Random Gaming Thoughts

[Exhuminator]

America is ruining not just the world

Please keep your political opinions out of the gaming side of the forum.

Team Ninja ruined Metroid long before we got to it.

Nintendo told Team Ninja to make a Metroid game that played more like Ninja Gaiden, and Team Ninja did just that. Nintendo took a chance on a third person Metroid, so they did their job too. But Sakamoto wrote the terrible plot and implemented Samus' bad characterization, and those elements ruined Other M.

What's wrong with Metroid Other M is Sakamoto's fault, IMO.

[Xeogred]

I hate to backup Exhuminator on this case, but from the many stories I've read into about Other M, it clearly does sound like that disaster is Nintendo's mess, not Team Ninja.

Actually I shouldn't say that myself since I bought it and plan to play it someday... but yeah, I'm scared. PTSD Samus does not look good.

WTF happened to the new Ninja Gaiden games though? The first one on the Xbox was incredible. But I couldn't get into 2 and don't think I've ever seen anyone talk about 3 / Razor's Edge. lol

[Erik_Twice]

I'd say games are usually capitalist, but I don't see the Republican angle.

Capitalist = Right-wing = Republican.

Well this certainly isn't true.

For me it's not even a matter of being true or not, it's just so baffling. Like...why is getting weapons in Metroid capitalistic? It doesn't even make sense to me to ask that question

America is ruining not just the world

Please keep your political opinions out of the gaming side of the forum.

But the world needs to know that America has ruined video games! Nah, it's a joke, man, you should be able to tell given the context

Still, I reserve the right to be political if the situation so requires. You can't discuss "Games are implicitely Republican" without talking about politics after all.

Aside from the poor handling of the authorization system (and really, you could see that devs were finding it harder and harder to justify Samus needing to find the same upgrades every game) the story was fine if you were familiar with all the other supplementary bits in the Metroid universe that were only released in Japan.

I think it's just that people had a view of Metroid that was more...I don't know "progressive" than it actually was? Samus has always been a feminist icon and the archetypical "badass gaming girl" so seeing her presented otherwise came as a shock. Sure, you had always had bikini Samus on the NES and the like but they were always small niggles that one could ignore. Another M on the other hand...

[Exhuminator]

Still, I reserve the right to be political if the situation so requires. You can't discuss "Games are implicitely Republican" without talking about politics after all.

implicitly

Searching for political ideology leanings within video games says more about the searcher than the games.

[prfsnl_gmr]

Actually I shouldn't say that myself since I bought it and plan to play it someday... but yeah, I'm scared. PTSD Samus does not look good.

Don't be scared. It's a fine game, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

The combat and setting are excellent, but the main campaign is a bit too linear. The "hidden object" puzzles are atrocious and completely unnecessary. The "story" is OK, I guess, but if you are playing a Metroid game for the narrative, you are doing it wrong. Thankfully, the final boss is amazing from both a gameplay and fan-service perspective, and the "secret" boss is even better.

[Sarge]

Oh, political leanings are certainly there at times. There's nothing wrong with being aware of them. Most games, however, are just aiming to be a good time.

(I'm thinking of stuff like the previously mentioned Read Only Memories, or for a more popular series, Bioshock. Levine has clearly stated his goals for the stories in those games.)

Back to Samus, I don't even think her having a bout of PTSD is an issue. We have badass soldiers that come back from real wars and still suffer PTSD, so why should we assume that Samus (a fictional character, of course) is immune?

[Erik_Twice]

implicitly

Searching for political ideology leanings within video games says more about the searcher than the games.

I still don't know if you are talking about me or the article's author or what

[MrPopo]

Back to Samus, I don't even think her having a bout of PTSD is an issue. We have badass soldiers that come back from real wars and still suffer PTSD, so why should we assume that Samus (a fictional character, of course) is immune?

THANK YOU. The poor girl watched her entire village destroyed and her mother murdered right in front of her.

[Exhuminator]

We have badass soldiers that come back from real wars and still suffer PTSD, so why should we assume that Samus (a fictional character, of course) is immune?

Her having PTSD wasn't the problem. Portraying her characterization as an impudent snotty brat with daddy issues was.



My other big problem with Other M is the game was a complete cakewalk.

[prfsnl_gmr]

My other big problem with Other M is the game was a complete cakewalk.

This is true of all Metroid games that do not have 2 (or II) in their titles.