Metroid Prime

[Super Craig]

Casual and Normal done 100%. Managed to improve from 10ish hours to 7 hours. Hard mode next.

[CrichStand]

Er, what the actual fuck!?!? Been playing this for 15hrs now, I’m on normal and there’s been no real challenge or threat at all in terms of combat in that time. Even the bosses have been a total breeze. The save stations have all been perfectly placed probably 20-30mins apart tops and there have been health items everywhere, meaning you can let stuff hit you, walk through lava etc when traversing around and it doesn’t matter at all.
 

Just got to Phazon Mines. HUUUUUUUGE difficulty spike! Ventured into them for about an hr then suddenly the game throws loads of new enemies my way that do tons of damage. I died for the first time after scanning loooooads of stuff, grabbing all the collectibles, messing around with the rotatable pillar etc. So jumped back in, played through the same section, doing all the same scanning again, collecting all the same collectibles again, swizzling the tower about again, beating the Mini boss etc. Close to 2hrs into the mines, no save stations, limping along on 40 health with no healing items in any crates, just missile after missile after missile, and a metric shit ton of stuff to scan.............the game throws even more high damage enemies at me and I’m dead again.

 

Game hadn’t put a foot wrong up until this point. Been absolutely loving it. But I’ve now got to do all that again? All the scanning, all the collecting shit, all the platform swizzling for 1hr-2hrs, with no indication of a save station coming up, so could end up dying again (the combat is pretty random) and have to face doing it all for the 4th time??? Bit much!

[roobarb]

You can always back track to the last save point... you'll have to put up with a few respawning enemies but still.. that's metroid 

[ZOK]

39 minutes ago, CrichStand said:

Er, what the actual fuck!?!? Been playing this for 15hrs now, I’m on normal and there’s been no real challenge or threat at all in terms of combat in that time. Even the bosses have been a total breeze. The save stations have all been perfectly placed probably 20-30mins apart tops and there have been health items everywhere, meaning you can let stuff hit you, walk through lava etc when traversing around and it doesn’t matter at all.
 

Just got to Phazon Mines. HUUUUUUUGE difficulty spike! Ventured into them for about an hr then suddenly the game throws loads of new enemies my way that do tons of damage. I died for the first time after scanning loooooads of stuff, grabbing all the collectibles, messing around with the rotatable pillar etc. So jumped back in, played through the same section, doing all the same scanning again, collecting all the same collectibles again, swizzling the tower about again, beating the Mini boss etc. Close to 2hrs into the mines, no save stations, limping along on 40 health with no healing items in any crates, just missile after missile after missile, and a metric shit ton of stuff to scan.............the game throws even more high damage enemies at me and I’m dead again.

 

Game hadn’t put a foot wrong up until this point. Been absolutely loving it. But I’ve now got to do all that again? All the scanning, all the collecting shit, all the platform swizzling for 1hr-2hrs, with no indication of a save station coming up, so could end up dying again (the combat is pretty random) and have to face doing it all for the 4th time??? Bit much!

In a way it’s worth repeating those sections, because you soon realise they’re not that hard, you were just unprepared for how to fight.

 

They’re also pretty much the best sections of the game!

[CrichStand]

It’s the scanning and collecting stuff, interacting with machinery and cutscenes you can’t skip on a section that’s probably going to need replaying a few times that’s annoying. The sudden jump in difficulty is really daft too. I’ve gone from walking around letting stuff shoot me as it does nothing, to losing a whole bar of health in a couple of hits in the space of one room! 
 

Just tried again and this time there was loads of health in the crates. Also, the Mini Boss glitched and just stood still doing nothing for a couple of minutes whilst I blasted the shit out of it. 🤣

 

Probably not but, has my game fucked up and glitched? Just got to a room with electrical panels on the floors, and purple platforms you have to jump across above it. An enemy drone then seemed to appear through a solid wall. It’s completely invisible apart from its guns. I can’t scan it, I can’t use the heat visor on it, I can’t lock onto it and all of my weapons and special moves all bounce off of it. It’s taken 3 bars of my health and I’m about to die and will face having to to the same 1hr run again for the 4th time. 😕
 

Edit - It’s not a glitch. No idea how to actually hit it and I’m dead anyway now. This whole bit is really poorly designed. From save points every 20-30mins to none at all and no difficulty to all of the difficulty, plus a million things to re-scan and re-collect each time you die. Weird, as I can’t remember any of this from my two previous play throughs! Implies I must have breezed through it before. 

[Chooch]

12 minutes ago, CrichStand said:

It’s the scanning and collecting stuff, interacting with machinery and cutscenes you can’t skip on a section that’s probably going to need replaying a few times that’s annoying. The sudden jump in difficulty is really daft too. I’ve gone from walking around letting stuff shoot me as it does nothing, to losing a whole bar of health in a couple of hits in the space of one room! 
 

Just tried again and this time there was loads of health in the crates. Also, the Mini Boss glitched and just stood still doing nothing for a couple of minutes whilst I blasted the shit out of it. 🤣

 

Probably not but, has my game fucked up and glitched? Just got to a room with electrical panels on the floors, and purple platforms you have to jump across above it. An enemy drone then seemed to appear through a solid wall. It’s completely invisible apart from its guns. I can’t scan it, I can’t use the heat visor on it, I can’t lock onto it and all of my weapons and special moves all bounce off of it. It’s taken 3 bars of my health and I’m about to die and will face having to to the same 1hr run again for the 4th time. 😕

Waveblaster is your friend here.  Locks on even when invisible. 

[CrichStand]

Couldn’t lock onto it no matter what I tried but, just unpaused and went batshit mental with the Waveblaster using the column in the middle of the room as cover and............proper smashed it! 27 health left. 😯 Now scared just to move in case I lose any health and get kicked back to the last save. Surely there has to be a save point or some health nearby now?!?!? 

[Number 28]

My strat was fully replenishing health by killing the infinitely respawning gasbags in the previous room, then wavebuster on the drone for 4 seconds. I've not noticed another long stretch difficulty spike after that part.

 

I kinda lost steam with this once I reached the collectathon part. Exploring the first time is enjoyable and atmospheric, but slowly making my way back through the areas multiple times and still not remembering how any of it is linked together, it's not so great. Unlocking satnav at the end would've been a huge qol improvement.

 

@CrichStand Uh oh. If you can, backtrack to the gas room to get some health. Stay in the doorway though or you'll be gassed.

[CrichStand]

Fuck’s sake. 6 crates and not a single bit of health! @Number 28 Don’t think I can, the room is locked down still. Have I got to get through the electrical maze without taking a hit? Also, have I missed a scan with the cloaked drone?

[Number 28]

Oh yeah, everything locks. I was in the exact same position and the maze killed me. Good luck.

 

According to the internet you can't scan it, so you're good.

[CrichStand]

Full lock down, just 27 health left, alarm sound blaring away constantly, no health in any crates, hrs of progress on the line, facing having to replay the same section and scan and collect everything all over again.........I had no choice but to drop into the electrical maze. 😩

 

Obviously I’ve got drift on my Joycons and they keep lagging for some reason whilst playing this, ya know, just to top things off nicely. 😂 I head to the right. Slowly, slowly, slooooooowly, don’t touch the sides, or it’s Game Over!!! I timed the first electrical gate well, but pressed waaaaaaay too hard and went out of control. Came  to a stop just before touching the electric barrier. Blood pressure is through the roof. Phew! Hold, on am I going the wrong way? Fuck! Back I go to the start. No, I was going the right way in the first place. Why did I turn around? Back to the right and through the electrical gate again. Make it through the 2nd, by which point I was shaking, having heart palpitations and risking nerve damage in my neck I was that tense! 🤣 One gate to go, I can do this shit! Spend 30 seconds counting the gate timing just in case. 3, 2, 1.......3, 2, 1.....3, 2, 1.......GO!!! Wobbled all over the shop, but I was through. I collect the upgrade and it fires me out of the maze! FUCKING YAAAAAAAAAASSSSSS!!!!

 

Now what? Ok back to that room with the puffers to try and get some health. Jump the platforms, through the door, oh fuck, realise there are going to be numerous rooms full of space pirates before you get back there. Head back to the electrical maze room again. Only hope is a save point being nearby. Walk in all casual and out of nowhere from behind me I hear “MUUUUUURGH”. Fucking space Pirates have spawned in the room. AAAAAAARRRRRGH!!! Literally jumped that much I left the fucking sofa! 🤣 Plasma shots whizz past my head as I leg it, jumping and sliding side to side, to a nearby door. I’m clearly fucked now. Run around the corner in a massive panic..........straight into a save station! 😂 

 

One of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had. Absolute class! 

[ZOK]

29 minutes ago, CrichStand said:

Now what? Ok back to that room with the puffers to try and get some health.

I read this and thought ‘oh no.’

[CrichStand]

😂🤣😂🤣 It actually worked out well thanks to the advice @Number 28 gave me. I’d have chosen to use the Power Bomb on the rock at the end of the room and pushed on through the door behind it. Which would have been an instant death due to the Mega Turrets. 
 

It’s also only because the section before that is so frustrating if you don’t clear it first time that I ended up having such a great experience on that section overall. Just shows how difficult it can be to balance stuff. If I’d have died again it would have got Switched off in a huff! 🤣 Still playing though. Time to get the Power Bombs on the go and see where I can get to now! 

[roobarb]

18 hours ago, CrichStand said:

Full lock down, just 27 health left, alarm sound blaring away constantly, no health in any crates, hrs of progress on the line, facing having to replay the same section and scan and collect everything all over again.........I had no choice but to drop into the electrical maze. 😩

 

Obviously I’ve got drift on my Joycons and they keep lagging for some reason whilst playing this, ya know, just to top things off nicely. 😂 I head to the right. Slowly, slowly, slooooooowly, don’t touch the sides, or it’s Game Over!!! I timed the first electrical gate well, but pressed waaaaaaay too hard and went out of control. Came  to a stop just before touching the electric barrier. Blood pressure is through the roof. Phew! Hold, on am I going the wrong way? Fuck! Back I go to the start. No, I was going the right way in the first place. Why did I turn around? Back to the right and through the electrical gate again. Make it through the 2nd, by which point I was shaking, having heart palpitations and risking nerve damage in my neck I was that tense! 🤣 One gate to go, I can do this shit! Spend 30 seconds counting the gate timing just in case. 3, 2, 1.......3, 2, 1.....3, 2, 1.......GO!!! Wobbled all over the shop, but I was through. I collect the upgrade and it fires me out of the maze! FUCKING YAAAAAAAAAASSSSSS!!!!

 

Now what? Ok back to that room with the puffers to try and get some health. Jump the platforms, through the door, oh fuck, realise there are going to be numerous rooms full of space pirates before you get back there. Head back to the electrical maze room again. Only hope is a save point being nearby. Walk in all casual and out of nowhere from behind me I hear “MUUUUUURGH”. Fucking space Pirates have spawned in the room. AAAAAAARRRRRGH!!! Literally jumped that much I left the fucking sofa! 🤣 Plasma shots whizz past my head as I leg it, jumping and sliding side to side, to a nearby door. I’m clearly fucked now. Run around the corner in a massive panic..........straight into a save station! 😂 

 

One of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had. Absolute class! 

I'm looking forward to your review of the last section 

[CrichStand]

@roobarb I must be getting close to the end now. 92% scanned and 76% items collected. 1 suit and 1 beam left to get.
 

It’s crazy how little of it I can remember, but then there’ll be a tiny, totally insignificant bit, like those 2 diagonal Spiderball Tracks on the wall, in the research lab and I’m all “aaaaaaahhhhh, I remember this”! Weird. 😂
 

Edit - Omega Pirate got dropped hard! 😁 90% items, 95% Scans. I must be right at the end. Just need to grab 2 Artifacts. 

[Sane]

On 21/03/2023 at 18:40, CrichStand said:

Full lock down, just 27 health left, alarm sound blaring away constantly, no health in any crates, hrs of progress on the line, facing having to replay the same section and scan and collect everything all over again.........I had no choice but to drop into the electrical maze. 😩

 

Obviously I’ve got drift on my Joycons and they keep lagging for some reason whilst playing this, ya know, just to top things off nicely. 😂 I head to the right. Slowly, slowly, slooooooowly, don’t touch the sides, or it’s Game Over!!! I timed the first electrical gate well, but pressed waaaaaaay too hard and went out of control. Came  to a stop just before touching the electric barrier. Blood pressure is through the roof. Phew! Hold, on am I going the wrong way? Fuck! Back I go to the start. No, I was going the right way in the first place. Why did I turn around? Back to the right and through the electrical gate again. Make it through the 2nd, by which point I was shaking, having heart palpitations and risking nerve damage in my neck I was that tense! 🤣 One gate to go, I can do this shit! Spend 30 seconds counting the gate timing just in case. 3, 2, 1.......3, 2, 1.....3, 2, 1.......GO!!! Wobbled all over the shop, but I was through. I collect the upgrade and it fires me out of the maze! FUCKING YAAAAAAAAAASSSSSS!!!!

 

Now what? Ok back to that room with the puffers to try and get some health. Jump the platforms, through the door, oh fuck, realise there are going to be numerous rooms full of space pirates before you get back there. Head back to the electrical maze room again. Only hope is a save point being nearby. Walk in all casual and out of nowhere from behind me I hear “MUUUUUURGH”. Fucking space Pirates have spawned in the room. AAAAAAARRRRRGH!!! Literally jumped that much I left the fucking sofa! 🤣 Plasma shots whizz past my head as I leg it, jumping and sliding side to side, to a nearby door. I’m clearly fucked now. Run around the corner in a massive panic..........straight into a save station! 😂 

 

One of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had. Absolute class! 

I have just done the entire mines up to this point and it was a relatively easy experience because I had already lived it through your stories. Many thanks . 

[Ste Pickford]

Omega Pirate killed me this morning.  It had about 1 pixel of health left as well.  I know it's easily doable if I concentrate a bit more, so maybe later.

[CrichStand]

17 hours ago, Sane said:

I have just done the entire mines up to this point and it was a relatively easy experience because I had already lived it through your stories. Many thanks . 

Glad to be of help! 👍🏻 
 

Think my next session on this will be trying to bag the final few items and then finishing it off. No doubt missed one obvious scan or something daft.

[smac]

7 hours ago, Ste Pickford said:

Omega Pirate killed me this morning.  It had about 1 pixel of health left as well.  I know it's easily doable if I concentrate a bit more, so maybe later.

Yeah, scan and read the description, remember your visors, and don't prioritise the minions. Unless they're red, not yellow…

[Marlowe]

Best to power bomb the minions rather than ignore if you're low on health. Becomes essential on Hard mode.

 

Hard mode down for me now with 100%. Towards the end as I was racking my brains as to which missile expansions I'd missed, I realised while scouring the map that I had a mental image of every location in the entire game. What an achievement that is in level and visual design. I can't think of any other games of Prime's scale which that is or was true of even after multiple playthroughs.

 

Roll on Echoes Remastered.

[smac]

I took 'em out as the Omega re-entered the fray.

[Ste Pickford]

15 hours ago, smac said:

Yeah, scan and read the description, remember your visors, and don't prioritise the minions. Unless they're red, not yellow…

 

Bleh, did even worse this morning.  I'm just getting flustered with all the visor switching and going in and out of the morph ball.  Then running out of power bombs.

 

Getting old.

[Stanley]

1 hour ago, Ste Pickford said:

 

Bleh, did even worse this morning.  I'm just getting flustered with all the visor switching and going in and out of the morph ball.  Then running out of power bombs.

 

Getting old.

I got really frustrated and in the end I beat him just by hammering him constantly with the charge beam and super missiles. I didn’t use the power bomb at all because whilst it’s effective you still have to use other tactics as well. 

[smac]

I found that on ol' Meta Ridley, although more because his second stage attacks were relentless you have to be on the side-step all the time.

 

Omega was tough, too. You probably know the drill, but my successful strategy was

 

Spoiler

Use a super bomb only once, early on, when rolling into the fight. Maybe also later when Omega came back in from a regen. if the timing was good.

 

Otherwise, watch the gold shield, keep lock on an arm/leg holding charge beam and time the release of the super missile - you're basically back - pedalling and trying to avoid Phazon pools.
 

When you whittle down Omega's defences, you need to prioritise getting a big hit in while it's recharging - you can't ignore the minions, but I tried to take them out early on when looking for Omega, or later when it came back into the fight. Again, I used Super Missiles. The range of the X-Ray visor is terrible for finding Omega.

 

[ZOK]

32 minutes ago, Stanley said:

I got really frustrated and in the end I beat him just by hammering him constantly with the charge beam and super missiles. I didn’t use the power bomb at all because whilst it’s effective you still have to use other tactics as well. 

You don’t even need the missiles at all, you can beat him easily by sticking with the plasma cannon and blowing up the other pirates with the power bomb when they arrive,  negating need for any weapon swapping.

 

The key is positioning - if you step in Phazon you get mullered, if you avoid it it’s a breeze.

[Ste Pickford]

I gathered from reading the scanned info that Omega Pirate was mostly immune to all beam attacks, so I've been trying to only use missiles.  Can I just blast him with the plasma cannon?  Does that not count as 'beam'?  I presumed it meant anything that wasn't a missile.

[ZOK]

That’s how I did it, missiles are probably more effective but I couldn’t be bothered messing around with them.

[Dig Dug]

2 hours ago, Ste Pickford said:

I gathered from reading the scanned info that Omega Pirate was mostly immune to all beam attacks, so I've been trying to only use missiles.  Can I just blast him with the plasma cannon?  Does that not count as 'beam'?  I presumed it meant anything that wasn't a missile.

Power bomb also works.

[Harmunt]

After multiple failed attempts to defeat the Omega Pirate, it’s seriously threatening my desire to carry on… 😕 

[Super Craig]

Power Bomb to remove the armour and Super Missle when using the X-ray visor works well. If you have enough Energy Tanks you can get away with ignoring the Space Pirates altogether on Casual/Normal. Can't remember about Hard.