Review Guild's Metroid: Other M Review

[.psyched]

i want retro back...

Actually, a new Metroid retro-game released on the WiiWare or the DSiWare would be amazingly cool. Seriously.

 

[Feels Good Man]

this is the worst metroid yet it's the controls that really kill it.

Well, it really isn't that bad. It's just that Nintendo made a baaad decision. Why Team Ninja among all the people out there? Seriously, DOA AND Ninja Gaiden? Bollocks.

What's your point? DoA and Ninja Gaiden were fantastic games.

 

[.psyched]

this is the worst metroid yet it's the controls that really kill it.

Well, it really isn't that bad. It's just that Nintendo made a baaad decision. Why Team Ninja among all the people out there? Seriously, DOA AND Ninja Gaiden? Bollocks.

What's your point? DoA and Ninja Gaiden were fantastic games.

Yeah, what I mean was that a Metroid game doesn't really fit in the game genres they are actually working on. And the mechanics aren't the same at all. Sorry, I really do never get my point through T____T

 

[Goli]

I digress Guild.
Did you do the post-ending content? It's awesome, and may change your opinion in some aspects.

 

[Windaga]

A detailed review and a well written one, I just disagree with a lot of it. But it's all good, that's what makes the internet go, I suppose. I personally love almost everything about this game. I'm really impressed with what Team Ninja did.

And am I the only person who doesn't mind using the D-Pad? (as far as comfort goes) I mean, New Super Mario Bro's was all D-Pad, and not many people complained about that. And I played that game for hours at a time, too.

 

[Coto]

Guild, you are not authorized to use reviews.

x100

haha.

I disliked somehow this review, it´s just a matter of tastes. I do not like other Prime series, even the last Metroid game I ever played, was... what.. SNES Metroid?

-

I loved this game as it got "a updated Metroid gameplay". I find some sort of "boring" teh default Metroid Series Gameplay. (Shoot, move, and open locks).

On other hand Metroid Other M gives a more "ninja" gameplay, and beautiful graphics, much needed due to Wii´s underrated hardware. Yep it can do MUUUCH better handling at 3D, this game gives us a great proof of that. =)

Controls: Suits perfectly to me as rather than "more thinking" there´s a faster gameplay involving faster reflects from user, and the ability to point your wiimote at screen gives me all the 3D vision I need.

 

[Bladexdsl]

A detailed review and a well written one, I just disagree with a lot of it. But it's all good, that's what makes the internet go, I suppose. I personally love almost everything about this game. I'm really impressed with what Team Ninja did.

And am I the only person who doesn't mind using the D-Pad?

using the d-pad is fine BUT making you point at the screen to shoot missiles etc and not being able to strafe etc is BS! once you are in 3d view you cannot move making you vulnerable to attack while your trying to lock on to your damn targets and sometimes when your hit your knocked out of 3d view....NO THANKS bring back the remote and chuck controls in prime we don't want this SHIT

 

[Cherripez]

A detailed review and a well written one, I just disagree with a lot of it. But it's all good, that's what makes the internet go, I suppose. I personally love almost everything about this game. I'm really impressed with what Team Ninja did.

And am I the only person who doesn't mind using the D-Pad?

using the d-pad is fine BUT making you point at the screen to shoot missiles etc and not being able to strafe etc is BS! once you are in 3d view you cannot move making you vulnerable to attack while your trying to lock on to your damn targets and sometimes when your hit your knocked out of 3d view....NO THANKS bring back the remote and chuck controls in prime we don't want this SHIT

I really wish people would stop neglecting the fact that you can dodge attacks while in 1st person.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

I loved this game as it got "a updated Metroid gameplay". I find some sort of "boring" teh default Metroid Series Gameplay. (Shoot, move, and open locks).

On other hand Metroid Other M gives a more "ninja" gameplay, and beautiful graphics, much needed due to Wii´s underrated hardware. Yep it can do MUUUCH better handling at 3D, this game gives us a great proof of that. =)

Controls: Suits perfectly to me as rather than "more thinking" there´s a faster gameplay involving faster reflects from user, and the ability to point your wiimote at screen gives me all the 3D vision I need.

This was still shoot move, and open locks. Now just with some cool looking combat (but cool is as far as it goes).

Why do people think "ninja" means running into a room Leroy Jenkins style and blowing shit up? If I was playing "ninja" style I'd be sneaking like Snake past everything. I guess you mean to say the combat looks more "acrobatic" and "exciting" but it's still just spam charge beams and dodge, occasionally finishing off some guys. There's no combos, there's no throwing or anything. This ain't Devil May Cry or God of War. I mean, Samus has more gadgets than a Swiss army knife on her suit and they couldn't think of some type of way to use more attacks than "shoot"? Where's my grapple beam? Missiles without first person? Hell, even her fist would be a nice weapon to chain long range attacks and close quarters attacks. It worked for Devil May Cry.

Controls were far from perfect. I would have said "they did their best" if there was no easily accessible way to use an analog stick and more button, but almost everyone has a Nunchuck. I thought it even came standard (as boxing on Wii Sports requires a Nunchuck). If they used a Nunchuck, you know what that would mean? Easier switching from first and third person (assign this to a button), analog stick for movement, more buttons for whatever, etc. And they can just assign Concentration to a button if they need it.

This game still doesn't look as good as games that are two years older than it like Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Galaxy. Character models and animations are excellent but environments are underwhelming, especially compared to those in Metroid Prime 3.

 

[Juanmatron]

i want retro back...

Actually, a new Metroid retro-game released on the WiiWare or the DSiWare would be amazingly cool. Seriously.

I think he´s referring about:

 

[AshuraZro]

I finished up the game myself yesterday minus item collection. After reading through your review I figure I might as well go and throw out my own two cents as a Metroid fan. Point form too. But just to get it out of the way, it is still a good game by itself and most wii owners should still check this game out. I agree with the majority of the review as well but enough there, on with the show now...

- The controls were not ideal but I think they worked well enough at most points. After a bit, I stopped having any problems or complaints with the controls with exception to how unnatural I found it to swap between first and third person at frenzied points because my instincts would be to hold the front of the controller at all times so I can very quickly get moving again once I'm out of first person. Instead I'd end up just blocking the IR sensor and screwing myself over. This part however will certainly be different from person to person.

- This game feels like it was birthed from rejected design and plot ideas that were tabled in the development of Metroid Fusion. There are way too many similarities in plots and events here.

- Anyone else notice how linear this was? That they would lock doors to old areas just to keep you from exploring too far with newer abilities and keep you on your track?

- It is the first game I have ever became sick from playing as well. After spending over 7 minutes at a forced first person detective moment I had to go and lay down for a bit. I ended up eventually just asking what the hell I needed to look at purely so it wouldn't happen a second time.

- The bosses were wonderful for the most part which is pleasing!

- I'm not so bothered by a CO telling me what I can use and when as it does make sense most of the time. My argument there is a spoiler as it's not the common one with the Varia suit but later in the game. I do share the view that it's moronic at times.

- Instant Death Scenarios. What the fuck. I cannot believe Nintendo signed off on these moments. Now they aren't that aggravating before I get into it. Only one or two caused my death a few times and few of them caused me to die at all. Plus if you do die, you'd start just prior to the moment or at it so it's no big deal. But really, these are pretty much just quick time events in a metroid game and I didn't care for them.

The next parts involve events later in the game, including my opinion of the ending. SKIP THIS if you've yet to finish the game as I don't want to influence your own thoughts on it prematurely.

Spoiler

- Going back to the fusion thoughts, detached hidden metroid habitat sector that explodes and you only get so much as a glimpse of? Phew, crack writing team at work here! And going to the complaints of when items unlock, the Gravity Suit bothered me the most and I'm surprised it didn't bother anyone else this much.

- The gravity suit unlocks as you escape the tunnel connected to the now jettisoned Sector Zero. Just before getting sucked out into space. AFTER TRAVELLING THROUGH AN ENTIRE GRAVITY DISTORTED AREA AND FOUGHT A BOSS IN IT. Samus had already activated one of her abilities herself because she deemed it necessary! And the boss, while awesome, was another idea swiped from fusion! Back on track, that cocktease Sector Zero isn't so bad because you've got a fight with mother brain as a computer to look forward to! ...What are you looking at me for?

- SON OF A BITCH! The idea of mother brain fight gets taken away from you in the final moments in the game and quickly wraps up simply by locking onto what mother brain actually is. I actually found myself questioning if the game was over. I could not believe that they would end it in that way. But let's back the truck up a bit because we skipped over another key point.

- The Final Story Boss: Another idea swiped from fusion and not even remotely a difficult fight if it wasn't for the fact that your missiles can be wonky as fuck here! On one run I was done in what seemed like 2 minutes, another run 10 minutes because my missile would NOT find its target. And final part of the fight... wow. You know for a game that strictly tells you what you can and can't use all the time, it sure makes a big assumption that you'll just know to use a power bomb at this point even though you haven't even been told you can use them yet! The second power bomb you use in the story actually. And the first one was in training. Why not just call it the plot device bomb?

- The boss that you fight after the proper part of the story. Awesome. This won a lot of brownie points from me! And it gave us the much needed escape sequence. Two oddities here. First, this is the only time samus decides to drop her suit in action? At a time where she really needs it!? Well whatever, I'll let it go because it's meant to be unique even if it makes no sense. But the other one...

- Wasn't a bullet fired at Adam's makeshift HQ in a cutscene? Was that just a tease where the truth was that he got up to try and save Samus? Why are there so many teases in this game...

Well that wraps up my thoughts for now

 

[Jamstruth]

Lack of nunchuck support kills the game for me. Its just a stupid design idea and for what? A gimmick of going first person by pointing the Wiimote at a screen rather than pressing a button? Thanks Team Ninja but I'm-a gonna set my Wii up for pirating for this game kthnx

 

[fluffykiwi]

I quite like the controls. It is simply a decision to be more action oriented and more in line with the original games. It would have been nice to be able to use missiles in the non third person parts.

Switching to third person by pointing at the screen seemed like a good idea for me.

I played the previous games and found that while I enjoyed the full third party games, switching between visors was a pain, and there were far too many controls.

In my opinion the decision was made to keep the controls simple to introduce new inexperienced gamers to the metroid franchise.

I do find the cutscenes a bit tedious though.

Saying all that I'd also rate it at about a 7/10. BTW this is simply my first impressions as I've only spent a limited time on this game.

 

[DiscostewSM]

I quite like the controls. It is simply a decision to be more action oriented and more in line with the original games. It would have been nice to be able to use missiles in the non third person parts.

Switching to third person by pointing at the screen seemed like a good idea for me.

I played the previous games and found that while I enjoyed the full third party games, switching between visors was a pain, and there were far too many controls.

In my opinion the decision was made to keep the controls simple to introduce new inexperienced gamers to the metroid franchise.

I do find the cutscenes a bit tedious though.

Saying all that I'd also rate it at about a 7/10. BTW this is simply my first impressions as I've only spent a limited time on this game.

I think you've got your 1st and 3rd person ideas mixed, but I understand what you meant. I liked the controls. They wanted it more in line with prior non-Prime Metroid games, while having that element of the Prime games by pointing at the screen, like you yourself are taking over where you shoot, and can "focus" (or in this case, use things like missiles) on targets.

One thing people have said was that they wanted to use missiles while not in 1st person mode. With the current setup, enemies don't drop anything, so, they set up the game so that if you were low on energy, or you wanted to refill your missile storage, you "charged" up to refill either the first energy tank, or your missile supply (or could go to a save point and refill completely). Because of this, I feel they restricted missile use to just 1st-person view because if people could use missiles anywhere, they would, and rarely use her regular weapon (because missiles deal a lot more damage). By forcing that to 1st-person perspective, they put the player in a "focus" state, even if they help with locking on a target.

 

[injected11]

Sigh... I was looking forward to getting this...

Think I'll just save the cash for some sorta Steam sale instead.

 

[DeltaBurnt]

So far this game is way too linear for me. It's just going from one navigation room to the other, and while Metroid Zero Mission did something similar to this it wasn't a set one line path to the navigation room (or statue thing in Zero Mission's case).

Regular combat also gets pretty tiring.