One of the best stories ever told
GAMEPLAY
First Person Shooter with Lock-on. You'd think that would make the game really really easy, but it doesn't. The lock-on does what it is supposed to, and you still have to put your skills to the test. You shoot stuff with 4 different guns with their own strengths and weaknesses. Some travel through walls, some kill ice quickly, some kill fire enemies quickly... etc.
Then their is scanning. This is how the story is told. You read what is going on through logs of the pirates, and of the ancient people. It is down right amazing. You can just explore, scanning everything for 100%. If you don't scan much, you won't get as much out of the game. Their are a few minor annoyances in the game, but they don't hurt the experience much.
I can't say I like the idea of lock on more than other forms of aiming, but it works in this game against all odds.
GRAPHICS
Downright amazing. Beautiful jungle, volcanic underground, wetlands and more. There is just so much its plain amazing that they could fit it all in one game. Did I mention that there are no loading screens once you enter the game. You only put down the controller when going up and elevator, thats it. I could go on and on about how great the graphics are, but they are the best technically on the cube period.
SOUND
Ambience is downright amazing. I mean, its perfect. The fact that there is music in the game actually bothers me, I just wanted to turn it off and listen to the environment. Other than that, I bet there were at least a few old Metroid songs snuck into the game, but since I didn't play them yet, I didn't notice.
VALUE
The game is a little on the perfect side in value. If you go for 100% and the extra ending, the game is going to take you forever. thats pretty good value in my book. Even going through at an average percentage will take you around 15 hours, which is long for recent Nintendo games, hell games in general. There is no multiplayer, but as MP2 proved, that may have been a good thing.
TILT
Tilt for me usually comprises of how the games story put me into the world of the game. In this game, it did it like only few games can.
OVERALL
This game is one in a million. It translates a free roaming side scroller into 3D almost flawlessly. Highest recommendation to get this game if you haven't.