Metroid Prime: Hunters

When the Nintendo DS came out, there was one game that was promoted as the "Reason to get the DS"- that is, a killer app for the system. That game was Metroid Prime: Hunters, and Nintendo put so much stock into this game that they went so far as to include a very early beta demo of this game with all new Nintendo DS consoles- they were sure that it would stimulate DS purchases.

And it did. When it all comes down to brass tacks, the Nintendo DS is thoroughly killing the Sony PSP in all markets, purely because Nintendo seems to (still) have a better grasp of the handheld market than main competitor Sony. However, for the longest time, Metroid Prime: Hunters never hit the DS market, as it took a while to develop, and it has finally released for the Nintendo DS. How is it?

Well, that's a good question- and it's hard to say a resounding “Good” or “Bad” to this game. First off, let me say that the actual engine of Metroid Prime: Hunters is phenomenal, matching the original Metroid Prime series on the Nintendo Gamecube almost perfectly, from the ambiance to the play style. Like Metroid Prime, this game is in first person with third person aspects, turning the originally 2D platformer into more of a sci-fi shooter game. Through heroine Samus' helmet, Metroid Prime: Hunters chronicles a story in which Samus must find the “Ultimate Power”, rumored to be found in the Alimbic Cluster, a large array of planets with unique terrain and features, all containing parts to find the Ultimate Power.




As generic as it sounds, the story to Metroid Prime: Hunters boils down quite easily. Samus must go to every location, gather up relics, and then keep moving. The story was never meant to be the point here, as the opening cut scenes last all of a minute, which sets the precedent for this title: It's here because it's here. Other hunters will be taking Samus path in this game, attempting to stop her and collect their own relics, which is a nice thing in the game (I always thought the whole “I'm the only bounty hunter in the galaxy” concept was stupid), but, just like I mentioned above, it all boils down to being for the sake of being. Honestly, this game is really just a shooter, without any reason or point to it, but that's not a bad thing, as I will go on to explain.

The controls are the really innovative part of Metroid Prime: Hunters. Using the DS touchpad, gamers can control Samus' view purely by moving a stylus or thumb over the touchpad, much like PC shooter games use a mouse to control the same aspect. This is surprisingly innovative, because it turns the whole game into a genuine shooter instead of the cheap shooters found on handhelds (For example, like Doom for the Game Boy Advance), and really displays how the DS can be used effectively. The controls are sharp and responsive, and every tiny touch on the DS touchpad responds immediately on the screen, making all game playing fluid and and unobtrusive.

But, then again, there are some flaws with the controls of Metroid Prime: Hunters, and unfortunately, they are quite big flaws. First off, because a touch screen is a touch screen, there is always the chance you will accidentally tap the screen and cause all kinds of hell. This can be as big as a deliberate tap, or even the strap of my DS thumbstrap hitting the pad causing Samus to go wonky on screen. There is no happy way to hold the Nintendo DS to prevent this, and no matter how you hold it, while you hit the screen in this haphazard fashion, I found myself getting a major hand cramp due to the fact that I had to support the whole weight of the DS in one hand. All of these things are truly DS problems and not something that could really be fixed by the people who made Metroid Prime: Hunters, but it is something to note.

Also, I found some small issues regarding the game engine itself, while I'm on a rant about the negatives of Metroid Prime: Hunters. Small issues like how Samus handles jumping (How she can sometimes mysteriously fall off or “Stick” to a wall) or how difficult it is to get one of the doors open (It won't open, even if I shoot it or run around, but it will the second I walk AWAY from it). These problems are nothing to completely kill the game experience, but I was somewhat hoping that there would be higher quality standards for a game so hyped as this, and really feel like I'm missing out on the possibility of an even better game due to these small issues.

But back to the good parts of the game. It's hard to really show on this site, but Metroid Prime: Hunters is a beautiful game with awesome graphics for a handheld, being one of the most impressive DS games I have ever seen. Everything runs smoothly and effectively (Though sometimes lagging at key points), and really shows off what the DS can do when it wants to. Everything looks something to the equivalent of old PC graphics, clean and crisp, and I really felt immersed in the game world. One of the things that impressed me here is the fact that, even for a handheld on a tiny screen, the game still managed to look good enough and come off so well to make sure that the small screen was not limiting my range of sight or motion, and the HUD never got in my way, so I was able to see enough to not feel “stifled” by the fact the whole console was a small package in my hands. That's hard to really explain, but trust me, this game has that kinda feeling to it.

One of the things I specifically noted was the fact that Metroid Prime: Hunters never really had any music, which somewhat disappointed me, because I really enjoyed the music from previous titles. Sure, there wasn't much to it, but the ambiance the games gave off was one of a kind. There may have been music on this game, but take note that if I couldn't really notice it when I specifically listened on headphones, either I'm deaf or the game puts it on the down-low. The sounds that are played, however, are nice, though they sometimes show the limitations of the Nintendo DS sound system. Either that or I've gotten too used to my stereo system again.




And now for the fun part of the review- the Multiplayer. The Multiplayer aspect of Metroid Prime: Hunters is almost exactly similar to what everyone has been playing on PCs- you just log in and have a standard deathmatch, two to four players, in one of many arenas provided in the game. Everything stays the same as in the single player game (Except for obvious differences in the characters you can pick, as the visor style and overall design changes depending on who you pick), but the whole game is refreshing, as it brings a new difficulty to the original game. That being said, I can't get on Metroid Prime: Hunters without getting my rear kicked by some Japanese guy, but whatever.

Everything in the Metroid Prime: Hunters multiplayer is on the famous Nintendo WiFi setup, so finding people is a breeze (Though connection times are still slow), and actual game lag is almost nonexistent. This is the part that really shines, because Metroid Prime: Hunters is a really fun game to play against friends, and it reminds me quite a bit of the original Quake- which is always a plus, at least in my book. If there is a reason to get Metroid Prime: Hunters, it's the multiplayer, which will keep anyone entertained for hours on end.

Metroid Prime: Hunters is a very good game, and a very solid title for the Nintendo DS. There is a lot to do, from the standard single player to the phenomenal multiplayer and beyond, and it really shows what happens when Nintendo decides to make a killer app and goes through with it. There are some slight issues that really bring this game down, namely the fact that I STILL have a sore wrist from holding the brick-like DS up, but that can all be ignored when it comes down to the great features it brings to the table. In no way would I ever consider this game equivalent to a real shooter as we see on the PC, but it's so close, you can taste it, which is impressive for a DS title. This, along with Mario Kart DS, is one of those titles that you can't pass up, and I really think it shows why the Nintendo DS is the must-buy handheld right now, even above the more-powerful-but-under-equipped Sony Playstation Portable. For about $30, this game is a bargain, I recommend it- but I can't say it's perfect.

4 star(s) out of 5

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