart 8

Structure

Here is how I plan on structuring each blog post:

Impressions

I will first give my overall impressions of the game. Depending on when I first played the game, I may warn that my opinions may be influenced by nostalgia. Other than that, this section is to describe the overall feeling I had coming away from the game. Not too many specifics here.

Gameplay

This is pretty self-explanatory, but I'll assess the gameplay and how enjoyable it was. I think gameplay is a big part of any game, but some games can be great in their own respects without having the best gameplay.

Music

I pay a great amount of attention to game music, maybe more than most, but I think music is a very important part of a game. I have played the piano for a while, so I have a basic knowledge of music theory, but I am no expert. I will still try to discuss any trends I find in the soundtracks. I'll hopefully embed some of the songs.

Art/Visuals

Some of the games I'll discuss will be pretty old, but I still think a game can be visually impressive regardless of the graphics that were possible at the time. There can also be some pretty ugly games that have good resolutions, in my opinion.

Story/Characters

Not all of the games will have a lot to offer in this category. Those that do, however, I will break down and figure out what is good storytelling and what isn't. Even without a strong story, a game can have memorable and complex characters, so I will be paying attention to that as well.

Reception/Development/Cultural Impact

This section is to give information about the game that is not actually part of the game itself. This includes influences during development, fan reception, legacy, and how the game affected future games. This part is less of an opinion section and more of an informative and contextual one.

Fire Emblem Awakening

Why this topic/My experience

I've been playing video games since I was about 8, and I've always loved playing them with my friends and talking about them. Comparing them and figuring out why I like certain ones has always been of interest to me, and I've been keeping track of my favorite games in order for a few years just because I like to keep my thoughts organized. I hope this blog turns out well!