Other M does a lot right that can be easy to miss.
For example, it was only after hard mode forced me to play right (instead of relying on brute stamina) that I could appreciate the combat. SenseMove is forgiving, but somehow all the more fun for it, and far better than Prime's spotty dodge mechanic. The extra agility overall makes the fights just more appealing and replayable to me than Prime's repetitive lock-on circle-strafing standard fare.
Another big one is the item indicators on the map. In the Primes, even with a guide I struggle to get the last few items. In Other M, the indicators don't make it too easy, oh no; they just make it possible without a guide. I admit that I still had to resort to a guide to get one particular missile expansion in the last area.
I even got used to using the D-pad, eventually. SenseMove wouldn't really be possible without it due to the lag inherent to moving an analog stick from zero to a direction, I think, or it would otherwise just be too awkward without adding a dedicated dodge button.
Oh yes, how could I forget! Another one is the lack of scanning. It had its time and place, but I've since gotten tired of the scan mechanic because of how OCD it makes me. I spent the Primes going around 90% of the time in scan mode hoping not to miss a single tidbit of info, and that was even before realizing that some scans were one-time-only and easy to miss forever. This and the indicators combine to make Other M a much more relaxing and thus replayable play: You don't have to remember which items you have or haven't gotten, nor be on any constant lookout for possibly limited-time scans.
