With some impressive graphics and great controls, the only thing holding this game back are the linear levels.
The game is graphically impressive, one of the best looking games I've played hands down. See what's strange there? The accursed "for a Wii game" is not tacked on. It's just a good looking game. The environments are richly detailed, and the character models are top notch, which is a pleasant surprise for anyone and everyone.
The game has some good sound effects, paired with some mediocre voice over. I just cannot believe them while they are talking during the cutscenes, I just can't do it. But the guns sound the way they sound, like guns, the grunts and groans from the aliens and humans are great, and I'm still freaked when a Mite shows up behind me because they scream like devil-babies.
This is a game that stands out in the gameplay department from any other game on the Wii. First of all, the controls are 100% customizable. You can set any function to any button, you can rearrange your HUD the way to want it (want health in the lower right? Go ahead. Want your grenades in the upper right? Sure, why not. How about ammo in the middle of the screen? As strange a choice as it is, you can do that too). You can adjust the dead zone (the zone your curser must leave for you to turn). Pretty much, if the controls don't work for you, you can adjust them to do whatever you want. The fights are fast and frantic, and they can become daunting in the single player campaign. I've gone through some fights multiple times to try and get them correct. In addition, there's plenty of collectables, secrets, and power weapons spread throughout each of the levels. The multiplayer is smart and fun. Learning how to play with the high rollers will become essential if you want to survive, however. But I cannot just speak on the positives. As a reviewer, I must report on the negative aspects as well. First of all, there are only 9 levels for the single player campaign. That's fewer than Lost Planet, and that's saying something. Even though the levels last a while, I would have liked more environments to explore and more things to do. And each level is essentially a huge hallway. There are no branching paths, no alternate routes, just one long corridor. This is definitely not Halo people. And from what I have played on the online, hackers are prominent, annoying, and just flat out stupid.
In the end, this valiant and daring effort earns my seal of approval. The single player campaign is fun and tough, the online is... fun and tough, the graphics are sharp, and this game delivers what all Wii owners wanted, a hardcore title. However, with the small amount of single player campaign levels, the linear gameplay, and the cheaters, this game is hampered a lot. Hopefully, the sequel will build on this great formula and take it further.
7 and a half whacked mites out of 10.