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And what a beautifully facsimiled memory it is.
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Visually and mechanically, it does the thing that’s so fashionable these days: Looking and playing as you remember the original, not the way it was. The 2002 version brought the world of Metroid to life in spectacular fashion and this remaster improves it in every possible way. Handwringing aside, there’s much to celebrate about this version of Prime. ‘Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope’ is a Goofy Gaming Chimera (in the Good Way)įew first-person games have ever been as immersive as Prime with its in-visor HUD. ‘Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion’ Is a (Slightly) Updated Time Capsule From the Mid-2000s Reanimated ‘Dead Space’ Is a Gruesome Body Horror Nightmare Now on Nintendo Switch, 2023’s Metroid Prime Remastered is that exact game, just better.
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It was a seminal release that set a high benchmark not just for the series, but for the entire GameCube era. The fifth entry in the series that began in 1986, Prime took all the hallmarks of the franchise - the isolating sci-fi horror atmosphere, labyrinthian world design, and the exploration/puzzle based gameplay loop - and brought them to life not just in stunning 3D, but in the first-person perspective. 'Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope' is a Goofy Gaming Chimera (in the Good Way)īut as underdogs, the famously innovative brand took some of the biggest swings in its history, from turning Zelda into a cartoon pirate to making Luigi a ghostbuster, and Metroid Prime was one of its unequivocal knockouts.
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