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[Sennorin]

There's a considerable range between droning petulant monologue and the pat exchanges of a situation comedy. If you enjoyed the writing in Other M, fine--but I don't believe that it even rises to the level of competence, much less quality. As far as "believability" goes, why is it that nothing ever interrupts her train of thought? Everything is calm and quiet and people politely stop talking during her lengthy introspections.

Dont misunderstand me. I am not saying the these monologues were genius. They were not. But indeed, I did enjoy them if only for how fitting to Samus they sounded. Could have been executed much better, no question. But when you see the vocal shitstorms here on NeoGAF, it´s the other extreme of giving it genius-praise.

The forced cut-scenes provide lengthy and tedious interruptions of the gameplay/graphics/sound/level design etc. It disrupts the pacing and flow of the experience. Several times while I was playing a cut-scene kicked in, I would start doing something else because it was terrible. By the time it was over I couldn't be arsed to continue because the something else had my attention at that point.

Sorry, but that makes it sound as if it was as bad as a MGS-game. Far from it.

Aside from that, I thought it was okay.

It´s okay to say that you liked the game. Don´t be scared of the vocal minority.

 

[Christine]

That's all good and well, and technically I agree.

But I still don't see how it affects aspects like gameplay/graphics/sound/level design etc.

The game was still great to play, and felt like a true Metroid title to me.

The forced cut-scenes provide lengthy and tedious interruptions of the gameplay/graphics/sound/level design etc. It disrupts the pacing and flow of the experience. Several times while I was playing a cut-scene kicked in, I would start doing something else because it was terrible. By the time it was over I couldn't be arsed to continue because the something else had my attention at that point.

Aside from that, I thought it was okay. There was nothing really wrong with it, and it was better than no Metroid game at all, but I wasn't particularly thrilled.

Dont misunderstand me. I am not saying the these monologues were genius. They were not. But indeed, I did enjoy them if only for how fitting to Samus they sounded. Could have been executed much better, no question. But when you see the vocal shitstorms here on NeoGAF, it´s the other extreme of giving it genius-praise.

I genuinely think they were fucking terrible. I've seen better writing in cartoons based around toy lines.

 

[KevinCow]

I mean honestly, I rarely if ever sit there and watch cutscenes (unless they're forced), and even when I do, I forget about them when I'm done. I remember how fun the game was to play, not watch.

I didn't think there was anything wrong with Metroid Other M as a game. Plays great.

- Where's Waldo sections that freeze the game until you can figure out which arbitrary pixel they wanted you to point at.

- Completely linear with dull environments that aren't very fun or interesting to explore. Because that's what people want in Metroid.

- A fully 3D game that uses the sideways Wiimote for some stupid reason, meaning a d-pad for 3D control, something that hasn't been acceptable since the PS1.

- Awkward first-person switching gimmick, which really wasn't anywhere as unique as advertised, seeing how third-person games have regularly allowed you to switch to first-person to look around and precision aim projectiles for years now. Except most well-designed third-person games give you other options if you have to use those projectiles in the heat of battle.

- So the whole game hinges on the combat system, right? It doesn't really have anything else going for it.

But the combat just isn't that good. Oh, it looks neat at first. Samus dodges stuff fluidly, and the beams look nice and feel more like their 2D counterparts than the Prime games.

Then you realize that you can dodge literally 90+% of the attacks in the game by just spinning the d-pad in circles. There are only a couple of boss attacks that require you to jump over them. The rest is just holding 1, spinning the d-pad in circles, waiting until you charge all the way or dodge, which gives you a full charge, then releasing 1. Repeat, and you can make it through almost every encounter in the game, minus a couple boss fights.



The game itself isn't good. You're just far more likely to see people ranting about the story because it's less along the lines of "not good" and more along the lines of "mindshittingly terrible."

 

[Satchel]

- Where's Waldo sections that freeze the game until you can figure out which arbitrary pixel they wanted you to point at.

- Completely linear with dull environments that aren't very fun or interesting to explore. Because that's what people want in Metroid.

- A fully 3D game that uses the sideways Wiimote for some stupid reason, meaning a d-pad for 3D control, something that hasn't been acceptable since the PS1.

- Awkward first-person switching gimmick, which really wasn't anywhere as unique as advertised, seeing how third-person games have regularly allowed you to switch to first-person to look around and precision aim projectiles for years now. Except most well-designed third-person games give you other options if you have to use those projectiles in the heat of battle.

- So the whole game hinges on the combat system, right? It doesn't really have anything else going for it.

But the combat just isn't that good. Oh, it looks neat at first. Samus dodges stuff fluidly, and the beams look nice and feel more like their 2D counterparts than the Prime games.

Then you realize that you can dodge literally 90+% of the attacks in the game by just spinning the d-pad in circles. There are only a couple of boss attacks that require you to jump over them. The rest is just holding 1, spinning the d-pad in circles, waiting until you charge all the way or dodge, which gives you a full charge, then releasing 1. Repeat, and you can make it through almost every encounter in the game, minus a couple boss fights.



The game itself isn't good. You're just far more likely to see people ranting about the story because it's less along the lines of "not good" and more along the lines of "mindshittingly terrible."

Well, at least you attacked more relevant parts of the game. Kudos.

Is it weird that I agree with your post but still really like the game?

 

[Foxtastical]

As far as I know, it doesn't exist. Someone asked him if they were canon and he said that they were obviously in the same universe as the rest of the Metroid games but a kind of side story parallel to the "main" ones. From there it got twisted into "Sakamoto hates Retro and wants to make Prime non-canon."



I just find it incredibly naive at times and it takes far too long to come to come to a conclusion when it already sums up the scenario perfectly in a two paragraph section: either it's bad game writing that doesn't realize how sexist it is due to hackish writing and a culture not traditionally known for enlightened gender politics, or it's intentionally evil misogyny. Instead of coming to the more obvious conclusion (throughout history, ignorance has been by far the worse offender in prejudice, especially in more modern times), it then keeps on going with the insinuation that it's subconscious woman hatred.

I'm all for calling out games on their messages based on what they unconsciously say (or especially don't say), but I've always regarded this piece in particular as amateur pop psychology wrapped in popular outrage at an unpopular video game.

Well, I didn't care too much for the writer's conclusions, but the detailed look and interpretative analysis of certain scenes was informative and interesting.

I tend to enjoy reading and writing textual analyses (finished a piece myself recently on Heavy Rain's exploitation of feminine vulnerability and sexuality and the game's neoliberalist push), but when it comes to conclusions, it is hit or miss.

Oh, and I agree with the bold part of your statement.

 

[Christine]

It´s okay to say that you liked the game. Don´t be scared of the vocal minority.

I didn't really like it all that well; and I really don't give a shit about what other people think of my opinion. I post whatever the hell I feel like posting.

 

[ScionOfTheRisingSun]

I will never could comprehend the attitude of people who denounce a game based on narrative formalities such as the cinematic sequences interleaving the portions that have actual actual impact on one's gameplay experience, such as the actual gameplay itself.

I seem to be an anomaly in the new gaming populace given that I recognize that the medium of games is not fit for storytelling and thus I value narrative and plot below the design of the end credits in terms of how much impact it has on my overall experience with a game.

So I only smirked at the absurdity of that pre-boss sequence in Other M and was delighted by the design of the encounter itself because the gameplay portion of the Ridley fight was well crafted. About the only reservation I had about Other M as the credits began to roll was how I found the linear design of it going against the essence of the series as well as how the frequent asides for narrative purposes hampered atmosphere and pacing in this iteration as opposed to the past iterations who did not rely on such unnecessary foibles.

The characterization and plot? Such trifles weigh nil on my experience, I play games for other reasons you see. If I want a good story I'll turn to a medium whose nature is fit for such a delivery, such as literature.

 

[Boney]

don't understand the use of Fusion as a bad paradigm but yes, it's way worse

co-signed

people thinking fusion is bad just blows me away

 

[Sullichin]

there needs to be a remake of super metroid! what the fuck nintendo.

 

[Johann]

This thread makes me sad, because a very vocal minority keeps bashing a game that was one of best games of last year. First of all, let me say that this elephant-article is embarrassing and nobody should give it praise or agreement. Secondly, I think there are three parts about Other M which need to be talked about separately.

1.) The Story. It is super generic. But is it is neither good nor bad. It is a typical video game story, on par with 99,9% of video games. I feel like people that call Other M´s story bad are simply projecting their one problem with the game on all of its parts.

What might be up to opinion are Samus´ monologues, but I always wonder when people criticise "ugh, she thinks so much dumb, irrelevant stuff". Well, no shit. I guess you guys always hold deeply philosophical debates with yourself when you´re thinking so-me-thing. I found the monologues to be really fitting, as well as the voice-acting, which makes sense for a person that doesn´t have much contact to other people.

There are two design decision that make Metroid Other M's story much worse than the typical videogame story. The first is the increased emphasis on story. Most videogames have story as an excuse for the gameplay and setting of the game. More importantly, they can usually be skipped unless for technical limitations. In the past Metroid games, the player can still get through and enjoy the games if they skip scans and cutscenes. If a game spends a disproportionate amount of time on telling a story, it is reasonable to expect writing and directing to be off higher quality than most games with an 'excuse plot.' The designer behind Other M made it clear that story-telling was a major focus during the development of the game. An an unprecedented move for the series, CGI sequences were out-sourced to a reputable studio and a composer experienced in the Anime industry was hired. Therefore, it is reasonable to hold this particular Metroid game to a higher standard than most other games and previous entries in the series when it comes to story-telling.

The second issue is the design decision to deliberately prevent the player from skipping cutscenes on the initial playthrough. This suggests that the designer thought the story was so good that the player would have a worse experience if they skipped it. The game's ability to form an emotional connection between Samus and the player is of utmost importance in this case. Let me make a reference to Gears of War's vehicle section. This driving section gives players a new gameplay mechanic involving a vehicle and a light-based weapon. However, it is both unintuitive and largely based on trial and error. It is universally considered to be the worst level in the game. It is exacerbated in Gears's two player co-op mode which is a lauded feature. Now, I can't go around and say that players should ignore level when playing the game for the first time. Epic Games made it a deliberate design decision to have the player go through this level during their initial playthrough. Perhaps, they believed that the vehicle offered a fun new or a reprieve from shooting when it turned out to be a very frustrating section of the game for players.

Likewise, Metroid Other M's story is designed to be a key part of the experience. Players are expected to form an emotional connection Samus during a pivotal mission. However, these deisng decisions make the story that much more terrible. Pedestrian, over expository writing is common place with poor voice acting. Terrible characterization makes the cast into an incompetent bunch of children which undermines the seriousness of the plot. A poor translation (a deleter?) hurts the barely existent emotional impact and coherency of the plot. When a developer focuses on the story and deliberately locks the player out from skipping cutscenes, the kid gloves come off.

2.) The gameplay. Great. Fun. As a Metroid-game, it is lacking non-linearity, but besides that, it is so much fun to run around, fight enemies and defeat bosses. The change between third- and first-person view works perfectly fine, it just takes a bit in the beginning to get used to it. The movement of Samus Aran is exactly what a third-person 3D-Metroid-game should have been like. It feels good, feels powerful, and the further you progress in the game, the better it feel, the more powerful all of your actions become. What Other M truly excels at is combat. Evading enemy attacks by tapping the d-pad feels natural from the first time in the tutorial. Later on, it´s like dancing when you´re surrounded by several enemies. Charging her power beam and shooting it off into some space pirate´s face feels superbly satisfying. The best moments, however, are the boss battles. They combine the need of a strategy with the cruel quickness of a tense situation. You will not have to spam beam shots at your enemy for 10 minutes like in the Prime-games. Instead, you can kill most bosses in like 2 minutes and with just a few charged beam shots. However, you yourself can be killed just as quickly. The fine finishing touch is that most battles give the player optional ways of fighting their enemy, be it by choosing between close range or long range, or by incorporating different strategies alltogether.

I can't speak for everyone's experience but I'll talk about my problems with the game. This game suffers from a case of two many cooks and a lack of a unified vision for the game.It has 3D gameplay with a D-pad control. There is an awkward transition to first person mode and missile usage when a nunchuck would help. Exploration and puzzle solving is amateurish, especially compared to the Prime trilogy. It's linear with past areas begin locked off for no apparent reason. Sensemove is utterly broken to the point that only a handful of enemies can hit you. So many things that should have been fixed in development were not.

The interconnection between story and gameplay is what makes this so bad. It's hard to take the story and cast seriously when they make no many idiotic decisions. This game can have some contrivances but not so much that it hurts the integrity of the story. The much maligned authorization system is a key point. There is really no logical reason for Samus to not use her defensive powers to maximize her chances of survival. I came away with the feeling that Samus and Adam have some bizarre S&M fetish rather than a mission to investigate the system with minimal incidental damage. I'm no game designer but I would have made it so that the Hyperbeam from the end of Super Metroid fried Samus's suit. Periodically, Samus's repair system would restore suit functionality as the player progresses through the game. Essentially, this is functionaly the same as the authorizatio system. It's not an uncontrived progression system but it doesn't directly hurt the credibility of Samus and Adam as experienced fighters and tacticians.

3. Samus Aran´s portrayal. This is where the usual outrage of the very vocal minority stems from, and it is the most deluded point of criticism. I won´t even go into how ludicrous it is to call Other M "misogynistic" or sexist, it´s not.
For a lot of fans, Samus Aran was this emotionless, cold killer in space, never talking, always alone, ruthless killing all kinds of monsters. But Samus Aran never was like that. We never got a proper portrayal of this girl, because of the past consoles´ technical limitations. Or because the designers of all Metroid-games up to Super Metroid chose not to go into details. But you cannot start making up your own version of Samus, only because Nintendo hadn´t shown you firm information about her. And now, the creator of Metroid, Sakamoto, decided to show the world how Samus Aran was ... as a person. And damn, he did a fantastic job!

The complaints about the infamous/great show-down between her and Ridley in Other M stem from Samus´ reaction. When realizing who has appeared in front of her, she freezes, experiences a flashback to her past. Now, people complain about how Samus shouldnt react like that because she fought Ridley before. But that is only part of the equation. Samus fought Ridley in Metroid 1, but he survived. She then faced him again in Super Metroid, and he died ... for good, so Samus had firmly believed. Now, this is the monster that not only killed, but ate her parents. There can be no worse nightmare to any person. And in this one moment in Other M, the unfathomable monster reappears from the dead! A being, Samus thought to be dead for sure, for being dealt with. In this moment, she freezes and experiences a sting of fear. And now the important part: This never made her look weak or "weak because she´s a woman". It also didn´t change her appearance in previous games. All it did was portraying her as a more believable, more likeable person. She is not a some generic, random bald spacemarine that slays monsters. She is a human being with a real past, a tragic past, and realistic emotions. Other M managed to portray Samus Aran as who she is, and I like that Samus Aran.

Coming to an end (woah, that became a longer post than intended), I am almost 100% sure that Metroid: Other M is going to be one of those games where in five years or such A LOT of Gaffers will open topics with titles like "wth, why did nobody tell me how awesome Other M was?!" And all because of this vocal minority that keeps pressing on how crappy this game is. This great game.

How can you not say it's sexist? We're constantly reminded of Samus's femininity. It's even played for laughs in a few area. It's an absolute bombardment of maternity references. The female gamers I know don't find Dead or Alive or the Duke Nukem series sexist. A few of them even enjoy the Dead or Alive Xtreme series. Those games are so over the top and stylized that you can't take them seriously. However, they find Other M sexist since it takes its story and characterization so seriously. It presents Samus as an incompetent woman who is after the affection of her commanding officer over all reason. This is a sharp contrast to Samus as a very competent, professional bounty hunter.

Now, the issue isn't Samus beign commanded by a man. Samus had a male commanding officer ordering her in Metroid Prime 3 that game had no controversy. The issue is the increased focus on developing Samus. Instead of a three dimensional character, we have and traits that are turned on and off whenever it is convenient for the writer.

Now, I don't know how this theory about how Samus was sacred at Ridley's second ressurection came about. There is nothing to suggest that is the cause of her trauma. So let's have this handy FAQ:

How many times as Samus has fought Ridley not including the Prime trilogy, Metroid Prime Pinball, Mecha Ridley/Iron Ted in the Metroid remake?

Samus had fought Ridley three times. She successfully defeated him in the original Metroid, fought to a stalemate in Super Metroid's Ceres station (sorry Mama), and defeated him again on Planet Zebes.

During the initial Zebes encounter, did Samus breakdown or show any sign of emotional trauma at Ridley's sudden reappearance?

No

During the Ceres station encounter, did Samus breakdown or show any sign of emotional trauma at Ridley's sudden reappearance?

No.

Later, during the second Zebes encounter, did Samus breakdown or show any sign of emotional trauma?

No

During the Other M encounter with Ridley, was there anything to suggest the cause of Samus's trauma was Ridley's second ressurection?

The direction, camerawork, and editing of the Ridley encounter suggests the sole source of the trauma was her encounter with Ridley as a child. There are no cuts, references, or visual cues to her Metroid 1 encounter or Super Metroid encounters with Ridley. There is no dialogue (ex: How can you still be alive!) to suggest surprise at a second resurrection.

I think the logical conclusion is that the writer wanted to have Samus have an emotional breakdown for the sake of having an emotional breakdown. There was no regard to past games and their Ridley boss fights. I also think this is terrible writing.

 

[Foxtastical]

I will never could comprehend the attitude of people who denounce a game based on narrative formalities such as the cinematic sequences interleaving the portions that have actual actual impact on one's gameplay experience, such as the actual gameplay itself.

I seem to be an anomaly in the new gaming populace given that I recognize that the medium of games is not fit for storytelling and thus I value narrative and plot below the design of the end credits in terms of how much impact it has on my overall experience with a game.

So I only smirked at the absurdity of that pre-boss sequence in Other M and was delighted by the design of the encounter itself because the gameplay portion of the Ridley fight was well crafted. About the only reservation I had about Other M as the credits began to roll was how I found the linear design of it going against the essence of the series as well as how the frequent asides for narrative purposes hampered atmosphere and pacing in this iteration as opposed to the past iterations who did not rely on such unnecessary foibles.

The characterization and plot? Such trifles weigh nil on my experience, I play games for other reasons you see. If I want a good story I'll turn to a medium whose nature is fit for such a delivery, such as literature.

No, you're really not an anomaly. Plenty of people understand the uniqueness of the medium and value interactivity. However, creating any type of "standard" for looking at/criticizing/valuing video games is silly. Sometimes certain aspects of a certain video game might be important to you, but then other times the complete opposite aspects of a video game might appeal to you. Don't box yourself in with a set of standards that you have to follow. You'll find yourself becoming a hypocrite at one point.

I agree with you. We should value interactivity and push developers to stop aping other entertainment media for ideas on narrative and storytelling. However, like movies and even broadcast, a new medium tends to find inspiration and ideas from other media of its time. New ideas take time to form, and I feel we're constantly seeing new ideas in the medium.

 

[Sennorin]

There are two design decision that make Metroid Other M's story much worse than the typical videogame story. The first is the increased emphasis on story. Most videogames have story as an excuse for the gameplay and setting of the game.

First of all: Pardon? In what reality is it like that? Unless I am misunderstanding you, you are saying that story is just an afterthought in most games, creating room for gameplay and setting? I would love that gaming industry, but unfortunately, developers focus on story as their primary goal and gameplay takes the backseat. It´s why there are so many debates on Neogaf about cinematic games.

Going into your argument regarding Other M, though, I have to repeat what I wrote previously on this page: You make it sound as if Other M took cutscenes to the level of a MGS-game, which is clearly untrue. Other M is the first Metroid-game to *have* a typical story. That doesnt mean that its story is some kind of special behemoth that kept bloating up the game. There are certain lengthier cutscenes at key points in the story, but the game never holds you in one place for too long.

I also think you are overplaying the importance of the non-skipable cutscenes. That´s a fault of many games and it is a fault in Other M, too. There is no deeper meaning behind it, though. I wont argue against your opinion regarding the voice-acting, which, as I mentiond was fine to me.

I can't speak for everyone's experience but I'll talk about my problems with the game. This game suffers from a case of two many cooks and a lack of a unified vision for the game.It has 3D gameplay with a D-pad control. There is an awkward transition to first person mode and missile usage when a nunchuck would help. Exploration and puzzle solving is amateurish, especially compared to the Prime trilogy. It's linear with past areas begin locked off for no apparent reason. Sensemove is utterly broken to the point that only a handful of enemies can hit you. So many things that should have been fixed in development were not.

This is where I have to highly disagree. Of course, since you played the game, I respect your opinion, but let me elaborate on why I disagree: The whole "why did they make me play a 3D-game with the wiimote held sideways?" issue isn´t an issue at all. The alternative would be wiimote+nunchuck controls, with a camera switch-button. However, that wouldn´t have worked at all with the fast playstyle of Other M. Simply changing the angle of a single wiimote and pointing at the screen was the only option to make a proper connection between third- and first person-gameplay. And it wasnt awkward at all in my experience. Exploration was *different* to the Prime-games, since Other M focused on a more linear progression. But this actually kept me motivated to go for 100% completion, since every room had its own little puzzle to overcome. And some of the platforming scenes even impressed me in terms of how challenging they were, completely unlike the Prime-trilogy, where platforming is never part of the challenge. As for last, sense move feels overly powerful in the mid-game part, but once you´re entering the last third of the game, even sense move fails you if don´t watch out. Which made for an unexpected surprise, when you grew to look at this action as your never-forsaking rescue.

I think you´re really underselling Other M´s combat by only stating how bad sense move is. The shooting, the choice between long- and close range, different kind of enemies and boss-fights are really great, not just "not as bad as the rest", but actually great.

The much maligned authorization system is a key point. There is really no logical reason for Samus to not use her defensive powers to maximize her chances of survival. I came away with the feeling that Samus and Adam have some bizarre S&M fetish

A common complaint, but I would complain about previous Metroid-games even more: Samus lands on an unknown, alien planet, loses all her powers. Then, miraculously, she finds replacements for all the needed powers on said planet. Again: She finds exactly the man-made technology she needs on an unknown, alien planet.
If we have to choose between the silliness I described, or a clunky, but at least technically believable scenario, I´d always go for the latter. I actually have to add that the whole "Adam allows you activation of your powers" was a huge plus to me, since I always hated how Samus loses her stuff, then finds replacements out of nowhere. Other M made sense.

How can you not say it's sexist? We're constantly reminded of Samus's femininity.(...) It presents Samus as an incompetent woman who is after the affection of her commanding officer over all reason. This is a sharp contrast to Samus as a very competent, professional bounty hunter.

This is what I meant when I wrote how some fans created their own Samus in their mind. Never was Samus in Other M shown as incompetent, much less incompetent because of her gender. The only scenes where we´re reminded of her femininity is ... in terms of looks, when we see her in her Zero Suit. Gosh, Samus is hot and has quite a nice rack. Sexist! Misogynistic! No. I feel like Metroid-fans such as yourself saw the two "issue scenes" (Adam giving permission, Ridley scaring Samus) and then proceeded to turn each and every following scene into something that it really is not. Samus felt as competent as ever, even moreso when she makes it clear in the final scene against the Metroid Queen how she only obeyed Adam out of good will: She activates a Power Bomb not only without awaiting permission, but actually against Adam strictly having told her not to use those inside the bottle ship. Obeying Adam was never sexist, it was out of good will, to show that she cares about this person of her past and is capable of cooperating.

There are no cuts, references, or visual cues to her Metroid 1 encounter or Super Metroid encounters with Ridley. There is no dialogue (ex: How can you still be alive!) to suggest surprise at a second resurrection.

I think the logical conclusion is that the writer wanted to have Samus have an emotional breakdown for the sake of having an emotional breakdown. There was no regard to past games and their Ridley boss fights. I also think this is terrible writing.

Wait, hold on a minute! You´re taking the lack of dialogue in Metroid 1 and Super Metroid as proof for Samus not having an emotional meltdown? I wouldn´t agree with that kind of interpretation. In my opinion, Metroid 1 and Super Metroid stem from a time in video gaming where a story wasn´t given that much attention and detail. How would they have presented emotional turmoil in Super Metroid? By some crappy sinking-on-her-knees animation and a rather funny than dramatic pixelated "Nooooooooo!"-line at the top of the screen?
Samus´ meltdown makes a lot of sense, as long as you aren´t recklessly trying to find flaws in it.

 

[etiolate]

Well, at least you attacked more relevant parts of the game. Kudos.

Is it weird that I agree with your post but still really like the game?

It just means you have no standards. You tell me if that's wrong or not.

 

[BY2K]

Other M had one great character.

Anthony motherfucking Higgs.

That is all.

 

[140.85]

Shouldn't round 6 be a tie?

 

[Christine]

And some of the platforming scenes even impressed me in terms of how challenging they were, completely unlike the Prime-trilogy, where platforming is never part of the challenge.

I'd like to play the copy of Other M you got. The only time I came even close to being challenged by the platforming was when the controls interfered--specifically the angled jumps up the ramp with the platforms you freeze in place. The camera angle and D-pad 3D controls did not mesh well there. Everything else was trivially easy.

 

[IceDoesntHelp]

Am I the only one who doesn't hate Metroid: Other M?
Seriously? I thought it was a decent and fun game (though I understand why you guys hate it, the voice acting, story, and making Samus seem like a little whiny bitch.)
But wasn't there any fun in it, at all?

 

[Sennorin]

I'd like to play the copy of Other M you got. The only time I came even close to being challenged by the platforming was when the controls interfered--specifically the angled jumps up the ramp with the platforms you freeze in place. The camera angle and D-pad 3D controls did not mesh well there. Everything else was trivially easy.

The one platforming scene that I can remember best and that surprised me in how challenging it was, was in that big room with 2 or 3 water segments. You had to reach the upper right side of the room, but to get there you had to activate moving objects and then had to make an unexpectedly difficult jump, timed so tightly as to making the first jump so that you could still pass the moving object that would be coming from above, while at the same time managing to reach the right wall in front of you. Then, wall jumping between the rightside wall and the moving object to your left, till you´d reach the top. It might not have been a challenge for someone who got 242 stars in both Galaxy-games, but it was a scene that I found as brillant as many of the green stars in Galaxy 2.

 

[Neki]

Other M had one great character.

Anthony motherfucking Higgs.

That is all.

REMEMBER ME?

No sir, I do not.

 

[Christine]

The one platforming scene that I can remember best and that surprised me in how challenging it was, was in that big room with 2 or 3 water segments. You had to reach the upper right side of the room, but to get there you had to activate moving objects and then had to make an unexpectedly difficult jump, timed so tightly as to making the first jump so that you could still pass the moving object that would be coming from above, while at the same time managing to reach the right wall in front of you. Then, wall jumping between the rightside wall and the moving object to your left, till you´d reach the top. It might not have been a challenge for someone who got 242 stars in both Galaxy-games, but it was a scene that I found as brillant as many of the green stars in Galaxy 2.

Are you talking about the room in sector 1 with the raising and lowering water with the platforms on top of the water? I played the game quite recently for the first time and I don't recall ever having to wall jump against a moving object.

 

[Ghost_Protocol]

We got some serious apologizing for Other M up in here.

 

[Sennorin]

Are you talking about the room in sector 1 with the raising and lowering water with the platforms on top of the water? I played the game quite recently for the first time and I don't recall ever having to wall jump against a moving object.

I have no idea. Since I finished the game 100%, I didnt replay it again. But Im pretty sure about it.

Fake-Edit: Ugh, was searching the scene in a youtube-walkthrough. Makes me want to play the game again. Still looks as fun to play as I remember it. I can only hope that despite its disappointing sales, we´ll get a sequel some time down the road. Even if you didn´t like the presentation of the game and the linearity, that´s easily fixed. Now Im sad again about the hate of the vocal minority of gaf against this great game.

To anyone not sure about buying this game: Go get it, don´t listen to hardcore-feminists talking every part of the game into something bad.

Edit: Yes, I think thats the one. And I dont think Im easily impressed. It looks easy because of the speedrun-video, but it certainly isnt when you do it yourself for the first time.

 

[Christine]

I have no idea. Since I finished the game 100%, I didnt replay it again. But Im pretty sure about it.

This?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ78TPEVDQg#t=14m20s

I think you're far too easily impressed.

EDIT:

Edit: Yes, I think thats the one. And I dont think Im easily impressed. It looks easy because of the speedrun-video, but it certainly isnt when you do it yourself for the first time.

I'm not particularly skilled, and I thought it was trivially easy. Made it the first time without even really noticing it was there.

 

[KevinCow]

Now Im sad again about the hate of the vocal minority of gaf against this great game.

Vocal minority my ass. It's the worst reviewed Metroid ever. Negative word of mouth doesn't spread that fast with a vocal minority. Less than a year after the game came out, you can find the game new for $20. That never happens with Nintendo games. Corruption was still $50 until the Trilogy came out. Twilight Princess was still $50 until they introduced the Nintendo Selects line like two months ago. A vocal minority doesn't absolutely kill any and all interest in a major game in a beloved franchise like that.

To anyone not sure about buying this game: Go get it, don´t listen to hardcore-feminists talking every part of the game into something bad.

The only hardcore feminists I know of on GAF are Dragona and Devolution, and I don't see either of them posting here.

It doesn't take a feminist to be offended by Samus's characterization in the game. And you know what? Even if they hadn't completely obliterated her character, it still would've been a bad game. That's just how awful it is. Take away one game-ruining pile of shit and it doesn't matter, because you still have plenty others.

 

[Christine]

That never happens with Nintendo games.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast...

oh wait

 

[Sennorin]

Vocal minority my ass.

I´ve seen yours and that Mael-guy´s agenda against Metroid: Other M. I will not respond to your hateful speeches against this great game. I explained in detail why this game deserves to be played and if more reasonable people want to talk about pros and cons, I´m willing to do so. You are not one of those people.

 

[Christine]

"this great game" is practically a mantra for you, innit?

 

[Ghost_Protocol]

Even if you totally disregard the story, the script, the boring world, the absence of memorable music, and the characterization of Samus, I don't know how anyone could believe that movement in a 3 dimensional platformer was best suited to a tiny d-pad, or that rotating the controller to engage a first-person mode that restricts movement, were good ideas in any way, shape, or form.

 

[DocTarHeel]

there needs to be a remake of super metroid! what the fuck nintendo.

Why?

You don't mess with perfection.

 

[sonicmj1]

I will never could comprehend the attitude of people who denounce a game based on narrative formalities such as the cinematic sequences interleaving the portions that have actual actual impact on one's gameplay experience, such as the actual gameplay itself.

I seem to be an anomaly in the new gaming populace given that I recognize that the medium of games is not fit for storytelling and thus I value narrative and plot below the design of the end credits in terms of how much impact it has on my overall experience with a game.

So I only smirked at the absurdity of that pre-boss sequence in Other M and was delighted by the design of the encounter itself because the gameplay portion of the Ridley fight was well crafted. About the only reservation I had about Other M as the credits began to roll was how I found the linear design of it going against the essence of the series as well as how the frequent asides for narrative purposes hampered atmosphere and pacing in this iteration as opposed to the past iterations who did not rely on such unnecessary foibles.

The characterization and plot? Such trifles weigh nil on my experience, I play games for other reasons you see. If I want a good story I'll turn to a medium whose nature is fit for such a delivery, such as literature.

I haven't played Other M, but I'm not willing to put games into a particular box and say that they must be this, or they can't be that. Games are varied. They can work in different ways. That's what makes them interesting.

Whether you think it works or not, some games aim to tell stories. Sometimes they're interesting, and sometimes they're not. How often depends on who you ask. Yet whether they're good or not, the stories are there, and they ought to be critiqued, because the game creators felt they were important. If they were not important, they wouldn't be in the game.

Especially if you find gameplay more relevant than other things, the unskippable cutscenes of Other M would have to be considered when evaluating the experience, since they're a mandatory part of any playthrough.

Wait, hold on a minute! You´re taking the lack of dialogue in Metroid 1 and Super Metroid as proof for Samus not having an emotional meltdown? I wouldn´t agree with that kind of interpretation. In my opinion, Metroid 1 and Super Metroid stem from a time in video gaming where a story wasn´t given that much attention and detail. How would they have presented emotional turmoil in Super Metroid? By some crappy sinking-on-her-knees animation and a rather funny than dramatic pixelated "Nooooooooo!"-line at the top of the screen?
Samus´ meltdown makes a lot of sense, as long as you aren´t recklessly trying to find flaws in it.

The point there wasn't that Samus didn't have a meltdown in Metroid 1 and 2 (though if she did, there's no evidence of it). The point is that there is no reference drawn to those earlier battles during her meltdown in Other M. Speculation that her trauma is the result of her believing Ridley to be permanently dead has no basis in the game, since the flashbacks at that point are, apparently, only to the initial incident where she lost her parents.

I think it doesn't make sense to say that Samus's character was not established in earlier games. Even if your character says nothing and has no face, their actions still communicate a persona. In fact, that sort of in-game character building is what makes game stories as interesting as they are, if you ask me.

If you want to ignore everything Samus has done on her own, independently, during the first three Metroid games, that's fine, but it's going to confuse people. Considering that the developers were able to convey emotional elements of Samus's character in Super Metroid and Metroid II concerning "the baby", it's odd to assume that any absence of emotional content in a given encounter was accidental or a result of limitations, as opposed to being intentional.

 

[Correctomundo]

I thought that Shinji Mikami beautifully weaved the backstory into gameplay. The players learns all of Leon and Krauser's backstory (partners,fake death in helicopter crash, etc.) in the knife fight. It doesn't feel out of place since some of the information is new to Leon. However, the player has to balance reacting to Krauser's attacks while listening to exposition and new revelations which may distract the player. A very succinct yet tense sequence.

Bookmark this, folks. It may be one of the only times you see a QTE apologism on GAF.

 

[Barrow Roll]

Well, at least you attacked more relevant parts of the game. Kudos.

Is it weird that I agree with your post but still really like the game?

It's no weirder than Star Wars fans that still like the prequels even though they acknowledge everyone that's horribly wrong about them. In fact, there's a bit of a parallel between Sakamoto and Lucas here. Metroid and Star Wars are their respective babies, "the baby" if you will. But that doesn't mean that they can do no wrong. Just because it's their story to tell doesn't mean that the newest entries in each franchise aren't shit and don't contradict what came before it.

But yeah, there's some fucking crazy apologizing for Other M in here. Johann, TwinIonEngines and KevinCow have hit the nail on the head at every turn.

 

[RagnarokX]

The point there wasn't that Samus didn't have a meltdown in Metroid 1 and 2 (though if she did, there's no evidence of it). The point is that there is no reference drawn to those earlier battles during her meltdown in Other M. Speculation that her trauma is the result of her believing Ridley to be permanently dead has no basis in the game, since the flashbacks at that point are, apparently, only to the initial incident where she lost her parents.

I think it doesn't make sense to say that Samus's character was not established in earlier games. Even if your character says nothing and has no face, their actions still communicate a persona. In fact, that sort of in-game character building is what makes game stories as interesting as they are, if you ask me.

If you want to ignore everything Samus has done on her own, independently, during the first three Metroid games, that's fine, but it's going to confuse people. Considering that the developers were able to convey emotional elements of Samus's character in Super Metroid and Metroid II concerning "the baby", it's odd to assume that any absence of emotional content in a given encounter was accidental or a result of limitations, as opposed to being intentional.

Wha... Samus specifically states in Other M that she thinks Ridley is dead for good. She calls him her long-standing nemesis. She flashes back to her parents' deaths because that's the incident that caused the trauma. It's not the initial incident, it's the only incident. Ridley doesn't scare adult Samus, but his surprise appearance triggered something she couldn't control.

Samus' emotions regarding the baby weren't well conveyed 2 and 3. It obviously thought she was its mother, but she handed it over to researchers. When it sacrifices itself there is no indication of what Samus thought of it until Other M and Fusion.

 

[Salih]

i want a sequel - i never played Metroid games for their stories, dialogs or characters. who ever did? now with M:OM suddenly people trying to put those aspects on the foreground; this is one of the first times Nintendo went out with a more cinematic feeling for a game (besides of Twilight Princess) - and i think they did an ok job. M:OM feels like a fresh version of the old 2D Metroids; sure even in the gameplay department there are refinements possible but the overall style and fast-paced action was well made. i don't care for which plattform M:OM2 will come out: Wii, WiiU or 3DS. i will be there.

 

[AcceptableGhost]

I will never could comprehend the attitude of people who denounce a game based on narrative formalities such as the cinematic sequences interleaving the portions that have actual actual impact on one's gameplay experience, such as the actual gameplay itself.

I seem to be an anomaly in the new gaming populace given that I recognize that the medium of games is not fit for storytelling and thus I value narrative and plot below the design of the end credits in terms of how much impact it has on my overall experience with a game.

So I only smirked at the absurdity of that pre-boss sequence in Other M and was delighted by the design of the encounter itself because the gameplay portion of the Ridley fight was well crafted. About the only reservation I had about Other M as the credits began to roll was how I found the linear design of it going against the essence of the series as well as how the frequent asides for narrative purposes hampered atmosphere and pacing in this iteration as opposed to the past iterations who did not rely on such unnecessary foibles.

The characterization and plot? Such trifles weigh nil on my experience, I play games for other reasons you see. If I want a good story I'll turn to a medium whose nature is fit for such a delivery, such as literature.

Sorry dude, Metroid Other M is an extremely shallow action game and an extremely shallow metroid experience. Play NGB, an action game with real gameplay.

 

[DDayton]

I liked the gameplay.

 

[Sennorin]

Sorry dude, Metroid Other M is an extremely shallow action game and an extremely shallow metroid experience. Play NGB, an action game with real gameplay.

For *real gamers*, I assume?

 

[Masked Man]

The only scenes where we´re reminded of her femininity is ... in terms of looks, when we see her in her Zero Suit. Gosh, Samus is hot and has quite a nice rack. Sexist! Misogynistic! No. I feel like Metroid-fans such as yourself saw the two "issue scenes" (Adam giving permission, Ridley scaring Samus) and then proceeded to turn each and every following scene into something that it really is not. Samus felt as competent as ever, even moreso when she makes it clear in the final scene against the Metroid Queen how she only obeyed Adam out of good will: She activates a Power Bomb not only without awaiting permission, but actually against Adam strictly having told her not to use those inside the bottle ship. Obeying Adam was never sexist, it was out of good will, to show that she cares about this person of her past and is capable of cooperating.

I think it's amusing and somewhat sad that you would go so far out of your way to outright deny what is clearly a sexist portrayal of a character--particularly when the evidence is so overwhelming, as clearly delineated in this article. Regardless of the article's conclusion, the evidence it presents about sexism in the game is staggering, and it's hard to deny that Samus' femininity is not only intrinsically linked to her in-game characterization, but is also problematic in the context of the game's troubling gender politics.

 

[ScionOfTheRisingSun]

I haven't played Other M, but I'm not willing to put games into a particular box and say that they must be this, or they can't be that. Games are varied. They can work in different ways. That's what makes them interesting.

Whether you think it works or not, some games aim to tell stories. Sometimes they're interesting, and sometimes they're not. How often depends on who you ask. Yet whether they're good or not, the stories are there, and they ought to be critiqued, because the game creators felt they were important. If they were not important, they wouldn't be in the game.

Especially if you find gameplay more relevant than other things, the unskippable cutscenes of Other M would have to be considered when evaluating the experience, since they're a mandatory part of any playthrough.

You got it backwards, I don't judge games from a forced narrow perspective, my disregard for narrative and emphasis on gameplay mechanics is how I naturally always experienced games, I've merely come to realize that fact and attempted to dissect it recently because I've noticed people putting a lot more stock in narrative this generation which never seizes to perplexed me.

To each their own, but the first thing that passes out of my memory after finishing a game is the plot, hell, often I cannot even recall most of it as I near the end.

No, you're really not an anomaly. Plenty of people understand the uniqueness of the medium and value interactivity. However, creating any type of "standard" for looking at/criticizing/valuing video games is silly. Sometimes certain aspects of a certain video game might be important to you, but then other times the complete opposite aspects of a video game might appeal to you. Don't box yourself in with a set of standards that you have to follow. You'll find yourself becoming a hypocrite at one point.

Again, there are no forced standards in place here, a wanton disregard for narrative, plot, characterization and the content and substance of cut scenes is just a natural part of my sentiments.

Sorry dude, Metroid Other M is an extremely shallow action game and an extremely shallow metroid experience. Play NGB, an action game with real gameplay.

What is NGB?

 

[Sennorin]

I think it's amusing and somewhat sad that you would go so far out of your way to outright deny what is clearly a sexist portrayal of a character--particularly when the evidence is so overwhelming, as clearly delineated in this article. Regardless of the article's conclusion, the evidence it presents about sexism in the game is staggering, and it's hard to deny that Samus' femininity is not only intrinsically linked to her in-game characterization, but is also problematic in the context of the game's troubling gender politics.

I have read that article months ago and it remains to be the product of a deluded hardcore-feminist who interpreted the game in the most convoluted, made up way possible. Articles like that would maybe make an impression on me, if it wasnt for the fact that I finished the game myself. I *know* that nothing about Other M is sexist. Samus kicks ass in Other M as much as always. The only difference is that a character is present that she personally cares about and that changes things a bit. But never to the point at which the game ridicules Samus because of her gender. I´m sorry, but find people that call Other M sexist/misogynistic extremely shallow and self-deluded and I wonder if the people calling this game sexist are the same people that called Ueda sexist when he said that a girl wouldnt have the strength to climb.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

What is NGB?

Ninja Gaiden Black

 

[electroshockwave]

Holy fuck Sennorin. I think people should study your case of denial. Repeating your "vocal minority" mantra doesn't make it true.

 

[fabricated backlash]

I´ve seen yours and that Mael-guy´s agenda against Metroid: Other M. I will not respond to your hateful speeches against this great game. I explained in detail why this game deserves to be played and if more reasonable people want to talk about pros and cons, I´m willing to do so. You are not one of those people.

And a lot of people go to even greater lengths to explain why they don't feel this way. I myself don't like Other M. And your points aren't convincing me at all. You constructing other peoples intentions about their supposed agendas isn't really helping discussion either.

Also stop using the vocal minority excuse for Other M. The vast majority of reviewers and customers have shown their oppinion about Other M. Either by review scores, rants or by voting with their wallet.


Also Round 6 should be a tie.

I have read that article months ago and it remains to be the product of a deluded hardcore-feminist who interpreted the game in the most convoluted, made up way possible. Articles like that would maybe make an impression on me, if it wasnt for the fact that I finished the game myself. I *know* that nothing about Other M is sexist. Samus kicks ass in Other M as much as always. The only difference is that a character is present that she personally cares about and that changes things a bit. But never to the point at which the game ridicules Samus because of her gender. I´m sorry, but find people that call Other M sexist/misogynistic extremely shallow and self-deluded and I wonder if the people calling this game sexist are the same people that called Ueda sexist when he said that a girl wouldnt have the strength to climb.

The baby the baby the baby... yeah... Samus is never ridiculed about her gender at all.
Hell even at the end, the game forces in another maternity joke when the GF General comes in, and Samus just as the good Women that she is, wouldn't even protest or ignore, but simply sigh and look down stricken by guilt. Samus kicking ass doesn't negate the fact that the whole game basically makes her out like the one exception, the women that is able to overcome her gender specific weaknesses and prove her worth to the men that surround her. It's very akin to the "noble negro" notion prevalent in imperialistic european discourses in 1900, that singles out certain african leaders that seemed to be able to comprehend and integrate the european concept of culture and leave their barbaric wildness behind them.

And yes, telling bullshit like "a girl wouldn't have the strength to climb" is pretty much sexist. Or at the very least extremely stupid.

 

[Tricky I Shadow]

What in the holly hell happened in here? 0_o

 

[ScionOfTheRisingSun]

Ninja Gaiden Black

Ah, I played that a while back already. Of course it is an action game where combat has more substance, it is a combo action genre game after all. But I found it to have a terrible camera system and as far combo action games I lean more on the side of Devil May Cry, Bayonetta and God of War side of things.

Metroid cannot compare with games in this genre though because it is trying to do completely other things with its combat. It is simple and adequate whereas combo action games have such complex systems requiring so much muscle memory and move memorization that you cannot hope to get a firm grasp on initial playthrough so it would not do well to compare Other M to Ninja Gaiden Black.

If you want to analyze the combat in the Metroid Series I'd say it has traditionally not played a very crucial role in the series up until Prime. Super Metroid for an example has much more clunky and shallow combat mechanics than Other M. Just try and compare the nimble and dynamic platforming mechanics in another Nintendo game from that period, such as Super Mario World, to the comparatively clunky and heavy feel of movement and jumping in Super Metroid. The way you move and fight in Super Metroid feels much more sluggish and constricted than in Other M due to key design differences.

Other M offered more snappy control of your character but didn't do nearly as much with platforming as Super Metroid or even Metroid Prime but what it did do was better realized than the platforming in Ninja Gaiden Black whose platforming sections were frustrating due to uncooperative camera.

As for combat I'd say Other M's was a step down from the exquisite Prime but a step up from the sluggish one in Super Metroid. Boss design in Other was clearly better realized in Other M though, most bosses in Super Metroid could be defeated by just standing still and maintaining a barrage, but Other M's battles played out a lot more like a action game that kept you on your toes.

 

[Brandon F]

This actually means 'Samus approves' right? (Haven't played Other M)

 

[KevinCow]

This actually means 'Samus approves' right? (Haven't played Other M)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpplIHaZuac

 

[Brandon F]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpplIHaZuac

Oh god. You know, maybe I DON'T need to play Other M.

 

[Sennorin]

Also stop using the vocal minority excuse for Other M. The vast majority of reviewers and customers have shown their oppinion about Other M. Either by review scores, rants or by voting with their wallet.

I am pretty sure that I am right about calling you a "vocal minority". There are very few people on Gaf that played Other M and *hate* it like you. And then there´s this much bigger group of people that didnt buy Other M because of your agenda. These people only repeat what you guys said and believe it to be correct. These are the guys that will play Other M in around five years and start topics "wth, why did nobody tell me how great this game was?!".

Also, I just looked up Other M´s metacritic score, which is 79. That is a good score and many big, popular websites like Wired, IGN, Gamespot, Gametrailers and Joystick gave the game 85-90 scores. Are these websites sexist? Dumb?

The baby the baby the baby... yeah... Samus is never ridiculed about her gender at all.

Other M´s story begins with the Baby Metroid´s death at the end of Super Metroid. Why wouldnt there be a bit of a mother-baby theme in the game? But never does the game turn it into an affair of sexism. Are you telling us that because the main character of the game is a girl and the game features a mother-baby theme, it is sexist? I hope you do not.

And if you don´t take back that ridiculous comparison to the horrible past of african americans, I think I won´t continue replying to you. That is absurd and you know it.

And yes, telling bullshit like "a girl wouldn't have the strength to climb" is pretty much sexist. Or at the very least extremely stupid.

*Or* it´d be realistic. But that is only my interpretation.

 

[Green Mamba]

Of all the things in the world to defend on the internet, there's like a billion of them more worthwhile than the story of Other M.