The black sheep of the Metroid series shines!
Metroid: Other M has become a dividing point among fans of the Metroid series. I must admit, I too was on the fence when it came to Other M. The game definitely takes the series in a bold, new direction by placing more emphasis on both story (primarily the back-story of the infamous bounty hunter, Samus) and intense, fast-paced action (a specialty of Team Ninja). Even more so, the game took another risk in the form of the control scheme, being only one Wii Remote used in the same fashion as an NES controller. As a result, there are definitely plenty of reasons as to why a fan-base would become divided. But, I believe that an in-depth look at Other M is necessary before people make a final judgment in regards to the game.
-Controls
First and foremost, Metroid: Other M has two important game-play perspectives. One is a third-person, 2-D/3-D mode, which will act as your primary method of game-play as you traverse the depths of the Bottle Ship. This mode is played with a Wii Remote held sideways (The control pad falling under your left thumb, the 1 and 2 buttons under your right thumb). The control pad will act as your primary method of movement control, as well as acting as a time-specific dodge button as you engage in combat.
The 1 button will fire Samus' Arm Cannon while in normal mode, while it will drop bombs in the Morph Ball mode. Holding down the 1 button will charge the Cannon, which can be used for a host of attacks. These attacks range from the standard Charge Beam, to executing Finishing Moves on select enemies. You can also fully charge your Arm Cannon and then enter Morph Ball mode in order to release five bombs at once, a neat little trick carried over from Super Metroid.
*On a side note, I found myself repeatedly relying on the charge system, as the rapid fire capabilities of the Arm Cannon are not nearly as fast as those found in the Prime series.
The 2 button will act as your jump control. Keeping the button held down after pressing it will cause Samus to jump higher than normal. It is also used in Morph Ball mode in order to Spring Jump (Hop). Lastly, the A button is used to transform to Morph Ball mode.
The second game-play perspective is the first-person mode. Now, this mode is one which tends to get the most flack from reviewers. To enter this mode, point the Wii Remote towards the screen. In this mode, Samus has access to her Missiles, Super Missiles and Grapple Beam. She can also scan things (ala Metroid Prime), but on a very limited basis. It is primarily used to point out hidden objects or for storyline purposes. On the down side, Samus loses her ability to move.
The controls aren't too complicated in this mode. Once in the mode, the screen is locked in the position Samus was facing before you entered the mode. Thus, set-up is key. The A button will become your primary firing button, but you can still use 2 (which can be helpful if you are holding a charge in the third-person perspective and you switch to the first-person perspective, thus allowing you to keep your charge and aim it). The B button will probably be the most important button in this mode, as holding it down allows you to freely rotate the camera. Thus, the experience becomes a bit more like Metroid Prime, but you are still limited to the same standing position you were in.
Holding B will cause the cursor to seek out targets which you can lock-on to. If it is scan-able, highlighting the item and continuing to hold B will give you a small description of the item. Enemies, on the other hand will enter a combat lock. Now, when an enemy (or objects which are obstacles) are in these sights, your combat method becomes Missiles. By holding B and then pressing A, a missile will be fired. Luckily, you can be a bit careless with missiles in Other M because of the Concentration feature (more on that in a bit). Now, you will still find yourself needing to dodge in first-person mode. But, if you point the Wii Remote away from the screen before you are hit by an attack (similar to dodging with the control pad in third-person), you will dodge just the same.
*For me, this is a seamless experience which I have no trouble with. But, I want to point out that some people just have trouble with switching controller positions, especially during boss battles, where you will rely on this mode especially. If you want a good comparison of game-play, think Resident Evil 4/5. If you are good at those two games, then Other M's first-person mode should be easier for you to manage.
Concentration is where you hold the Wii Remote pointed up towards the ceiling and holding down A. By doing this, Samus will stand still for a while and her missiles will completely re-charge. If your health is low enough (flashing red), then you can max out ONE energy tank (until you find certain pick-ups which increases the amount of HP recovered). This will be very important as even basic enemies can severely damage Samus in Other M and enemies DO NOT DROP ITEMS.
-Gameplay
Other M has a major focus on run-and-gun action, a nod to both the original three Metroid titles. As such, you will not spend too much time in one area, especially when compared to the Prime series (probably due to the lack of scanning). You will run into many classic enemies along the way, many of which love to group together, thus making it hard to single-out one particular target. For the most part, the auto-aiming system in Other M works great. I've personally noticed that the further away you are from an enemy, the less likely you are to hit them. However, missiles can easily deal with enemies at a distance.
The close-combat options are rather interesting and it definitely allows Samus to more easily deal with those sticky, clustered situations. Not to mention, they look just plain cool.
The puzzles in Other M aren't as complicated as they have been in previous games, but they are still fun and enjoyable. Rather, most of the challenge can come from not knowing how to progress. In those situations, one wishes they could scan the area in order to gain some sort of clue. But, once you figure out Other M's puzzle mechanics, it should be easy enough to adapt your playing style. Item gathering is surprisingly entertaining in Other M. Team Ninja did an excellent job with the placement of the items and the puzzles to obtain them. I have been surprised on numerous occasions how simple it can be to get certain items, but I still missed them.
Bosses are exhilarating, but quick. Once you determine how to damage them, it's a rinse-and-repeat process. But, the thrill of executing a wide array of epic maneuvers can sometimes cause you to forget such details. If one is looking for more of a challege, Hard Mode will be just what you are looking for.
I only have TWO complaints with the Other M gameplay.
1. Items/Power-ups - While Concentration and the ample supply of Save Stations (which, by the way, has an amazing Save animation) keep your shields up and your missiles loaded, it feels more like an arcade gimmick. Your Power-ups are only limited to four types. Any equipment you will "gain", Samus already has and will be authorized to use as you progress. It can seem as a bit of a cop-out in certain situations, but you get the same feeling for the most part. I just enjoyed being able to explore more freely and discover items, which leads to complaint number two...
2. Linear - Like Fusion, Other M is a very linear game. Now, for the type of game-play present in Other M, it is fitting. But, Metroid games are known for the freedom to explore vast worlds. Coupled with the lack of items to find, it makes the Bottle Ship seem a little small.
-Storyline
Here is where some MAJOR controversy begins. Other M focuses on Samus' past, territory which had only been explored in non-video game material such as the Metroid manga. Some reviewers, such as G4's Abbie Heppe absolutely bashed Other M's portrayal of Samus. Now, she does have a few points which do make sense. But, I personally believe she failed to realize a few things about Samus.
But, we'll focus on that in a second. The story itself is executed with well scripted cut-scenes filled with some rather average voice-work (Samus' voice does lack a bit of strength, so she does seem much more meek that one would expect. Her voice DOES get better as you get further, which is a weird thing to experience. Characters such as Anthony and Adam have rather good VA). They are integrated well into the pace of the game-play, but you cannot skip them which can make subsequent playthroughs a tad annoying. I found them interesting to watch and I'm sure Metroid fanatics are going to love them.
Now, we are going to focus on the points of confusion which have erupted because of Samus' personality and try to clarify a few details which people may not realize.
First off, having ALL of Samus' weapons on lock-down until authorization is a bit extreme for the storyline. The writers could have done a better job of explaining why she couldn't use her weapons (the only one which truly makes sense is the Power Bomb, which is explained as being too dangerous if you are trying to find survivors). However, there was really no way for the developers to win when it comes to Samus' equipment. Many fans and reviewers alike were growing tired of Samus somehow losing her equipment, only to have to go and find it once again. I'm glad that Team Ninja decided to try something different, but I believe that their reasoning for limiting the Morph Ball Bombs and Missiles at the beginning were a little weak.
Now, I believe Ms. Heppe failed to realize a few things about Samus. Yes, I do agree that they did portray her less like a veteran bounty hunter at times, but one would expect her to have certain issues which she would still be dealing with.
Typically, Samus is considered a Bryonic Hero, which carries traits such as: disrespect of rank and privilege (Check), a troubled past (Check), sophisticated/educated (Check), able to adapt to multiple situations (Check), and are self-critical and introspective (Check), among other things. I believe that Team Ninja/Nintendo did a rather good job at getting this character type down. I do believe that they might have made her seem a little too meek at times, but as the game progresses, she begins to act stronger. We do have to remember, the ending events of Super Metroid were rather tragic for Samus. Naturally, she was still coming to accept what had happened.
*SPOILER PARAGRAPH BELOW. SKIP IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS!*
As for the heavily debated Ridley cutscene, I figured I would voice my opinion on the subject. First off, Samus' first experience with Ridley was a highly traumatic one, having been the witness of him slaughtering her parents to shreds at the wee age of three. So naturally, I'm sure she will forever carry a deep-seeded fear of Ridley, which is what they were trying to portray in the cutscene. Now, given her experience with Ridley in a span of multiple games, her reaction was a tad over-done, but I could understand her fear of seeing him returning.
Yes, he has come back multiple times. But, his defeat in Super Metroid WAS the real Ridley's end. The Ridley you see in Other M is but a savage clone of Ridley, probably being manipulated by MB. So, her reaction does have some relevance. However, without any mentioning of the Prime series, I seems as if Other M's timeline practically excludes the events of the Prime series, which would easily erase most of her experiences with Ridley (which admittedly, the Prime series brought him back a bit too much if you ask me).
My real question is where the sexist arguments came from? Samus obeying Adam is sexist? No. More like she holds respect towards him and is accepting his conditions because she wants to be involved with what is going on. I mean,would you show your ass to someone you respected highly? She and Adam have a LONG history, which is clearly evident. So, I don't get why people are seeing that as sexist. And with Anthony saving Samus during the Ridley scene being a "woman can't save herself, so a man has to do it" is also bull. Now, I don't have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, so I cannot describe what it is like to experience the flashbacks/episodes that are associated with the disorder. But, I know people who are, and it is crippling. Now, I image that Samus has PTSD on some level with regards to Ridley. But, Anthony saving Samus wasn't because she was weak. Anthony cares for Samus, and when a friend is in danger, you don't just stand there. No, you try to save your friend. Anthony could have been scared, but he knew that saving Samus was a bigger priority than to shake in his boots. Obviously, Samus was able to overcome her fear once she realized that she wasn't the only one in danger.
Think what you will, but these are my opinions about what happened with the controversial scenes of Other M.
*END OF SPOILER PARAGRAPH*
But, these flaws won't break the game and what new content add to her personality and story only make up a small fraction of the Metroid Universe as a whole.
-Conclusion
In conclusion, Ms. Heppe's review is the whole reason for me writing a review. For those who read it, I hope this review can better allow you to understand/appreciate Metroid: Other M. I was disappointed in Ms. Heppe's review, as it sounded more like someone who had already set their mind to hating the game and then proceeded to write a review about how much they hated it.
Below will be some points that will summarize what my review was about. Thanks for reading and I hope my review was helpful!
-Controls are simple, but effective. If you take the time to get used to them, they will work exactly as they should.
-Auto-aim does work, but standing too far away will throw off the aim. So, get up-close and personal! It adds some new depth to the combat system.
-It's linear, yes. But, that doesn't mean you won't get immersed in the game-play and the story.
-Whatever your portrayal of Samus Aran may be, it's your opinion. I am a strong believer in the belief that she is a Bryonic hero through and through. Other M DOES stick to this mold. It is unfortunate that her voice and her non-past driven monologues make her out to be a bit like an amateur. However, she grows stronger as the game progresses. Just be sure you know what time period she is talking about, as she tends to jump between past and present rather often. Regardless, I feel that many (Ms. Heppe included) wanted Samus to be more of a female Master Chief, a cold, non-emotional character. But, she has been through quite a bit, so it IS understandable that she would be a troubled character.