I'm glad I care more about gameplay than the name on the box. Usually.
This actually reminds me of Next Level's last game, Luigi's Mansion 2. When I first saw this game in action, I was disappointed that it took on a level-based structure as opposed to the exploration structure of the original game, especially since it had been 12 years since the first game. While I do still prefer the old structure, LM2 ended up being a pretty great game for what it is, with good level design, good action, and good secrets to find. What really surprised me however was the multiplayer mode. I never even imagined what a multiplayer mode would look like and how it could even work with Luigi's Mansion, but they did a good job designing it and it was surprisingly fun. It's now one of my most-played 3/DS games.
Now, I can understand the disappointment over the circumstances with Federation Force, and it's a little different than it was with LM2 since this is a spinoff. Still, as with LM2 I think this game could end up delivering something I didn't know I wanted with its co-op elements, even if things end up a little different from typical Metroid fare. Next Level's done it before, so I'm looking forward to seeing the final product upon release.