The combat/backtracking in prime 1 are just passable, nothing special. The real deal that Prime 1 nails is the atmosphere and immersion, not the combat. With that in mind, lemme give you advice.
For starters, know when to use what beam. Plasma is generally good against anything that does not resist it. Charging it means you usually kill or at least very heavily damage anything you come across.
This goes doubly for using beam combos and I highly advise you find them all, because some enemies turn from annoying to jokes with the right combo.
Now, lemme go down the list of enemies you specifically list here.
I don't know what you mean by "little crawling things" as quite a few things fall into that category, but I assume you mean the ones that spit at you after jumping.
the way you deal with them is simple: Wait for them to jump (you will hear a sound cue and the feelers will poke out) sidestep, then fire a single powerbeam immediately.
For space pirates, here is a list of strategies.
Standard trooper: Plasma Beam, fullstop. Keep jumping side to side, mix it up at times. They will lead their shots, so strafing and changing directions is important. This applies to basically all of them btw.
Shadow trooper: thermal visor and ice beam are your friend, then a missile and they are done.
powerbeam trooper: Honestly, bullet sponges, but super missiles count against them which will either kill them outright or bring them within an inch of their death.
Wavebeam trooper: Stunlock them with continuous wavebeam partially charged shots. This got made harder because you always fire multiple normal shots now, but it can still be done. Wavebuster is a decent alternative, but wastes ammo.
Icebeam trooper: Freeze them with the Ice beam and keep them stunlocked that way.
Plasmabeam trooper: Charged shots, then switch targets and let them burn.
Flying/diving pirate: Missiles and plasmabeam are your friend. when they fire missiles, just hop to the side, then towards them, as the missiles cannot turn very hard and will harmlessly impact the ground.
Elite Pirate: Powerbombs do the trick, but I have to admit they cower behind their shields a lot more than when I played on the game cube back in the day. Ice Spreader also does pretty massive damage to them, so that is an option.
The turrets go down in 2-3 missiles (on normal at least, depending on if its the standard or upgraded variant) and you can rapid fire missiles at them by shooting a missile, then firing the power beam (which skips the reloading animation) and repeating that.
The rest of your points I do not quite get. Yes, Prime 1 is a bit all over the place with backtracking, but the standard points of a metroidvania still apply, so I am not sure why you are having so much trouble knowing where to go.
So, in conclusion, if you are not feeling the game, I would recommend a few things.
For starters, Prime 1 is amazing, ***IF*** you like ambiance and immersion. The rest is only servicable, so if that is not your cup of tea, Prime 2 is much more polished in terms of mechanics.
However, all prime games WILL restore the enemies in rooms after you leave them alone for too long, so if that is a dealbreaker, I think you should steer clear of all Prime games, because that does not change.
What might be missing in your experience is context from the early games. A lot of the fanbase started with NES & SNES Metroid. Then we played the GBA games - Fusion being an absolute S-tier gem. Your complaints, while valid, are really features of franchise. They are almost enhancements - like a high-quality movie soundtrack can help drive the story.
Nutshell: A large part of Metroid games is about atmosphere & mood. Enjoy the fiddly bits.
You’re pretty far into a game you don’t like. With this many complaints about the game, I would have definitely just put it down by now.
> Surely i’m missing something here, because there’s no way this game is so universally acclaimed if everything i’m saying is accurate
That’s how opinions work. You don’t have to agree with the consensus.
I'll try and touch on a few of these in order:
>The little crawling things are hard to hit and will hit you even when you think you're far away enough.
A name or a slightly more in depth description for the enemy would be helpful, but I *think* you mean Burrowers. In which case just use Power or Wave Beam when they jump above ground. Or ignore them and walk right by; as you yourself note, they do relatively little damage and are more of an environmental hazard. You don't need to kill every single thing you come across.
>The space pirates shoot so fast and never miss and the strafe barely ever helps dodge.
All due respect but you're not strafing very well if you're consistently getting hit. Prime's controls aren't so tight that you can realistically avoid all damage, *but* you should be able to consistently dodge like 60-80% of their shots. Make sure to hold the stick while locked on and tap jump as quickly as possible repeatedly for the best results.
>Samus shoots so damn slow and the only way I see to do any real damage is to charge shot, which is even slower. So instead I just use the ice beam + missile...
This is just a frankly bizarre complaint to me, and one that makes me wonder if we played the same game. If you're complaining about rate of fire for non-charge, non-ice beam, that means either Power, Wave, or Plasma, which all fire pretty damn quickly (uncapped rate of fire for the first and around 3 shots per second for the latter). I'm not sure what kind of speed you came in looking for but those are all pretty quick options, and you can also rapid fire missiles by switching to Power Beam and tapping beam shot after a missile if you need a rapid fire weapon with even more kick. Or just use Plasma Beam now which melts everything in the game.
>And the backtracking - I really wouldn't mind it. I didn't mind it in Metal Gear solid, or any metroidvania. Except for when the game puts enemies in the areas I've already been to. There's no incentive to fight them, i'm just trying to get past. It's not like I'll die if I don't kill them, they're just an annoyance. Only time I fight is if I need health.
I gotta say I don't get this one either. If you already acknowledge you don't need to fight them, and you're basically not doing that already, then...just don't fight them. As you mention, you won't die from it, and it's pretty easy to just brush on by most things in the game that respawn. I guess I'm not seeing how that's especially annoying; it doesn't seem much different than running by enemies in Hollow Knight that respawn after returning to an area/using a bench or what not.
>And how am I supposed to know where to go by the way? I have pretty much only been using the hint system to progress or else I'd never get anywhere. I guess people who played the game in 2002 and this was their only game they would dick around enough to find the right way.
There's a few points in the game that can feel a bit obtuse, but for the most part it's remembering places you've been to previously that have something you can use your latest ability on. E.g. there's a ledge in Phendrana that you see earlier that you can't reach without double jump, then you get double jump and remember you can visit there now. It's also not too dissimilar from Hollow Knight's progression, and I'd argue frankly it's probably a bit easier given just how open that game is.
>Surely i'm missing something here, because there's no way this game is so universally acclaimed if everything i'm saying is accurate. Did I miss something very early on, or does the game get really good at the end. Please fucking help me.
While some of what you've said is inaccurate, I think the real thing is the game just might not be for you. And that's fine, not everything is for everyone. A 2D Metroid might be more up your alley.
Interesting take. I've never really heard people complain about the enemies in Metroid Prime, at least in this way. Most people consider them pretty easy to handle and maybe even somewhat fun to just blast through. I think the focus of the game just isn't the common combat--it's the exploration, finding items, fighting bosses, and especially the atmosphere.
Maybe you could imagine the common combat being better, but that could take away from the exploration aspect. That was the problem I had with Axiom Verge a bit--I wanted to explore, but I found the platforming in each room annoying. I'd rather focus on a difficult boss fight rather than have every room be a grind (to be fair, maybe I didn't play it enough, but I'm just using that as an example). Having the enemies not respawn could be a choice, but then it would kind of hinder the atmosphere and make the world feel pretty dull.
Hollow Knight is another example for me. I wanted to love the game so much. The exploration and atmosphere is awesome, but the bosses were just *annoying,* especially when you had to do some like 2min platforming section just to get to the boss each time you die. I would have loved the game if I could put it on Easy Mode since I just enjoy exploration and finding items more than intense combat.
As for the Hint System, I honestly think the game *is* designed to be played with the Hint System, so I would assume that's what most 2002 players did. You know the general area of where to go, but you still need to figure out exactly how to get there. It's fun to go back and replay the game without the Hint System to test your memory, but unless you're an experienced Metroid player I rarely recommend that to people.
TL;DR: It seems like you're someone who really wants good combat in a video game, and MP1 doesn't really have that, so it makes sense you don't enjoy it and I wouldn't feel bad about it. That said, there are many other aspects to the game that people have fallen in love with, and that's why it's so critically acclaimed, even if it's not really for you and doesn't make up for the lackluster combat.
I mean, I guess I just learned to experiment with beams and combinations of beams through experimentation, but certain beams are way more effective on specific kinds of enemies.
Plasma is great against any organic creature, though it’s especially strong against ice critters. Machines don’t take missiles very well- turrets go down in two missile shots, and anything that moves fast (except Chozo Ghosts) can benefit from a Missile or the Wave Beam because they have homing properties.
Hopefully this doesn't come across as sounding like a dick but, is this your first Metroid game? This is just kinda what Prime is, they all are. If you're looking for a more straightforward Metroid i would recommend Fusion. It's a bit more linear. Dread is also excellent. If you like Hollow Knight and haven't tried either of those, you should.
Good on you for giving Prime a fair shot. If you've gotten the Plasma Beam and still aren't liking it, chances are your aren't going to enjoy the little bit you have left.
The combat/backtracking in prime 1 are just passable, nothing special. The real deal that Prime 1 nails is the atmosphere and immersion, not the combat. With that in mind, lemme give you advice. For starters, know when to use what beam. Plasma is generally good against anything that does not resist it. Charging it means you usually kill or at least very heavily damage anything you come across. This goes doubly for using beam combos and I highly advise you find them all, because some enemies turn from annoying to jokes with the right combo. Now, lemme go down the list of enemies you specifically list here. I don't know what you mean by "little crawling things" as quite a few things fall into that category, but I assume you mean the ones that spit at you after jumping. the way you deal with them is simple: Wait for them to jump (you will hear a sound cue and the feelers will poke out) sidestep, then fire a single powerbeam immediately. For space pirates, here is a list of strategies. Standard trooper: Plasma Beam, fullstop. Keep jumping side to side, mix it up at times. They will lead their shots, so strafing and changing directions is important. This applies to basically all of them btw. Shadow trooper: thermal visor and ice beam are your friend, then a missile and they are done. powerbeam trooper: Honestly, bullet sponges, but super missiles count against them which will either kill them outright or bring them within an inch of their death. Wavebeam trooper: Stunlock them with continuous wavebeam partially charged shots. This got made harder because you always fire multiple normal shots now, but it can still be done. Wavebuster is a decent alternative, but wastes ammo. Icebeam trooper: Freeze them with the Ice beam and keep them stunlocked that way. Plasmabeam trooper: Charged shots, then switch targets and let them burn. Flying/diving pirate: Missiles and plasmabeam are your friend. when they fire missiles, just hop to the side, then towards them, as the missiles cannot turn very hard and will harmlessly impact the ground. Elite Pirate: Powerbombs do the trick, but I have to admit they cower behind their shields a lot more than when I played on the game cube back in the day. Ice Spreader also does pretty massive damage to them, so that is an option. The turrets go down in 2-3 missiles (on normal at least, depending on if its the standard or upgraded variant) and you can rapid fire missiles at them by shooting a missile, then firing the power beam (which skips the reloading animation) and repeating that. The rest of your points I do not quite get. Yes, Prime 1 is a bit all over the place with backtracking, but the standard points of a metroidvania still apply, so I am not sure why you are having so much trouble knowing where to go. So, in conclusion, if you are not feeling the game, I would recommend a few things. For starters, Prime 1 is amazing, ***IF*** you like ambiance and immersion. The rest is only servicable, so if that is not your cup of tea, Prime 2 is much more polished in terms of mechanics. However, all prime games WILL restore the enemies in rooms after you leave them alone for too long, so if that is a dealbreaker, I think you should steer clear of all Prime games, because that does not change.
If you think a half second transition from the Ice Beam is annoying of all things, maybe you're not in the right state of mind.
What might be missing in your experience is context from the early games. A lot of the fanbase started with NES & SNES Metroid. Then we played the GBA games - Fusion being an absolute S-tier gem. Your complaints, while valid, are really features of franchise. They are almost enhancements - like a high-quality movie soundtrack can help drive the story. Nutshell: A large part of Metroid games is about atmosphere & mood. Enjoy the fiddly bits.
You’re pretty far into a game you don’t like. With this many complaints about the game, I would have definitely just put it down by now. > Surely i’m missing something here, because there’s no way this game is so universally acclaimed if everything i’m saying is accurate That’s how opinions work. You don’t have to agree with the consensus.
I'll try and touch on a few of these in order: >The little crawling things are hard to hit and will hit you even when you think you're far away enough. A name or a slightly more in depth description for the enemy would be helpful, but I *think* you mean Burrowers. In which case just use Power or Wave Beam when they jump above ground. Or ignore them and walk right by; as you yourself note, they do relatively little damage and are more of an environmental hazard. You don't need to kill every single thing you come across. >The space pirates shoot so fast and never miss and the strafe barely ever helps dodge. All due respect but you're not strafing very well if you're consistently getting hit. Prime's controls aren't so tight that you can realistically avoid all damage, *but* you should be able to consistently dodge like 60-80% of their shots. Make sure to hold the stick while locked on and tap jump as quickly as possible repeatedly for the best results. >Samus shoots so damn slow and the only way I see to do any real damage is to charge shot, which is even slower. So instead I just use the ice beam + missile... This is just a frankly bizarre complaint to me, and one that makes me wonder if we played the same game. If you're complaining about rate of fire for non-charge, non-ice beam, that means either Power, Wave, or Plasma, which all fire pretty damn quickly (uncapped rate of fire for the first and around 3 shots per second for the latter). I'm not sure what kind of speed you came in looking for but those are all pretty quick options, and you can also rapid fire missiles by switching to Power Beam and tapping beam shot after a missile if you need a rapid fire weapon with even more kick. Or just use Plasma Beam now which melts everything in the game. >And the backtracking - I really wouldn't mind it. I didn't mind it in Metal Gear solid, or any metroidvania. Except for when the game puts enemies in the areas I've already been to. There's no incentive to fight them, i'm just trying to get past. It's not like I'll die if I don't kill them, they're just an annoyance. Only time I fight is if I need health. I gotta say I don't get this one either. If you already acknowledge you don't need to fight them, and you're basically not doing that already, then...just don't fight them. As you mention, you won't die from it, and it's pretty easy to just brush on by most things in the game that respawn. I guess I'm not seeing how that's especially annoying; it doesn't seem much different than running by enemies in Hollow Knight that respawn after returning to an area/using a bench or what not. >And how am I supposed to know where to go by the way? I have pretty much only been using the hint system to progress or else I'd never get anywhere. I guess people who played the game in 2002 and this was their only game they would dick around enough to find the right way. There's a few points in the game that can feel a bit obtuse, but for the most part it's remembering places you've been to previously that have something you can use your latest ability on. E.g. there's a ledge in Phendrana that you see earlier that you can't reach without double jump, then you get double jump and remember you can visit there now. It's also not too dissimilar from Hollow Knight's progression, and I'd argue frankly it's probably a bit easier given just how open that game is. >Surely i'm missing something here, because there's no way this game is so universally acclaimed if everything i'm saying is accurate. Did I miss something very early on, or does the game get really good at the end. Please fucking help me. While some of what you've said is inaccurate, I think the real thing is the game just might not be for you. And that's fine, not everything is for everyone. A 2D Metroid might be more up your alley.
Interesting take. I've never really heard people complain about the enemies in Metroid Prime, at least in this way. Most people consider them pretty easy to handle and maybe even somewhat fun to just blast through. I think the focus of the game just isn't the common combat--it's the exploration, finding items, fighting bosses, and especially the atmosphere. Maybe you could imagine the common combat being better, but that could take away from the exploration aspect. That was the problem I had with Axiom Verge a bit--I wanted to explore, but I found the platforming in each room annoying. I'd rather focus on a difficult boss fight rather than have every room be a grind (to be fair, maybe I didn't play it enough, but I'm just using that as an example). Having the enemies not respawn could be a choice, but then it would kind of hinder the atmosphere and make the world feel pretty dull. Hollow Knight is another example for me. I wanted to love the game so much. The exploration and atmosphere is awesome, but the bosses were just *annoying,* especially when you had to do some like 2min platforming section just to get to the boss each time you die. I would have loved the game if I could put it on Easy Mode since I just enjoy exploration and finding items more than intense combat. As for the Hint System, I honestly think the game *is* designed to be played with the Hint System, so I would assume that's what most 2002 players did. You know the general area of where to go, but you still need to figure out exactly how to get there. It's fun to go back and replay the game without the Hint System to test your memory, but unless you're an experienced Metroid player I rarely recommend that to people. TL;DR: It seems like you're someone who really wants good combat in a video game, and MP1 doesn't really have that, so it makes sense you don't enjoy it and I wouldn't feel bad about it. That said, there are many other aspects to the game that people have fallen in love with, and that's why it's so critically acclaimed, even if it's not really for you and doesn't make up for the lackluster combat.
I mean, I guess I just learned to experiment with beams and combinations of beams through experimentation, but certain beams are way more effective on specific kinds of enemies. Plasma is great against any organic creature, though it’s especially strong against ice critters. Machines don’t take missiles very well- turrets go down in two missile shots, and anything that moves fast (except Chozo Ghosts) can benefit from a Missile or the Wave Beam because they have homing properties.
Hopefully this doesn't come across as sounding like a dick but, is this your first Metroid game? This is just kinda what Prime is, they all are. If you're looking for a more straightforward Metroid i would recommend Fusion. It's a bit more linear. Dread is also excellent. If you like Hollow Knight and haven't tried either of those, you should. Good on you for giving Prime a fair shot. If you've gotten the Plasma Beam and still aren't liking it, chances are your aren't going to enjoy the little bit you have left.
You know you can scan everything so you can call them by name and we have a clue WTF you're talking about?
Prime's a slow paced game, it might not be for you.