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Retro Studios Stepping Back From Metroid For A Bit
Retro Studios, the makers of the games in the Metroid Prime series, has announced they'll be stepping back from the games for a bit now that Corruption is in stores. Comments from project director Mark Pacini discuss that decision and their interaction with the Wiimote: "I'm sure that there will be other titles created but as far as Retro Studios is concerned, we're taking a break for a little bit. We started with the core ideas of the game ... but we did not receive the information about the Wii controller until well into development. So we got a big surprise, of, hey, this is what we're going to do for the next console. Many things had to be refactored, but actually many things fell right into place. The Wii remote enables us to do things that we hadn't previously done in other Metroid games."
It has been known for quite a while now that Metroid Prime 3 would be the last Metroid Prime title, and I don't think they would have done anything else.
It's good they're taking a rest, because quite frankly, they've been losing direction since after the first game. Metroid Prime was a great transition to 3D. It felt right, the gameplay was solid, there was exploration, an interesting world, etc. But then something went horribly wrong.
It is my understanding that the original Metroid Prime was heavily influenced by Nintendo. It was they who told Retro to use a first-person view instead of a third-person one, for one thing. After that, they let Retro use their own ideas, which involved copying Metroid Fusion's X idea, light/dark worlds, and the result was Metroid Prime 2. The gameplay remained solid, and the bosses were good, but everything else that was good about the first title was gone.
No more interesting architecture, no more unique landscapes, Aether was a pretty barren planet with no defining flair. Dark Aether looked bland, and you weren't encouraged to explore because the environment hurts you. There was nothing Chozo on the planet either.
The game was also completely linear, you barely had any choice of where to go. This is reinforced with the amount of lock and key mechanism present in the game. Aside from the obvious 3 Temple Keys you have to collect in each area, there were all kinds of locks added. Light Beam doors, Dark Beam doors, Power Bomb doors, Multi-Missile doors, Annihilition Beam doors, Super Missile doors, and those light beams you access with the Light Suit.
And who had the brilliant idea of assigning AMMO to BEAMS?! Never before has it been done, and it doesn't work well.
Oh, and the Echoes subtitle? Doesn't mean much. You get the Echo Visor very late in the game, and it's only used for a couple puzzles and one boss. Whoop-de-doo.
The game's saving graces are the third area, the Sanctuary, and Dark Samus.
I haven't played Metroid Prime 3 yet, so I can only hope they've learned something. Seeing how Metroid Prime 2 was widely praised, though, it's not likely. Reactions have been mixed about the new game, so far.