To all of you bringing up this point, the backtracking is an amazing part of metroid. The game style isn't called metroidvania for nothing. There are just some times when it's unnecessary and frustrating. It's not perfect. And the fetch quest takes too long - part of the same problem.

" I don't see how anybody on the face of this planet was able to find those BASTARDS without some type of guide."

Man it's so easy. You go to the artifact temple and scan the stones and they literally tell you a) in which major location (phendrana, magmoor etc.) the artifact is and b)which room it is in. You find the room and the hint tells you where in the room it is. It literally couldn't be easier.

Now forgive me for going down this root... But if you found that impossible, then I'm wondering how much else you used that strategy guide for. And you know what; strategy guides have a way of minimizing your backtracking by giving you the optimum route so that you don't run around for hours for nothing.

I'd say the whole point I'm making about the frustration in the game passed you by by default since you didn't play it properly.

I.e. my opinion is that you're not fit to comment.

Sorry for those comments, but if you want to prove me wrong then play it again and tell me that there aren't some moments where you think, "Jesus REALLY!!? I have to go all the way back there now AGAIN!? I was just there!". Those are the moments a seasoned gamer and absolutely rabbid fanboy like myself experienced, and even I was a touch disappointed..

To all of you bringing up this point, the backtracking is an amazing part of metroid. The game style isn't called metroidvania for nothing. There are just some times when it's unnecessary and frustrating. It's not perfect. And the fetch quest takes too long - part of the same problem.

I wouldn't say it's perfect either, but at the same time I haven't played a series that has better backtracing. It's strikes as hard to make it good in the first place, so I personally would overlook the occasional rough spot.

The fetch quest can take a long time, but the player has the opportunity to pick up at least few artifacts before the end of the game. I think staggering it out feels much better than trying to tackle all of them in succession.

Anyway, none of this truly bothers me after many, many playthroughs. At this point, I hardly ever need to look at the map and know where all of the energy tanks and most of the missile expansions are (needless to say, I turn of the hints). I can plan a route through the game which minimizes backtracking, and to me that's part of the fun now. Prime is God's gift to speedrunners.