METROID PRIME Review - 9.8 from IGN! (1 Viewer)

[MikeAlletto]

This has been covered before in other threads, but you have to hold down the targeting button. I believe it is the L button, and then you can strafe the target.

That's not strafing, thats locking the target. Zelda for N64 locked on targets also, I found it annoying. I'm talking about side stepping, I hate stepping around a corner only having to adjust myself to aim when I could have just side stepped the corner instead.

 

[Rusty Ray]

you can do it without locking on to a target if i rememeber correctly, so i would consider it strafing

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Mike-

All you need to do is use the target button, so you won't need to adjust the aim when you come around a corner.

 

[JamesH]

Who cares if it's only a 12-hour game if it's a quality 12 hours? I wish we could stop being so picky about how long games are and just enjoy them while we play them.

I don't care how long it is, I care about facts being distorted.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

I'm surprised that nobody has harped on the fact that IGN was giving the score.

Anyways, I'm so happy to have this pre-ordered. Although I'm curious how jumping works in this.

 

[EdR]

Ok, I played the demo at best buy this afternoon. Its just a first person shooter, but on a console. It would be much better with a mouse and a keyboard.

This is the only thing keeping me from playing FPS games on consoles. The mouse (or trackball, or even a tablet) is a much more flexible and responsive input compared to a joystick.

I mean, try flipping yourself around 180 with a joystick, push the stick all the way, and wait as you turn...it's a simple flick of the wrist with a mouse, you turn as fast as the mouse moves.

Does anyone make a mouse controller for the Xbox or GC?

 

[Graeme Clark]

Well, I had to sacrifice Mario (And Tony), but I have Metriod pre-ordered and all paid for.

It better be good.

 

[Romier S]

I mean, try flipping yourself around 180 with a joystick, push the stick all the way, and wait as you turn

Most FPS games on a console include joystick/analog stick sensitivity meters which you can set so the turning is more to your liking instead of waiting for a ploddingly slow turn rate. This option is more and more prevelant in todays console FPS's and goes a long way in alleviating this issue. Its still not as responsive as a mouse and keyboard but it helps quite a bit in getting accustomed to playing an FPS with a controller of any type.

 

[Iain Lambert]

Well I can't say I liked the control scheme on the demo at all; perhaps it'll grow on me, however.

For 'strafing', yes - you use the lock-on to do it. This does sound worse than it is, however, as you can 'lock-on' to any random bit of wall or whatever, rather than only being able to strafe when there is a target around. It was a pain for the little time I tried it, but it could grow on me I suppose.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The mouse (or trackball, or even a tablet) is a much more flexible and responsive input compared to a joystick

I find that using a keyboard an mouse is a little weird because I can sometimes lose my place on my keyboard and have to look down to see where my hand should be or my hand will hurt from being in the same position holding a mouse on the table. If you get used to it, dual joysticks can be just as good as a keyboard and mouse. Sure, you might not be able to turn around 180 degrees in an instant, but try making a continuous circle around a given point with a mouse/keyboard without having to lift the mouse. Unless you use the keyboard to do turns (instead of strafing), you can't.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Dual joysticks can never, ever be as good as a keyboard/mouse for a game that was designed for the latter.
A sharp kbd/mouse player can be running one direction, whip around backwards 180 degrees, target the player that is pestering him with long-range buckshot, target his head perfectly, nail him with a railgun, and turn back around and be on their merry way in 1/10 to 1/4 of a second.
Part of the key to this is that a mouse is positional analog control, and typical analog thumbpad games are directional analog control.
Anybody who claims that thumbpads are as good doesn't have any real experience with what good players can do on a PC FPS.
On the other hand, a game that was designed for a gamepad (like Metroid Prime, which is really more of a first-person adventure game) may play perfectly fine with a gamepad.
But in a multi-player shooting scenario, the proficient mouser will make you his bitch.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Part of the key to this is that a mouse is positional analog control, and typical analog thumbpad games are directional analog control

I'm saying with a joystick, not a thumbpad.

And joysticks can be, in some ways, better than a mouse. With a mouse, you don't have an infinite amount of space to move it. Sure, it's better for getting headshots and picking specific spots to target than a controller, but for general movement, I find joysticks to be better and smoother.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I'm saying with a joystick, not a thumbpad.

Joystick, thumbpad, whatever. A mouse or a trackball will beat it every time...with a typical first person shooter (which happen to have completely unrealistic physics).

I'll take a joystick or two for a flight or space combat game, sure.

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

Today's news post at Penny Arcade concerns itself with both Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion. Here's a good quote concerning the controls in the game:

Gabe popped in after he'd played it for a few hours with complaints about the controls. You'll note that he popped in again not long after to say that it just doesn't matter, and he's right. It will become apparent what he means when you play it, he believes that locking on should work differently and I won't argue with that. It's just that the game is perfect, I mean it, it's amazing, so it's like, would changing this control thing make it perfect-er? In the face of a game this polished in virtually every respect, I think it's important to note the dissatisfaction, but lingering on it would be petty.

In short, they love both games. This bodes well for their release next week.

 

[MikeAlletto]

It's just that the game is perfect

NO game is perfect

 

[Dome Vongvises]

A little off topic, but how in the hell do you play with a keyboard and mouse. I saw somebody do it, and I thought to myself, "What the hell? How's he doing it?" It's like some magic trick.....yet not.....

 

[Chris Strasz]

Just had to chime in here. Yes I too can't wait for Metroid prime.

Anyways, in regards to the keyboard mouse thing - it's absolutely second nature to a lot of people that learn it. Basically WASD for forward, strafe left, backwards, and strafe right and your mouse to look around (sorry if this isn't what you were asking).

It's easier than consoles in my opinion because you're more accurate in the targeting of things. I don't think movement is neccessarily horrible (in fact on consoles you're given the advantage of sneaking with just a slight tap of an analog stick while with the keyboard you have to tap tap tap away..).

But when it comes down to navigating your cursor around and targeting at anything in the vertical, it becomes a lot more difficult than it is on the computer. With a mouse, it's very natural. It's like moving your arrow to a specific word in a word document. Simple as that.

With a controller you have to fumble around tapping just the right amount and not too much left or right until you're on the character.

I am in favor of a better setup for consoles as suggested, but until that arrives I really like the idea of locking onto things, without it being 100% accurate (so you have to still target around a little on the enemy when locked on).

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

The first FPS game I ever played through was on a console (Turok: Dinosaur Hunter for the N64), and most of the FPS games I've played over the years have been on consoles. However, I have also played a several PC FPS's (such as the Quake games) so I think it's safe to say that I'm familiar with both control styles. That said, I can't argue that the keyboard and mouse is an inferior control scheme for this genre. As others have noted, once you master it, the speed and accuracy of the mouse makes these games much easier to play.
By the same token, I'm completely okay with play FPS games on a console with a controller. It may not be a superior method of control, but it still is adequate enough to enjoy the game, especially now with today's dual analog controllers.
I guess I just don't understand why some gamers are so adamant about this. To me, it doesn't seem like that big of a deal.

NO game is perfect

Super Metroid was.

 

[Derek.Dixon]

For those of you who read the IGN preview/review was this a copy of the finished soon to be released product they reviewed, or a demo similar to the one floating around Walmart and Toys R Us? That widescreen thing really put me off this title I guess theres no hope for Zelda being widescreen either, thanks Nintendo I guess in the meantime Mario will have to look shorter and fatter strechted on my tv

 

[MikeAlletto]

Basically WASD for forward, strafe left, backwards, and strafe right

I use the arrow keys because they are setup up, down, left and right. I have a problem with wasd for some reason. Plus the arrow keys are usually separated by a gap on the keyboard so I don't have to look down to know where my fingers are at. Then I map all controls arond them.