I've been holding off on getting SSS for a while because of the lackluster reviews here.
personally I think Super Star Soldier is excellent, its got a great difficulty curve to it.
I also really like Final Soldier the only problem its just too easy.
I have a similar view. I found the graphics, difficulty, and weaponry in Final Soldier disappointing, especially compared to SSS.
The graphics in FS do not seem to have the same sharpness and clarity to them. I cleared it on my first real sit down with it. The weapons, particularly the flame weapon, weren't as cool (aesthetically pleasing) as SSS. The unorthodox flame weapon in SSS was a blast to use, especially when combined with a sweeping flight pattern to take advantage of the flame's movement pattern. It was nerfed in FS. If I remember correctly there is one power level where the flame always shoots straight ahead (lame), and at higher levels it moves too fast to be fun to use.
