Agreed. The bosses were definitely something that I could always get more of. The sheer size of each one was always miraculous and they really weren’t exactly easy on the first time around if you’ve never seen or heard of what to do before. Don’t forget the final battle which was probably not as inventive as the previous bosses but still I’ll never forget my feelings of awkwardness and fright (can’t really describe it) when I first opened the door to the metroid prime in the impact crater and you see that face? Staring back at you. What is that anyway? Is that the back shell of it or what? I don’t know what it is about that face but it is kinda like those killer baby dolls on some horror movies. The face is so simplistic and “happy” that it can be interpreted as twisted, scary and kind of disturbing. Anyway, very few games or even television shows can arouse that feeling from me.

Looking back on the game and talking about scary parts, that part aside (for a very brief moment) I’d have to say the most freaky part of the game was going to the pirate’s lab to get the thermal visor and then the lights shut off. I hated that part with a passion because I didn’t get the ice beam at that point so I had to backtrack all the way back through all the darkness and the thermal visor drives me insane with the stupid noises and the fact that sometimes gases and such trigger reflex reactions with me when I’m playing to turn and shoot and get all nervous when there really isn’t anyone there. On the other hand, taking the visor off and walking in pitch blackness is much much worse.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ngamers@lists.xmission.com [mailto:owner-ngamers@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of darkbastion@aol.com
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 12:56 AM
To: ngamers@lists.xmission.com
Subject: Re: [NG] Metroid Prime Ending. Big Spoiler

In a message dated 12/23/2002 12:42:22 AM Eastern Standard Time, d.fentie@shaw.ca writes:

Appropriate? Are you crazy? Well sure maybe back in the 1980’s that was appropriate but these days everyone has come to expect more. I expected some sort of cinematic, maybe one that lasted 5 minutes at least but I was hoping for something longer than an approximate 45 seconds. Take a look at Final Fantasy III’s ending, now THAT is a good ending, same with the Zeldas. I dunno, It was too open ended for my tastes. Kinda like those movies that sort of stop in the middle of nowhere and they leave you just shaking your head and asking what the heck was that all about?

Agreed. But while Metroid Prime was full of character and context, it's actual story was rather weak (I think all of the Metroid games, like most old-school games, had rather weak stories that basically set you in an environment to explore). In fact, I think Metroid Fusion has the strongest actual plot of the Metroid games. So while it would have been nice to have a better ending, I think that what we were given more or less worked: there weren't exactly a shitload of plot threads that needed closure. But something a little longer that gave you more of a sense of accomplishment would have been nice.

On a related note, I thought the bosses in Metroid Prime were pretty sweet. They were really original in some places (Flagghra, that plant where you had to shoot the solar panels), long and grueling (Thardus, the rock creature), pretty inventive (that Omega Pirate, where you had to destroy the armor and find his veins pumping phazon with your visors), and just old-school HARD (Ripley). I would love for another 3D Metroid soon, but I feel that it will be a while before we see one.

~Matt