*Disclaimer* Yeah, yeah; this game is anything but new. However, it seems like no one has talked out it; it's really in the shadow of Super Mario Galaxy and more recently SSBB. So I bought a Wii recently as decided to pick it up over Mario Galaxy (for the the time being, of course I'll buy it eventually) and just finished it. The following are my thoughts:

I'm not sure if a any games has left a more conflicting impression in my mind than Metroid Prime 3. I started out loving the game, and as it progressed I liked it less and less. By the end of it, I could seriously care less. Yet when all was said and done, I thoughly enjoyed it. Maybe even loved it. My mind is aflame.


Gameplay
From a gameplay standpoint, I think it was absolutely fantastic. I had heard that it could be unresponsive and troublesome, but with the exception of pulling energy cells out of walls (seriously, the Wii has some grave trouble with depth detection) I think it worked without a hitch. Enemies fell left and right to what is fundamentally a mouse and analog stick combo, which is indeed an ideal way to play a FPS. It just feels right, and I'm glad to see that the guys at Retro Studios knew what they were doing. However, it struck me as odd that A is the default shoot button despite the fact that B is a trigger. I mean it is easier to shoot with your thumb, but I'm playing a Wii, damn it; immersion is key. Regardless, the button configuration can be changed at any time, so I have real no problems there.

Presentation and Design
Cool menus have to get you somewhere, right? I kid, the polish on this game is astounding. Everything is cohesive, yet the environments and characters are all quite varied. The bounty hunters and bosses are particularly nice and unique. Especially Hunter Ghor; what a bad-ass. Make no mistakes, this is a beautiful game. It's not going to make you poo your pants with glee if you're in to photorealism, but the art style respectable and works well with the somber tone. And do I ever mean somber, this game still makes you feel isolated (despite having the most dialog I can ever recall seeing in a metroid game) even though you're in constant contact with other friendly NPC's. Everything just seems so bleak. For good reason mind you, but still; death and depression are abundant in this story.

Sound
The sound is fantastic, the sound effects are as good as ever, but the music has definitely taken a hit. That's not to say it's bad, there are still some good pieces, yet I just don't feel it's up to par. In fact, it might be the weak point of the game, which is saying a lot considering it still isn't bad by any means.


The Bad
So I've said pretty much nothing but praise in regards to the game, so what's the problem? It's hard to explain, really. I've just never felt so indifferent towards a game after finishing it, period. Perhaps it was the inclusion of a very weak plot line that left me wanting more. I kept waiting for it to deliver, yet it never did. Perhaps it was the ending. I won't spoil anything, but the ending is pretty "meh". It's the ending of a trilogy? You wouldn't know, honestly. This thing goes out with a whimper. Speaking a whimpering, this game is easy as hell. Any difficulty the combat would provide is completely negated by the "I win" button, or as it is referred to in the game, Hyper mode. Getting lost presents more challenge than any boss in the entire game, and it's almost impossible to even do that. The franchise has been sufficiently dumbed down for the target Wii audience (read: seven year-olds), and your hand is literally being held the entire time. It's a far cry from the first Prime, where I was literally baffled to tears by the enormous map and complete lack of direction. But that was a good thing, it was Metroid.

That is my main problem with this game: it does not feel like a Metroid game. That's a pretty big problem considering it's supposed to be one of the most atmospheric and immersive game series ever. It has way more action, way less exploration, and none of the challenge of any of the titles before it. Even the world map is broken up to an insane degree. No retarded amount of backtracking? Blasphemy! (Alright, that one isn't so bad)


The Verdict
In the end, I would recommend this game to any and every Wii owner. Despite all the negative points I have brought up, it's till easily one of the best games on Wii, and definitely the best action/fps title. The funny part is, someone would probably like it more if they weren't a fan of Metroid Prime, or even the series as a whole. Which is shouldn't happen to a beloved franchise, or at least that's my take on it. So you've heard me ramble, what are your opinions on it?

Oh, and I'm FlatTopJesus. Hey. Some of you may know me, if not; I have an intro in my side bar or on the forums.