The intense yet strategic combat of Halo. The ingenious level design and devious puzzles of Zelda's best dungeons. The intriguing story, moody atmosphere, and spooky thrills of Resident Evil. The new Metroid stands with the very best of modern games in almost every important respect. Well, except sound and graphics, where Prime surpasses them all. The amount of time, skill, and dedication that obviously went into crafting and polishing this game just completely blows my mind. Videogames, regardless of what system they are for, just aren't supposed to sound this good, look this detailed, be this large in scope and this fun to play all at the same time; it's like the best title from six years in the future fell through a time warp. Besides one aspect of the controls (why not include the option for a dual-analog stick setup like most other first-person games?), it's hard to imagine any complaints even the most cynical gamer could have with Prime, right down to its impeccable pacing and difficulty level. It's a joy to play and nearly impossible to put down until it's all over, and even then, a stash of secrets and cool unlockables await. Whether you're new to the series or (especially) if you're an old fan with lofty expectations, Prime is better than you can imagine. An absolute masterpiece, a modern classic, and probably the most fun I've ever had playing a videogame.