Jump to content

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→Gameplay: This section seemed lifted from the Echoes page, and had several incorrect statements
add {{fact}}
Line 21: Line 21:
''Corruption'' is set six months after the events of ''[[Metroid Prime 2: Echoes]]''. The story follows [[bounty hunter]] [[Samus Aran]] as she assists the Galactic Federation in its fight against the [[Metroid (series)#Antagonists|Space Pirates]]. While fending off a Space Pirate assault, Samus and her fellow bounty hunters are attacked by her [[doppelgänger]], Dark Samus, who incapacitates them with a [[mutagen]]ic material called [[Metroid (series)#Phazon|Phazon]]. After Samus loses contact with the other hunters, the Federation sends Samus on a mission to determine what happened to them. During the course of the game, Samus works to prevent the Phazon from spreading from planet to planet while being slowly corrupted by the Phazon herself.
''Corruption'' is set six months after the events of ''[[Metroid Prime 2: Echoes]]''. The story follows [[bounty hunter]] [[Samus Aran]] as she assists the Galactic Federation in its fight against the [[Metroid (series)#Antagonists|Space Pirates]]. While fending off a Space Pirate assault, Samus and her fellow bounty hunters are attacked by her [[doppelgänger]], Dark Samus, who incapacitates them with a [[mutagen]]ic material called [[Metroid (series)#Phazon|Phazon]]. After Samus loses contact with the other hunters, the Federation sends Samus on a mission to determine what happened to them. During the course of the game, Samus works to prevent the Phazon from spreading from planet to planet while being slowly corrupted by the Phazon herself.


The game was first shown to the public at the [[History of E3#2005|E3 2005]] trade show. Reception to ''Corruption'' has been generally positive, with several reviews specifically praising the gameplay. More than one million copies of the game were sold in 2007.
The game was first shown to the public at the [[History of E3#2005|E3 2005]] trade show. Reception to ''Corruption'' has been generally positive, with several reviews specifically praising the gameplay{{fact}}. More than one million copies of the game were sold in 2007.{{fact}}


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==

Revision as of 13:31, 23 October 2008

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Developer(s)Retro Studios
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Platform(s)Wii
Release
  • NA: August 27, 2007

  • EU: October 26, 2007

  • AU: November 8, 2007

  • JP: March 6, 2008
Genre(s)First-person action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy, excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in North America on August 27, 2007 and in Europe on October 26, 2007. The Wii Remote and Nunchuk devices are featured in a new control scheme that took nearly a year to develop and caused several delays in the game's release.

Corruption is set six months after the events of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. The story follows bounty hunter Samus Aran as she assists the Galactic Federation in its fight against the Space Pirates. While fending off a Space Pirate assault, Samus and her fellow bounty hunters are attacked by her doppelgänger, Dark Samus, who incapacitates them with a mutagenic material called Phazon. After Samus loses contact with the other hunters, the Federation sends Samus on a mission to determine what happened to them. During the course of the game, Samus works to prevent the Phazon from spreading from planet to planet while being slowly corrupted by the Phazon herself.

The game was first shown to the public at the E3 2005 trade show. Reception to Corruption has been generally positive, with several reviews specifically praising the gameplay[citation needed]. More than one million copies of the game were sold in 2007.[citation needed]

Gameplay

See also: Gameplay of the Metroid series
While in first-person shooter view, the targeting reticule can be aimed anywhere on the screen using the Wii Remote.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game. The player controls the protagonist, Samus Aran, using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk devices. The Nunchuk enables the player to perform actions such as moving Samus and locking on to enemies and targets. The Wii Remote allows the player to execute actions such as jumping, aiming, and firing weapons.[1][2]

Corruption takes place in a large, open-ended world across several planets, each with regions connected by elevators, rail systems or bridges. Each region has rooms separated by doors that can be opened when shot with the correct weapon. The gameplay revolves around solving puzzles to uncover secrets, jumping on platforms, and shooting enemies with the help of a "lock-on" mechanism that allows Samus to strafe in a circle while staying aimed on an enemy. The game uses a first-person view, except in Morph Ball mode, in which Samus' suit transforms into an armored ball and the game uses a third-person camera.[1]

The game's heads-up display simulates the inside of Samus' helmet, and features a radar; map; amount of remaining missile ammunition; a health meter; and when engaged with a boss, its health bar and name. The display can be altered by exchanging visors with features that include x-ray vision. A scanner visor that searches for enemy weaknesses, and interfaces with certain mechanisms such as force fields and elevators to allow the player to operate them is central to gameplay. Corruption also includes a hint system that provides the player with a general idea of where to go.[1]

Synopsis

Setting

The events in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption take place six months after Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.[3] The game's protagonist, Samus Aran, is a bounty hunter hired to assist the Galactic Federation during its ongoing conflict with the Space Pirates. After facing initial defeat on the planet Zebes during the events of the first Metroid title, the Space Pirates seek to gain power by using a newly discovered mutagen called Phazon.[4] However, Samus manages to disrupt their operations throughout the Metroid series, ultimately allowing the Galactic Federation to confiscate and replicate their Phazon armaments.[5]

The Space Pirates' operation is left in disarray following defeat in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.[5] In their desperation, they turn to Dark Samus, Samus' sinister doppelgänger, for aid.[6] Dark Samus strengthens the Space Pirates' forces, while also slowly indoctrinating them into mindless servants.[7] Their combined forces seek to corrupt the universe with Phazon by first executing a series of methodical attacks on three Federation planets: Norion, Bryyo, and Elysia.[8] The game is primarily centered around these planets, as well as three other unlockable locations.[8]

Plot

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption opens with a meeting between Samus, three other bounty hunters, and the Admiral of the Galactic Federation fleet. The bounty hunters, including Samus, receive orders to clear a computer virus from several supercomputers located throughout the galaxy, but the meeting ends abruptly when Space Pirates attack several Federation ships. Samus and the other bounty hunters are deployed to the planet Norion, where the Space Pirates are concentrating an attack on a Federation naval base. While suppressing the attack, Samus learns that a Phazon asteroid, called a Leviathan Seed, will collide into Norion soon. Samus and the other bounty hunters attempt to activate the base's defense systems, when they are suddenly attacked by Dark Samus. With the other bounty hunters unconscious, a severely wounded Samus manages to activate the system just in time to destroy the Leviathan Seed before she herself is incapacitated.[9]

A month later, Samus awakes aboard a Galactic Federation star ship, where she learns that Dark Samus' Phazon-based attacks have corrupted her. The Federation equips her with a "Phazon Enhancement Device", enabling her to harness the Phazon energy within herself. She is informed that her fellow bounty hunters, who had been sent to investigate several planets embedded with Leviathan Seeds, have vanished. Samus is sent to the planets Bryyo and Elysia to determine what happened to her missing comrades. She soon discovers that both planets and their inhabitants are slowly being corrupted by the Leviathan Seeds, and it is up to her to destroy the seeds.[9]

Samus encounters heavy resistance from the Space Pirates, different Phazon-corrupted monstrosities, and even fellow bounty hunters who have been corrupted by Dark Samus. Throughout her mission, which ultimately takes her to the Space Pirate Homeworld, Samus slowly becomes further corrupted. She manages to stop the Space Pirate assault with the assistance of the Galactic Federation Navy. The fleet then travels to the planet Phaaze, the source of all Phazon in the galaxy. Samus travels to its core, where she finally defeats Dark Samus. As a result, Phaaze is destroyed, and all Phazon in the galaxy is rendered inert. At the end of the game Samus is seen flying into hyperspace with a mysterious spaceship following her.[9]

Development

Retro Studios wanted Metroid Prime 3: Corruption to have much larger environments than in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and the developers intended the game to run at 60 frames per second in the finalized version.[10] The developers also indicated interest in using the WiiConnect24 feature to provide additional content.[10] A few months after E3 2005, Retro announced that it would be the final chapter of the Prime series, with a plot "about closure, told against the backdrop of an epic struggle".[11] After the Wii Remote was revealed, Nintendo illustrated how Metroid Prime 3 would take advantage of the special abilities of the controller with a version of Echoes modified for the Wii and shown at the Tokyo Game Show in 2005.[12]

The title Corruption and some of the first gameplay footage were revealed at Nintendo's Media Release at E3 2006. Corruption was set to launch with the Wii in November 2006,[10] but a few months later the game was delayed to 2007.[13] In April 2007, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime stated in an interview that Corruption was "not going to ship by June"[14] and set it at a summer 2007 release date at the earliest. Later he opined, "when we release it, it will be perfect. And if that's a little later than folks would have liked, I'm hoping they're going to be happy."[15] In late April 2007, IGN editor Matt Casamassina revealed that Corruption would be shown in detail during May of that year, and that the game would be released on August 20, 2007 in the United States.[16] Nintendo of America later announced to have moved the release date to August 27, 2007,[17][18] but Nintendo finally announced an "in stores" date of August 28, 2007.[19] The game was released in Europe on October 26, 2007.[20] At the Media Summit held by Nintendo during the week of May 21, 2007, Reggie Fils-Aime said that Metroid games "never played this way before" when referring to Corruption. He also noted that Nintendo employees who had seen the game in action claimed that it "will reinvent the control scheme for a first-person shooter".[21] IGN commented on an updated version of the game being played at E3, saying that it "plays better than any first-person console game ever… really."[22]

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is the first game in the Metroid series in which the game characters use full voice acting, although previous games in the series used limited voice acting to varying degrees. Most notable of the actors is the inclusion of Chris Sabat, best-known as the voice of Vegeta and Piccolo in Dragon Ball Z, as the hunter Rundas.[23] The producers decided to include voices to create a stronger connection between players and the characters.[24] Game director Mark Pacini stated that the biggest concern Retro had during production was the controls, with "too many functions for the amount of buttons".[25] Pacini also said the Wii Zapper was never considered because it was announced when Retro was a few months from completing the game.[24] Retro president Michael Kelbaugh said tuning the controller took a year; this project was only accomplished due to the delay. Kelbaugh also stated that while Retro did "a great job on the multiplayer in Metroid Prime 2", focus was centered on the single player portion of the game, which was considered to be "the core strength of the franchise".[26] Art director Todd Keller declared the graphics to be focused in both texture detail and variety, with every single texture being hand-made and trying to "make every room its own custom stage".[24]

Release

Marketing

Nintendo had initially been criticized for an apparent lack of promotion and marketing for Corruption. IGN's Matt Casamassina compared the minimal hype for the title to the large amount for the original Metroid Prime, which was marketed with its own live action advertisement. The publication assumed that Nintendo's recent actions were due to the company's new focus on casual game styles on their console. When questioned on this, Nintendo of America replied, "Nintendo fans will be surprised by the quantity and quality of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption information that becomes available before the game launches on Aug. 27. Your patience will be rewarded (or Corrupted)."[27]

Following this promise, Nintendo released the Metroid Prime 3 Preview channel on August 10, 2007 in North America and on October 15, 2007 in Europe.[28] This channel, which was available as a free download via the Wii Shop Channel, allowed Wii owners to view preview videos of the game. These included previously unannounced details on new characters and a battle sequence from within the game. The channel also enabled the user to view promotional artwork by moving the Wii Remote pointer across the screen while holding the "A" button.[17] Starting with the Preview channel, Nintendo launched a "month of Metroid" in North America. It included announcements of additional videos that would become available as well as a Virtual Console download of Metroid for the NES on August 13, 2007. This would be followed by Super Metroid (SNES) for the service on August 20, 2007 and the release of Corruption one week thereafter.[17]

Reception

Metroid Prime 3: Corrpution was released in North America on August 27, 2007[42] and in Europe on October 26, 2007.[20] The game received generally positive reviews. Nintendo Power gave Corruption a 10/10 rating, making it the first game to receive a perfect score from the publication since the introduction of their new scoring system. The review commented, "The stunning visuals and immersive gameplay of the finale to the Prime series proves that the Wii is ready for the mainstream gamer."[42] IGN awarded the game a 9.5 out of 10 and an Editor's Choice Award. The review noted that it was beautifully designed and was the best looking game for the Wii. It also praised the inclusion of "well-done" voice acting, in contrast to the lack of any voice acting in most other Nintendo games. Despite stating that Metroid Prime 3 was too similar to its predecessors, IGN concluded that it was the best game in the Prime trilogy. They also said that it could be worthy of the same score as the original Metroid Prime (9.8), had it not been for the aforementioned reason.[38] X-Play gave the game a rating of four out of five, claiming that the game was enjoyable, but the game had a few awkward control mechanics and was a little difficult to control on the Wii. They also said that although it was fun, there were problems that lead to odd lock-on mechanics and painful wrists from continuous motions.[40]

Corruption scored a 9.6 out of 10 in a GameTrailers video review. Brandon Jones praised the more user-friendly and action-packed nature of the game compared to Metroid Prime and Echoes. The site also praised the superior motion-sensitive controls, stating, "After playing Metroid Prime 3 you'll never want to play a shooter with dual analog controls again, it's that good." They further added that those elements make Corruption "far superior to the original Metroid Prime".[37] 1UP.com gave the game an A. The review highlighted the controls and said the graphics were "some of the best visuals in gaming, period".[29] Electronic Gaming Monthly gave Corruption a Silver award with scores of 9.0, 8.5, and 8.5 from the three reviewers. The publication ranked the title as Game of the Month in a three-way tie with FIFA 08 and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.[31] GameSpot's review, which gave the game 8.5 out of 10, stated the game possessed enjoyable puzzles, boss battles, atmospheric levels, and smooth gameplay. The review also explained that the game was so much less like an adventure shooter, and more like a plain shooter, and believed that the motion activated actions were too unresponsive.[35]

In its best of 2007 awards, IGN chose Corruption as the Best Wii Adventure Game and Artistic Design,[44][45] and Best Overall Adventure Game.[46] GameSpy ranked it as the second best Wii game of the year, behind Super Mario Galaxy,[47] and awarded it as "Best Innovation on the Wii".[48] Despite being released on August 27, Corruption was still the fifth best-selling game of the month, with 218,100 copies sold.[49] It also debuted at the fifth spot of the Japanese charts, with 34,000 units in the first week of release.[50] More than one million copies of the game were sold in 2007.[51] As of March 31, 2008, the game had sold 1.31 million copies worldwide.[52]

References

  1. ^ a b c Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Instruction Booklet (PDF). Nintendo. 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
  2. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2007-07-11). "Nintendo E3 2007 Press Conference". IGN. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  3. ^ Reed, Kristan (2007-10-16). "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Review". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2008-03-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Retro Studios (2007-08-27). Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii). Nintendo. Logbook - "Special Forces": As we continue to observe the development of Project Helix's Elite Pirates, it becomes increasingly obvious that these warriors will usher in a new era of Space Pirate dominance.
  5. ^ a b Retro Studios (2007-08-27). Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii). Nintendo. Logbook - "Our Mission": Phazon was discovered two stellar years ago, and since that moment, Command has been driven to control it all. Two operations have been established, at tremendous cost. Both have failed, thanks to the accursed Hunter, Samus Aran. Her Federation allies now move to secure what little Phazon remains on the planet Aether.
  6. ^ Retro Studios (2007-08-27). Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii). Nintendo. Logbook - "First Disciples": Our struggles have ended. She has shown us the error of our ways. The way is now clear. All previous vows of fealty have been forsworn: we now pledge sole allegiance to our liberator, the great one, Dark Samus.
  7. ^ Retro Studios (2007-08-27). Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii). Nintendo. Logbook - "The Leviathan": Our leader provided us with great wisdom on many subjects, including the improvement of our mighty battleship, Colossus. We followed her teachings, and turned our vessel into a ship without peer.
  8. ^ a b Retro Studios (2007-08-27). Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii). Nintendo. Logbook - "Vanguard": Three worlds will be attacked, each important to the Federation. We shall destroy the spy base at Elysia, the fuel production of Bryyo, and the naval station at Norion. Each of those wretched worlds will become as Phaaze…each a foothold into the territory of the hated Federation.
  9. ^ a b c Rorie, Matthew. "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Game Guide". GameSpot. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
  10. ^ a b c Casamassina, Matt (2006-05-16). "Interview: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption". IGN. Retrieved 2007-06-27.
  11. ^ Surette, Tim (2005-08-25). "Devs talk Metroid Prime 3". GameSpot. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
  12. ^ "Revolution Controller Revealed". 1UP.com. 2005-09-15. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
  13. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2006-09-26). "Hands-on Metroid Prime 3: Corruption". IGN. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  14. ^ Klepek, Patrick (2007-04-03). "Metroid Prime 3 to be Released After June". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
  15. ^ Totilo, Stephen (2007-02-16). "Where Are All The Wiis, DS Lites? Nintendo Exec Has The Answer". MTV. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
  16. ^ Bozon, Mark (2007-05-21). "Metroid Prime 3 Dated". IGN. Retrieved 2007-07-02.
  17. ^ a b c Lindemann, Jon (2007-08-10). "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Preview On Wii Shop Channel". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  18. ^ "Like Sands Through the Hourglass, Zelda's Debut on Nintendo DS Approaches" (Press release). Nintendo. 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
  19. ^ Matthews, Matt (2007-09-18). "What August's Numbers Mean for Software". Edge. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  20. ^ a b "Partial list of upcoming Nintendo DS and Wii titles across Europe". Nintendo. 2007-07-11. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
  21. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2007-05-22). "Nintendo Summit: Reggie Talks Wii and DS". IGN. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
  22. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2007-07-11). "E3 2007: Hands-on Metroid Prime 3: Corruption". IGN. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  23. ^ "Credits for Metroid Prime 3: Corruption". MobyGames. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  24. ^ a b c Totilo, Stephen (2007-09-27). "'Metroid Prime' Developers On Pushing The Wii". MTV. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  25. ^ "INTERVIEW: Retro Studios". Edge. 2007-12-26. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  26. ^ "MIGS 2007: Retro Studios On The Journey Of Metroid Prime". Gamasutra. 2007-11-27. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
  27. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2007-08-08). "Metroid Prime 3: The Anti-Hype". IGN. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
  28. ^ Jenkins, David (2007-08-13). "WiiWare Launches With Metroid Prime 3 Preview Channel". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  29. ^ a b MacDonald, Mark (2007-08-26). "Reviews: Metroid Prime 3 - Back to the Future". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  30. ^ Robinson, Andy (2007-10-25). "Wii Review: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  31. ^ a b "Review Crew". Electronic Gaming Monthly (221): 98, 107, 114.
  32. ^ "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Review (8/8/8/7)". Famitsu. Enterbrain, Inc. 2008-02-27. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ^ Rudden, Dave (2007-08-27). "Review:Metroid Prime 3: Corruption". GamePro. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  34. ^ Reeves, Ben (October 2007). "Metroid Prime 3:Corruption". Game Informer. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  35. ^ a b VanOrd, Kevin (2007-08-27). "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
  36. ^ Williams, Bryn (2007-08-27). "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption review". GameSpy. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  37. ^ a b Jones, Brandon (2007-08-27). "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Review". GameTrailers. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  38. ^ a b Casamassina, Matt (2007-08-27). "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Review". IGN. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  39. ^ "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption review". Nintendo Power (220). Nintendo: 86. October 2007.
  40. ^ a b "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption review". X-Play. 2007-11-30. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  41. ^ East, Tom (2008-01-03). "Wii Review: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption". Official Nintendo Magazine. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  42. ^ a b c "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-10-17.
  43. ^ "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for Wii". MobyGames. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
  44. ^ "IGN Best of 2007: Best Adventure Game (Wii)". IGN. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  45. ^ "IGN Best of 2007: Best Artistic Design (Wii)". IGN. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  46. ^ "IGN Best of 2007: Best Adventure Game". IGN. 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  47. ^ "Wii Top 10 of 2007: 2- Metroid Prime 3 Corruption". GameSpy. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  48. ^ "Special Awards: Best Innovation on the Wii". GameSpy. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  49. ^ Thorsen, Tor (2007-09-14). "US August game-industry haul nearly $1B". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
  50. ^ "Famitsu weekly game sales ranking". Famitsu. Enterbrain, Inc.
  51. ^ "Financial Results Briefing for the Nine-Month Period Ending December 2007" (PDF). Nintendo. 2008-01-25. p. 6. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  52. ^ "Financial Results Briefing for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2008: Supplementary Information" (PDF). Nintendo. 2008-04-25. p. 6. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metroid_Prime_3:_Corruption&oldid=247165955"