Metroid Prime: Federation Force AKA The Metroid that you never really wanted.

I think the thing that might have caused such a strong initial reaction (and certainly it did with me; I mean I didn't go on Twitter and create a petition to have the game cancelled or anything daft like that, but I did think "nope!" and tuned out until the next trailer appeared) was that the first couple of seconds, before the Metroid logo appeared, looked as janky as hell.

The trailer was pretty jarring to what we knew as Metroid - a more "cutesy" art-style, co-op shooting gameplay... it's totally new for the Metroid series when I think many were expecting a more familiar Metroid.

If you've not checked out the footage from the Treehouse Stream, then I reckon you should - it doesn't look anywhere near as janky as the trailer made it out to be.

JayMoyles wrote:

If you've not checked out the footage from the Treehouse Stream, then I reckon you should - it doesn't look anywhere near as janky as the trailer made it out to be.

Ah, fair enough - I hadn't, and will do - cheers

I'm not a Metroid fan as you know but there has been Prime spin-offs before like Pinball, so was the issue not that this is using the name but this is all there is.

Perhaps not. The other Prime spin-offs were released with knowledge that Prime 3 was definitely on its way. Here, not the case.

Jimbob wrote:

I think the thing that might have caused such a strong initial reaction (and certainly it did with me; I mean I didn't go on Twitter and create a petition to have the game cancelled or anything daft like that, but I did think "nope!" and tuned out until the next trailer appeared) was that the first couple of seconds, before the Metroid logo appeared, looked as janky as hell.

Yup. Jay mentioned this too, and I think the big issue was how they communicated the game. Reggie's talk about transformation didn't help either, especially as the analogy he gave was one of main series entries evolving, like the leap from Mario World to Mario 64. Given that, we all expected big sequels that reinvent the wheel. Federation Force is a spinoff, and its reveal trailer was too brief.

Anyway, it looks like a lot of fun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wx5now2XJo&feature=youtu.be&t=321

I'd take this over another Metroid Prime any day. I'm not saying it's amazing yet because I haven't played it, but I much prefer the Nintendo which doesn't pander to the fans. Pandering to fans or business opportunities generally results in meaningless/aimless games that didn't really need to exist. At least Metroid: FF is unique from a creative standpoint.

I'm hopeful that it'll be at least all right: Nintendo have just delivered an alright co-op shooter for the Wii U, after all. They also really cannot afford to have this play badly, given the... unpleasantness.

Even after watching the Treehouse stuff I'm still a bit iffy about it for some reason

Hopefully they'll treat it like Luigi's Mansion 2 -- the run-up to that game's release (remember the Direct?) got me really interested in it. Before, I was a bit "meh" despite knowing it'll be good. Seeing is believing, I suppose.

Seems fair.

Haha! That was brilliant! Though part of me thinks it'll give one wackjob an idea.

Fair enough on Other M fans, mind.

The Mega 64 lads are damn funny - their Luigi's Mansion video never fails to make me chuckle.

I don't usually like things that prank innocent members of the public, so Mega64 sometimes, when at their most abrasive, leave me cold. Mind you, if you claim to have a haunted house, then you get what you deserve.
And also, hypocritically, they did this which I love. I think it's the amount of work in it.

Let's talk about this, then.


Firstly, we've all upset Reggie.

Reggie Fils-Aime wrote:

What the fan at home saw was something in the Metroid Prime universe that they weren't expecting. The reaction has been negative. There's no sugar coating it.

This is an example where fans who aren't able to get their hands on the game may be at a bit of a competitive disadvantage. Everyone who has played what we are showing regarding Metroid Prime, they've come across really pleased. My ask is that fans trust us.

That's all very well, Reggie, but here's the thing. I don't like FPSes, and I don't like co-op. It's going to be damn hard for me to come across as "really pleased" given those two rather important caveats. But I guess that those of you who do will probably like this - it's a Nintendo game, after all.


Ah, but wait! It isn't an FPS? And Blast Ball is the main story's tutorial!? And crucial to the plot of the Prime universe!!!?

There's too much text to quote here. But one key thing that is said is that this is like the Avengers, in that it will expand the Metroid universe. It's even mentioned that

Plot spoilers:

This is more exciting, I'll warrant. At the same time, NPCs in the Metroid universe have been the games' banes. (I don't need to mention Gandrayda again, do I? Even though I just did.) The series of isolation is already shattered into tiny pieces, I guess, by the game's co-op. basis, but it seems like Next-Level Games (a reminder that these blokes also did the excellent Luigi's Mansion 2) are going to stamp on those fragments until they're naught but dust.

Still, if it is going to be "Avengers-esque", maybe this is the first we'll see of the Hunters hunters? Sylux is coming back, we know that much. Could the others be dragged in?


It's fair to say that, while I still don't like the basis of the game, that latter article has made me more interested in it. But Reggie will have to do more than that if he wants me to trust him.

And I'd still like a proper Metroid game please, ideally one that retcons Other M into one of Samus' nightmares or something like that.

The mention of the Avengers intrigued me, I'll admit. So long as the side characters are interesting (go away Gandrayda) and there's no character assassination (*cough*OtherM*cough) then this is something I can get behind.

Balla wrote:

That's all very well, Reggie, but here's the thing. I don't like FPSes, and I don't like co-op. It's going to be damn hard for me to come across as "really pleased" given those two rather important caveats. But I guess that those of you who do will probably like this - it's a Nintendo game, after all.

Touching on the co-op side of things or more the differences between playing it solo or in co-op, I do wonder how things will be balanced for when/if you only want to play it solo as there's so many traps they can fall into with the biggest one being difficulty.

Nintendo continue to have their foot well and truly in it.

nintendo life wrote:

I'm a big fan of Metroid Prime, I'm a big fan of football, so this game should take 2 and 2 to make 5, right?

Erm...can you trust a guy who can't even do basic maths?

Think he's saying it should be more than the sum of its parts, which is fair enough.

David Jenkins wrote:

GC: Federation Force wasn’t playable at E3, but its bonus game Blast Ball was and it was perfectly entertaining. Its seemed to be 60 frames per second and the first person controls, which are presumably similar to the main game, worked very well. We’d rather have a proper Metroid game too, but it’s very common for Nintendo to brand games with the name of an existing franchise even though the gameplay is actually very different.

Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2015/07/01/games-inbox-metroid-prime-federation-force-farce-dark-souls-iii-graphics-and-the-last-of-us-2-5275521/#ixzz3f3l0dhQj

Sounds good to me.

I'm more inclined to believe NL on this based on what I've seen of Blast Ball - it really didn't look like the most tactically thrilling of game types. At least it's only mandatory in the tutorial.

Honestly the footage in Balla's link has convinced me the game is going to be fairly meh. Aside from the fact blastball from all descriptions sounds outright poor the main game itself seems like a very watered down multiplayer shooter that took Prime's shooting mechanics and made a game out of them. Which is a problem because they weren't frankly all that interesting as far as multiplayer goes, and the footage didn't inspire any confidence in me.

Running a Metroid community, i've pretty much heard it all. Unfortunately since Metroid: Other M the community has changed, and I have seen so many vile comments towards the Metroid series as a whole that it just makes me feel embarrassed to be a fan. However, I do understand people's disappointments with Federation Force, I know people would like to see a 'proper' Metroid title, and I don't think this is what people were expecting. Personally, I am excited to see another spin-off title, it allows me as a fan to learn more about the Metroid universe, and it will be the first co-op game of the franchise.

My impressions are that Federation Force (at the time) was still in a development stage. It has most likely changed a bit since we all saw it. Remember how Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt looked when we first got the demo with the original DS? It reminds me of that, and then two years later we got a great looking game (for its time).

In terms of how people claim this is going to be a terrible game, let's think about the people behind this project. Kensuke Tanabe is heading it, and has had a hand in all three of the Metroid Prime titles at Retro. The team behind it (Next Level Games) put together the awesome Luigi's Mansion 2. These are notable names with proven experience of making great games.

In regards to Blast Ball, this is merely a fun tutorial and I don't understand why so many people have been getting worked up about this. It isn't the focus of the game, and was created to get you used to the controls of the main game. If anything, it feels like we are getting a nice bonus game instead of a boring tutorial. Tanabe-san himself said that he doesn't like tutorials, so I have no problem with this addition to the game.


In short, the game is still in an early stage and it was unfair for people to treat it as harshly as they did. However, I feel that Nintendo should have waited longer before showing it off. First impressions are important and all that. While the names behind the game are no guarantee of a successful and great game, at this point in the development, this is all I can go on, and I think it's a solid reason to have some hope.

Getting worked up over Blast Ball? As in getting hyped? Because I sure am.

Screw the main game, I want to play some FPS football. Just look at the success of Rocket League.