While Other M has a few shining moments, the control, camera, and game balancing issues undermine the experience.
Other M is the most story driven game in the series. Samus receives a distress call from a Galactic Federation space station, called the Bottle Ship. Once inside, she meets up with a number of her former comrades in arms and her old commander, Adam. She agrees to help Adam and his team investigate the Bottle Ship, under the circumstance that she follows Adam's orders to the letter.
We are also treated to a number of cut scenes depicting Samus's past. For the first time, we get to hear her speak and get a better understanding of her background. Unfortunately, her lines are badly written and the actor sounds bored in her delivery. The result is a hero that sounds as if it is a chore to say anything about her life. At times, you might even wish Samus didn't say anything at all.
Poor voice acting aside, Other M has excellent sound effects and an impressive soundtrack. Most of the music tracks are revised versions of classic Metroid tunes(which is by no means bad), with a few originals on the side. It doesn't get too far away from what we are used to in a Metroid title.
Team Ninja is well known for its Ninja Gaiden franchise, so one would expect to see some intense combat in Other M. You're no longer limited to just shooting. Samus has melee attacks to counter enemies that happen to get too close. A quick-dodge feature is in place to help avoid attacks with a flick of the d-pad; which can either be helpful or annoying depending on the situation. There is also the option to jump on your opponents for a point-blank shot or a fatal strike.
For the most part, you'll be shooting. Unlike previous Metroid titles, you have auto-aim active all the time in 3rd person. Just bust into a room and keep hitting the 1 button until everything is dead. This causes the game to be too easy most of the time. On other occasions, you will miss a shot because auto-aim lost its lock-on.
If you point the Wii remote at the screen, you switch to first person mode. It didn't long for me to be comfortable with swapping between first and third person views. The problem is, you can't move in first person mode, and you can only turn while holding B. Your aim becomes more precise, but you become completely immobile. Couldn't they have just included the nunchuck and solved that problem?
World maps are set up similar to Metroid Fusion. Other M is a bit more linear, but still retains the Metroid setup. Fans of the 2D and 3D games will be able to catch on quickly. Unlike in the Prime series, you don't have to fire at a door and sometimes wait several seconds for the room to load; just walk up to the door and the next area is ready.
In many Metroid games, you usually don't have much equipment in the beginning. With Other M, you have all of your equipment, but you have to wait for Adam's permission to use it. Some things are understandable, such as using power bombs when you're supposed to be looking for survivors. Other instances are completely absurd. For example, you cannot even use your Varia Suit function to resist heat until Adam gives you permission. Since when do you need permission to use a safety feature?
Combat is usually boring. Enter a room, stand in the same spot and tap 1 a lot, repeat. Sometimes you get enemies that tend to charge at you or you're locked in a room with multiple opponents surrounding you. This is where Other M gets frustrating. With the instances where you are surrounded, you tend to fire at the wrong enemy, or your lock is lost on all of them. Usually you can land your shots, but a few misses can be crucial and not even be the player's fault. Enemies that charge can sometimes have an unavoidable strike, where you're just forced to take damage. It doesn't help that you cannot find health pick ups anywhere in this game.
Other M swings between looking great and average. Some areas are loaded with crisp textures and excellent water effects, while others suffer from low resolution textures. Character animation is well done; especially Samus's fatal strikes. Unfortunately, this game is loaded with clipping issues; even with the in-game cut scenes.
So is Other M a bad entry in the Metroid saga? No, but it definitely isn't the best. This isn't a game for all Metroid fans, and you would be wise to rent it first before buying it. Old school fans may find it too linear, and those who love the prime trilogy probably won't like the lack of precision. Whether Other M is your cup of tea depends on which games you liked most in the saga. For me, Other M didn't have the control and precision I enjoyed from Prime or the classics. Proceed with caution.