Topic: Metroid Other M

[King of Twitch]

Apparently a game review company editor who has a copy of the game has beaten it. They're fielding questions but are only allowed to talk about the first two hours.

So they can only talk about the opening cutscene so far?











ba dum ch

[DAaaMan64]

I just watched a couple of hours of this. This game freakin' awesome. holy crap

[broodwars]

I just watched a couple of hours of this. This game freakin' awesome. holy crap

Yeah, I have to admit that I finally allowed myself to watch some gameplay footage of this game over the last couple days, which led to me reluctantly putting down a pre-order for the game despite my issues with it.  I'm just in the mood for that kind of game at this moment, and I'm finding Shadow Complex not up to the task.

[DAaaMan64]

I just watched a couple of hours of this. This game freakin' awesome. holy crap

Yeah, I have to admit that I finally allowed myself to watch some gameplay footage of this game over the last couple days, which led to me reluctantly putting down a pre-order for the game despite my issues with it.  I'm just in the mood for that kind of game at this moment, and I'm finding Shadow Complex not up to the task.

I just played the same 2 hours I watched, and it was still fuckin' awesome.

[Sundoulos]

Yeah, I posted basically the same reaction in another thread.  The game looks good, the cutscene to gameplay ratio definitely favors the gameplay, and most of the voicework isn't bad at all...at least by game standards.   The mood definitely seems right, and the game just really looks fun.

I haven't gotten my mittens on this game yet, but I can't wait until I do.

[FZeroBoyo]

IGN released their review a few minutes ago, have more good things than bad, I'll leave it at that. Looks like I'll be picking this one up.

[Halbred]

I just got the review copy yesterday (stupid UPS), but I sank almost four hours into the game between dinner and bedtime. I like it a lot--definately the prettiest game on the system. Lots of imagination here. Even the cutscenes aren't overlong or too frequent. My only complaint? Yeah, the controls. I'm still thinking about it too much, especially when using missiles. My review will be up on Sunday for launch!

[Sundoulos]

I just got the review copy yesterday (stupid UPS), but I sank almost four hours into the game between dinner and bedtime. I like it a lot--definately the prettiest game on the system. Lots of imagination here. Even the cutscenes aren't overlong or too frequent. My only complaint? Yeah, the controls. I'm still thinking about it too much, especially when using missiles. My review will be up on Sunday for launch!

Yeah...I imagine the controls will be the most common complaint.  Still, all of this is good to hear.  Have fun, and I look forward to reading the review! 

I'm envious right now.

[broodwars]

IGN released their review a few minutes ago, have more good things than bad, I'll leave it at that. Looks like I'll be picking this one up.

Reading the review, it seems the two big complaints were pretty much what I thought they'd be: the stupidity of Samus' abilities being completely tied to Adam giving her the OK the entire game, and the controls in general.  The camera issue is a new one to me, though.  Bleh.  The game still looks ok, but so far it definitely looks like Nintendo let Sakamoto have too much free reign on this project.

[Marty]

Having just seen a couple of reviews, I am now officially worried about this game. It's recieving great scores, but everything from the controls, to the level designs (lava and snow levels? really?), to the cutscenes, seem completely contrary to what i'm looking for in a Metroid game in 2010.

[broodwars]

Destructoid's Review: 6.5, surprisingly NOT reviewed by Jim Sterling.

[FZeroBoyo]

Game Informer: 6.25
X-Play: 2/5

Wow, some critics love this title while others, namely G4, just tore it apart. The verdict on Destructoid is a "Rent" but I guess I'll hold out a little more until most of the critic reviews are in.

[broodwars]

Game Informer: 6.25
X-Play: 2/5

Wow, some critics love this title while others, namely G4, just tore it apart. The verdict on Destructoid is a "Rent" but I guess I'll hold out a little more until most of the critic reviews are in.

Wow, I just watched that Xplay review online, and it is scathing...though also perplexing since she gives the game a 2/5 despite having nothing good to say about the game in the review.  I have to admit, though, that she makes a compelling argument as to how this game denigrates Samus as a female protagonist compared to her previous games (though were we really expecting anything else from Team Ninja?).

[Luigi Dude]

IGN - 8.5
Gamespot - 8.5
Wired (Chris Kohler) - 9.0
Joystiq - 4.5/5
Eurogamer - 8
Giantbomb - 4/5
Nintendo Power - 8.5
GameFan Magazine - 9.5
N-Sider - No score but very positive review.
Kotaku - No score but very positive review.

vs

Game Informer: 6.25
X-Play: 2/5
Destructoid - 6.5
GamesRadar - 7

So far the positive reviews are outweighing the negative reviews.

[King of Twitch]

Samus' abilities being completely tied to Adam giving her the OK the entire game,

Darnit.

[SixthAngel]

It sounds good to me.
I expect mixed scores with the big changes in the game.

[Sundoulos]

Game Informer: 6.25
X-Play: 2/5

Wow, some critics love this title while others, namely G4, just tore it apart. The verdict on Destructoid is a "Rent" but I guess I'll hold out a little more until most of the critic reviews are in.

Wow, I just watched that Xplay review online, and it is scathing...though also perplexing since she gives the game a 2/5 despite having nothing good to say about the game in the review.  I have to admit, though, that she makes a compelling argument as to how this game denigrates Samus as a female protagonist compared to her previous games (though were we really expecting anything else from Team Ninja?).

I took a look at that G4 review.  Now I'm curious to know how many other female gamers will feel the same way.  To be honest, the reviewer does have a very valid point, but it almost seems as if the review itself focuses a little too much on the story and character conceits that the reviewer didn't like rather than the gameplay itself.

I am curious to see how this is going to come across.   In the video I've seen so far, I didn't think that Samus was being submissive to a "man," she was showing deference to her old CO...  and, to my knowledge, they've never portrayed Samus as being rebellious against the Galatic Federation.   There's no reason to expect her to go against the authority of a general unless there was some greater good at stake.

Also, I work with a number of people who were in the military.  I've never served myself, but when you have someone who has spent a number of years in the service, well, sometimes old behavior habits and feelings about things are very hard to break.   Unless there was a reason for someone not to respect an old CO, I could see any of them showing that deference. 

Also, the game presents the ability authorization to be a measure taken to preserve the soldier's lives on the ship.  Yes, perhaps it's kind of a dumb plot device, but it's better than having Samus mysteriously lose all of her abilities yet again because of some suit malfunction.    

I've only seen about 1 hr of the game so far, so there's a very good chance my impressions will change.

[Halbred]

Admittedly, I think the game's portrayal of Samus erodes my respect for the character. Maybe she'll redeem herself when I play tonight, but so far she's coming off as robotic, apologetic, and sort of needy.

[Sundoulos]

Admittedly, I think the game's portrayal of Samus erodes my respect for the character.

That's really sad to hear.

I see that the 1Up review has been posted, and Justin Haywald has basically the same impression of the character.  Oh, and unskippable cutscenes?  Really, game?  Bleh.

[broodwars]

Admittedly, I think the game's portrayal of Samus erodes my respect for the character. Maybe she'll redeem herself when I play tonight, but so far she's coming off as robotic, apologetic, and sort of needy.

In other words, Samus has been reimagined to be the ideal for the modern Japanese audience (juding by what's popular in anime these days).
 
*rimshot*

[Luigi Dude]

All the reviews that are docking the game major points for the storyline should be considered joke reviews since it's been revealed by the Nsider reviewer that the cutscenes are skippable on future playthroughs.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=23022355&postcount=1585

Aaaaaaaaaand reviewed.
 
 http://www.n-sider.com/gameview.php?...46&view=review
 
 Some extra notes, as promised:
 
 -Skippable cinemas on second play
 

Yes, forcing everyone to watch the cutscenes the first time can be annoying, but considering the game allows you to skip them on all future playthroughs, this does not justify some reviewers from giving the game low scores for something that becomes a non issue later on.  And considering all the 2D Metroids (which Other M is based off of) main strength comes from replaying them over and over again because they encourage speed runs and even reward you for beating them really fast, this makes the storyline complaints even more foolish since they become non existent for a major part of what a lot of people play Metroid for.

[Sundoulos]

I don't know; a game is entertainment.  IMHO, forcing people to sit through a cutscene without a compelling reason for doing so is just a bad design idea, especially when you don't give them the option to pause it.  It's annoying and unnecessary.   

[broodwars]

All the reviews that are docking the game major points for the storyline should be considered joke reviews since it's been revealed by the Nsider reviewer that the cutscenes are skippable on future playthroughs.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=23022355&postcount=1585

Aaaaaaaaaand reviewed.
 
 http://www.n-sider.com/gameview.php?...46&view=review
 
 Some extra notes, as promised:
 
 -Skippable cinemas on second play
 

Yes, forcing everyone to watch the cutscenes the first time can be annoying, but considering the game allows you to skip them on all future playthroughs, this does not justify some reviewers from giving the game low scores for something that becomes a non issue later on.  And considering all the 2D Metroids (which Other M is based off of) main strength comes from replaying them over and over again because they encourage speed runs and even reward you for beating them really fast, this makes the storyline complaints even more foolish since they become non existent for a major part of what a lot of people play Metroid for.

Considering that most people maybe complete a game once and a game shouldn't have to validate itself on a second playthrough, I think it's completely valid to deduct points for a spectacularly poorly-told story (especially since this story has been a major focal point for the game in the ads).  The ability to skip the cutscenes in a second playthrough doesn't dimish how bad the cutscenes are your first time through when the game is still new to you.
 
You can argue whether "story" is something you personally consider important in games, but don't knock other people's opinions as "joke reviews" just because they do consider story to be important.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

I guess it's not too surprising to be seeing such polarising reviews. People were evidently looking to get different experiences out of Metroid: Other M - depends what you like/want from the franchise. I'm personally not bothered by the structure of several disconnected worlds, just so long as each individual world is well thought out. Kohler on GameLife seemed to think so, which I'm pleased about.


Story-wise... well, I can't say I was ever expecting much from the plot. My only requirement is that the cutscenes are tolerable; I'm not anticipating any better than acceptable, but then that's not why I'm intrigued to play Other M.

[broodwars]

GameTrailers Review: 8.6
 
The usual culprits: awkward controls for dealing with 3D movement, poor script, and poor voice acting.