Why do people hate this game?
You failed the minute you gave this game a 4.8. I will respond to each of your points, and follow through with my own opinion.
Terrible controls
Lolwut? The controls worked just fine. If you're going to whine about them being floaty, did you know if you jump, you stop immediately? If there's an enemy in front of you, it also sets them up for a homing attack or a few rounds from your gun.
Awful camera placement and control
I had no problems with the camera, and if I did, the C-stick isn't exactly terrible control. Works better than the L+R buttons.
Underwhelming visuals
The graphics were nothing special (save for a few cutscenes), I'll give you that.
Frustrating level design
Frustrating?
Now I understand that there were definitely some frustrating missions, but frustrating LEVEL DESIGN?
Yeah, the ARK isn't exactly easy to navigate, but you can't hold one or two levels against the game's overall quality.
No target lock makes shooting completely useless.
HAHAHA! This one was the funniest, and most pathetic. Hey, GS, News Flash: SHADOW FRICKIN' AIMS FOR YOU.
And even if he didn't, I'm sorry you would never make it in combat because a target doesn't come up in real life to help you plug someone.
There's also complaints that Shadow doesn't differentiate between friend and foe. If you use the control stick in combination with the B button, you can guide Shadow's fire a little.
It's either that, or I got lucky EACH TIME I PLAYED A LEVEL. Which one's more likely?
Shadow the Hedgehog was a great game, combining branching pathways with shooting with a little of the speed we've come to love in Sonic games. I don't know why anyone hates it.
Any site that gives this game a bad score is full of useless windbags who don't know what they're talking about.
Lookin' at you, IGN.