Metroid: Other M

Metroid Other M is addicting as anything....buuuuut I think I got more enjoyment out of the prime games (better graphics, music, enemies, and environments).
 

Truder

"I frown at Griffith's nipples" -Aazealh
dwarfkicker said:
Metroid Other M is addicting as anything....buuuuut I think I got more enjoyment out of the prime games (better graphics, music, enemies, and environments).
It's just that Retro Studios dd the Prime games too good, and Team Ninja couldn't achieve that same great-ness. (is what i think)
The story ls great though
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
That's pretty much how I feel about it this point, only about an hour into the game -- it's nothing as revolutionary as Prime was, but it is very good and I'm excited to play more.

This game lacks the attention to detail I'm accustomed to seeing in a Metroid game. Team Ninja paints the world in broad strokes. I'll likely beat this over the weekend, and if so, I'll post a full review then.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Finished the game a few days ago and overall I enjoyed it. I think it's a great transition from the Prime trilogy to a more classic (but updated) Metroid gameplay. While the the first Prime game in particular was absolutely amazing and the three of them were very well crafted I think the first-person formula was wearing thin after Corruption (and the scanning, seriously what a pain), and it felt good to have a more fast-paced gameplay this time around. I liked the enemies, the atmosphere, the story for the most part
(I still can't believe I didn't see Ridley coming until the fight)
, Samus' inner monologues and I think they really nailed the gameplay. Loved the bosses, especially the
Metroid Queen
. I had no problem with the graphics either, though the game didn't stand out as being gorgeous or anything. I did like some of the effects during fights and such however.

What I think should have been better: the twist
near the end of the story (about MB)
was too far-fetched and spoiled what was until then a great story, creepy enough at times that it reminded me of the Resident Evil series. Sadly, said twist also reminded of RE, but not in a good way. Less would have been more in this case. Adam's squad also got either too much exposure or not enough. Bottom line: they probably should have hired a professional writer instead of letting "designers" take care of the plot (that goes for a lot of games).

Minor complaints: the scenes that have you search your environment for clues felt tacked on and not natural enough to me. The pretext for limiting Samus' arsenal, while believable, was a little too transparent. Same goes for Adam telling you where to go. And lastly, I think the federation ought to show Samus a little more respect considering how badass she is.
The federation and the devs: I mean Samus' suit can be disabled just by Adam shooting it once with a freeze gun? That's rather unimpressive for the famed Power Suit.

Overall I think they did a good job, and there's a lot of potential for future titles in the series if the developers can learn from their mistakes with this one.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
I did not enjoy Other M. The basics are there for a great game, drawing on some of the most beloved elements of the franchise. But at the same time, many are left out, often arbitrarily. There are so many missteps made along the way, particularly at the end, that what we're left with is a big fucking mess. While there are small victories won in the gameplay side, there's so much emphasis on the terrible story that the cinematic approach is completely undermined when all is said and done.

So many reviews have criticized the shifting from third-person to first-person mechanic. Despite their whining, I did not find this bothersome. In fact, I didn't have a problem with any of the actual gameplay mechanics. I felt everything in the action department was pretty much solid. It was a faster, more actiony Metroid, but that certainly didn't cause the game to derail or feel alien to me. The bosses in particular are creative and fun encounters, for the vast majority of the game. That's a feat for a franchise that normally takes most of its bosses from recycled parts (not that those aren't here too).

What DID ruin the game's experience for me was the headfirst plunge into a terribly composed story. Now, honestly I feel bad for berating Nintendo over this issue, because I know that historically they've shied away from entrenching their larger franchises with dense plots and/or dialogue. But this old reservation of theirs just makes this first big leap of faith into shit city that much more painful. The story of Other M is terribly cliche, and takes some painful turns in the end that seriously had me calling my television names.

The amazing feat this game pulled off was making me like Fusion, a game I have hated passionately for years. Samus Aran should never be ordered to clean out the fucking air conditioning unit by a goddamned computer. End of conversation. Other M was developed by many of Fusion's team, and it shows strongly in the mission structure and internal monologues delivered by Samus. However, Other M does a better job of earning the emotion within these scenes with competently done CG. Bravo to D-Rockets for that. But the story...

Spoilers ahead.

So, why exactly are we supposed to feel remorseful about killing MB? She was spawning hundreds of creatures, yet there's that slow-motion shot of Madeline Bergman running toward MB, screaming NOOOOO, as the Galactic Federation blows her away. Were we really supposed to feel remorse for this? Some characters we just met?

The problem with this half-baked notion is that it's placed at the narrative crux of the story, where all the plotlines converge -- the CLIMAX of the game. You'd think they'd want to have something in such an important point resonate with the players a little more than some bitch we barely know (MB) having an emotional breakdown with a character we just met (Madeline Bergman). Instead, the emotion they deliver doesn't feel earned by characters we care about, it feels forced.

Oh yeah, and this is a Metroid game, right? Title has the word "Metroid" in it? Total number of metroids in this game? Approximately 7. Yet in the narrative, they introduce Sector 0 -- a giant incubation chamber for Metroids. Awesome, let's go there! Ah, ah, ah! You didn't say the magic word! Denying the player that is like in a movie where the director shows the audience a big shiny bomb, and then takes it away and never shows it or mentions it ever again. We're just left wondering at the possibilities of what could have been.

The lack of item collection in Other M didn't bother me at all until toward the very end, when all the cards were on the table, and I realized -- yep, this is all there is. A few energy tanks, six dozen missiles, and a slightly reduced charge shot. Nothing too fancy here, and certainly nothing that made me feel powerful. Part of the appeal of the collection dynamic in former Metroid games was the feeling of empowerment each upgrade gave you. But in Other M, all significant upgrades are funneled through Adam's authorizations, which come across in a monotone drone, often without preamble. They're simply bestowed, and it's always unceremonious. No item collection jingle. Just: "Yeah fine, I give you permission to use the suit that will stop you from dying in lava, 30 minutes after youve been dying in lava. You happy now?"

In conclusion, I felt that the game was pretty much a waste of my time because of its emphasis on a story that's not really worth telling. It also streamlines a collection mechanic that wasn't broken to begin with, and ends up feeling lacking as a result. My one regret is that Nintendo had the balls to step up and rethink this cherished franchise, but did so with poor planning, a poor script, and really, not enough innovation. I just hope it doesn't hinder future development of this series.

PS: Oh yeah, there's no "SEE YOU NEXT MISSION" in the ending credits, as has been tradition for most recent Metroid games. How foreboding... :sad:
 
Well said Walter, thanks for letting us know. Having seen the story myself I have to agree with you esp about
MB. But I have to wonder about the metroids populating the games... I do not remember a lot of metroids in the other games, however there were certainly way more then 7. For the most part they just populated the lower levels of zebes, etc, so you just didn't get to really see them until later in the games. Other M, only haveing 7? wow...


no "SEE YOU NEXT MISSION" = :judo:
 
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