There’s been a lot of vitriol toward Metroid Prime: Federation Force since its introduction in 2014, ( including from myself ), but with more information and gameplay footage I’ve softened on the idea of a multiplayer shooter in the Metroid Prime universe.
And now that Federation Force is here, does it live up to the Metroid Prime name? In short, it doesn’t in the traditional sense. Federation Force is an entirely different game from the Samus-led FPS games that were loved but brings an entirely new experience to 3DS users.
Elements of those past games are present in Federation Force but the main focus of the game sets it apart and does so very well.
GAMEPLAY/CONTROLS
The story of the game focuses on the Federation from the Metroid Prime franchise as they try and find a new resource to replace Phazon. However, they aren’t the only ones looking for one.
Players are one of the Federation marines deployed on different missions with varying goals and ways to play. And this is the part of Federation Force that really impressed me. The variety and number of missions included are hefty and will challenge any level of player.
The missions vary from simply retrieving an artifact to infiltrating Space Pirate bases to fighting off giant aliens (basically boss battles). Each mission offers a new experience and while playing I never felt that I was rehashing a past mission; every single one needs a different strategy to be employed to win.
It’s this added layer that you don’t really think about at first, but as you go through missions and gain new mods/upgrades you’ll realize that certain playstyles are best suited for certain missions. For example, for defending against a horde of enemies, you may want to add upgrades that make you more resilient to attacks and/or boost your own attack to take down enemies more quickly.
You can take a mission slow and explore every nook and cranny of a stage like in Metroid Prime to find new mods and upgrades or you can go straight in and try to beat the mission in the quickest time possible.
The controls of Federation Force are easy to grasp; if you played the Metroid Prime games for the Nintendo Gamecube you’ll feel right at home. You have your locking on button and free-range aiming button, which use the 3DS’ motion controls to aim, but you can easily run and gun your way to victory.
The tutorial/training section will get any player up to speed on the controls and mechanics of the game so there’s no confusion when you’re out in the field.
MULTIPLAYER/SOLO PLAY
Two key aspects of Federation Force are the multiplayer and solo gameplay. Federation Force is the most fun to play with others, there’s no doubt about that. Having up to three players join you in missions makes this game feel bigger than the constraints of the Nintendo 3DS and cooperation adds another layer to the gameplay.
There are restrictions to what you can do on the 3DS. You have preloaded messages you can say in-game but there’s no way to communicate with your teammates unless you’re in the same room. Think of Monster Hunter, and how hunts with online players work: that’s what you get with Federation Force .
Players can solo the missions but be prepared for a tough fight and to fail missions constantly.
The beginning missions are fine, especially if you use the Lone Wolf mod that helps your marine out. But as you progress, some of the missions seem almost impossible to do alone. You’ll wish you had at least one other marine with you to help fend off hordes of Space Pirates or transport items through dangerous environments.
But if you’re keen on doing it all solo, you’ll need patience and quick thinking to complete some of these missions.
VERDICT
Overall, Federation Force is not the Metroid Prime game fans have been waiting years to play, but it was never meant to be. Once you get over that fact, this game is a ton of fun. There are hours of gameplay here and the addition of Blast Ball gives players even more to do.
Controls are smooth and easy to grasp and while the graphics are pretty lackluster, the enemies and environments remind me of the Gamecube games. The boxy, chibi looks of the marines are a bit of a downer, but you get over that quickly.
Post-game is pretty thin, with the bulk of it appealing to completionists who want to win all the medals and achieve the best times on each mission. Still, the missions and degree of difficulty makes this game a great addition to anyone’s 3DS library.
Federation Force deserves a chance and there’s plenty of good here to change the minds of even the saltiest of fans.
