The following report is based on a GC07 preview build, and as such may not be reflective of the final version. But, you know, we try our best.

By my counts, Metroid Prime 3 is released in theUS in less than twenty four hours now. No doubt many of our readers are eagerly anticipatingthe trip to their local games store, and criticswill already be thrillingly blasting their waythrough review copies - and we'll have an importreview up soon enough - but GC in Leipzig gaveme my first experience with the game, and Icouldn't help coming away rather underwhelmed.

To be fair, it was contextual as much as anythingelse. The Prime games succeed because of theirimmersive atmosphere, and the depth that theexplorable and replayable environments lend:these are qualities not immediately suited tothe environment of Nintendo's press room.

The choice of demo didn't help either: comprisingof a mini-boss battle that frustrated more thanexcited, some sections of walking about, a littlebit of shooting, in generally compressedenvironemtns, it didn't showcase what the gamecould do very well. A cursory glance at IGN'smost recent hands-on on the game reveals theygot to play through a third of the title, a playtime much more educational about the gamethan Leipzig's short demo.

What I can say is that the controls work very, very well. Playing the game is a disctintive stepsmoother and easier than the Gamecube titles inthe franchise: moving Samus with the nunchuk andlooking/aiming with the Wiimote never felt tooartificial or clumsy. Presumably, as the actionheats up more, the Wii controls may becomerougher, but for us, strolling, strafing and shooting was generally a comfortable and smooth experience.

From our brief play, the style and tone seems tohave changed little, although the visuals do like a little crisper than before. The aesthetics and the ambience of slightly creepy, rather drab, locationsincur a distinct sense of deja vu. And with noreal bombastic scenarios to spike my attention, I frequently found the eyes of onlookers wanderingto the delightful colours of the Mario Galaxystation next to it.

Having said that, it's likely Nintendo are keepingthe grand sequences under wraps for the moment,eager not to spoil the plot or include setpiecesthat would take up too much of journalists' time.Including a selection of demos would have givena more reflective experience of the game - onewas always itching to break out of the corridorsinto an iconic widescreen moment - but I'mconfident the final game can deliver.

After a day at the convention centre, over a fewdrinks, conversation turned to Metroid. TimSymons, our former editor turned Nintendo rep,cooed to me across the table that "it's a definiteten". Websites and magazines, including NE, willbe delivering final verdicts soon enough totest his assertion.

This writer still has hisreservations about whether the game will be ableto push the boat out, two sequels later. New controlsaside, it feels maybe a bit too familiar. But I look forward to being proved wrong.

Conor Smyth
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