Thing is, Metroid 2 isn't exactly gripping me. Part of the problem is that I've been jumping into it a little too late at night and for play periods that are a little too short. Since there's so much backtracking - and so much travel back and forth between the light and dark worlds - I usually end up wasting the first half of any given session trying to remember just what in the hell I was doing.

Hey, Retro Studios: give your next Metroid game a goddamned Save Anywhere feature, would you? I dig that I'm supposed to be exploring, but I also feel like I'm spending way too much time heading back to the closest save point just because I'm tired of playing for the night.

It would also help if the baddies didn't respawn as soon as your back is turned. Then I could at least trace my way back from a forgotten save point by heading through cleared rooms... and when I find a room packed with slorgs and glubs and shatterbats and all the other dopey creatures, then I'd know I'm back on track.

Or how about a hint system built into that wacky 3D map? The best I can manage is to note which color doorlock I'm up to.

This is not a game for picking up every four days, when you've had plenty of time to forget what's going on. I mean, when I'm forging through a new area and switching guns and sending missiles into new life forms, it's great... I'm just losing a lot of time getting there and it's starting to grind me.

Speaking of the World of Metroid, I'm conflicted on picking up Metroid Prime: Hunters for the DS. I liked the demo; I thought the stylus control worked unexpectedly well. And the pure geek factor of having a kickass online FPS (with pre-level voice chat) on a portable system is awfully compelling. But on the other hand, I'm just not sure the game as a whole is going to hold my attention for long... it is, after all, just another stinking shooter.

I'm still sort of more into the upcoming Tetris DS, actually. Which makes me feel a little ashamed.