In journalism, you really need at least three sources to comment on something before you can go to print. Ok, I kind of made that up. Back on task, there are no fewer than three pretty well known sources saying Metroid Prime 3 is the FPS game to get. The controls, simply, are amazing. The visuals, very pretty. I think we all know now why Reggie and Iwata and Miyamoto didn’t talk much about the franchises during their keynote other than launch dates: the titles will speak for themselves. The other stuff, like WiiFit, needed that extra exposure. But back to Metroid…
First, we had Wired’s Game||Life loving the controls. Then “hardcore” video gaming blog Destructoid calls it “freaking awesome.” Finally, IGN had this today, courtesy of E3 Infendo ninja Blake Snow:
“It plays better than any first-person console game ever… really. And it’s one of Wii’s best lookers, too. In fact, the heroine’s tight maneuverability and speed nurture a level of accuracy never before possible in a console-based first-person experience. Retro has included three different sensitivity levels for fans, so if you’re the type who prefers a big bounding box and slower turns, you can do that. However, we highly recommend that all gamers play Prime 3 with advanced controls, which shrink the bounding box so that Samus turns quickly when your on-screen reticule begins to stray in any direction. Previously, Call of Duty 3 was the benchmark for accurate controls in a first-person game on Wii, but Prime 3 blows that title out of the water. If you’ve played any FPS-style game on Nintendo’s system before, you will probably be running and gunning in Corruption and absolutely loving the freedom and speed of the controls in a matter of seconds, not minutes. It really is the new benchmark and simultaneously proof that smart studios can really utilize the Wii remote and nunchuk for some dazzling results.”
Third party developers, please start taking notes.
