I guess terrible is harsh. If it weren't branded as a Metroid game, then it would be a lot more enjoyable. The brand sets the expectation rather high, and it simply CANNOT live up to the amazing Prime series.
Well said, Wiggy. At first I was all like "Oh no he didn't!" but then you provided some context, which I can totally understand.
Personally, I wouldn't say that it's terrible at all. I really enjoyed it, actually. I think the gameplay is great, though I would have preferred it to be entirely in third person rather than switching between the two perspectives. Otherwise, it's exactly what I thought a 3-D successor to previous 2-D Metroids might have played like. In comparison to the Prime games, it's much faster.
Most people seem to have a big problem with the story, which is campy and apparently heavily Japanese. I found it really entertaining, though. It's like Wiggy said, if it weren't the sacred cow that is Metroid, I think many others would consider it a good game.
That being said, I don't know how much demand there will be for it in the future, even though I'm not sure how well it sold.
