Ignore those mumurs. This game is almost perfect in every way. If I could, I would give it a 9.95. Definately play this!
Anyway, this game is the greatest Metroid Prime game ever (you can't really compare it with 2-D Metroids). The game was one of the first built-from-scratch on the Wii. I'm going to split my review in different sections.
The level design is nearly flawless, and it is designed for fighting and exploration. There are plenty of obstacles to hind behind, so you won't have to jump around, dodging tons of enemies (which doesn't work very well in this game, as many enemies have long-range or circular-ranged attacks), if your strategy is well enough. Getting lost in these environments can be so engaging, and you can do so much free-roaming exploration that occasionaly objective-reminders can actually be helpful! That's a rare trait for a game!
The graphics actually look like what the Wii is capable of. The environments are much larger and wider than in previous MP games, so you can really stop and gawk just because how good the environments look. They're not as good as games like Crysis, of course, but it's not fair comparing that 22nd century graphic game to this one.
The FPS (no, Frames Per Second, not First Person shooter) runs very smoothly, and there is never any slow-down. The AI are smart as they need to be, and the game suffers from no technical errors except one: a single enemy that is easy to kill and appears once in the game, the same as a Pirate Trooper, was accidently named "Pirate", so people can scan it and get an extra red token (shame the lazy person that forgot to take that out of the game).
You'd likely play this two or three times over. Normal mode is easy, Veteran is for people that have played the first MP games, and there is also a secret, very tough difficulty level that mixes around enemy placement, increases AI strength and range, and makes boss fights to be remembered long after the game is put on the shelf. You'll have to unlock it for yourself. That's a lot of gameplay!
The controls seem alien at first, especially for seasoned MP verts, but after a while (the game gives you a whole, long prolouge to hone your skills!), the controls start feeling like you're not even holding a hunk of plastic in your hands (unless you point the cursor offscreen).
This game also fixes many long-running-errors with the Metroid games. for example, whenever you backtrack (a long-running Metroid problem) in this game, it feels like you're going through new environments. For example, on one back-track, the first time you go through, it's calm with little enemies, and you just have to reach the end. The second time, Space Pirates invaded the place!!! Whoah! That's drastic! Plus, the "Win as fast as you can for a secret ending!" thing has been ditched for a Standard Ending, a 75% complete ending, and a 100% complete ending, so you can enjoy the game more.
The music is great. Period. End of discussion about music that's totally awsome.
There is but one problem: The storyline. It is incredibly disappointing, and with almost no happiness; only disappointment. It's enough to make even the most gothic kid frown from the very disappointing deaths-of-no-return-for-beloved-friends events. The rest of the storyline is fine, but the incredibly disappointing parts where (I won't give any spoilers) you have to kill your only real friends 'cause of corruption would make a little kid cry.
There will be complaints about lack of multiplayer: ignore them. This game was meant for 1-P exploration, not Wi-Fi death-matches... still... the FPS (First Person Shooter, not Frames Per Second) elements in this exploration game are great, and the platforming works like a charm.