Metroid Prime: Federation Force

Platforms

• Nintendo 3DS

  Aug 19, 2016

  ---

  7.3

  playscore

  6.5

  39 Critics

  8.9

  1.30K Players

39 critic reviews · 1 community reviews across all platforms

Critic Reviews

• 

  EGM Now

  3.5

  The lack of balance between one and four players, the ugly worlds and character design, the gimmicky controls, the plodding movement, Blast Ball—they all muddled what could’ve been a decent adventure that freshened up the Metroid Prime storyline and paved the way for a future, more realized entry. As is, though, Federation Force is a black eye on the series that stands alongside Other M as another failed experiment.

  Reviewed on 3DS

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• 

  Hardcore Gamer

  7.0

  Normally, I try to shy away from recommending games based on your ability to play with others, but it’s a necessity when it comes to Metroid Prime: Federation Force. If you’re planning on tackling it solo, Federation Force is a much tougher pill to swallow, with its prohibitive level of difficulty. On the other hand, if you have a friend or two who are willing to take the plunge with you, Federation Force can make for a good time, especially if you’re all playing together in the same space.

  Reviewed on 3DS

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• 

  Polygon

  5.0

  Its controls (particularly if you have an older 3DS) couldn’t be more cumbersome, and systems like weight limits don’t provide an interesting challenge so much as they just get in the way. Between my cramping hands and the constant need to recruit strangers into my squad simply to progress I found it hard to care about what I was supposed to be doing, no matter how many times the game dangled a certain iconic bounty hunter under my nose.

  Reviewed on 3DS

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• 

  Game Revolution

  5.0

  For the few things it does right, like some variation in the mission structure and a control scheme that makes sense (even in a hurty way), it's just not that good. For a series that has worked so hard to make a great solo experience, even—especially—in its first-person outings, it’s incredibly unbalanced with a difficulty spike I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before.

  Reviewed on 3DS

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• 

  GameSpot

  5.0

  Blast Ball is nothing short of a chaotic frenzy where everyone fires at the ball simultaneously, aching for total control but never achieving it. More than a sport, Blast Ball is a war of attrition. Your controls work just as well as the main game, but there's almost zero room for skill or nuanced play. Having more to do in a game for the sake of having options isn't an automatic victory. If anything, Blast Ball is an unnecessary reminder of how mediocre Federation Force is as a whole.

  Reviewed on 3DS

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• 

  IGN

  5.9

  Metroid Prime: Federation Force has some neat ideas, but they’re soured by an impotent and boring primary weapon that sucks the enjoyment out of shooting and a bewildering lack of special ammunition that might’ve brought variety to the action. Due to a painfully imbalanced single-player experience co-op with friends is really the only viable way to play it, and even then it’s not really recommended.

  Reviewed on 3DS

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• 

  Game Informer

  7.0

  Metroid Prime: Federation Force features strong shooting mechanics, diverse missions, and a high level of challenge, but the frustrating matchmaking infrastructure and lack of checkpoints prevent it from truly achieving the greatness of its namesake.

  Reviewed on 3DS
• 

  Cheatcc

  8.0

  Metroid Prime: Federation Force isn’t what you expect when you think of a game carrying the Metroid name. It’s a more freeform experience that encourages you to gather together friends, either locally or online, and cooperatively carry out missions of varying degrees of complexity and difficulty.

  Reviewed on 3DS

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• 

  Shacknews

  8.0

  Had it been released under a different name, it'd be a perfectly serviceable mutliplayer mech adventure, but even with the Metroid name it's well worth picking up for a fun little weekend jaunt, especially if you're the type to return again and again to a game to best your previous scores and advance from there, you'll find an excellent entry in the Metroid series here.

  Reviewed on 3DS

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• 

  Dual Shockers

  7.0

  All-in-all, Metroid Prime: Federation Force is a strange beast. Typically, I recommend controversial games to fans of the series and genre, yet Federation Force is the complete opposite. While fans will likely be disappointed in what has become of their beloved series, newcomers (especially those who come with friends) will find a lot of fun.

  Reviewed on 3DS

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Community Reviews

About the game