Zero Punctuation: Metroid Other M

[GloatingSwine]

Like Bob said, I think this game has revealed some VERY troubling ideas of what a lot of gamers and even game critics/commentators ACTUALLY think about gender in gaming. Samus doesn't present herself as Gordon Freeman with boobs nor is she a Commander Shepard who, let's face facts, is a Gary Stu/Mary Sue in EVERY sense of the term. She instead is portrayed as a troubled soul who has all kinds of insecurities, doubts, and fears and despite (and indeed possibly BECAUSE of those) she overcomes her adversities and grows. I can't really name a LOT of heroines in gaming that have been portrayed like that, especially in recent memory.

And this is done through the medium of insultingly poor scriptwriting and acting.

If this had been a new character, then you might have a point. But it's not. It's a character which actually has a history which is quite at odds with what we are presented in Other M.

 

[Spencer Petersen]

While I do agree with Moviebob about how it is somewhat of an overreaction I do still think this is a some prime sexism in gaming. I'm not laying this fault on Japanese culture, as he said, but rather I'm blaming Team Ninja. Their games follow a trend of women who are basically supermodels with the brains of tiny children (Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball anyone?) which reinforce a stereotype of females being entirely for males to fight over, protect and look at.

They could have made such a great narrative that portrayed her as a hard working, self sufficient woman with feelings for a man who she considers a mentor and close friend. But instead all I saw was a girl doing tricks and hurting herself just to get the attention of dear old daddy, constantly second guessing herself just to seek his approval. There could have been some real character development here. She could have started out as cold and emotionless but her relationship with Adam could have helped her realize exactly who she is and unlock some feelings she didn't know she had, making her a better person in the long run. Instead she really just seems helpless when shes not being dragged around by the controller, acting as two different people during cut-scenes and in actual gameplay, a giant NO in gamemaking in my opinion. I mean, imagine if in a game like Silent Hill you were controlling a frail female protagonist who is genuinely scared in the cutscenes and conversations. But then pulled out and AK47 and curb-stomped every monster on her way out, it would be incredibly jarring.

I think Team Ninja really dropped the ball on this one. I do agree that the "stoic" that was Samus Aran in the earlier games really wasn't that compelling but the potential was so great and Team Ninja just fell back into old habits of eye candy females who need the support of a man to be complete.

 

[NFITC1]

As usual, this review was spot on. I found myself laughing at the more serious plot-points of that game when I was supposed to be...sad I guess? VA-ing was terrible.

The retro-active "official" explanation behind her Ridley-phobia is she's got PTS from when he destroyed her colony. My reaction is always "Why won't you STAY DEAD?!" It's a little freakish to think she's killed him (and various incarnations of him) several times and he keeps coming back.

*SPOILERS*

To be fair, you find "the deleter" (stupid name) in the room where the non-Samus blond girl explains the whole Mother Brain thing. You go there later and you see that girl killed him before he could kill her.

*END SPOILERS*

 

[Jacob Davies]

You know, when your most known writing credit is writing for a caricature of yourself, I really think that disqualifies you from commenting on writing of any sort, I mean seriously dude, you must be the most deluded person alive. You see games as this rich , emotionally fulfilling medium when it isn't, of course there are exceptions to this rule such as Bio Shock and Dead Space but when you look at film as an inferior narrative medium to games then its really you who has the problem Yahtzee, also I bet the script for Other M isn't nearly as bad as your believed God of War, Uwe Bowl (Or however you spell his name) wouldn't put shit like that into anything, and don't even get me started on Silent Hill, my god what a bunch of Ball aching snore fests those are, there's a difference between atmosphere and fuck all happening.

 

[TheZaius]

The transition from one animation to the next in these videos seem more drawn out now. There are no sudden cuts from one animation to the next. It's kinda distracting. I don't want these short fade-outs from one scene to the next. I want quick cuts!

 

[epsilon246]

The point is Samus believed he was gone without a trace (to be fair his remains were on zebes when it went boom) his apearance so she was caught off guard by his appearance.

He was gone without a trace after Prime 3. He still came back.

Also, I've already addressed her previous reaction to Surprise Ridley, she started shooting him.

The space pirates were still around to revive him after prime, they wern't after super metroid
I don't think you get what ptsd is, and she was never caught of guard in the prime games and in previous encounters there wasn't really the technoligy to show it was there?

 

[GloatingSwine]

*SPOILERS*

To be fair, you find "the deleter" (stupid name) in the room where the non-Samus blond girl explains the whole Mother Brain thing. You go there later and you see that girl killed him before he could kill her.

*END SPOILERS*

Storywriting tip: Closing down a plot point off camera and then never referring to it again is not developing that plot point to it's natural conclusion. Checkhov's Gun should not be discharged during the intermission and then never commented upon by any characters in the play.

 

[epsilon246]

When phazon is invloved nothing makes sense, and a planet blowing up is more than a few degrees! Have you played super metroid? The explosion was gigantic. Samus says in the begining Ridley was gone without trace and that she believed it was over. In the article in which a veteren suffers from ptsd watched the scene he said that barbeques cause him to have attacks now but he still has them every so often. Samus has ptsd; this is cannon she can fight it if she's ready, like that veteran, she can fight it and battle. But she wasn't ready to fight ridley and that is why she panict (why can't i spell that right now?).

But why does she have PTSD now? Why did she show no trace of it the other times she fough Ridley? As someone else said it would make sense if Ridley got PTSD but Samus has killed Ridley so many times now it should be virtually routine for her. I mean how would people react if Batman suddenly started whimpering and crying when he see the Joker?

I thin the main reason people are angry is that Samus has always historically been used in debates to show that Videogames aren't misogynistic, but after Other M that arguement doesn't hold up.

The other times Samus knew (or at least suspected) she was going to have to fight Ridley. So she was ready, also the encounters were months apart atleast. In the manga Samus did break down when she saw Ridley again, but with the help of the chozo recovered and was ready for him the next time they faught (zero mission). As for batman that was only in the first film, we know how that turned out.

I don't really think it is misogynistic. Samus is devoted to Adam? Her parents were killed when she was a child and she sees him as a father, the script was written by a Japanese man and in japan respect for your elders is normal. She doesn't do anything unless told to? 1: she is part of a military mission and is former military so she is aware hat fllowing orders is essential, 2: Adam is her client and she is obeying the wishes of her client like a proffeshional.

Like Bob said, I think this game has revealed some VERY troubling ideas of what a lot of gamers and even game critics/commentators ACTUALLY think about gender in gaming. Samus doesn't present herself as Gordon Freeman with boobs nor is she a Commander Shepard who, let's face facts, is a Gary Stu/Mary Sue in EVERY sense of the term. She instead is portrayed as a troubled soul who has all kinds of insecurities, doubts, and fears and despite (and indeed possibly BECAUSE of those) she overcomes her adversities and grows. I can't really name a LOT of heroines in gaming that have been portrayed like that, especially in recent memory.

The advantage of a story heavy game really you can really show the charecters evolve. And yes it is worrying what people percieve when it come to gender.

 

[Fredrikorex]

Special episode...

Guitar Hero Warriors of Rock is released that day xD

 

[GloatingSwine]

The space pirates were still around to revive him after prime, they wern't after super metroid
I don't think you get what ptsd is, and she was never caught of guard in the prime games and in previous encounters there wasn't really the technoligy to show it was there?

There are Space Pirates in Fusion. So clearly there are more of them after Super Metroid. And in Prime 3 Ridley gets disintegrated.

Also:


This to you is not "caught off guard". Ridley appears ready to attack and immediately dives at Samus.

 

[mr_rubino]

Everybody's wrong and you're right. That seems to be the major problem with guys like you. Well, that and saying "myopinionmyopinionmyopinion" because even you can't make salient arguments, and are stuck with "Here, let me lie unashamedly about the content of the game. No sexism cuz I say so. Samus is not a paralyzed husk of uterus cuz I say so. See? Stop trusting your own senses while playing!"
Rule #1 of Nintendo (and/or Final Fantasy) fandom: Never trust your own experiences playing a game. The hive-mind knows all and anyone who doesn't like the game is biased and doesn't get it and etc etc etc.

Ain't you a hypocrite? Sounds to me you're just as self-righteous as you claim I am.

Oh and "never trust your own experiences playing a game"? What logic does that make? Isn't that what an opinion is?

Don't call me part of a collective hive mind when you're the one acting like an emotionless robot. You're just convincing me more and more that people here think whatever Yahtzee tells them to think.

You've got the fever bad, little boy.
You whine that I'm not throwing a ***** fit like you and then you ignore that I've pointed out multiple times how foolish people like you look when you cry "Boohoo everyone agrees with Yahtzee so that MUST MEEN THER JUST THINKN WUT HE TELLZ THEM TO THINK", especially considering how bad the rabid Nintendo fandom has you convinced that any bad game Nintendo puts out is gold.
Face it: More people hate this game that like it, and the ones who love it can't muster up any reason other than "Waaaaah! You're all stupid!" If you can't admit to it having any faults, at least do us the favor of not crying about what meanies everyone else is.

But I see my "Rule #1" flew so far over your head, I couldn't get you to understand it if I was here all night, but go back and read it again, and then think about how you've been acting. You might start to understand it. (And if you don't, ask Admitted Nintendo Fanboy Who You Don't Believe is a Fanboy Because You're So Far Beyond Help Bobbie to tell you.)

 

[XenoPenumbra]

Great Episode! I thought the concept of 2D-3D metroid was interesting but after I heard the voice acting, the varia suit bullshit, and the whole breaking down and crying thing cause of Ridely just pissed me off. I might barrow if from a friend but buying is out of the question. Everything Yahtzee is accurate, i would rather go play Metroid Prime again.

On another note, Special ZP this Friday you say? I wanna say it's a review of Reach but I bet their saving it for another day which stinks cause I really want to see what he will tear up. Can't Wait!

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

1. The Space Pirates in Fusion are X parasites copying them

2. Ridley's status in the Corruption is listed as MIA

 

[OceanRunner]

You just summed up exactly why I'm steering well clear of the game, Samus always just worked as a silent protagonist in the same way that Gordan Freeman does, giving her a voice was dodgy enough without doing it in such a plain and overdone way with a boring stereotypical story. :|

I also see the Half-Life style in Metroid Prime. Cutscenes are succintly used to open and close the story, and announce a boss battle or key item pickup. It let you enjoy the ambiance and music of the game world. Samus' personality comes out best through the gameplay itself, showing her as a strong and confident combatant, witha caring side, as shown in Echoes where she closes the eyes of a dead soldier.

 

[duckers101]

haven't played it but now i dont want to ^_^

 

[epsilon246]

The space pirates were still around to revive him after prime, they wern't after super metroid
I don't think you get what ptsd is, and she was never caught of guard in the prime games and in previous encounters there wasn't really the technoligy to show it was there?

There are Space Pirates in Fusion. So clearly there are more of them after Super Metroid. And in Prime 3 Ridley gets disintegrated.

Also:


This to you is not "caught off guard". Ridley appears ready to attack and immediately dives at Samus.

You like to say distintergrated don't you? Also who says the pirates in fusion aren't clones themselves? and those are X-parasites anyway. Samus faught Ridley a few months before, it's not a leap to suspect the pirates might try to revive him so it could come down to a hunch.

These are the facts: samus has ptsd, ridley is the source of that ptsd, samus believed ridley to be dead for good, Ridley's appearance caught samus by suprise and led to a ptsd attack.

 

[mr_rubino]

The space pirates were still around to revive him after prime, they wern't after super metroid
I don't think you get what ptsd is, and she was never caught of guard in the prime games and in previous encounters there wasn't really the technoligy to show it was there?

There are Space Pirates in Fusion. So clearly there are more of them after Super Metroid. And in Prime 3 Ridley gets disintegrated.

Also:


This to you is not "caught off guard". Ridley appears ready to attack and immediately dives at Samus.

You like to say distintergrated don't you? Also who says the pirates in fusion aren't clones themselves? and those are X-parasites anyway. Samus faught Ridley a few months before, it's not a leap to suspect the pirates might try to revive him so it could come down to a hunch.

These are the facts: samus has ptsd, ridley is the source of that ptsd, samus believed ridley to be dead for good, Ridley's appearance caught samus by suprise and led to a ptsd attack.

*sigh* Thank you. That was perfect.
You crammed that desperate fan theory down our throats as gospel truth (again) without any more explanation that "cuz she does" and completely discounted the exact thing you just saw with your own eyes so you could better ignore someone else's arguments: Samus being "caught by surprise" and not ovulating into her codpiece in terror.

 

[Warachia]

Moviebob would like it because it's not an FPS and it's an exclusive Wii title, asking him what he thinks is like asking this guy what he would think:

If MovieBob is a Nintendo Fanboy, then what the FUCK is Yahtzee? And if you say creditable then that just proves you're a hypocrite, an elitist, a ZP fanboy who dreams of sucking Yahtzee's cock and above all a hack just like that bitter drunken Aussie piece of dogshit. As I've said in the discussion regarding IGN's little flame-war magnet "Killing Samus", MovieBob is ten times the gaming expert Yahtzee ever will become! And this review proves it!

This was nothing but Yahtzee regurgitating not only his biased anti-Nintendo smear campaign like always but the same stupid ass complaints about non-existent control problems, sexism, and character derailment that X-Play started up in the first place. So yeah, Yahtzee's pretty much lowered himself to the same level as the lowest form of video game journalism and I hope he fucking proud of himself for doing it. It just only cost him any chance at ever being labeled a human again.

It's flat out stunning that you would be proud of talking about a flame war, much less having actively participated in it, to the point where you come onto other threads to bash people who refuse to conform to your beliefs, if they could read them through your vast array of petty insults that is. If it is possible for you to rely intelligibly, then explain why Bob is right, Yahtzee is wrong, instead of screaming at everything you see.

 

[Dr. Paine]

The Prime games don't really count.

There's only your sayso for that. The clear production intent is for all of the Metroid games to take place on one timeline. Different visual design in the Federation troops is not enough to base a continuity break on, most military forces have quite a number of different systems which do similar jobs, and that's even within one branch of a service.

Word of god states the Prime trilogy as canon.

Ignore it if you want, but it's still a true part of Samus' story. And hey, Nintendo forcibly canonized Prime, maybe they can denounce Other M...

 

[GloatingSwine]

These are the facts: samus has ptsd, ridley is the source of that ptsd, samus believed ridley to be dead for good, Ridley's appearance caught samus by suprise and led to a ptsd attack.

And as noted this is bullshit because it is out of character with previous presentations of the character of Samus. Inconsistent character portrayal of this type is bad storytelling (to go with all of the other bad storytelling in Other M), and your rationalisations do not save it from being so.