Phendrana Drafts probably had the best original composition from Prime. I also liked the remix of the Brinstar theme that plays when you first land on Tallon IV, and the remix of Ridley's Lair theme from Super that plays in Magmoor.
OST So Good! #7: Metroid Prime
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 On 02/09/2022 at 09:48 AM by The Last Ninja See More From This User » |
Gamecube, 2002
Composer: Kenji Yamamoto
It was difficult picking this one over Super Metroid, but the reason is because there is no VG soundtrack that sounds quite like Metroid Prime (even its own sequels). Yamamoto infuses strange alien noises into the songs that often give that feeling of isolation. The main theme alone is fantastic, but so many of the themes are atmospheric and gripping. Since the first Prime, no Metroid soundtrack has lived up to this kind of quality. It’s easy to gush about Prime, as just about everything in the game is refined and done to perfection, and the music adds a lot to that experience. Like Super Metroid before it (also composed by Yamamoto), you cannot separate this game from its fantastic music.
Tallon Overworld
This song plays as you’re exploring the overworld. It’s both atmospheric and has a great melody. After plenty of atmospheric sounds, the melody finally comes in at 1’12”. It’s an eerie alien sound that does the melody, which is a bit creepy and gives the sense of isolation. The song also conveys a feeling of danger as the music is a bit unsettling. This fits the game so well as you explore the world and discover things.
Vs. Space Pirates
This is definitely the creepiest song in the game. It’s very eerie at first, then the space pirates theme comes in. It’s intense, which is perfect, since it means that the space pirates are hunting you. The simple melody is once again a very alien-style sound, and later in the song there is a strange moan that is very unsettling. The space pirates in Metroid Prime are no joke, so this song alone evokes feelings of dread from me. It’s so good!
Phendrana Drifts
This is by far the most peaceful of all the game’s songs. Most Prime fans will readily admit that Phendrana Drifts is one of their favorite areas in the game, and that’s in part because of this great music. It’s soothing, relaxing, but also becomes more intense as you listen. The gentle piano, voices, light percussion, and airy sounds all fit together perfectly. Later in the song the strings take over the melody and the song takes on a darker tone with a strong downbeat. Then it slowly fades as the song loops. Perfection.
Vs. Meta Ridley
Super Metroid established Ridley’s boss theme, and it’s been in just about every Metroid game since (Ridley is surprisingly absent in Metroid Dread). Here we get a “modern” version of Ridley’s theme as Samus fights Meta Ridley. It’s very similar to the original version, except here Yamamoto adds some extra percussion and a section with voices that make the song a bit more creepy.
Credits
The main theme and menu theme for Metroid Prime are both excellent, but I left them out in favor of the credits music, which incorporates the most fleshed out version of the main theme. Prime’s main theme is fantastic—it’s very alien with a strong melody that is memorable. Every single sound complements the melody. At 1’39” the song elaborates on the theme, slowing down a bit before ramping up into an exciting climax that you can’t help but enjoy. The song then moves into that unsettling territory before finishing and fading into the blackness of space.
Also check out: Super Metroid OST, Metroid Prime 2 & 3 OSTs
Download this OST here
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