[TheFreelancer2501]

OK, so here's the deal, I was listening to a gaming podcast today and they made the statement "Metroid Prime is not a first person shooter." Now, I'm not a first person shooter fan, never claimed to be and nothing against anyone who is. In fact, it's those people more then anyone I pose this question to: What exactly is the definition of a first person shooter game? I could understand games like Elder Scrolls: Morrowind/Oblivion and Thief: The Dark Project not falling into the FPS category but what would make Metroid an exception as well? Is there a set standard as to what makes a FPS game a FPS game? I'm just trying to get an understanding. I always figured if it was from a first person perspective and you shot at things you had most of the genre's definition covered but if there's more to it I'd love to be educated on the subject a little.

[the space cadet]

Don't listen to that comment about Prime. It's a FPS. The only reason it could be considered anything else is because there's some platforming elements in the game.

[WsE]

First person shooters are first person shooters. However they can very often include other types of gameplay. But it's still a first person shooter. Just mixed

[Endosanity]

To me, an FPS game is a game where they stick a gun in your hand and you run out and f as much shit up as possible while going from point "A" to point "B" without dying. And along the way get bigger guns to cause even more destruction.

Take for example the Left 4 Dead, Painkiller, or FEAR series, those are shooters plain and simple.

But then take something like Fallout 3 or Oblivion. To me, these are an RPG. Sure, it's from a first person perspective, but you're doing a lot more like having conversations, working on character stats, completing quests, yadda-yadda and blah-blah. You can't just run in and start shooting or hacking up everything in sight.

Or how about Penumbra, also from a first person perspective. But I consider this to be puzzle game even though you do have to kill something from time to time.

To me, a FPS shooter is a game that has you destroying everything in sight while requiring little to no thought. That's just how I see it though. 75% of the games out there are in a 3D first person perspective but you can't very well label them all first person shooters because of that.

That's just how I see it though. Wow, I'm almost bored with reading my own post.

[Pozputty]

one of the biggest limitations of metroid prime is the inability to strafe. thats usually standard movement in an FPS. they dedicated it the control stick to visors or weapons (one of them, cant remember which) instead.

that and the game has auto aim on it. thats usually another core element of FPS.

I wont deny that Metroid Prime is a FPS, but thats certainly not the main genre of it, which is why I would hesitate it classify it *solely* as a FPS.

**for clarification... I would sooner call Metroid Prime an action/adventure RPG than a FPS, even if the literal definition of FPS fits Metroid Prime.

[samohtdarklight]

Metroid prime has a first person shooter element, but im pretty sure most of the basis for this game actually involves platformer/puzzles(you spend alot of time traversing a plot of land etc etc)

Not from direct experience I never owned the console to play these games.

[Fatentity]

Poz & End summed it up mostly.

It's technically a FPS, but when I think FPS, Metroid wouldn't really come to mind. For the reasons the 3 people above me stated.

[RinVonStark]

I heard about this game called Real Life. It's about a person's life and it's all in first person. You can do lots of stuff. The first few years of playing are slow and easy, since you start out as a low level noob, but then you can get better... Or worse. Heard there are no respawn points, though.

[goozilla]

Originally Posted by RinVonStark

I heard about this game called Real Life. It's about a person's life and it's all in first person. You can do lots of stuff. The first few years of playing are slow and easy, since you start out as a low level noob, but then you can get better... Or worse. Heard there are no respawn points, though.

Learn to put points into reincarnation.

On another note: First Person Shooter = a game in a first person view with something that shoots. Last time I checked, Samus has a fucking energy cannon attached to her arm.

So I guess it qualifies as a FPS. Otherwise, you might as well take Borderlands out of the FPS genre too.

[DTryPleX]

I wouldn't put borderlands in the FPS genre myself lol. More something that's like an RPG. Yeah you can shoot things but in almost any game these days you can shoot things. Basically if you ask me for a real FPS titles like Battlefield and Call of Duty come to mind first, why? Because you can hold a gun and you can hold a gun and you can hold a gun. That's basically it lol. There's no point in doing anything else since it won't get you the points to become first.