Browse > Home / Games, Headlines, Living & Arts / Corruption Speads to the Wii

Corruption Speads to the Wii

September 27, 2007

Nintendo's latest hopes to redefine the first-person shooter.

by Manny Perezmetroid.jpg

    Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is what many consider the first of three games to pioneer the Wii’s various talents in a first-class, $50 package by Nintendo (the other two being Super Mario Galaxy in November and Super Smash Bros. Brawl in December), but does Samus’s latest live up to the hype? The TJ Journal puts it to the test.

    The story centers around Samus Aran (once again) helping the Galactic Federation foil the dastardly deeds of the notorious Space Pirates; this time, with the help of some fellow bounty hunters and the deadly substance Phazon. The other hunters really do add another layer to the plot, even if it does bring up the feeling she's a  member of the Justice League. But just because Master Chief doesn't have any friends, doesn’t mean Samus can’t.

    The art direction in this game is truly outstanding and does more than make up for the Wii’s visual shortcomings. Detail has always been one of Retro Studio’s stronger points; in some of the darker parts of the game, Samus’s own blue eyes can be seen reflected on the visor.

    Not all is well and good, though: the HUD can sometimes seem constricting and the darker areas can make things hard to see. But once again Nintendo shines through. The HUD can be manipulated to be opaque and slide away during combat, and the murky environment becomes much more bearable with a handy brightness control. Though the visuals can never be compared fairly to an Xbox 360 game, even Halo, with its elaborate environments and vivid enemies, envies Corruptions style.

    Without a doubt, and without a single moment of hesitation, I can declare that Corruption's controls put all other first-person shooters before it to shame. The ease of use is so simple, yet so ingenious, it seems almost impossible that the FPS can control this well. The gesture movements necessary to directly interact with objects are also spot-on and ideal for the Wii Remote. And with the exception of the odd button mapping, wherein B is to jump and A is to shoot (and even that seems form fitting after awhile of play), everything deserves a perfect score.

    Corruption's soundtrack is also extremely impressive. The slow murmurs and light thunder claps that make up Samus’s world all combine to create the feeling of loneliness and despair that is the signature of the series. The voice acting is particularly  noteworthy and fits each character to a T. Even Nintendo, with its usual Maud Flanders approach to video games, loosened up for this one. They caught me off guard and I almost gasped when one of the commanders said, "Damn!"

    Metroid has always had a place in many a gamer’s hearts. From the first 2D side-scroller in 1986 on the NES, to the previous Prime, Echoes, on the GameCube, the Metroid series has launched a little less than a dozen games of almost absurd quality. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption capitalizes on all of the previous installments, and by pure Nintendo innovation has actually improved on these. Brilliant controls, beaming style, an epic storyline and a heroine who just won’t quit, all blend together to create a modern classic in gaming.

Print This Article Print This Article

Written by Manny Perez · Filed Under Games, Headlines, Living & Arts