The best FPS gam??es to play are those with tight controls, badass weaponry, and gameplay that tests you to your very limits. The following games certainly do that ??as you blast your way through enemies with a typically powerful arsenal.

Apex Legends remains to be one of the best battle royale games out there, while Doom Eternal provides single-player fans with a juicy campaig??n packed to capacity with thrill. Here are all the best FPS games you can play right now.

[caption id="attachment_369717" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via EA[/caption]

Apex Legends

Apex Legends is a battle royale that came out of nowhere in 2019, courtesy of EA and Respa??wn, and has taken the world by storm. Moving around the world is excitedly energetic as you can slide and wall climb anywhere you please. Each character has their own ability to add to the chaos, such as Caustic dropping poisonous canisters onto the battlefield and Gibraltar summoning a bombardment toward their foes. It's free to play and is crossplay compatible, so you can join games with your friends in a snap as well. The costumes you can buy are also pretty out there �as you can see in the picture above.

[caption id="attachment_480038" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via EA[/caption]

Battlefield 3

Battlefield 3, despite releasing more than a decade ago, still warrants playing today. The shooting feels spot-on and feels heavier than the likes of Call of Duty and Titanfall. The bigger maps allow for thrilling sniping action, and you can ride vehicles like tanks across the battlefield. There are some smaller maps like Operation Metro as well that will test your skills with its narrow hallways and diverse battle environments. This game has a strong map variety. The Battlefield series focuses more on teamwork as you can resupply your pals on the squad and revive them from death; it's much more strategic than a game of Team Deathmatch. It would be great if the Battlefield series could stand tall again.

[caption id="attachment_480042" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via 2K[/caption]

Borderlands 2

Borderlands 2 is my most nostalgic FPS, and it could be yours too. It has a hilarious script with a devious, unruly antagonist who thinks too much of himself. However, the main highlight is collecting loot. As you defeat enemies and bosses around the world, you'll collect all sorts of weapons each with their own stats and gimmicks to use on foes. I remember laughing and playing with my online friends every week. The game's so entertaining that I beat the game through the mediocre streaming service OnLive and still enjoyed it.

Its sequel Borderlands 3 looks better and runs impressively, but to me, the more engaging experience is the sec??ond en??try in the series due to the characters and weapons you'll find.

[caption id="attachment_369853" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Activision[/caption]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 brings everything you love about the series. A spectacular array of weapons, detailed multiplayer maps, and a thoroughly entertaining campaign. This series is the pinnacle of the FPS genre as each gun feels impactful and the controls are on point. The new maps, which include Breenbergh Hotel and the Valderas Museum, are also highlights �presenting depth and a wide range of scenar??ios from short-range to long-range combat. It's just a shame this game is such a storage hog!

[caption id="attachment_400393" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via CD Projekt Red[/caption]

Cyberpunk 2077

CD Projekt Red weaves an intriguing story led by the custom player character, V, and their companion, the mysterious?? Johnny Silverhand, played by Keanu Reeves. Somehow, Silverhand slowly takes over your mind, narrating a?? fascinat??ing plot from beginning to end.

And if you soured on Cyberpunk at launch, now may be the time to revisit. CD Projekt Red has pushed a ton of updates since launch, and the heavy patching was enough to draw mass player attention two years later??. Even if the story isn't your thin?g, the gunplay's still decent, with all manner of weapons to find among the open world of Night City and beyond. There's also the badass Phantom Liberty expansion that features Hobbs & Shaw actor Idris Elba. 

[caption id="attachment_369878" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Valve[/caption]

Counter-Strike 2

The most intense FPS you can play is Counter-Strike 2. Available as a free-to-play title, this game offers intuitive shooting controls and will require precise shots from you to win. Beloved maps like "Dust 2" and "Office" require deep strategy as you manoeuvre through their tight corners. The system in which you buy each weapon also adds to the pressure of the game �??Spend too much and you'll be stuck with a pistol ?for one round.

[caption id="attachment_400394" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Valve[/caption]

Left 4 Dead 2

This one’s an oldie but a goodie, and it's likely almost all of your friends on Steam have it. In Left 4 Dead 2, hordes of zombies rage toward you and three other unlucky companions as you relentlessly unload against decaying foes. There are multiple types of swarming undead like the Spitters, who blast acid, or bulky infected that charge in without a moment’s notice—aptly named, you guessed it, Chargers. It’s intense, as the chaos demands you need to be alert at all times. However, Valve does provide some levity within the game’s funny dialogue. Left 4 Dead 2 certainly has aged well; the dedicated community proves as much.

[caption id="attachment_369883" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Bethesda[/caption]

Doom Eternal

If multiplayer isn't your bag and you want a shot at some intense FPS gameplay, Doom Eternal will call you. You'll be ripping and tearing through demons as you shred bullets into them with your powerful weapons. The environments look unique as they're hellish and post-apocalyptic. In addition, the music will keep your heart pumping while you take on some of the toughest bosses in gaming. If you decide to pick up Doom Eternal, you'll be in for a thrilling time.

[caption id="attachment_369884" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Ubisoft[/caption]

Rainbow Six Siege

If you're tired of Counter-Strike and want to dive into more gadget-based encounters, Rainbow Six Siege should interest you. You're setting up barricades, blasting explosives, and using an axe to dent the walls to either save the hostage or keep hostiles away. The shooting is intense as only a few bullets can seal your fate, and that rush of danger is what keeps many players coming back for more.

[caption id="attachment_369885" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Metroid Prime Remastered

Metroid Prime has never looked better, thanks to Nintendo and its fantastic remaster. The game has stellar design, entertaining puzzles, and thrilling bosses to face along the way. The exploration of the world is key in the game and returning to past areas with n??ew abilities is super satisfying. The?? remaster has improved the game significantly with a more modern two-stick control method.

The remaster has impressed us with its graphical upgrade. "Metroid Prime Remastered is a fantastic renewal of the classic GameCube title," said Zoey Handley in their Destructoid review."It now looks like how our brains tell us it looked the first time we played it." It's one of the best FPS games to play as it offers a great opportunity to get caught up on the lore before the fabled Metroid Prime 4. 

[caption id="attachment_400391" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Ascendant Studios[/caption]

Immortals of Aveum

Immortals of Aveum may have flown under ?the radar for FPS fans, but it’s certainly worth gearing u??p for. The magic-based take on the genre is refreshing, with spectacular effects and outstanding (and demanding) graphical capabilities all around.

The story is dull as hell, but the combat is a constant thrill. You'll take on mighty bosses—like the mega-nasty dragon, Howler—with all manner of tools at your disposal. We've got a running list of Immortals tips and tricks outlining some of those special abilities, shields, and the game's handy whip (which also works for? traversal).

[caption id="attachment_480063" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Blizzard[/caption]

Overwatch 2

I will go out on a limb and declare Overwatch 2 is one of the best FPS games you can pl??ay right now. It doesn't have the best support from its developers with dull events, but when you can t??alk about the general gameplay, few other games match it. This hero shooter has characters each with their own abilities that can change the state of battle.

Tracer can rewind time while Pharah can leap into the air and reign down rockets from above. Everyone has their role to play and like Battlefield 3, if each team member contributes, it can feel incredibly rewarding. The maps are well-designed with capture points that keep you on your toes too. While I think Blizzard has dropped the ball in recent years, I won't forget the incredible memories of playing Overwatch with my friends; that's why Overwatch 2 is on this list.

[caption id="attachment_480047" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Superhot Team[/caption]

SUPERHOT

Superhot is an incredible FPS, especially if you play the game in VR. This post-modern graphical style is matched up with a unique gameplay system. Time stops when you are standing still, but when you move, your foes will move tow??ards you and fire their weapons. You can shoot with a pistol, but there are other tools at your disposal you can grab, use, or throw like a sword or an assault rifle.

"It’s a shooter at heart, but Superhot brings something fresh and unexpected to the FPS genre," said our review. "It mixes thrilling, action-packed combat with meticulous, precision planning, and somehow these opposing ideas are able to unfold simultaneously." This mix of a puzzle game with an FPS is a fantastic way to spend y??our weekend.

[caption id="attachment_480059" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via EA[/caption]

Titanfall 2

Before Apex Legends, there was Titanfall 2. This shooter has clever level design within its single player campaign and somehow manages you to care for this mech robot that assists you during battle. You can even get inside the mech and cause chaos below to your victims. There's wall-jumping, intriguing platforms to jump on top of like being in the middle of an apartment-m??aking factory, and cool weapons to ??utilize throughout the campaign. The campaign is the star event for me, but others say the multiplayer is a fantastic time too.

[caption id="attachment_369891" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Riot Games[/caption]

Valorant

Last up is Valorant. It combines the fluidity of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and the ability-focused gameplay of Overwatch to create a triumphant FPS in and of itself. The maps are fantastically designed, and the weapons all feel great to control. It's heroes' abilities add further strategy to the original Counter-Strike-like formula as you create barriers with toxic gas, resurrect fallen allies, and activate seismic charges to shak?e up the opponent's standing.

The post 15 Best FPS Games to play appeared first on Destructoid.

Metroid subreddit simply asks, 'where do the arms go?'

The Metroid series is one full of mystery and discovery, yet one in particular has overtaken a sec??t of the fan community: how does S??amus fit into the suit?

Over on the Metroid subreddit, the discussion seems to have kicked off with this post, showing several diagrams of how Samus may or may not actually fit into her signature suit. The key point of discussion is her arms, which depending on how far away from the torso they are and relation to the large shoulders, could have troubling indications. Here's one diagram, as shared by Chris Sutcliffe on Twitter:

//twitter.com/chrismsutcliffe/status/163??1326061005873164

The answer, as users began to reply, is simply "bird magic." Rather, that the Chozo technology and "space-magic" could make all this body-warping happen. That didn't exactly stop the memes from rolling on out, though.

Armed and dangerous

Of course, we have a reference point for all this. As some have pointed out, the Super Metroid Player's Guide contains a diagram of Samus inside the suit, with an X-ray look inside showing exactly which limbs go where. Though this design doesn't apply wholesale across every Metroid game, ?it does give us a good idea of how the arms and shoulders incorporate into Samus' iconic suit.

[caption id="attachment_366759" align="alignnone" width="640"]?? Graphic via Super Metroid?? Player's Guide[/caption]

Heck, cosplayers have been figuring out where the arms go for years at this point. Though the design in some games definitely looks uncomfortable, it does feel like we generally know ho??w the human body could fit inside Samus' suit.

So case roughly closed, right? Well, this still opens up the question of how exactly the Morph Ball works. To be honest, I've always wondered that myself. Not only does it seem very fluid when Samus tucks and curls, there's a bunch of machinery and mechanical pieces that would have to go in too. Seems like it might not be very comfortable. And how does she see where she's going? It's a question that's plagued the world for years, it seems. Even the Space Pirates of Metroid have canonically tried and failed to fig??ure out how the suit's Morph Ball capabilities work, to seemingly horrific results.

If you want to do some research of your own, though, Metroid Prime Remastered seems to be a good way to do it. The remaster (borderline remake, I'd say) surprise-dropped on Switch last month, and it's been received quite well. Mayb?e someone at Retro could shed some light on all these body-warping concerns, too.

The post Metroid fans break out diagrams to solve how Samus’ suit works appeared first on Destructoid.

"Please continue to check with major retailers for availability"

In case you missed it, Metroid Prime Remastered (or remake, depending on how you see it) dropped digitally on February 8, and physically on February 22 in the US. Well, it was supposed to arrive physically on February 22, but many retailers didn't get shipments, and folks who wanted a copy found themselves inundated with sell-out runs from bots and scalpers. It's the latest in a string of Nintendo physical release drama, but there might be light at the end o?f the tunnel for this story.

Metroid Prime Remastered will continue to be stocked

Nintendo of America actually provided a statement to the outlet Nintendo Life, who noted that they're aware of the issue and intend to keep the game in stock (at least for the near future). ??Here's the full statement, c??ourtesy of Nintendo Life:

"We will do everything we can to meet the strong demand for the product. Please continue to check with major retailers for availability. If the Metroid Prime Remastered game sells out at various r??etail locations in the U.S., we ??will work to provide more units as soon as possible."

Obviously Nintendo wants to make money, so they'll do everything they can to sell as much as they can; including stock that still needs to be shipped. But the "soon as possible" bit implies some form of urgency, which could help your case if you're still in the market for a copy. It also insinuates that this isn't an extremely limited one-time run, so you should have another chance to grab it if you're perking?? up right now and realized you want a copy.

As for me, my launch-ordered Amazon copy still hasn't shipped, but is slated to come in around March 7 through March 9. That's a few weeks af??ter the aforementioned physical release, but at least it's?? semi-locked in!

The post Nintendo vows to “do everything they can” to address Metroid Prime Remastered stock appeared first on Destructoid.

The galaxy is at peace

Eons ago, otherwise known as the NES and SNES era of gaming, people at my school were obsessed with the idea of "Nintendo's big three." What are the big three franchises that Nintendo has? In the days before Mario Kart, Pokémon, and Animal Crossing, all the kids could usually say Super Mario, Zelda, and Metroid. That's what I would say too, though sometimes you'd find the one kid who had to be a contrarian by saying Donkey Kong.

While Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda are both still two of the top-tier franchises for Nintendo, it's become clear to me that Metroid was never really as big as it might have seemed. It sold well, but not well enough to have skipped entire console generations without a new entry. And with the modern gaming landscape and Nintendo's focus on those best-sellers like Splatoon and Smash Bros., fans are almost lucky that Nintendo chooses to keep throwing this franchise a bone. But I'm glad it does because Metroid might be the best IP in Nintendo's pocket. Sure, the series has seen some bad games, but when it's good, it's really good.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the 10 best games in the Metroid series.

[caption id="attachment_365714" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Moby Games[/caption]

10. Metroid Prime Pinball

Consider Metroid Prime Hunters an honorable mention for this list, but if we're going to include one of the series' Nintendo DS outings on this list, it's going to be Metroid Prime Pinball. This wonderful adaptation of Metroid Prime shrunk the planet of Tallon IV down into a couple of pinball tables with genuinely fun game??play and some of the best graphics at the time on the Nintendo DS. Sure, it was a bit slight in terms of content, but just like any good pinball machine, it was the experience tha??t kept players coming back long after they defeated Metroid Prime.

9. Metroid

There are so many great things about the original Metroid, launched in North America in 1987. The setting, the music (or lack thereof), and the puzzle that was the game's map; it was all unlike anything else you could get on the NES. Perhaps the best thing, however, was that Metroid was a Password Pak game, and it didn't take long for people to realiz?e there were so many ways you could alter the game based on what was entered into the password screen. Justin Bailey, anyone? The game itself is one of the greatest on the NES, but in the days before the internet gave you everything you needed to know in the palm of your hand, sharing passwords for it on the playground was an exciting experience in itself.

8. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

The renowned trilogy of Metroid Prime games came to a satisfying conclusion with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on the Nintendo Wii. Not only was it the most talkative Metroid game (at the time), but it showcased the brilliance of the Wiimote and Nunchuck controller, giving players an FPS experience that was by and large superior to what a traditional controller could offer. It's also home to what might be the greatest moment of the Metroid Prime trilogy: fighting Meta Ridley as he and Samus plunge down a seemin?gly neverending shaft.

7. Metroid: Samus Returns

Metroid II: Samus Returns gets a bit of a bad rap because it was a game held back by its hardware. The Game Boy just couldn't do the isolated world of SR388 justice with its shades of grey. Samus Returns for the Nintendo 3DS rights the wrongs of the original release, giving players arguably the last great game from Nintendo on the handheld system?.

[caption id="attachment_365720" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

6. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Ignoring its dumb but fun multiplayer mode, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes was a worthy follow-up to its ground-breaking predecessor. It took everything that worked in the first game and set it on the planet known as Aether, a unique world where light and darkness are at war. The boss battles of Echoes might be the most challenging the series has ever seen, and its cruel lack of save points only added to its often hellish difficulty. But if you stuck with it and found all th?ose Sky Temple keys, you got to?? experience one of the most satisfying titles on GameCube.

5. Metroid Fusion

Like a lot of Nintendo franchises, just because Samus Aran jumped to 3D with Metroid Prime doesn't mean she was done with her side-scrolling adventures. On the same day the GameCube masterpiece dropped, Nintendo released Metroid Fusion, a sequel to Super Metroid that put Samus on a spaceship with a doppelganger known as SA-X. Fusion is one of the more lore-heavy entries in the Metroid franchise, cementing concepts like Samus' fusion with the Metroid DNA and introducing a character known as Adam Malkovich to western audiences, who would go on to become an important person in Samus's backs??tory. As fo?r the gameplay and design of the BSL Station, they were pretty close to perfect and ideal for the burgeoning speed-running scene.

4. Metroid: Zero Mission

If Metroid Fusion carried on the tradition of 2D Metroid games, then Zero Mission perfected it. This remake of the original Metroid brought all of the gameplay enhancements stronger hardware can offer and combined it with one of the most tightly designed Metroid maps ever. I don't think you could find a more perfectly designed game, where everything functions like clockwork. Plus, the added epilogue gave us Zero Suit Samus, who has been a staple of Smash Bros. and cosplay conventions ever since. That's more than enough reason to give Zero Mission a spot on this list.

[caption id="attachment_365715" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

3. Metroid Dread

For more than a decade, Metroid Dread was nothing more than a rumor, an in-game joke of a possible game that almost never came. When Metroid Prime 3: Corruption made reference to it back in 2007, it set the fandom on fire. Sadly, nothing would come of it until 2021 when Nintendo and MercurySteam released Metroid Dread for the Nintendo Switch. Whether or not this was the same Metroid Dread that Yoshio Sakamoto was dreaming up back in '07 doesn't matter. All that matters is this is one of the best games of its generation. And that's not recency bias talking. If we revisit this list in 10 years with all the Metroid games that are released between now and then, chances are Dread will be listed exactly where it is right now, if not higher.

2. Super Metroid

The original "Greatest Game of All-Time" is still absolutely stellar nearly 30 years after it was first released. Super Metroid was the first time the very idea of what a Metroid game could be was explored to its fullest potential. The power of SNES allowed for bigger sprites, better music, and some of the most action-packed boss battles the genre has ever seen. No other game at the time captured the feel of being alone on an alien planet as well as Super Metroid did. While some may say Fusion and Dread topped what Nintendo achieved in this game, I would argue that neither of those has a final boss battle as emotionally gut-wrenching as the one at the end of Super Metroid. That fight is video game royalty.

[caption id="attachment_365717" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

1. Metroid Prime (Remastered)

Whether you are playing it on GameCube, Wii, or Nintendo Switch with the recently released HD remaster, there is no better Metroid game to date than Metroid Prime. It was a bit of a gamble at the time with some arguing Samus might not make the jump to 3D as successfully as Mario and Link. But she absolutely stuck the landing with Retro Studios' deft hand guiding the experience and creating an adventure for the ages. More than 20 years later, Metroid Prime remains a masterclass in game design.

The post Let’s rank the 10 best Metroid games of all time appeared first on Destructoid.

Due out on February 22 in the US

Metroid Prime Remastered had a surprise digital release on February 8, but fo??lks will have to wait until February 22 for the physical edition of the game (myself included, wh??o ordered one!).

Early copies are now in the wild, including this one from Reddit user LegoFan12345. But the real story here is that the physical edition includes reversible box art. So what's on the reverse side? It's the J??apanese box art for the game. Neat! You can peruse both options and the back of the box in the gallery below.

After all this time, it's wild to see so much focus on Metroid. Between Metroid Dread selling well and Metroid Prime Remastered seeing widespread acclaim, it would stand to reason that we'll get more Metroid Prime re-releases leading into the question mark release of Metroid Prime 4. That thing is likely so far away that we could even see another 2D Metroid before it comes out.

That said, Nintendo has surprised us before. One E3 Direct and a title announcement: and it could even get a release window. That sort of stuff is why Nintendo is such a wild card, and the industry is better overall with them in it. For now, you can enjoy Metroid Prime again ??(or for the first time!), over 20 years after the original releas??e.

The post Metroid Pri?me Remastered physical edition ha?s reversible box art appeared first on Destructoid.

Inconsistent definitions

Welcome back! It’s time for a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight we’ll be talking all about the magnificent and recently stealth-released Metroid Prime Remastered. Along with?? that, the team discusses the difference between a remaster and a remake -- And how even game devs are split on the meaning.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdkaKidkq7A???&ab_channel=Destructoid

I know what you're thinking, the difference between ?a remaster and a remake is clear. A game like Wind Waker HD is a remaster and Residen??t Evil 2 (2019) is a remake. Wind Waker retained the same skeleton as the original but overhauled the graphics. Essentially being 90% the same game. Whereas Resident Evil 2 was a full reimagining of the original game. With new gameplay, dialogue, characters, sound, and more.

Spot Dodge is a weekly Nintendo-focused Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the latest Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a g?ood time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podcast rotation. So be sure to subscribe!

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Twitch channel. ICYMI: We now have a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube channel for our archived streams! All future ep??isodes? will be uploaded there.

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on both YouTube and T??witch (don’t forget to follow and subscribe). So many options!

The post Even game studios are defining remakes/r??emasters di?fferently appeared first on Destructoid.

Prime cuts

While rumors that had been swirling for years pointed to the likelihood of a port of 2009’s Metroid Prime Trilogy, Nintendo surprised us by dropping Metroid Prime Remastered instead. This is entirely unlike Nintendo for a few reasons. Mostly, it’s because Metroid Prime Remastered isn’t just a port. They actually went to the effort of gussying up to the nines. Weirder yet, they aren’t charging some sort of premium for it or even full price. Sometimes they pretend that Metroid doesn’t even exist. Is this a mistake?

In any case, I love Metroid Prime. The GameCube had a lot of momentum coming out of the gate, giving fans a lot to draw their focus away from what was happening on other platforms. Metroid Prime dropped in North America, exactly one year after the continent got the console itself. I loved it. For a good period of time, I considered it my favorite game of all time, and while that title has tarnished a lit?tle, I still love it. It’s great to see it get a thoughtful spit-shine.

[caption id="attachment_363376" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Metroid Prime Remastered (Switch)
Developer: Retro Studios
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: February 8, 2023 (Digital), February 22, 2023 (Phsyical)
MSRP: $39.99

The story sees the alleged bounty hunter, Samus Aran, as ??she follows a distress signal to a Space Pirate frigate near the planet of Tallon IV. One thing leads to another, and Samus is planetside without a bunch of her ??gear.

If that sounds like the setup to Super Metroid, well�/p>

Aside from the plot, Metroid Prime is both a tremendous divergence and a faithful continuation of the series. While Metroid Fusion was a more conventional entry being released as a companion on GBA, Retro Studios decided to bring it into the third dimension and shove you into Samus�visor. Rather than a side-scroller, Metroid Prime is a first-person exploration game with shooter mechanics. A lot of people compared it to Halo in 2003, and that’s just not a very apt comparison. Metroid Prime is closer to a platformer than a shooter, even if Samus�gun is constant?ly on screen. More focus is on sol?ving puzzles than blasting beasts.

[embed]//youtu.be/e9OQOJC1QII[/embed]

Polygon pusher

Metroid Prime was a graphical jaw-dropper at the time of release. It wasn’t so much that it was a polygon pusher, it mostly came from its commitment to lavish details. Mist would stick to the screen in droplets, bright flashes would cause Samus�face to reflect in the visor (for some reason), and the x-ray vision would show bone. It was amazing.

My initial thought when the remaster was announced was that it didn’t really need to be remastered, and I still think it didn’t. However, now that we have Metroid Prime Remastered, I have to say I’m impressed. It’s not just that the game looks a lot nicer now, it’s the fact that so much of it has changed, and it still has the same aesthetic feel. If you hadn’t played Metroid Prime ove??r the last 20 years, you might make the mi??stake in thinking it’s the same game playing at a higher resolution, but a great deal of work has gone into tying a bow around it.

The textures, the models, and the lighting have all been updated. For a Switch title, it’s quite the looker. Yet, despite that, it plays exactly the same. The environments and models feel as though they’re built over the bones of the GameCube original, and while the effects all look better, they function the same. You’re able to choose from a variety of control types, including the original sticky lock-on mode and the updated Wii motion controls. I went with dual-stick because I like looking around, but I’m very accustomed to the sticky lock-on. Metroid Prime just does??n’t feel right unless I have to lock onto everything.

[caption id="attachment_363375" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The Hunter is here to wreck house

There aren’t very many quality-of-life adjustments. The only ??one I can truly identify beyond some accessibility settings is that your cannon will fire a few times before beginning to charge. The map functions the same, which means you won’t get any information on where items may or may not be h?idden. There’s also the primary goal of finding all the Chozo artifacts, which is just as much a pain in the ass as it was originally.

Scanning remains the same, too. I never had much of a problem with it, but this time I went through with only scanning when I had to, and it was a better experience. Unlike most games in the series, Metroid Prime is jam-packed with lore, and a lot of it is given to you through the scanning visor. Some of this is the absolute most pointless soft-science flavor text imaginable, other times it just tells you about the soil composition, but my favorite is all the messages where the Space Pirates are like, “Look out! The Hunter is here to wreck house!�/p>

While I normally hate the tell-don’t-show storytelling of basically handing an encyclopedia to the player, it kind of works with Metroid. The games have always presented an atmosphere of absolute isolation. Metroid Prime doesn’t have a single friendly character for you to interact with, and any exposition or dialogue would kind of diminish that. In fact, you c??an turn on the audio narration that was pre??sent in the PAL version of the game, and I think it’s awful. It makes the beginning and end feel like clips from a movie trailer.

[caption id="attachment_363377" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Where credit is due

Metroid Prime Remastered is a fantastic renewal of the classic GameCube title. It now looks like how our brains tell us it looked the first time we played it. Moreover, I feel that by touching up the graphics, it does a great job of underlining how well the game itself actually holds up. Metroid Prime was lauded as a masterpiece. It feels bigger and more confident than a lot of games at the time did. Taking the patina off of it was a worthwhile endeavor. I’m just surprised Ni??????????????????????????ntendo, of all people, did it.

It’s just too bad they didnâ€?™t credit the original developers beyond a single card.

However, I don’t want to oversell it. While Metroid Prime has been built up to near mythological status by some, if you’ve played a Metroid game in the past, it’s mostly in line with that. In fact, if you’ve already gone through the recent Metroid Dread, you might come away disappointed with the slow, tank-y combat and minimalistic plot. That’s not to say Metroid Prime is an inferior title,?? it just has a lot to live u?p to.

Nonetheless, whether you’re diving into the Prime sub-series for the first time or you’re returning to Tallon IV, Metroid Prime Remastered is a loving ?touch-up to the beloved?? title. It would be great if Nintendo followed this up with remakes of the other two games in the trilogy, but I feel they already expended all the effort they had with this. They’re probably just going to nap for a while.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Please insert credits

Metroid Prime Remastered shadow-dropped as part of last week's Nintendo Direct. And while players have been enjoying the refreshed version of Samus' adventure, some developers are calling out issues with credits for the work on both Metroid Prime Remastered and its origins.

Former Prime developer Zoid Kirsch shared this screenshot of the credits over the weekend, which uses a blanket phrase to credit the teams that worked on both Metroid Prime and its Wii version.

"While many studios did amazing work on the remaster, I'm letdown Metroid Prime's Remaster does not include the full original game credits," said Kirsch. "I worked with so many amazing people on the game and everyone's name should be included in the remaster, not just a single card like?? this."

You can see the credits for yourself in uploaded game completion VODs like this one. Though it attributes Retro staff, as well as Airship Images Limited, Gamesim, Iron Galaxy Stud?ios, and others who worked on the project, it doe??s close with one solitary block for the original GameCube game and the Wii version.

Former developer Jack Mathews called it a travesty, not just for his own work on the original that could have been replaced, but fo??r others' that may have stuck thr??ough to the final remaster.

The credits issue in games

Games have, historically, had issues with crediting the work developers have done on them. Reports at sites like Kotaku have highli??ghted how credit for contributions have been used as both rewards and punitive measures.

Metroid as a series even encountered this with Dread, as several developers claimed they weren't credits for their work on the project. Other developers have also seen accusations ??of withholding credits.

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