--Mission briefing, Metroid Prime: Federation Force
I'll admit that I purchased, played, and reviewed Federation Force partly to sate my intense passion for Metroid while waiting for the imminent release of Metroid: Samus Returns for the 3DS on September 15. I had hardly seen any of the gameplay and did not know what the experience would be like. But I ended up actually enjoying the time I spent playing! Yes, it is a spin-off game. Yes, it has a different graphical style, forsaking the comparatively realistic aesthetics of its predecessors for a colorful chibi art style. Level design is vastly different. But all of this aside, it is not a bad game, despite its volatile controversy! It is certainly unlike previous installments in the iconic series, but it is a game that can be quite enjoyable nonetheless. I do not think this game is the failure that some perceive it as.
Production Values
The colorful graphics and art style are indubitably more "cartoonish" than those of other Metroid Prime games, but they are still distinctly Metroid. The environments, creatures, and weapons do not look out of place; they truly do fit in the Metroid universe, it is merely the controversial aesthetic style that is so different. Varied planet locations show a great visual variety that surprised me. Levels involve everything from rain and darkness to a desert sun to acid storms. The smooth framerate never dropped for me even when lots of enemies appeared onscreen (sometimes there's around seven or more) at once or when I played online coop.
Federation Force's lack of the verbal dialogue and voice acting featured in Other M and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is definitely notable, especially since the decision to omit it almost goes backwards in terms of franchise sound evolution. The soundtrack also does not quite live up to the greatness of its predecessors. Whereas all three of the main Metroid Prime games had powerful or haunting title themes, the one for Federation Force seems bland and unmemorable by comparison. At least the other audio effects are great.
Gameplay
Federation Force plays and looks rather a lot like a marriage of Titanfall and a chibi stylized version of Metroid Prime. Seriously, watching my Galactic Federation soldier leave and enter her Mech (I gave my character a female voice in the character editing section) really did remind me of Titanfall. As far as comparisons to the spectacular trio of games in the main Metroid Prime series, the only similarities Federation Force shares with them is that they all are first-person shooters and they all take place in the Metroid universe. Samus and metroids do show up and classic enemies like Shriekbats and Space Pirates make regular appearances, but they take a definite back seat to the spin-off side story. Gone is the open-world-esque and somewhat nonlinear gameplay style, replaced by a series of approximately 5-20 minute objective-based levels that one can play solo or with up to three online or local coop partners. However, the spin-off nature of the narrative does not minimize the importance of the events in the game.
In this game, Galactic Federation marines are learning how to harness the power of massive Mech suits. Sharing similarities with the legendary Power Suit of Samus Aran, these Mechs have a power beam, AUX weapons, (missiles, super missiles, a freeze weapon, etc) a grapple slide feature, and hover thrusters. Up to three devices called MODs can be installed and switched or removed at will, enhancing the abilities and powers of the Mech or adding new ones. Progression in the game unlocks more paint jobs, slots for MODs, and AUX ammo capacity. The campaign consists of 22 missions, and players are awarded medals that can unlock more MOD spaces and Mech paint jobs based upon quickness, point total, and completion of secondary objectives. The primary objectives range from protecting carts from a storm to guiding balls into sockets, shooting down transports before they escape, capturing alien animals, defending a drill, or just killing creatures. You even get outside the Mech for part of two missions! Mission variety is certainly not something this game lacks.
As far as difficulty goes, online co-op really helps with hard missions. An example from my own playthrough is how at first I was totally stuck on the seventh level and beat it only because I had a companion to help me overcome a tough boss. Then I completed two levels I hadn't even played on solo yet alongside other players. The collaborative efforts of a squad can be very rewarding, as a group can amass more points and defeat enemies quicker. Partners can even revive downed Mechs--very helpful since in solo play there are no checkpoints and death means that the player must restart the entire mission and possibly lose certain equipped MODs (both frustrating design choices).
Then there's Blast Ball mode, shown in the screenshot (taken using the Miiverse app) below.
A Blast Ball match is like a very intense soccer game but with guns. Players must shoot giant mobile balls into the goal of the opposing team. Blast Ball can be played online or against bots in 3 vs. 3 matches, but it is a rather foreign multiplayer style to the Metroid franchise. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime Hunters both had a deathmatch style multiplayer that I would have preferred significantly to Blast Ball, but at least this adds more variety to the game. By the way, one can merge a file from the Blast Ball demo on the eShop with the save data on the Federation Force cartridge. Blast Ball exclusive paint jobs are unlocked by completion of various tasks.
The controls actually are quite different from the touch screen aiming of the DS's Metroid Prime Hunters. Gyroscope (motion sensor-based) controls are activated by holding the far right trigger button and holding L (the far left trigger button) locks onto a certain enemy or direction, just like in the original Prime games. Overall, it seemed to work very well.
Story
Metroid chronology:
1. Metroid/Metroid: Zero Mission (NES/GBA)
2. Metroid Prime (GameCube)
3. Metroid Prime Hunters (DS)
4. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GameCube)
5. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii)
6. Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)
7. Metroid II: Return of Samus/Metroid: Samus Returns (Game Boy/3DS)
8. Super Metroid (SNES)
9. Metroid: Other M (Wii)
10. Metroid Fusion (GBA)
After the events of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the Galactic Federation initiates a program utilizing "Mech" exo-suits for its soldiers. Called Operation Golem, it is intended to exterminate Space Pirate resistance leftover after the destruction of Phaaze. The Federation sends its newest members to the Bermuda System, which has three planets: Excelcion, Bion, and Talvania. The players' silent characters complete a diverse range of missions on these three planets and encounter Space Pirates, discovering that the nefarious species is developing a new super weapon.
Samus Aran DOES investigate Space Pirate activity after the species is found active in the system. She saves you from a giant beetle, performs background reconnaissance, and is mentioned by your commanding officer on multiple occasions.
(MAJOR SPOILERS)
The Pirates construct a battle station called the Doomseye and use it to overpower the Federation fleet in the area. The player's trooper fights a hijacked Samus Aran on the Doomseye, as Pirates captured her and temporarily turned her into a weapon. The Doomseye is eventually destroyed and the Space Pirate threat alleviated yet again.
Intellectual Content
Mild exploration yields MODs and mild puzzles allow progression to further levels, though neither amounts to much compared to past Metroid games. This is by far the very least intellectual Metroid game in existence. This is also probably among the smallest amount of words I have ever placed under the "Intellectual Content" section of one of my reviews.
Conclusion
Despite its untraditional (by franchise standards) graphical style and level design and the fact that one plays not as Samus but as a Federation marine, Federation Force is a game that Metroid fans may really enjoy. Yes, I would have preferred a more traditional Metroid Prime game for the 3DS, but at least this September the 3DS will receive a classic-style Metroid game! Federation Force still delivers excellent online coop action, standing out simply by being one of few first-person shooters on the system. So if co-op, FPS games, or Metroid appeal to you, you may like this game more than the fan backlash might suggest.
Content
1. Violence: Bloodless shooting kills enemies that disappear shortly after their deaths. The minimal blood present in some of the other Metroid Prime games here is absent, possibly because of perceived incongruity with the aesthetics.
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