It's not all videos, really.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressions/23827
There's an actual game there too. That's what Nintendo wanted to convey during my recent play time with Metroid: Other M at their Redwood Shores offices. My game began immediately after the intro area that I played during the Media Summit. I entered an elevator room, which led to three areas, the Biosphere, Cryosphere, and Pyrosphere. I spent time in Sector 1, which was the Biosphere, a brief glimpse of which was shown at E3.
During my 45 minutes of play, I did not see a single pre-rendered cutscene. It's still very much a Metroid game. There were a few brief integrated scenes, which were cued by a change in perspective. The subtle angle change served as a good alert that something important was about to occur. In one case, the game actually locked into first-person mode, forcing me to stop and pay attention to a sound cue and scan for its source.
Having had more time with Other M's combined third-person sideways and first-person pointer control scheme, I still have to think there was a better way. It's not terrible, but I ended up switching to the pointer in every other room, and there's a bit of cognitive disconnect when switching schemes. For instance, there are many enemies or enemy generators that need to be taken out with a missile attack. If they are chasing you, you need to first run away, turn around, and then point, lock on, and shoot. The natural tendency is to skip the turning around since it feels like pointing at the screen should point at the enemy, but this action instead results in a pounding from behind. Additionally, the discrepancy in turn speed from third person to first person is a bit jarring, as is the change in buttons during intense battles. Thankfully, though you can't normally move in first-person, when a green indicator pops up to signal an incoming attack, performing the sense move at that moment allows Samus to dodge.
The D-pad control works well enough, though there is a bit of imprecision. Autotargeting has a wide range, though you can't just spam shots; enemies become too numerous in a confined location or are too powerful at close distances. You can't target anything specifically in third-person mode. Missiles also have a targeting range limit. Thus, a certain amount of strategy is required. You're encouraged to get closer to the action in order to perform Samus' special moves, but there are often several ways to defeat an enemy. Once charged, if Samus can pull off a sense blast, which is a triggered when attacking right when a green flare appears, she doesn't lose her charge, allowing her to immediately attack a second enemy. I managed to take out three enemies in this manner, performing an "overblast" aerial attack without touching the ground, and finishing with a lethal strike, which was quite satisfying. One interesting move is a morph ball bomb release after charging the arm cannon. A ring of bombs is laid out. However, charging in morph ball mode and releasing just drops a single bomb -- this move is reserved for the power bomb, the devastation of which may not get activated until near the end of the game.
There are many types of enemies, and they will all require different strategies to defeat. The timing and pattern required to most easily dispatch them can be tricky to figure out. I fought a rolling armadillo-based enemy called Griptian as well as a chameleon-like enemy named Ghalmanian. The latter performed a disappearing act, making it hard to track down and it had a long reach with its tail and projectiles. I also came across a sleeping enemy with a giant mouth called Dragotex that eventually awakened and attacked. When eaten, shaking the Remote will do no good; you'll have to come up with other strategies such as morphing into a ball and dropping bombs.
The level layouts are mostly made up of corridors, but not in a completely linear fashion; there are many branching paths. Other M stays true to earlier Metroid games, offering many secrets to uncover that are not overtly obvious. Players may wish to spend a lot of time exploring, looking for hidden paths and upgrades. Aside from missile tanks, I found a speed charge upgrade (in a bathroom stall, no less), which hastens arm cannon charge time. There were also a number of super missile doors that I could not enter, signaling the potential for a lot of backtracking. Some levels were part real and part hologram; deactivating the holographic generators revealed previously-inaccessible areas, which included both power-ups and new paths to explore. There are also ducts for Samus to travel through in morph ball mode. Some of these are accessible by jumping and grabbing, with Samus automatically morphing to fit into the duct.
The game also has no qualms about dealing out instant death. At one point in the game, I found myself climbing up an enemy-infested elevator shaft. Reaching the top and looking down, I found a Ghalmanian in pursuit. What you are supposed to do is blow up the supports holding up the elevator in order to drop it onto the enemy and clear your path above. However, do this while still under it, and Samus will be crushed. Thankfully, continue points are frequent, even more so than save points.
While the graphics are wonderful, the audio is a bit disappointing. The driving tunes from previous games were nowhere to be found, replaced by a more ambient soundtrack reminiscent of the Prime series. However, the soundtrack does ramp up dramatically while in battle. I am told that there are a good number of remixes, as well. I only heard a brief bit of voice acting this time, but it is as uninspired as ever.
Though I didn't fight any major boss battles, there is a lot of foreshadowing that something bad is to come. I came across the corpse of a scientist, who was apparently killed in a manner different from the others previously found. Here, Samus described feeling a "dark intelligence." Also, in the aforementioned forced first-person sequence, what I found under the bushes turned out to be a cute furry rodent creature - seemingly inconsequential and out of place - which fed into a sense of uneasiness with what might be coming up.
Overall, I think Metroid: Other M will turn out to be a fine game. Nothing in particular stood out during my play-through, but its subtle polish makes for a cohesive, dark, and engaging atmosphere. There are clearly many secrets, intense battles, a variety of environments, and a layout that make the game feel like 2D Metroid mapped into 3D.
I think they had to give a no-story demo. The focus has been too much on the story, and they had to show off to everyone that "Hey! This is a real Metroid game, guys! We're not messing with you!"That's been my impression. I've wanted to see more of the gameplay ever since this game was announced. I would be turned off at this point if the newer demos and trailers focused so much on the story.
This is exactly what I thought needed to be done in the pre-release for the game. And after reading this and other impressions from the same demo, I'm back to being excited without a huge lingering doubt. I still have doubts, but they don't worry me as much.
The Japanese voices aren't great either.Awww.. c'mon, Jonny. From what I've heard thus far, they're much better than the English voices. Still bad, yes, but better than the English ones. :P
- A Nintendo rep told me that the special items I was finding through 1st person view, but couldn't acquire other than the speed charge upgrade, were disabled in the demo. I have to partially believe the holograms were to blame.The game wasn't a demo, but a near-final build. I didn't come across any other items except for missile capacity upgrades, which I was able to get.
However bad the voice acting may be, Ignition has already set the bar with their localization of Arc Rise Fantasia and this game cannot possibly be as bad. I think I'll be able to somehow tolerate it. :P:
You're the one freak who likes the story...
I have the game preordered now because Amazon threw in a free Rathalos figure (and their preorder price guarantee means I'll probably get it cheap) and I figure I'm going to play it sooner or later anyway to see for myself if I like it or not.
Well, I'm the opposite, I found the story elements in Fusion terrible (didn't care about the stuff that happened and got annoyed by all the forced stops at the computer) and the story in Corruption greatly hurt the atmosphere.
Well, I'm the opposite, I found the story elements in Fusion terrible (didn't care about the stuff that happened and got annoyed by all the forced stops at the computer) and the story in Corruption greatly hurt the atmosphere.
I'm weird in that I think Metroid needs to evolve and not be the same thing every time. I know, evolving games, terrible way of thinking!
Well, I'm the opposite, I found the story elements in Fusion terrible (didn't care about the stuff that happened and got annoyed by all the forced stops at the computer) and the story in Corruption greatly hurt the atmosphere.
I'm weird in that I think Metroid needs to evolve and not be the same thing every time. I know, evolving games, terrible way of thinking!
And yet you're looking forward to a Metroid game that de-evolves in terms of control. ;)How is the game de-evolving in terms of control? All Metroids, less the Prime series, have had the ability to move left, right up and down. Other M wasn't awkward in 3D. In fact it felt nostalgic to the series with a fresh take on it. Do players need an analog stick to move around in a 3D space? The camera programming in the game was amazing and so fluid that they blended cutscenes and in game action seamlessly with the controls. So what would adding the nunchuck, classic controller or GameCube controller achieve for them in this game based on the fact that they want to appeal to players, old and new, with simplicity in mind? Players use the D-pad, A, B, 1 and 2 buttons no different than they would the D-pad, B, A, X and Y buttons on the SNES controller. With those buttons in the demo I was able to move around, jump, shoot, charge my gun, dodge enemy attacks, morph into morph ball, roll around, lay bombs and morph ball jump by laying bombs. Pointing the Wii remote added shooting missles and exploration to the control list. Holding the Wii remote vertically and holding A recharged some health and missles.
QuoteAnd yet you're looking forward to a Metroid game that de-evolves in terms of control. ;)How is the game de-evolving in terms of control?
In the demo movies that Nintendo released we see the grapple beam, the speed dash, the freeze beam, the morph ball speed boost and yet there is still more to discover once we all play the full version. Give the game a chance.
I find your opinions difficult to accept including your choice of basketball team.
This game become one I was going to ignore the moment that Nintendo announced that they were stubbornly sticking to archaic D-pad controls; using a world design practically ripped from the similarly-underwhelming Metroid Fusion; and focusing on a story I couldn't care less about, especially the fanservice to the incredibly overrated Super Metroid.So if that is the case, then why are you still following the game's progression and writing on forum boards almost a year and a half after the announcement of the controls you feel so strongly against? The controls are sticking and haven't changed since the announcement.
I like how anyone who's actually looking forward to this game is labeled a "fanboy" or "loyalist." It's like no one can legitimately be excited for the game without it being chalked up to just being a fan of Nintendo who'll just buy whatever games Nintendo releases.
QuoteThis game become one I was going to ignore the moment that Nintendo announced that they were stubbornly sticking to archaic D-pad controls; using a world design practically ripped from the similarly-underwhelming Metroid Fusion; and focusing on a story I couldn't care less about, especially the fanservice to the incredibly overrated Super Metroid.So if that is the case, then why are you still following the game's progression and writing on forum boards almost a year and a half after the announcement of the controls you feel so strongly against? The controls are sticking and haven't changed since the announcement.
Actually, I didn't say or imply anything of the kind here.You just said there's a Nintendo loyalist brigade here. The vibe I get from you is that you think anyone who doesn't agree with you is a fanboy or loyalist, but I guess that has to do with your style of writing.
QuoteThis game become one I was going to ignore the moment that Nintendo announced that they were stubbornly sticking to archaic D-pad controls; using a world design practically ripped from the similarly-underwhelming Metroid Fusion; and focusing on a story I couldn't care less about, especially the fanservice to the incredibly overrated Super Metroid.So if that is the case, then why are you still following the game's progression and writing on forum boards almost a year and a half after the announcement of the controls you feel so strongly against? The controls are sticking and haven't changed since the announcement.
it's better that I keep up with it than be surprised if it takes off and we're stuck with this "new direction".
QuoteThis game become one I was going to ignore the moment that Nintendo announced that they were stubbornly sticking to archaic D-pad controls; using a world design practically ripped from the similarly-underwhelming Metroid Fusion; and focusing on a story I couldn't care less about, especially the fanservice to the incredibly overrated Super Metroid.So if that is the case, then why are you still following the game's progression and writing on forum boards almost a year and a half after the announcement of the controls you feel so strongly against? The controls are sticking and haven't changed since the announcement.
it's better that I keep up with it than be surprised if it takes off and we're stuck with this "new direction".
I like how you say we're stuck. I do not feel stuck. You feel stuck. I guess it is just your overall pessimism, style and general disposition. I agree with Mop it up. It is your style of writing. You sound like you are ranting and raving about something you don't really care about anyway.
Nintendo in general just frustrates me these days. I grew up with 4 successive generations of exclusively Nintendo hardware (NES, NES, N64, GameCube) before the Wii, so as a company I have a certain attachment to them. Ticky-tack things like this are just silly, stubborn, and lazy on Nintendo's part. We shouldn't have to beg Nintendo to use their own peripherals, or design a product so everyone can play it comfortably. That's just good design.
Actually, I didn't say or imply anything of the kind here.You just said there's a Nintendo loyalist brigade here. The vibe I get from you is that you think anyone who doesn't agree with you is a fanboy or loyalist, but I guess that has to do with your style of writing.
Actually, I didn't say or imply anything of the kind here.You just said there's a Nintendo loyalist brigade here. The vibe I get from you is that you think anyone who doesn't agree with you is a fanboy or loyalist, but I guess that has to do with your style of writing.
Amen.
I haven't even posted in this thread for a week and a half, and people are still smiting me for it.Why do you assume you aren't being smote for posts made in other topics?
Actually, I didn't say or imply anything of the kind here.You just said there's a Nintendo loyalist brigade here. The vibe I get from you is that you think anyone who doesn't agree with you is a fanboy or loyalist, but I guess that has to do with your style of writing.
Amen.
The fact that I get about 6-7 smites the moment I write anything remotely critical of Nintendo, regardless of anything else I write anywhere else or how constructive the criticism, tells me that most of the people who don't agree with me are fanboys or loyalists. I believe Greg himself referred to this site as "the headquarters of the Nintendo Loyalty Brigade." If they weren't, they could learn to take a little criticism.
And, incidentally, I'd like to point out that this inane karma system turned out to be exactly what I said it would be when it was announced: a way for petty people to exact some form of petty vengeance on people they don't agree with. And why applaud people when doing some form of "harm" is apparently so much more pleasing? I haven't even posted in this thread for a week and a half, and people are still smiting me for it.
Regarding Other M Mop and Golden are the fangirls and covering each other to attack anybody who doesn't like it.
My score started improving when I stopped complaining, so maybe GP has a point. It's like in real life you sometimes feel like saying something but you use your better judgment and don't.
I am worried about the game, especially since Sakamoto did things like have the game be played using only the Wii Remote despite the objections of the developer (Team Ninja). It's looking like the game won't be as bad as I first thought, but at this point I don't think it will be as good as the Retro Studios developed games (which had almost no input from Sakamoto). I hope the game does well though since I don't want the series to go on another 8 year absence.
