Metroid: Other M

[DirtyJosé]

BAM! This game has been all kinds of awesome so far. Have you picked it up? Were you thinking about it? Let talk about it here (spoiler free, of course!).

I'm digging the control setup and the gameplay more than I did the previous Metroid games, specifically the Prime series. If the game feels like any other before it, it feels like Metroid Fusion. The game utilizes "Nav points" like Fusion did, only including them as part of the Save Point feature. There is ample room to explore for secrets, but the game does keep to a more linear path than older Metroid games, where short cuts and open level design allowed for more exploration and allowed gamers to forge their own path through the game.

First person mode is still here, but you don't move while utilizing it, beyond aiming. Pointing at the screen brings up this mode, which you'll usually use to pop off missles and scope out secrets, while the majority of the game has you using the controller horizontally. Third person controls well, and dodging comes easily,but not effortlessly. I'm not a fan, however, of the few times when the camera forces you into an over the shoulder zoom in shot, usually only when walking through select areas as part of scripted events. They usually slow down Samus' pace during these parts, making those few seconds feel like daaaaaaays.

What about the story, the setting, the pacing, and the characters? This feels much more of a throwback to Metroid's roots as a homage to Alien/s. Big empty space ship? Check. Team of space marines of varying vanilla personalities? Check. Awkward but respectful relationship between the female lead and her gruff CO? Check. Being an action game, it doesn't really get to capture the intense terror of Ridley Scott's movies, but it sure goes all out to capture the overall intensity, at least. The story is neat; it's not horrible, but it certainly feels like little more than an excuse to feature certain villains and characters for the sake of using them, and not because it fleshed them out in any major way really (well, save for Samus, and one other...).

Upon the reflection, the game succeeds in my book for two reasons; it redefines what next generation Metroid can be, for the better, and it utilizes voice acting, along with some plot threads dropped in Metroid Fusion, to add new dimension to Samus without killing her mystique. This game is kind of a high profile one for Nintendo right now, and I think they did a fine job with it.

What say you?

 

[Furyof5]

This game looks awesome and I have been following its development since it was first announced. I am however disappointed that it is not an M rated game as originally announced. Not that it will really effect the overall game play/

All of the recent Metroid games have been great, so we'll just have to see how this will be. Hopefully it will match up to the most recent incarnations in quality and gameplay.

Ill probably rent this in the beginning to give it a try(unless a sibling buys it). If it is truly worth it I will buy it, just as I do with every game that looks as if it will appeal to me.