Metroid: Other M - Worst Metroid Ever?

[D.D.D.]

I bought the game yesterday, without having read much about it... I hope it doesn't suck!

It doesn't suck. Just don't think it's gonna be Super Metroid and you'll have fun.

[Flake]

In all my days, I never thought I would ever see a Tommy reference so skillfully made in a discussion on Metroid.

It's the kind of reference that only works on a retro-game forum!

[AppleQueso]

I bought the game yesterday, without having read much about it... I hope it doesn't suck!

It doesn't suck. Just don't think it's gonna be Super Metroid and you'll have fun.

What about Metroid fans that thoroughly enjoyed Metroid games that were not Super Metroid who still hated Other M? Casual fans of the series who hated it? Non-fans who hated it?

[flamepanther]

I hated it initially. I really wanted to like it, but everything was just so wrong to me. I can't remember the last time I got so angry about a game.

Now I'm almost finished with it, and I find myself wishing I had more of it left to go through. If that's not a conversion testimony, I don't know what is. I think it really is true that once you work your way past the fact that it isn't Super Metroid or Metroid Prime 1, you discover a great, enjoyable game. I think I like it better than Fusion at this point.

I'm also feeling a lot better about it having taken off the rose tinted glasses and taken a fresh look at some older titles--Metroid II especially. This is not the first time our access to the world map has been arbitrary and not based on what abilities Samus has gained. See the lowering acid/lava levels in Metroid II, or the sealed doors in Fusion. It's not the first time we've been guided from one area of the game to the next. See--well, basically every Metroid game that has come out since Super Metroid. Fusion, Zero Mission, and even the entire Prime Trilogy, if you don't turn the hints off. I think we all view Super Metroid as the ultimate pinnacle of the franchise, and I doubt anything is going to change that. Ultimately though, the truth is none of the games besides Prime is like Super Metroid. Even the rest of the Prime trilogy didn't follow that template, despite Retro proving they're capable of it. Even Super Metroid is more linear and guided than we like to think it is--it just feels like it isn't.

Those who are unhappy with the portrayal of Samus as a character should check out the Metroid manga that were released to coincide with Zero Mission. It's effectively canon, and the story and character development fit seamlessly with both Zero Mission and Other M. Even the "focus" ability has some roots in it. Samus isn't weak, but she does have some vulnerable spots. Other M just happens to touch on ALL of those vulnerable spots, but they were already established. It's basically post-traumatic distress, especially where it concerns Ridley. She doesn't have "daddy issues" so much as she has "I saw my family and all of my friends murdered right in front of me" issues. The events of Other M force her to relive a lot of that. But in the end, those same events that caused her deeply rooted trauma also caused her to develop into the same hardened, determined, solitary badass we normally expect her to be.

In the end, the only things that still really nag at me about the game are those few moments where the D-pad controls mess up, and the feeling that the PlayStation mentality of game development has finally infected Nintendo.



Oh, and what's with all this talk about the reviews being bad? Unless you get all your reviews from G4 and Game Informer, they've been pretty positive. http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii/metroid-other-m

[SpaceBooger]

I hated it initially. I really wanted to like it, but everything was just so wrong to me. I can't remember the last time I got so angry about a game.

Now I'm almost finished with it, and I find myself wishing I had more of it left to go through. If that's not a conversion testimony, I don't know what is. I think it really is true that once you work your way past the fact that it isn't Super Metroid or Metroid Prime 1, you discover a great, enjoyable game. I think I like it better than Fusion at this point.

I'm also feeling a lot better about it having taken off the rose tinted glasses and taken a fresh look at some older titles--Metroid II especially. This is not the first time our access to the world map has been arbitrary and not based on what abilities Samus has gained. See the lowering acid/lava levels in Metroid II, or the sealed doors in Fusion. It's not the first time we've been guided from one area of the game to the next. See--well, basically every Metroid game that has come out since Super Metroid. Fusion, Zero Mission, and even the entire Prime Trilogy, if you don't turn the hints off. I think we all view Super Metroid as the ultimate pinnacle of the franchise, and I doubt anything is going to change that. Ultimately though, the truth is none of the games besides Prime is like Super Metroid. Even the rest of the Prime trilogy didn't follow that template, despite Retro proving they're capable of it. Even Super Metroid is more linear and guided than we like to think it is--it just feels like it isn't.

Those who are unhappy with the portrayal of Samus as a character should check out the Metroid manga that were released to coincide with Zero Mission. It's effectively canon, and the story and character development fit seamlessly with both Zero Mission and Other M. Even the "focus" ability has some roots in it. Samus isn't weak, but she does have some vulnerable spots. Other M just happens to touch on ALL of those vulnerable spots, but they were already established. It's basically post-traumatic distress, especially where it concerns Ridley. She doesn't have "daddy issues" so much as she has "I saw my family and all of my friends murdered right in front of me" issues. The events of Other M force her to relive a lot of that. But in the end, those same events that caused her deeply rooted trauma also caused her to develop into the same hardened, determined, solitary badass we normally expect her to be.

In the end, the only things that still really nag at me about the game are those few moments where the D-pad controls mess up, and the feeling that the PlayStation mentality of game development has finally infected Nintendo.



Oh, and what's with all this talk about the reviews being bad? Unless you get all your reviews from G4 and Game Informer, they've been pretty positive. http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii/metroid-other-m

Well written. You made many of the points I did but much MUCH better. I wish the cutscenes were not as often, but as its own game in the Metroid timeline/franchise I am digging it.

[flamepanther]

Well written. You made many of the points I did but much MUCH better. I wish the cutscenes were not as often, but as its own game in the Metroid timeline/franchise I am digging it.

Thanks!


Also, I think it's worth noting for those that have the game for 30 minutes--you've already seen the worst of the cutscene interruptions now. From here on out, play a Metal Gear game if you want to complain about lengthy cutscene interruptions

[jfe2]

Well written. You made many of the points I did but much MUCH better. I wish the cutscenes were not as often, but as its own game in the Metroid timeline/franchise I am digging it.

Thanks!


Also, I think it's worth noting for those that have the game for 30 minutes--you've already seen the worst of the cutscene interruptions now. From here on out, play a Metal Gear game if you want to complain about lengthy cutscene interruptions

I'm playing Super Metroid right now, and plan on starting Other M right when I finish. I actually am really looking forward to the story stuff, despite all of the negativity. Metroid Fusion got me really interested in Samus' relationship with this Adam guy.

[GigaPepsiMan]

I'm not going to say anymore on Other: M because I have said it all on other forums but I will say this much.
It was a flawed experiment with a week story and 2D characters, some parts of the game completely go against the story of later games (Like Fusion). Samus character was ruined I can say thank god Team Ninja didn't sex up samus but thye did make her suit come off every few minutes like it was hald together with tape, had her suit failed like that anywhere else she would most likely die. In all they ruined her character completely when they tried to make her scared of ridly which is a bad decision if there ever was one.

Also the I already have my power ups but can't use them is just plain as day awful story telling.

[D.D.D.]

It was a flawed experiment with a week story

It only took me a few days.

[Flake]

Also the I already have my power ups but can't use them is just plain as day awful story telling.

Seriously, Adam reminded me of the boss from 'Office Space'. Like how he makes you wander around the fire area for about ten minutes before letting you use your Varia suit? And doesn't even consider it till you're about to be eaten by some huge monster? "Hmmm...yeah...Samus....why don't you go ahead...yeah....use your Varia Suit. And could you come in on Saturday?"