Review: Metroid Prime – Hunters – Nintendo DS

Metroid Prime – Hunters
Developer: NST
ESRB: T (Teen) | Game Type: FPS
iBT Score: 90%

Big accomplishments can come in small packages. Metroid Prime – Hunters(MPH) has the level of quality that you would expect from a console platform. Done in very similar fashion to Metroid Prime on the Nintendo Gamecube, It scores big in the graphics, sound and game play departments. MPH also has a great multi-player feature that will keep your skills sharp. Throw in a decent story line and you’ve got a game chock full of fun. Its Metroid and you can bring it with you wherever you go!!

The Story
In the most distant reaches of space, beyond the territories controlled by the Galactic Federation, is the Tetra Galaxy, once home to a mighty race known as the Alimbics. An advanced civilization, peaceful, prosperous and powerful, the Alimbics maintained stability over the region forcefully but judiciously. They reigned over a vast region known as the Alimbic Cluster. One day, perhaps thousands of years ago, perhaps tens of thousands, they simply disappeared, leaving behind artifacts, all scattered across the Alimbic Cluster, all protected by a lethal arsenal of the Alimbics’ most advanced weaponry.

Today, for the first time in centuries, the long-dormant Alimbic System is stirring, delivering strange tidings. A telepathic communiqué, originating in Alimbic Cluster, has downloaded into the brains of some of the most exceptional beings in our galaxy. The message translates into a thousand different languages on a thousand different worlds. But the message always is the same: “The secret to ultimate power resides in the Alimbic Cluster.”

This message has intrigued and enticed some of the most formidable bounty hunters in the galaxy to make the long journey to the Alimbic Cluster, each of these great warriors motivated by a different reason. Some desire power for themselves, or for their planet or people, while others simply have a relentless desire to hunt, or to kill, along with a fierce determination to prove themselves the best bounty hunter in the galaxy. Now, it’s a race against time to see which bounty hunter will triumph over the others, who will discover the secret behind this promise of “ultimate power.”

The Galactic Federation has heeded this strange, suspicious communication as well, and has called for the help of Samus Aran. Her mission: to discover the truth about this mysterious message, to protect against a potential threat, and to keep the Alimbics’ ultimate power from falling into the wrong hands.

The Controls
The Controls are nicely laid out on the DS, using the D-pad for walk/strafe and the stylus is used for looking/aiming. To jump you simply tap the screen twice with the stylus. The morph ball, scanner and weapon select are all done through the touchscreen Interface. The left bumper is used for firing your weapon. It does take a bit of getting used to holding the DS with one hand and then using that same hand to move Samus around, but once done it works nicely. There are also a few other control schemes which seem more traditional. I picked up the controls by just playing around, all are pretty intuitive.

Graphics & Sound
Graphics. Where to start? They are simply amazing for a DS game! The level designs are nice, everything has been nicely textured. The Morphball looks pretty cool also. One little annoyance that I had was that some of the enemies were so small at a distance that they seem to vanish, making it hard to aim.. but given the amount of screen real estate that the DS has, I’m not complaining. They did top it off with some very nice FMV sequences though.

Good standard stereo sound with lots of sound effects, and the level music is on par with Metroid tunes.

Lasting Appeal
If you like First person shooters, this game will take up a good chunk of your time. This game really feels like it should just explode right out of the DS and onto a console.. it’s that well rounded and polished. I love bringing it with me where ever I go, and single cart multi-player and online multi-player is a hit! Once you complete the single player mode, take the game online for a little 4 player death-match FPS action. This is another Metroid trophy for my shelf.

iBT scores this game 90%