Review: Metroid Other M

[Blue_vision]

I actually think this is what the series needed, change things up, try new things. Sure, alot of it didnt work out as planned (understatment, im sure) but what would happen if we didnt have people willing to make the next leap? So yeah, Other M is not a great game, but it is advancing the series. I honestly hope for this being the stepping stone for the return of the traditional metriod style gameplay, and away from the FPS prime trilogy. Sure, it could be a step backwards, but does that mean a bad thing always? Just look at the Sonic series, they hadnt had a good 3D game since adventures. I also like the idea of adding the story to Samus, but I dont really like anonymous characters, I like to have some idea where they come from, helps to connect better.

Actually, I think this is just a good stepping stone forward for the trilogy. Metroid doesn't need to go back to traditional metroid platforming, it needs to fuse traditional metroid with metroid prime. Other M seems to do that, having third person running and combat along with first person shooting. It could make Metroid a really cool series for the future if they just cleaned up that gameplay a bit more.

 

[droppingpenny]

Metroid fans will like the overall direction of most of the new elements, even if the execution is a bit off.

Speak for yourself! For me the series is dead as long as it doesn't return to the roots of non linear exploration without a bullshitty Story about Samus being "Young & Naive" with a bunch of characters I couldn't give less shit about.
Why take such a huge step backwards from Prime?

 

[Mannayz]

I would have to agree that the combat was kind of fun (up until where you get the Screw Attack, then combat just goes to Broken Street) and the whole third-person/first-person mechanic was kind of interesting and I did think the story was okay... but it still doesn't feel like a Metroid game that is an awesome Metroid game - it's "meh" at best. Having Samus's character revealed makes me think "this isn't the enigmatic woman I fell in love with", the fact that all your weapons are disabled at the start and you can only play with your toys until daddy tells you is extremely irritating (and it was always more awesome to explore the levels to find your shit), the "slow" parts break up the pace in what should be a fast-paced action game, but this aspect falls flat on its face, the game feels linear as opposed to the freeform style of most Metroid games, and I've always known Metroid games to have huge, sprawling rooms with five different doors and a missile tank or eight. The way the game tries to replicate this makes it feel extremely cramped and one-way. The one thing, clear in the back of my mind, that constantly nagged me was "it's like someone took Fusion and gave it 3D and took out any awesomeness it had". And somebody applied Ninja Gaiden to it.

Rent/borrow it. Play it. Beat it. Forget about it. Kind of like a cheap hooker, and like a cheap hooker, it leaves you with a nasty surprise you'll learn about the next time you go to the doctor's: A wallowing depression that leaves you longing for a good Metroid game. (Which is also quickly remedied if you happen to have one of them on hand.)

 

[Mannayz]

Good review but the real question everyone is asking is ,who is the MBD? (Mysterious Black Dude)

Anthony Higgs, and oddly enough he survives the entire game.

And sorry for double-posting.

 

[Computer-Noob]

So, they make samus a paltry blowjob dispenser.
Sad. She was one of the most strong female character in the industry.

And we all have team ninja to thank. Just take a look at some of their past titties titles. It isnt really surprising that they did this.

 

[Delock]

EDIT: Though personally, I want to see a story of what happens after Metroid Fusion. Like, maybe a game where she has to

Spoiler: Spoiler for the ending of Metroid Fusion

evade the Federation Military while hunting some new threat because she's wanted for destroying the station and SR388.

I'm glad I'm not the only one to have been waiting to see what happens afterwards. That happened to be the first metroid game I owned (I didn't have consoles back as a kid, and when I finally got one, it was the PS1 after the PS2 made it drop in price. So instead I had gameboys), and happens to be one of the ones I liked the most. It's strange how after so many years the only games in the series have taken place before it.

Anyways, I might pick this up a long time down the road for my family's wii, but there are several other games for the wii that I'd get before it.

 

[Mannayz]

EDIT: Though personally, I want to see a story of what happens after Metroid Fusion. Like, maybe a game where she has to

Spoiler: Spoiler for the ending of Metroid Fusion

evade the Federation Military while hunting some new threat because she's wanted for destroying the station and SR388.

I'm glad I'm not the only one to have been waiting to see what happens afterwards. That happened to be the first metroid game I owned (I didn't have consoles back as a kid, and when I finally got one, it was the PS1 after the PS2 made it drop in price. So instead I had gameboys), and happens to be one of the ones I liked the most. It's strange how after so many years the only games in the series have taken place before it.

Anyways, I might pick this up a long time down the road for my family's wii, but there are several other games for the wii that I'd get before it.

I've been curious about what happens after Fusion as well, and it would be a pretty cool idea fighting the Federation. I honestly hope Nintendo doesn't leave the ending hanging, especially since they revealed who the fuck Adam Malkovich was in Other M.

 

[StriderShinryu]

Now maybe all the people who gave Abbie Heppie from G4 shit for commenting on the terrible and broken characterization of Samus in her Other M review "just because she's a girl" will remove their lips from Nintendo's rear end... or probably not. *sigh*

 

[ZeroMachine]

Now maybe all the people who gave Abbie Heppie from G4 shit for commenting on the terrible and broken characterization of Samus in her Other M review "just because she's a girl" will remove their lips from Nintendo's rear end... or probably not. *sigh*

Who are these people that were accusing that, and where do they live? I would like to promptly hit them over the head with a copy of Other M
>=(

EDIT: Just watched that review... and the only thing I have to say...

"Hold A to replenish missiles."

FUCK. THAT. SHIT. This game keeps sounding worse and worse the more I hear of it.

 

[Mangue Surfer]

Now maybe all the people who gave Abbie Heppie from G4 shit for commenting on the terrible and broken characterization of Samus in her Other M review "just because she's a girl" will remove their lips from Nintendo's rear end... or probably not. *sigh*

Who are these people that were accusing that, and where do they live? I would like to promptly hit them over the head with a copy of Other M
>=(

In the destructoid.com for example. But destructoid it's a place to complain about everything, so...kind of make sense.

 

[TheGuy(wantstobe)]

That was umm... yeah... lets start off.

Unfortunately, the subservience kind of breaks her character somewhat as she turns off almost all of her powers and only reactivates them at key points in the narrative when Adam tells her it's okay.

Apart from when she finds said powerups or activates them by herself.

Previous Metroid games gave you a sense of accomplishment in finding new powers but this game has Samus meekly deactivate them until her boyfriend says it's okay to use them.

As does this one when you find some powerups during the course of the game. Secondly not her boyfriend much more of a father figure which is even explicitly stated during Samus' inner monologues when she freaking says "He was the father figure I never had". The reason she turned off her suits powers was specifically because she was working with the GF and Adam specifically states that some of ehr suits powers could vaporise his team. It is even shown just how vastly more powerful she is when a single missle takes out the door when the GF bomb couldnt.

The story also tells me more than I want to know about Samus's past. Part of her appeal has always been that she's a total mystery. It's like Boba Fett where the mystique of the character is what interests us. Once we start getting some answers, the character is less appealing.

The only new thing that was revealed in this game about Samus' past was the reason why she left the GF. This comment can only be a case of did not do the research.

a really interesting story, even if it does make use of some standard science fiction clichés like lava and ice levels.

Bottle ship was modelled after Zebes, which is stated in the story, so of course it's going to have a fire level and an ice level. Hell we would have had a sciencey/techno area too if

Spoiler

Adam hadnt done his heroic sacrifice by jettisonning it and blowing it up along with himself

and you have to rely on Adam to give you permission to use your most impressive abilities.

Just like every other Metroid title you don't start out godmoded you build your way up to it. If people complain about this in a game where it is expected that you progressively get more and more powerful then I fully expect to read that the next Halo or COD doesnt automatically start you off with the most powerful weapons in single player or multiplayer perks etc.

The problem is that you can't move while aiming and, given the speed at which most of the game's later bosses move and fight, it raises the challenge to an unfriendly level.

I had no trouble whatsoever in finding the time to charge up a super missile in any of the later bosses. And even then if I had messed up I could still use the sensemove dodge that you can still use in first person perspective.

Overall I give the review a 6/10 way too much bitching about things that are either factually wrong or not fleshed out anywhere near enough to justify the whining. Still at least you hit all the major areas a review should cover instead of focusing on one thing and blowing it up out of all proportion.

 

[Covarr]

What the hell? Adam is not Samus' ex-boyfriend, he's a damn father figure.

As for Samus being out of character, this is true, in that she actually has a character for once.

And it's unfair to compare this to Hunters; this isn't a traditional Metroid game, but it's good in its own right. Hunters was bad all around, with bad level design, no puzzles more complicated than "use the correct beam", very samey-looking environments throughout the game, etc. It got NOTHING right, except *MAYBE* the controls. Other M isn't the pinnacle of the Metroid series, and it makes some mistakes to be sure, but as a whole it's pretty good.

P.S. Thanks

 

[Space Jawa]

Who are these people that were accusing that, and where do they live? I would like to promptly hit them over the head with a copy of Other M
>=(

Word of advice, stay away from the IGN boards. That's where I've seen most of the criticism towards her thus far, and there are at least a few people over there bending over backwards to defend the game against any and all criticism.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

*goes back to playing Prime Trilogy Collection*

If I didn't have this...I'd be very sad about Other M.

That said, I'll pick up Other M. Just for the story. Since it's the only Big N franchise that really has one worth delving into.

Kinda off topic, but it Trilogy worth it (if I can still find it somewhere)? I have all three already, loved the first but thought second was meh...

Yeah. The games were actually IMPROVED by motion controls.

 

[someotherguy]

So they ruined one of the two franchies (Zelda being the other) from my child hood? Damn. I was looking forward to more story, I really was. and Honestly, as a kid when I found out samus was a woman, I didn't give a damn, she still fought and what not, but now they seem to be saying "lolol look, it's a girl, she can fight.". But honestly her boy friend has to unlock her powers? Thats lame. Limiting a good character, and I bet a lot of money that feminist groups will be all over this. When I played the trilogy, I was constantly scared that something was going to sneak up on me, if not that I was in wonder at the mystery of the world you where on. And to whoever said "It's a samus game, you don't start god moded" I don't think that's the problem, its a matter of the abilities she gains are controlled by another character, and not so much of a "Beat this super hard boss and you get this"

 

[TheGuy(wantstobe)]

All I needed to see was the cutscene were Samus meets Riley.

And with that I know I never need to play it.

Why?

 

[Covarr]

But honestly her boy friend has to unlock her powers? Thats lame. Limiting a good character, and I bet a lot of money that feminist groups will be all over this.

Sorry, that part about her ex just put me off completely...

Adam is NOT her ex. He's the closest to a father she ever had. She left him the way a teen leaves their parents, to go on their own.

Honestly, it's like the reviewer didn't pay enough attention to actually understand the story, so now a bunch of misinformation is going to spread.

P.S. Thanks