It may be one of the best handheld multiplayer/single player focused game since Goldeneye on the N64.
Ok, now putting Metroid in a 3D environment with first-person dynamics was a little tricky at first. Especially when you've got a platform adventure game being turned into a first person adventure game. But Nintendo decided to release Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2 on the Gamecube and sure enough, they were amazing games.
Probably the saving grace's of the GC since the console suffered a bit of an abysmal failure. But hey, it had good exclusives. Now Nintendo has decided to release a Metroid game on the DS. Metroid Prime Hunters was a game that was also a demo that came with the DS when you buy it, the game was pretty sweet. It's a shame that it had to be delayed.
Now it's here in the palm of our hands. GET READY FOR AN ONLINE METROID!!!
The review
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In MP: Hunters, you are out in the role of Samus Aran. A galactic bounty hunter that works for the Galactic Federation. C'mon, why can't Samus get a break from all this space work? You get an assignment from the good ol' GF (Galactic Federation) to search a few planets in an area knowned as the Alimbic Cluster in searches for the "ultimate power" that supposed to be hidden in that Cluster.
But the only way you can get this ultimate power is by collecting 8 octoliths (artifacts). These octoliths are like the Dragon Balls, they're scattered across the whole cluster, and you, Samus Aran, is the only person who can get it back. Why can't the GF get it? I dunno, so don't ask me!
But here's the problem, six other bounty hunters want those artifacts to have the ultimate power all for themselves. Allow me to introduce them.
Spire is a big lumbering rocky guy who came from an extinct race knowned as "The Diamonts", he wants the Ultimate Power so he can solve the mystery of his race. But we all know he just wants a hug.
Noxus, is a member of of the Vhozon, he wants to get the ultimate power to keep it out of the wrong criminals or the unworthy. Hey Noxus, if you want to keep it out of the hands of criminals or the unworthy, THEN STOP SHOOTING AT SAMUS!!!
Kanden, he's a lab experiment gone wrong. He was supposed to be ultimate soldier of immortality, but since the scientists screwed up, he is as crazy as Uma Therman in the movie, "Kill Bill" Vol 1 and 2. He wans the ultimate power so he can be the best Bounty Hunter there is.
Trace, a member of the Kriken military (and a Kriken himself) is one of the scariest dudes you will face. He wants the ultimate power so the Krikens can be an ultimate race.
Weavel, he met Samus before, and Samus tore him up. Weavel is a cybernetic warrior part of the Space Pirates, but since he got pummeled to death by a girl named Samus, his fellow space pirates pull a Darth Vader on him and puts him into a cybernetic suit. His intentions for the ultimate power are unknown. (or he may want revenge from Samus.)
Sylux, he harbors an intense hatred for the GF and Samus. I dunno why, he just does. His intentions for the ultimate power are also unknown.
Each of these hunters have special abilities and weaknesses in off and online Multiplayer, so choosing the right one will be he matter of life and online death.
Single Player
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So here you are being dropped off at some planets, to find the artifact, go through a few puzzles kill the hunter, kill the boss at the end, retrieve the artifact and get out of there under a certain time limit. Boss battles are pretty cool. And even though some of them were between a giant eyeball and a pole, they were impressive, wait, THEY WERE ALL THE SAME!!! Pole, eyeball, pole, eyeball, pole, eyeball. Wow, de ja vu.
So that's all you have to know about the single player, it is no comparison to the original Metroid Prime's, its linear, repetitive and just doesn't achieve Metroid Prime status. So you're gonna get a Halo 2 experience.
But when I say Halo 2, that means we've got some good multiplayer on our hands.
You get seven multiplayer modes, Battle (Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch), Survival, Prime Hunter, Capture (more like Capture the Flag), Nodes, Defender, and Bounty (a unique twist on CTF)
You also get 27 maps! 27!!! Each of these are maps done with great level design, choose the right hunter to match up with the map itself or have your fun burst, JUST LIKE THE WAY THE PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD BURST MY DREAMS!!!
There also six other weapons scattered in the game, one weapon handles like a shotgun with a charge dynamic, and another handles like a sniper rifle. At times, sniping felt often hectic as you are scope constantly trembles if you have shakey hands, so inaccurate shots, galore.
^All of these can certainly go online and give you a fun and addicting time.
However, graphics and precise controls surely give this game an upper hand as you will have no time with eye sores or cruddy controls, you have my word on it.
That's all you have to know about Hunters, its single player is good but doesn't live up to Metroid pedigree. But its still remains to be a good time.
Which is why this DS Shooter gets a superb 9.2!
Godspeed Metroid, godspeed.