Nintendo Exec Asks That Disappointed Metroid Fans "Trust Us"

[Mirrorknight]

Introduce a new game in a franchise using the standard formula for that franchise:

"Nintendo never tries to innovate. They just rehash the same thing over and over again."

Introduce a new game in a franchise trying something different for that franchise:

"Oh my god! What has Nintendo done with *insert game franchise*!? They've totally ruined it! OUTRAGE ARGAHHAAGABLE"

Damned if Nintendo, dammed if they Nintendon't.

 

[Erttheking]

Introduce a new game in a franchise using the standard formula for that franchise:

"Nintendo never tries to innovate. They just rehash the same thing over and over again."

Introduce a new game in a franchise trying something different for that franchise:

"Oh my god! What has Nintendo done with *insert game franchise*!? They've totally ruined it! OUTRAGE ARGAHHAAGABLE"

Damned if Nintendo, dammed if they Nintendon't.

Except this really isn't that different. It's basically Metroid Prime Hunters. The only thing that's different is who the main character is, the art style, and the addition of co-op and soccer. And Metroid Prime Hunters was the worse game in the franchise until it got unseated by otherfucking M

 

[Atmos Duality]

Y'know. I'm a huge, HUGE Metroid fan. Have been since I was a wee lad.
Literally, one of my earliest coherent memories was playing Metroid at my babysitter's when I was 3 or 4.
(the other was watching a Bugs Bunny tape on an old TV)

...And I'm not really all that appalled by the Federation Force reveal like so many were.
I'm not excited for it, but that's really because it's on the 3DS; a system that has proven absolute HORRIBLE for games that require a 3D camera entirely because of the controls.

Frankly, I think the Galactic Federation and space civilization needs expansion and more lore.

Apart from that, I have nothing to add that hasn't been said already. Trust is earned, and shifting the franchise name around like a sticker isn't going to magically make the series fresh and interesting.

I get that Metroid isn't as popular in Japan because it's "Too Western" (especially compared to Zelda), but seriously Nintendo, if you wanted to retire the franchise, you should have just retired it for real.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

Whoa. I'm gone for few hours and there is a Metroid article with 60 comments.

Ok, Reggie, I'll trust Nintendo... when you announce either a 2D Metroid with the openess of Zero Misson, Super, and the original, or a good 3D game. After the worst game in the series and 5 years of waiting for something to redeem it, you announced something that is only similar to Metroid when you count the second worst game in the series (which wasn't very bad, just dull for single player and had controls that cramped your hand in five minutes). If you do have something ready for the 30th anniversay, you could have held off on this one too, or at least mentioned a bigger project is in the works and FF would be to hold us over. We just got Metroid Prime: Federation Hunters.

And this is not like back in 2002. When Prime was first announced, the fans still had another game coming out at the same time that looked truer to the roots that they could enjoy if Prime sucked. We have no guarantee that we won't have to buy a home console or handheld that isn't on the market yet (and I don't just mean the NX) to play the next true installment, if they even make one this decade.

I still think that if the Prime series passes the Wii U, it would be a true sign the gamepad was destined to barely be utilized properly. The seeker missle alone could have become so much better if I could tap targets in quick succession, unlike Prime 2 and 3, where it was a novelty at best. I wouldn't even care if Samus wasn't the player character in the next game, just that it has the proper Metroid formula of isolation, exploration, and item collection (and some sequence breaking). Go ahead and strap Adam's ass in the Varia Suit, or put his AI in a robot based on the suit. I don't want Samus disappearing altogether, though, so don't write her into a death trap or anything else stupid like that.

Just please don't ever make another Other M. It already seems like a recycled, 3D Fusion, with far more plot and linearity (two things Fusion already had way too much of), then Sakamoto gimped the controls to "challenge" Team Ninja (which while they made a good effort with what they had, they failed), got way too involved in the English localization (instead of letting that team do its fucking job right) and finally made the story so lame playing through a halfway OK game, on a technical level, isn't even worth it a second time. I'll take chibi Federation soldiers or cel-shaded Wind Waker graphics over that any day.

 

[otakon17]

Something of a tangent, but how exactly does one pronounce "Fils-Aime"?

Phil-ah-me. If I am correct. Also, Nintendo the game I bet is fun but it looks to have NOTHING to do with Metroid what-so-ever beyond name. It would be like calling a racing game Legend of Zelda just because the karts are the color of Link's tunic.

 

[BytByte]

The only part I'm bummed with is that I can never find people to play 3DS games with D: If I can get past that, I'm sure I'd have a lovely time with this.

 

[Covarr]

And Metroid Prime Hunters was the worse game in the franchise until it got unseated by otherfucking M

I would argue it's still the worst in the franchise. Other M had an abysmal story that crapped all over the franchise's lore, sure, but its gameplay was mostly solid.

P.S. Thanks

 

[EHKOS]

I'm not trusting something that looks like someone smashed Unreal, Moon, and Co-op Ratchet Deadlocked together.

 

[Erttheking]

And Metroid Prime Hunters was the worse game in the franchise until it got unseated by otherfucking M

I would argue it's still the worst in the franchise. Other M had an abysmal story that crapped all over the franchise's lore, sure, but its gameplay was mostly solid.

P.S. Thanks

Well for me at least "abysmal story that crapped all over the franchise's lore" is enough to make it worst game in the series for me. I don't comment on gameplay as I haven't played the game and refuse to, so I don't get on the game too much for that, but from what I've heard, while not awful, it doesn't sound like it has the scope and exploration factor of Prime, or the freedom and movement of the 2D Metroid games.

Kind of like Hunters

 

[Banjo-Kazooie Blue]

This is not "reinventing the franchise" Reggie. The original Metroid Prime games, those were reinventing the franchise. This is making a different franchise and slapping the Metroid name on it.

That really sums it all up. I don't know why I'm surprised Nintendo didn't feel the need to respond to that particular allegation.

 

[Detroit]

Bare bones? A game where you can effortlessly switch between first and third person, explore quite well, and in general enjoy a more super metroid/fusion esque experience is bare bones? Now, I'll agree that the missile system was flawed, that the story was meh, and could've used a year to be polished further, but other m was a great game. I've played them all, super as my first, and the only reason people truly flipped out was because Samus wasn't the terminator or emotionless save for a few times when she might stare at something and look away.

You can't speak for everybody. Samus' portrayal? My post didn't even talk about her. The game has that many flaws already.

PTSD snip

I don't why you went out of your way to defend that scene when I never even mentioned it. I said fuck Little Birdie as in I don't like what they did to Ridley.

The missile issue, the issue with Adam, the varia suit moment, I can agree that they were flawed and quite stupid. But the game had good exploration, a wonderful atmosphere aided by a terrific ost, and the boss fights were generally quite awesome. Concentration mode I'm neutral on, but other m was released five years ago. Let go of the hate and try to approach it from a non biased standpoint.

Adam tells you where to go, how's that for exploration (and like I said, there's no incentive to). http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/960554-metroid-other-m/65954726
OST, boss fights maybe http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/960554-metroid-other-m/56391851


I'm not hatin' on the game, I was just that disappointed by it. The first few things I told my fellow Metroid friend were: it feels short, Nightmare's fucked up and I wouldn't buy it if I were you.

 

[Covarr]

from what I've heard, while not awful, it doesn't sound like it has the scope and exploration factor of Prime, or the freedom and movement of the 2D Metroid games.

Kind of like Hunters

On all of these counts it's much better than Hunters. Heck, it does all of these things better than Fusion, which people liked for some reason despite being hyper-linear.

I won't say it plays as well as Super Metroid or Prime 1 and 2. It doesn't come close, and I'm not deluded enough to think otherwise. But the controls are a lot more fluid than people give it credit for, the exploration is actually there and interesting if you're aiming for 100%, and the world itself was varied and interesting. It's not as good as it should've been, but it's not nearly as awful as people have said, and it's way better than Fusion or Hunters, and IMO more fun than the original (which killed itself by not having a map screen, a far more grievous sin than any gameplay issue in Other M).

P.S. Thanks

P.P.S. I really want to know why so many people give Fusion a pass. That was a terrible game. It gets some survival horror aspects right (despite its bright and colorful graphics, I found SA-X scarier than anything in Resident Evil or Amnesia), but it was the most linear game in the series by a significant margin, there was no real puzzle solving or exploration at all, and the boss fights were mostly stupid.

 

[happyninja42]

So I haven't played any Metroid games since I actually had a Nintendo back in the 80's but, just how many "bad" Metroid games have they made? I see posts in this thread like "you have to earn trust Nintendo!! And you've BETRAYED me with Metroid Prime! So you get NO trust from me!!"

But, I really don't recall anybody bitching about other Metroid games except that Metroid Prime one. And given how many Metroid games they've made, that seems to be a pretty good track record. 1 bad game in an entire franchise? Were there more games beside Prime that pissed people off? Or was the hatred of that one game so vile, that it's spilled out over onto all the other Metroid games they did that people like?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

It always looks so desperate and pathetic when a zillion-dollar company has to ask for trust rather than earn it.

 

[Nazulu]

P.P.S. I really want to know why so many people give Fusion a pass. That was a terrible game. It gets some survival horror aspects right (despite its bright and colorful graphics, I found SA-X scarier than anything in Resident Evil or Amnesia), but it was the most linear game in the series by a significant margin, there was no real puzzle solving or exploration at all, and the boss fights were mostly stupid.

Because it generally functions well. That's why most average games get a pass.

I can't call it terrible when the game play is still fun, the exploring still worked, the music does it's job, the style wasn't offensive, and the boss fights were still a good challenge.

That's not to say I like it though. I still haven't decided yet. I really didn't care for the story, or that there was so much un-skippable text, or the stupid looking armour design, etc.

So I haven't played any Metroid games since I actually had a Nintendo back in the 80's but, just how many "bad" Metroid games have they made? I see posts in this thread like "you have to earn trust Nintendo!! And you've BETRAYED me with Metroid Prime! So you get NO trust from me!!"

But, I really don't recall anybody bitching about other Metroid games except that Metroid Prime one. And given how many Metroid games they've made, that seems to be a pretty good track record. 1 bad game in an entire franchise? Were there more games beside Prime that pissed people off? Or was the hatred of that one game so vile, that it's spilled out over onto all the other Metroid games they did that people like?

There are complaints for all of them actually, even Super Metroid, the best one! And Zero Suit Samus copped a lot of criticism when that was revealed on a front cover and stayed on. Believe me, I was there for all the criticism, including I have my own.

Other M just managed to push it to that extra level of stupid by making one of the most awesome gaming figures into an unlikable generic waste of everything with a dim-witted story to boot.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

P.P.S. I really want to know why so many people give Fusion a pass. That was a terrible game. It gets some survival horror aspects right (despite its bright and colorful graphics, I found SA-X scarier than anything in Resident Evil or Amnesia), but it was the most linear game in the series by a significant margin, there was no real puzzle solving or exploration at all, and the boss fights were mostly stupid.

Fusion was the most linear game in the series until Other M came along and locked doors behind you even more often, but it was a handheld game. Nintendo almost always simplified their handheld titles at least a bit when compared to the console equivalent. Metroid 2 was also very linear (with one long cave that had branching dead ends with your current goal in them), compared to the two console games that cam before and after it. I think many still give Fusion a pass because of that and the overall excellent production values (sound, music, graphics, atmosphere) used in it. (Though, I agree with the criticisms of it being a little too linear and having too much unskippable dialog breaking the pace.) At least Zero Mission broke that tradition by having optional hand holding

Instead of taking their "old IPs and making them new again" to avoid getting stale why don't they just make new fucking IPs?

I guess they ran out of energy to make another new IP right after Splatoon. [small]That would be the copout answer.[/small] Really, despite being the most financially secure game company in the world, they're still just as shy with new IPs as the other huge publishers that are in a state where a title bombing could cause a scare.

This actually also reminds me of Star Fox Adventures. Back in the Gamecube era, Miamoto saw that Rare was working on a new Zelda-like IP with a dinosaur inhabited planet and a fox protagonist and thought he looked kinda like the lead in Star Fox. Hearing that, someone in charge at Nintendo made Rare change the main character and some of the story so in would fit in the Star Fox universe. Some say Nintendo did that out of fear it wouldn't sell well without a big name attached.[footnote]Another theory floating around is they also forced Rare to do that so Microsoft wouldn't have another successful Rare-owned IP when MS bought them from Nintendo.[/footnote] Maybe someone on the FF design team had a good 4 person FPS idea for the 3DS and the leadership said "Hey, that looks like one of them Metroid games. We haven't made one of those in a while. Let's put this in the Metroid universe. It will sell better and help flesh out some Metroid backstory."

The funny thing about that is, while die hard Star Fox fans usually consider it the worst in the series, Star Fox Adventures is actually a decent game on its own. Maybe Federation Force will be the same, a good game in a series that had a 5 year hiatus, but doesn't really fit the theme or genre of the rest of the games in the franchise. It's just too bad Nintendo didn't go with new IPs for either.

 

[Dark Knifer]

And Metroid Prime Hunters was the worse game in the franchise until it got unseated by otherfucking M

I would argue it's still the worst in the franchise. Other M had an abysmal story that crapped all over the franchise's lore, sure, but its gameplay was mostly solid.

P.S. Thanks

Well Hunters controllers gave methe worst wrist cramps I've ever had in gaming so I guess for physical pain metroid hunters was worse. But other m had the dodge everything button, which was stupid and its terrible, terrible missile system.

Both pretty bad. Other m looked better I guess.