Poor single-player, great multiplayer

User Rating: 8.8 | Metroid Prime: Hunters DS
After the nearly 2-year delay, Metroid Prime: Hunters finally comes out, but the single-player expeirience is less-than great. I will seperate the review in 2 parts: Single player and Multiplayer. Oh, and the graphics surpass the DS's hardware capabilities, the touch controls are precise and there are these fun pointless cutscenes!

Single player game:
Well, I cannot say that it does not provide any enjoyment, but the single player game gets a little too repetitive for it's own good. To start off, you get to choose one place, and more get added when you progress into the game. Though there is the usual Metroid backtracking, and signature upgrades, the levels are too linear for it's own good. So it becomes a little like Halo, or the newer Doom games. Sure, the hunter battles are a good addition, but soon, you can kill them off the just a couple headshots or charged missiles. The real bosses are incredibly repetitive. I can't see anyone wanting to play the same boss 4 times, but each time it is a little harder. Like the Cretaphid (Pillar-like thingy): Version one shoots a laser, Version 2 shoots plasma pellets that follow you, Version 3 does both, Version 4 does both as well, but moves around as well. The Slench (weird eyeball-based flying thing): Version 1: Shoots power beam-like shots, Version 2, Shoots volt driver shots, Version 3, Shoots Magmaul shots and rams you, Version 4, Shoots ice shots (that freeze you), rams you, and rolls around. These creatures would have been fine if you went against them once, but it just isn't fun after the first or second time.

Multiplayer:
Well, I cannot say the this is the same. The multiplayer game is really the beauty of Hunters. You get to choose between all the hunters you see (providided you actually see them in the single player experience) and all the beams, once you find them in the multiplayer stage. I really can't delve in anymore than that!

Conclusion (Resumé):
Hunters provides a great game, the single player is a bit lacking, but WiFi and the regular multiplayer more than makes up for it. Great graphics and great gameplay, Hunters will provide a lifetime of enjoyment. I recommend it. So there.