Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is the final installation in what has been a decisively evolving series of titles. While Metroid Prime on the Nintendo GameCube was as faithful a recreation of Super Metroid as could be mustered in the first person, Corruption has taken that foundation and built on it to create something that is decidedly distinct.
Gone is the sensation of a cohesive world with a history unknown to all but those brave enough to explore it. Corruption sees Samus Aran, the titular Space Hunter of galactic renown, hopping from planet to planet, each embroiled in events that are neither mysterious nor ancient. While there certainly remain moments of discovery, they are far outnumbered by scripted plot-progression and interaction between Samus and her peers: the Galactic Federation and their various extensions.
Truly, these aren't entirely bad changes. At the same time, I'd be hard pressed to call many of them "good." They are merely... different. The gameplay of the title remains true to the heritage set forth by its predecessors, but the circumstances surrounding its progression create an experience that is both more urgent and less personal. It is nice to get a deeper look at the universe Samus operates in, however, reinforcing the fact that Corruption's alterations to the familiar formula are more of a curiosity than a detriment.
What really propels this game into "exemplary" territory, though, is the execution. Corruption has been crafted so well, and with such attention to detail, that a jaunt into unfamiliar territory becomes enjoyable rather than jarring. The more pressing pacing is assisted by level-design choices that minimize backtracking via new routes that open after key objectives are completed. You'll rarely feel frustrated by the need to retread old ground in search of a new item or location. Your abilities themselves have also been pared back and refined, with less volume but more meaningful functionality.
The worlds you explore in Corruption truly feel alive, with surroundings that are painstakingly modeled and animated. Even the most mundane actions will typically be accompanied by an incredibly intricate series of animations that further the idea of an environment with purpose and design, not just a sterile videogame locale. Retro Studios, the developers behind the title, must be commended for being one of the only studios to successfully bridge the gap between concept art and actual in-game design. Everything, from the chained moons of Bryyo to the derelict sky-platforms of Elysia, has been meticulously constructed to create the illusion of an organically born environment.
This attention to detail is similarly mirrored in Corruption's much ballyhooed controls. The game incontestably validates the Wii Remote for first-person titles, providing a level of response and precision heretofore unheard of on a console. The primary innovation therein, however, has got to be the notion of lock on / free aim. By allowing you to set a pivot point for movement but keeping aiming entirely free, an entire world of precision combat scenarios become possible. Many of the bosses are designed around this mechanic, and offer a experience that simply could not have been replicated in either of the previous Prime titles. This is the Z-targeting of the Wii generation, and I can imagine its core concepts being integrated into many other titles, not the least of which being a new Wii Zelda.
For as much as Corruption changes, however, most of its faults are rooted in the design of its predecessors. For example, the notion of scanning, while still a very neat mechanic, is slightly overdone. There are a lot of things you can scan, and there's no way to tell which of them will create logbook entries. As such, you may find yourself scanning every single thing you can, even if you don't care to, just to make sure you don't miss any logbook ones. The music is another holdover from previous titles, which means the return of the horrible choral synth in several tracks. I'm not sure why Nintendo thinks this is a pleasing instrument, having gone so far as to include it in parts of Metroid: Zero Mission on the GBA, but it grates on my ears on every occasion. There's no reason they couldn't have sprung for a real chorus in Corruption, especially considering that the entire game is voice-acted.
These faults are actually symptomatic of an issue that raised its head in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: a general feeling of déjà -vu. For all the changes made, many constructs in Corruption owe their inclusion merely to convention, not actual creative design. I mean, do we really need 255 missiles? You even collect expansions for a particular ability that you'll never use more than once or twice. Corruption switches up enough to keep things fresh, but the Prime formula has become decidedly saturated. Regardless of the form the next Metroid title takes, it would be nice to see a re-envisioning of these tried and true ideas. Phantom Hourglass looks like it may do just that for the Zelda franchise; Metroid may be similarly due.
As the finale in an established trilogy, though, I can accept the majority of that déjà -vu. Corruption's job is to evolve the design ideals pioneered in the first and second Primes, and at that it succeeds phenomenally. With the radical changes made to pacing, plot progression, and overall atmosphere, Corruption proves that the Metroid series can support multiple interpretations and still retain what makes it so compelling.
Gone is the sensation of a cohesive world with a history unknown to all but those brave enough to explore it. Corruption sees Samus Aran, the titular Space Hunter of galactic renown, hopping from planet to planet, each embroiled in events that are neither mysterious nor ancient. While there certainly remain moments of discovery, they are far outnumbered by scripted plot-progression and interaction between Samus and her peers: the Galactic Federation and their various extensions.
Truly, these aren't entirely bad changes. At the same time, I'd be hard pressed to call many of them "good." They are merely... different. The gameplay of the title remains true to the heritage set forth by its predecessors, but the circumstances surrounding its progression create an experience that is both more urgent and less personal. It is nice to get a deeper look at the universe Samus operates in, however, reinforcing the fact that Corruption's alterations to the familiar formula are more of a curiosity than a detriment.
What really propels this game into "exemplary" territory, though, is the execution. Corruption has been crafted so well, and with such attention to detail, that a jaunt into unfamiliar territory becomes enjoyable rather than jarring. The more pressing pacing is assisted by level-design choices that minimize backtracking via new routes that open after key objectives are completed. You'll rarely feel frustrated by the need to retread old ground in search of a new item or location. Your abilities themselves have also been pared back and refined, with less volume but more meaningful functionality.
The worlds you explore in Corruption truly feel alive, with surroundings that are painstakingly modeled and animated. Even the most mundane actions will typically be accompanied by an incredibly intricate series of animations that further the idea of an environment with purpose and design, not just a sterile videogame locale. Retro Studios, the developers behind the title, must be commended for being one of the only studios to successfully bridge the gap between concept art and actual in-game design. Everything, from the chained moons of Bryyo to the derelict sky-platforms of Elysia, has been meticulously constructed to create the illusion of an organically born environment.
This attention to detail is similarly mirrored in Corruption's much ballyhooed controls. The game incontestably validates the Wii Remote for first-person titles, providing a level of response and precision heretofore unheard of on a console. The primary innovation therein, however, has got to be the notion of lock on / free aim. By allowing you to set a pivot point for movement but keeping aiming entirely free, an entire world of precision combat scenarios become possible. Many of the bosses are designed around this mechanic, and offer a experience that simply could not have been replicated in either of the previous Prime titles. This is the Z-targeting of the Wii generation, and I can imagine its core concepts being integrated into many other titles, not the least of which being a new Wii Zelda.
For as much as Corruption changes, however, most of its faults are rooted in the design of its predecessors. For example, the notion of scanning, while still a very neat mechanic, is slightly overdone. There are a lot of things you can scan, and there's no way to tell which of them will create logbook entries. As such, you may find yourself scanning every single thing you can, even if you don't care to, just to make sure you don't miss any logbook ones. The music is another holdover from previous titles, which means the return of the horrible choral synth in several tracks. I'm not sure why Nintendo thinks this is a pleasing instrument, having gone so far as to include it in parts of Metroid: Zero Mission on the GBA, but it grates on my ears on every occasion. There's no reason they couldn't have sprung for a real chorus in Corruption, especially considering that the entire game is voice-acted.
These faults are actually symptomatic of an issue that raised its head in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: a general feeling of déjà -vu. For all the changes made, many constructs in Corruption owe their inclusion merely to convention, not actual creative design. I mean, do we really need 255 missiles? You even collect expansions for a particular ability that you'll never use more than once or twice. Corruption switches up enough to keep things fresh, but the Prime formula has become decidedly saturated. Regardless of the form the next Metroid title takes, it would be nice to see a re-envisioning of these tried and true ideas. Phantom Hourglass looks like it may do just that for the Zelda franchise; Metroid may be similarly due.
As the finale in an established trilogy, though, I can accept the majority of that déjà -vu. Corruption's job is to evolve the design ideals pioneered in the first and second Primes, and at that it succeeds phenomenally. With the radical changes made to pacing, plot progression, and overall atmosphere, Corruption proves that the Metroid series can support multiple interpretations and still retain what makes it so compelling.