Metroid Prime: Federation Force Thread

[Octavium]

A thread to talk about all things involving this tittle, including speculation, game play, game modes, maps, opinions and the future of Metroid as a series.

Needless to say, most of us weren't expecting this to pop out at E3, it looks very different from all the Metroid games that have released so far. Some of us expected a new 2.5D Metroid game for the 3DS and others wanted a new FPS exploration game like the Prime trilogy for the Wii U. But what we got instead was a multiplayer co-op shooter adventure game along with a 3vs3 blastball gamemode in the Metroid universe featuring chibi-like Federation Soldiers.

This game's announcement has sparked some very mixed opinions (as indicated by the trailer's like/dislike bar), personally I'm a bit disappointed in the trailer but I'm also relieved that Metroid finally got attention after 5 years of being dormant.

Some decisions are questionable, notably the lack of the usual main character in this new game, Samus could've cloned herself into 4 different people via old/abandoned/forbidden chozo technology for this spinoff game, similar to how Link becomes four when grabbing the four sword. This could be compared to a Legend of Zelda game without Link as a playable character.

The Chibi artstyle and the simple-looking nature of the game probably means the overall difficulty of the tittle could be easier than that of the usual Metroid games. This also probably means that the amount of hidden lore and secret areas will be negatively affected. Further reducing rewards for exploration. But this is only speculation.

Discuss!

 

[Swamp Sensei]

This is going to get a lot on unjust hate.

The game will probably be good.

Just not what Metroid needed right now.

 

[CptJPuff]

It certainly looks like a great game with friends. I'm sure looking forward to more footage of it at the Nintendo Treehouse Live.

I'm hoping that us players have the option to play the campaign alone or with AI, just in case we don't have any friends that can play the game or if a random online campaign is too chaotic.

 

[Octavium]

This is going to get a lot on unjust hate.

The game will probably be good.

Just not what Metroid needed right now.

Most of this game's hate is coming from the fact that we didn't have a new Metroid game in 5 years (8 years for us fans who disliked Other M). This is a very very bad time to release a spin-off title.

I'm sure if this game was revealed along with a new Wii U Metroid game, there wouldn't have been as much hate, if any.

 

[Firus]

How "good" this game will be kind of depends on where you're coming from. I wouldn't mind a spin-off so much except that this looks a lot just like a basic shooter to me (maybe I'll be proven wrong, and I hope I am), and that's just not my cup of tea. The shooter genre as a whole pretty much has to have some particularly interesting caveat for it to draw any attention from me. Maybe it'll technically be solid in every department, but it's unlikely to be something that I personally enjoy given what we've seen so far, and that's kind of my concern here. My personal take is that each individual's subjective experience is going to be more important than any sweeping generalization of how well-made a game is.

With that said, if this weren't coming at a dry spell in Metroid games with the most recent installment being a severe disappointment to me, I imagine I'd feel less negative about this game. And despite my presently negative feelings, I'm hoping I see enough content to convince me it'll be enjoyable to me, because as much as I just want Nintendo to cut the crap and give us a solid Metroid title and I want them to understand how annoying this is to pull, I want to turn out and give them sales so they don't give up on the series.

 

[Cyn]

The problem I have with this game is that it is using the Metroid brand to sell itself. This game could have just as easily been called "Federation Force" and no one would have ever known it was a Metroid title. Honestly, I don't think anyone would even really give this game a second thought had the word "Metroid" not been in the title.

 

[finalark]

Have you seen the dislike bar on that trailer? People are pretty salty about this.

As everyone in this thread has said, nobody would be upset about this game if it was announced alongside a more traditional Metroid game for Wii U or 3DS. I'm just hoping Nintendo doesn't take the backlash against this as a sign that people don't want Metroid anymore.

 

[Cyn]

I'm just hoping Nintendo doesn't take the backlash against this as a sign that people don't want Metroid anymore.

They would be more foolish than people think if they did.

 

[Quillion]

Hopefully you can play as Anthony Higgs.

Then it'll be worth everyone's time.

 

[Octavium]

The problem I have with this game is that it is using the Metroid brand to sell itself. This game could have just as easily been called "Federation Force" and no one would have ever known it was a Metroid title. Honestly, I don't think anyone would even really give this game a second thought had the word "Metroid" not been in the title.

While I do agree with you, the game definitely has some metroid-esque feel to it, with areas that look like Phendrana Drifts and Skytown, also the federation chibi soldiers are definitely wearing a design very similar to the federation marines in Metroid Prime 3. Metroid FF only wears the skin of the Metroid universe.

 

[Neo Zero]

It reminds me of a Metroid Monster Hunter. I'll admit, I was salty myself during the Direct, but I settled down quickly. I think once people see the supposed Wii U Metroid, they'll feel better about this one. The presentation for Metroid is definitely jarring, but people should keep in mind that this=/=a "real" Metroid game. That goes both ways, in that this doesn't mean that "real" title won't exist, and that it being worked on doesn't mean that it would affect or hold back the other.

Frankly, I like having it as a bit of world/lore building. Metroid has always been a strong character game, as well as about atmosphere, but the universe that didn't involve Samus and the Pirates always felt scarce to me outside certain GF characters (like Adam) so being a part of that and seeing how things are for the Galactic Federation in more detail I think is a huge plus. I do wish it was a bit less chibi (I imagine that's a common sentiment) but it also makes it feel more light hearted and friendly, and considering it's a Co-Op Multiplayer game, that's not a bad thing. This title isn't about isolation, but cooperation.

 

[Octavium]

Snip

Yeah some GF development as a military really felt needed, and now we finally get some, albeit late and at a terrible time. Despite being salty I'm still kinda exited and wish to buy this game if it releases (we can't even be sure at this point from all the negative feedback), my wallet has bias to anything with the word Metroid on it.

Metroid monster hunter? I never thought of it that way, but that would have so much potential considering there's so many huge and deadly creatures in the Metroid universe. Lets just hope the game will be difficult enough to avoid team players from attempting to rush the levels down. Especially when others want to take their time and enjoy themselves.

 

[DungeonMaster]

I think the only way it could get worse is if SORA was developing it.

 

[Octavium]

I think the only way it could get worse is if SORA was developing it.

Hows about a collab between SORA and Team Ninja with Yoshio Sakamoto as the tyrant director, Gunpei Yokoi would shake in his grave.

 

[Shog]

I honestly teared up like a little kid because I wait so long for a Metroid 3/4 like game...(and Zero Mission)

But I don't want to rate this game good or bad. I need to see more footage first. If the gameplay is fun and we get some Metroid cameos, it might be nice(remember how Metroid Prime hunter is liked?)

Edit: Fixed bad english

 

[Mr. Oshawott]

Oh, yes, the negative reception for this title is incredibly massive. The Metroid fan base have been waiting for 5-8 years for a new world for Samus to explore and all Nintendo had to offer (so far, I hope) is...a multiplayer game of monster-hunting and soccer. If this is all were ever going to see for Federation Force, then I don't see how it's going to sell at all.

 

[Space Stranger]

Since I'm not a diehard fan of the Metroid games, I'm not phased by the disappointment. I really want to play this game.

Of course, fans are going to give it a lot of undeserved hate without actually playing it.

 

[Quillion]

I don't mind it being a spinoff, but man, Nintendo?

WILL YOU PLEASE NOT USE THE PRIME NAME?

 

[finalark]

I don't mind it being a spinoff, but man, Nintendo?

WILL YOU PLEASE NOT USE THE PRIME NAME?

Slapping "Prime" onto a Metroid title is like slapping Z onto Dragonball. It increases sales by like, at least ten percent.

 

[Shog]

I don't mind it being a spinoff, but man, Nintendo?

I actually agree with you(I like the Prime Game alot, bought today Triology for Wii U heh) but the Main Characters are based off of the Galactic blabla from Metroid Prime 2 ...

 

[ryno74]

I agree like everyone else here. If they had announced this along with a proper Metroid game, I wouldn't have minded. But the sheer fact that the director of this game said that he "wants to make another Metroid Prime game", but instead we're getting a spin-off is really telling to me. Retro has been very quiet and had nothing at E3...maybe they're doing Metroid.

I also worry that this is ALL that Nintendo will have for Metroid's 30th anniversary next year. If there was a time to announce a game releasing next year, this was the E3 to do it. Unless they mention that a 3D Metroid title is in development for next year, I imagine Metroid will get shafted again for another big anniversary.

 

[Quillion]

Slapping "Prime" onto a Metroid title is like slapping Z onto Dragonball. It increases sales by like, at least ten percent.

But the Z in Dragon Ball is a totally meaningless addition. Prime in Metroid refers to a specific creature in the arc who was the greater antagonist's (Phazon's) most powerful agent. She was destroyed at the very end of the series and thus Nintendo has no more reason to use the name.

I actually agree with you(I like the Prime Game alot, bought today Triology for Wii U heh) but the Main Characters are based off of the Galactic blabla from Metroid Prime 2 ...

If only they realize that people actually liked Anthony (from Other M) and make him the star of the game, it'll be a perfect spinoff for that alone. But putting the Prime thing throws it into ambiguity.

 

[Octavium]

But the Z in Dragon Ball is a totally meaningless addition. Prime in Metroid refers to a specific creature in the arc who was the greater antagonist's (Phazon's) most powerful agent. She was destroyed at the very end of the series and thus Nintendo has no more reason to use the name.

I'm pretty sure at this point Nintendo considers the world ''Prime'' as an indication for an FPS-based Metroid game. Its a pretty simple way to use it.

If only they realize that people actually liked Anthony (from Other M) and make him the star of the game, it'll be a perfect spinoff for that alone. But putting the Prime thing throws it into ambiguity.

I think that's a terrible idea, sure some people may like him, but pushing a spinoff with Anthony as the star on the entire Metroid fanbase would be a huuuuuge mistake.

I don't think any character can help much in defining a good Metroid game, Metroid at its core is about exploration and Isolation along with awesome boss-fights and for Prime, hidden lore. Samus isn't very needed, only appreciated.

 

[dangeraaron10]

I always thought of a Metroid Wii U or NX game that has FPS and exploration Prime segments with Samus and a dual campaign going on at the same time, featuring Ridley in destructive 3PS flying around destroying Federation soldiers, mechs, and ships, focusing purely on theatrical carnage. But that's a fond dream of mine.

 

[Dastardly Ridleylash]

I do think there's more to this game that we haven't seen yet....but honestly, I'm kind of ashamed by the way the fanbase reacted to the announcement. This is nearing Zelda fan-levels of dumb, honestly; we're getting so involved in screaming "RUINEDED FOREVARRRRRR!!!!!" that we honestly are overlooking the game for one thing or another.

I think we'd need to wait untill we can play the game ourselves or at the very least get a very good grasp on the gameplay through videos before wailing about how Nintendo, again, RUINED METROID FOREVER. I mean, **** there's even a petition made hours after it's announcement specifically asking for it to be canceled because it's not a "true" Metroid game. If that isn't entitlement from some people, I don't know what entitlement is.

 

[Octavium]

Snip

I'm also very ashamed of the Metroid community, that reaction was uncalled for, but I'd be an hypocrite If I wasn't ashamed at myself along with that, I joined in on the hate for most of that day, I only got my change of heart when I saw how fun it looked at the Nintendo Treehouse event.

But by that point, I'm sure most of the community had their hands on their hears eyes screaming out ''lalalala I can't hear you!'' just to keep the hate for this game flowing. That was hugely immature.

Edit: I'm not fond of how you called Zelda fans dumb, there's lots of awesome people in the Zelda fandom so you shouldn't put everybody in the same boat.

 

[Quillion]

I'm pretty sure at this point Nintendo considers the world ''Prime'' as an indication for an FPS-based Metroid game. Its a pretty simple way to use it.

Screw that! Doesn't change the fact that Nintendo is using it completely wrong.

[/quote]
I think that's a terrible idea, sure some people may like him, but pushing a spinoff with Anthony as the star on the entire Metroid fanbase would be a huuuuuge mistake.

I don't think any character can help much in defining a good Metroid game, Metroid at its core is about exploration and Isolation along with awesome boss-fights and for Prime, hidden lore. Samus isn't very needed, only appreciated.[/quote]

Thing is, Federation Force is explicitly a spinoff as much as Yoshi's Island or Donkey Kong Country is. Seeing as the Federation has top billing in this spinoff, it would make sense for Anthony to be the star of it.

 

[Deleted member]

 

[CptJPuff]

You guys might find this petition interesting.

https://www.change.org/p/nintendo-petition-for-cancelation-of-metroid-prime-federation-force

I've never really played a Metroid game other than Super Metroid, sooo this isn't really my turf. However, to you hardcore Metroid fans, does it seem like a big enough deal to cancel it?

Edit: Of course it's a terrible idea. Why did I even ask that?

 

[Dastardly Ridleylash]

Thing is, Federation Force is explicitly a spinoff as much as Yoshi's Island or Donkey Kong Country is. Seeing as the Federation has top billing in this spinoff, it would make sense for Anthony to be the star of it.

Except for the fact that everybody hated Other M. Nintendo is not going to want to risk ripping the wound back open so soon, especially after the huge kerfufle of Other M. There's a reason this is looking to be as distant from that game as humanly possible; they're trying to avoid falling into the same trap that they did before.
Unfortunately, their attempt at being different was not what fans wanted; and EVERYBODY had hyped themselves up for a new Prime game...which we got, but not the way people were thinking.

Plus, Anthony was really only liked so much because he was about the only remotely decent character in the whole game with a speaking role, not because he was an excellent character on his own merits. They went big and radical for Other M, it failed miserably. They see Other M's sales and think "Well ****, guess people want a new style of gameplay for the series." They try to do that...and everyone says "NO WE WANTED THIS"

As for that petition, that's showing that we're going down the same path the Zelda fans have. And that's a dark, dark path where everything new is WRONG and what we had before was THE BEST.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

You guys might find this petition interesting.

https://www.change.org/p/nintendo-petition-for-cancelation-of-metroid-prime-federation-force

I've never really played a Metroid game other than Super Metroid, sooo this isn't really my turf. However, to you hardcore Metroid fans, does it seem like a big enough deal to cancel it?

No.

The petition is embarassing.

 

[Firus]

Edit: I'm not fond of how you called Zelda fans dumb, there's lots of awesome people in the Zelda fandom so you shouldn't put everybody in the same boat.

You can say this about literally every gaming community, but you can also throw massive criticisms at them. The fact of the matter is every fanbase of anything has a good and a bad side, and the loud portion of a fanbase is always the ones who are really entitled and want things to work exactly as they ask for them and then throw a temper tantrum when they don't get it. It's true with the Sonic fanbase, which IMO is half of the reason Sonic games have become such a cluster****.

And it's definitely true in the Zelda fanbase, where there's just a cycle of hatred for whatever game they've decided to hate at the moment while they love the game they hated five years ago. Like how MM received kind of ehh reception at the time and now it's praised as a whole, and WW was hated at the time and now it's so beloved it got an HD re-release. Skyward Sword is looked down upon pretty heavily at the moment but I can guarantee you Zelda fans as a whole will shift to love of it after Zelda U releases.

Not every Zelda fan falls into this pattern -- I am a Zelda fan and since I've not really changed my opinion on any of the games nor do I insist on complaining ad nauseam about whatever games I like less than the others, I like to think that's true of me -- but just because there are good eggs in the fanbase doesn't mean it isn't exhausting to listen to the masses discuss their opinions.

---

As for the reaction to FF, my perspective has changed but I don't regret being less-than-thrilled at the initial announcement. Nintendo did not handle that well at all during the digital event itself, giving no further explanation to this title that looked like the Metroid Prime series boiled down to no more than "FPS." And the fact that the Blast Ball multiplayer mode was a big emphasis didn't come across great either. They shouldn't have just dropped it without explanation after the drought of information for as long as there was, and that's not an offense worthy of "They should cancel the game, they're horrible, blah blah blah," but it does, I think, mean that they should've expected some amount of lashback from the Metroid fandom.

For the people that are still throwing fits about it, still throwing out "They know nobody's going to buy this, right?" and signing petitions, that's a problem. You don't have to be thrilled about this title -- I know I still would've preferred more of a return to form -- but you should keep an open mind until you actually know exactly what is coming from the game. You have nothing to lose by giving it a chance, and if it actually proves to be a good entry in the series...well, throwing a fit is going to deprive you of that fun experience.

 

[finalark]

The fact is, this game is probably going to be Prime Hunters II in all but name. A multiplayer oriented Metroid spin-off on a handheld? That sounds familiar.

Although if there's no traditional FFA deathmatch mode then I probably won't be picking it up. I'll still at bare minimum give the game a look. If it has download play (which it probably won't, RIP download play) then co-op could be a ton of fun. This might also be because I'm nostalgic for my high school days when my friends and I used to all lounge around in my buddy's living room playing Hunters together on DS. But hey, you never know.

 

[LancerStaff]

I think the only way it could get worse is if SORA was developing it.

Stay classy, Metroid fans. Stay classy.

 

[ryno74]

Except in this instance, the core Zelda game was still in tact and was still the exact same Zelda game we all knew and loved. Wind Waker got hate only because of its visual style, while FF is getting hate for much more than just that.

The case for Metroid is that it's definitely NOT going to be a core Metroid experience (no isolation, not nearly as much exploration, no new alien worlds) or even include Samus. And, in Wind Waker's case, there wasn't a 5-year wait for a new Zelda title (between MM and WW) like there is for Metroid. We also know now from the director that there isn't even one core Metroid title in development to his knowledge and would most likely be pushed for the NX and not the Wii U. This is extremely frustrating for an avid fanbase that's been wanting a great, new Metroid title (and if you hated Other M, it's been 8 years since a good Metroid game) to only get a spin-off Metroid title that is not Metroid whatsoever.

Though I do think it's also too early to judge the actual quality of the game and I think the petition is completely ridiculous, I think to compare FF to Wind Waker is frankly a bad comparison. The frustration for this, I feel, is somewhat justified.

 

[DungeonMaster]

Stay classy, Metroid fans. Stay classy.

The homing missiles would move at just precisely the wrong speed and not really home in on anything except slugs. The grapple beam would give you 1.5 seconds of endlag and most creatures would simply dodge it first.
The hurt boxes on monsters would require surgical precision.
Did I miss anything?

 

[TimeChain]

My only problem with the game so far is its name. The "Metroid Prime" is only there to sell more units even though Samus so far, doesn't seem to be present. Other than that, it looks fine. It's pretty much Metroid Prime Hunters 2 because of the greater focus on shooting. I would be more disappointed if it was a main series game rather than a spin-off.

 

[Quillion]

It should've had the title "Metroid Universe" instead of "Prime".

 

[LancerStaff]

The homing missiles would move at just precisely the wrong speed and not really home in on anything except slugs. The grapple beam would give you 1.5 seconds of endlag and most creatures would simply dodge it first.
The hurt boxes on monsters would require surgical precision.
Did I miss anything?

Sakurai invented Samus's homing missiles and a grapple beam that does more then two damage to enemies... And he's balancing primarily for FFAs, which is actually balanced for once. Don't think there's any hurtbox problems in Smash either. Nothing as bad as Prime 1's, anyway.

He's also good with shooters. Already I can tell the controls are twenty times worse then Kid Icarus's. It's funny because Sakurai specifically mentioned that Kid Icarus's controls were designed to fix the "rowing a boat" problem Hunters had.

 

[Shog]

It should've had the title "Metroid Universe" instead of "Prime".

It is kinda connected to the ending of Prime 3

Also guys

I never played Prime 3(but I have it obviously, now even on Wii U) so...I can play it, enjoy it and see if the 3DS game might be worth it. Who knows? No Metroidvania, but it might be a fine game.