10 Flaws That Stopped Video Games From Being Perfect

Because Metroid is among the most beloved platformers of all time, it was risky for RetroStudios to turn Metroid Prime into a first-person shooter.

But Metroid Prime turned out to be an unparalleled triumph. Due to the immersive gameplay, atmospheric music, beautiful graphics, and emphasis on exploration, Prime won several Game of the Year awards, kicked off an ongoing series, and may have stolen Super Metroid's crown as the GOAT of the franchise.

With that said, the constant backtracking is a nuisance. Most power-ups allow our heroine, Samus Aran, entryway to previously inaccessible areas, compelling players to revisit terrains. The backtracking becomes grating near the end when Samus must locate the Chozo artefacts, since there's no indication where they are.

Now, this criticism may seem redundant, since retracing your steps comes with the territory in Metroid. However, this issue is dealt with far better in the sequel. In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, shortcuts were usually created after Samus acquired certain items, minimising the backtracking. On top of that, Echoes allows Samus to fast-travel around the map (which was a godsend for speed-runners).

If Metroid Prime implemented these ideas, the backtracking would've been less repetitive.