first person adventure

First-person adventure is a relatively new genre of video games (the first was 2002's Metroid Prime). A first-person adventure game is mostly played from a first-person camera angle. The adventure and discovery elements of the game take precedence over all other play modes. This is the official Nintendo classification for Metroid Prime and . It is assumed for the Nintendo DS will also be a first-person adventure.

Controversy surrounding Metroid Prime

When Metroid Prime was exhibited for the first time at Nintendo's 2000 SpaceWorld convention (in video-only form), the clip, which lasted approximately seven seconds, showed Samus running down a futuristic corridor while being chased by a throng of unearthly arachnids. Much like the outrage regarding and its cel-shaded art style, the next time Metroid Prime was shown publicly, its presentation had changed from third-person to first-person. Shocked by the game's now almost entirely first-person perspective, popular game critics expressed doubts that Metroid Prime would be a worthy addition to the Metroid franchise. Fears were heightened by an ongoing personnel crisis at Retro Studios after a series of layoffs culminating with President Jeff Spangenberg's ousting in 2001. The cuts in manpower caused Retro Studios to cancel its other projects (Raven Blade, Retro Studios football game, and Thunder Rally) and dedicate every resource to Metroid Prime. Accusations that the new camera angle would take the focus away from the traditional adventuring style of the rest of the franchise and place it on brainless shooting perpetuated almost until the game's release. Many felt Nintendo was pawning a worthy legacy for the relative market success of first-person shooters; something many Metroid purists believed especially grotesque because the creator of the Metroid series, Gunpei Yokoi, had died in a 1997 automobile accident. Nintendo responded by labeling Metroid Prime a first-person adventure and launching a full public relations offensive to insure the game's major exploration and collection aspects weren't overshadowed by the first-person viewpoint. Nintendo's declaration, however, didn't quiet all the argument. Many believed that Nintendo's new genre was merely a gimmick; that, aesthetically speaking, Metroid Prime would not be any different than the average first-person shooters of the day. Adherents to this idea point out that many shooters hinged upon independent exploration and other typical adventure traits, but that their publishers didn't shy away from a widely accepted classification. Such proponents still consider Metroid Prime a shooter. Others maintain that, in spite of Samus's Arm Cannon and the camera angle, Metroid Prime is so singularly dedicated to adventuring elements that the new genre is easily valid. These people welcome the new classification warmly. This controversy frequently incites debates in many gaming communities.

First Person Adventure

Controversy surrounding Metroid Prime

See also