When I first got a DS and got first hunt, the demo for Prime Hunters, I was excited. The idea that Metroid Prime could come on the DS was amazing to me. There really didn’t seem like there was anything inherently wrong at the time. Sure the demo was a bit, eh, but I'd figure with as much time as they gave it for it to come out the game itself would be really good. Much time past since I actually decided to finally buy Metroid Prime Hunters and even more so when I actually decided to play it. And boy was it just bad, and I bought, played, and beaten Metroid: Other M when it first came out.
Really it just makes me mad at the whole thing. Prime Hunters took a long time to come out and even longer for me to get and actually sit down and play. I knew the control scheme hurt your hands, I knew that it took some getting use to, but overall the game just doesn’t work. Not to say that it couldn't have worked, they had enough to make it work, but it just doesn’t. The control scheme is even worse when playing for extend hours of play, the controls are often wonky and constantly makes it so even the simplest jumps can be missed because you didn't angle yourself correctly. Whats even worst is the fact that the majority of the gameplay is incredibly the same formulaic bull that makes an awful games worse. You constantly go around each planet finding three artifacts to open the portal the the boss room, and are only then greeted by some generic lameness. All the bosses save for the last are the exact same two bosses only made harder, totem pole and ball guy. Then after each boss you are subjected to having to leave the planet in a hurry before it explodes for some unknown reason. What makes even littler sense is that you do this twice per planet! The Hunters themselves aren't even present like I thought they would be. They might as well be generic enemies or metroids for all I care because they really add nothing to the story. Nothing is just done with them, they are just there to be an annoyance. Seriously, why make all theses hunters only to waste them as generic super enemies? Why not make them bosses themselves? Was it really that hard? Instead of recycling the same 2 bosses you have 6 other potential candidates to work with! And that’s what Prime Hunters is, a waste of potential.
Aside from all its faults, the game does provide with a lot of fun areas to explore, and that alone makes a worthy notion that it should probably be made into something better. The music is even like the Metroid Prime games. But really this game is just crap.
Final Thoughts:
I never thought I say it, but there is a bad Metroid game; Metroid Prime Hunters is that game. It had a lot of potential to be good, with the areas it provides to explore, the lore built within the game, and the interesting new hunter characters. But it just overall fails the process with its horrid control scheme and terrible formulaic gameplay. Stay away from this game!