Topic: Metroid Other M

[DAaaMan64]

Yay! Glad people are liking it!

[Sarail]

I absolutely love this friggin' game.

Samus is such a blast to control. Using the control method I mentioned in my previous post in this thread has created such a fluid, smooth play style for me. I love it. And as almost everyone has said, the boss battles are wicked cool.  They stay fresh, ignoring the rule of 3s, and they keep you on your toes. Great game so far. I'm loving every second of it.

Hopefully will get to finish it today, too!

[Ian Sane]

I'm with Broodwars about the Adam authorizing stuff in the lave area.  So here I am taking damage every time I'm outside and I still have to wait for the guy to authorize my Varia Suit?  Samus must be an absolute dolt then.  If you were in the army and were on fire would you wait until your CO told you to put it out?  We're talking basic survival here.  Though the real offensive thing is that waiting for your CO to tell you you can use X is not nearly as enjoyable as finding the ability yourself.  That's one the most appealing features of Metroid for me and Sakamoto has stripped it out.
 
The health thing keeps fucking me over and making some bosses a real chore.  On one hand the continue system is nice because I don't have to go all the way back to the save point but it keeps my health where it was.  There are too many times where some enemy gets the drop on me on the way to the boss and eats up a big chunk of health and then I get to the boss with too little energy which I can't replenish.  On one hand I've had some pretty exciting boss fights since every time I seem to have no health left but still, it's poor design.  It's especially inexcusable in the lava area where I am FORCED to run through a heated area which damages me the whole time and then I have to fight a major enemy in my weakened state.  There is NO WAY to avoid taking massive damage before that fight!
 
Still I had to force myself to stop playing last night because it was getting late.  That's a good sign.  Flaws aside the game has a certain addictive quality to it.  I keep thinking "well, let's get to the next save point."
 
My least favourite enemies so far are the purple scorpion dudes because they cloak and you need to switch to first person view to hit them with a missile.  The problem is they're too damn fast to do that effectively.  The controls really don't suit that sort of rapid switching between first and third person.  You're more or less a sitting duck any time you switch to first person view.
 
Zelda should look at the bosses in this as inspiration.  They're much more creative than anything Zelda has had since Ocarina of Time.  Zelda's biggest flaw is that it is becoming formulaic and that includes the bosses.

[broodwars]

Still I had to force myself to stop playing last night because it was getting late.  That's a good sign.  Flaws aside the game has a certain addictive quality to it.  I keep thinking "well, let's get to the next save point."

Yeah, to me that's both the best and worst thing about this game: on the one hand, you keep wanting to play to reach the next save area.  On the other hand, the game doesn't really feel like you're actually exploring an environment (and the fact that it's all a VR simulation doesn't help).  It feels to me like you spend the entire game just racing to the next save point (which is where nearly all your objective markers point) so the door to the passage leading to the next save point is unlocked and the map is revealed.  It's hard to explain, but it's one of the things that bugged me in Fusion as well.

[Ian Sane]

Yeah, to me that's both the best and worst thing about this game: on the one hand, you keep wanting to play to reach the next save area.  On the other hand, the game doesn't really feel like you're actually exploring an environment (and the fact that it's all a VR simulation doesn't help).  It feels to me like you spend the entire game just racing to the next save point (which is where nearly all your objective markers point) so the door to the passage leading to the next save point is unlocked and the map is revealed.  It's hard to explain, but it's one of the things that bugged me in Fusion as well.

To me I suppose it feels more like a level based game where there's that real "one more level" kind of feeling.  There's a danger element to it as well.  I think "well I've made it this far, let's see if I can make it to there."  It isn't exploration so it doesn't really feel like Metroid does but it isn't unenjoyable.  It gives me a thrill like a typical action game.
 
I just realized that while Castlevania went from being an action game to a Metroid-style adventure game, Metroid has been doing the opposite becoming more and more of a straight action game like Castlevania used to be.

[greybrick]

I just played through some of the game after renting it early this morning, and my first impressions are: wow!

I am really having fun with this, much more than I expected! The combat feels right, and I dig the environments.

The controls do annoy me, but their workarounds manage to make up for the deficiencies. I do maintain that intentionally crippling the control layout was a bad idea. I am also frustrated whenever I see "Samus has decided to wait for Adam to authorize (name your thing)."

I actually find the story to be both charming and hilarious.

[TheFleece]

Has anyone run into an issue where in Sector 3 after three grapple points there is a door that is supposed to be open? This is after taking the elevator down from the desert area. I killed off the few enemies there, but nothing works. I can't even use the grapple beam to go back.
After checking around people are claiming it's a glitch, but I'd rather ask here before I literally restart my game again because I restarted yesterday to check out things I might have missed out in the first run.

[BwrJim!]

just out of curiosity, is it a legit copy or running off of a hard drive?   i went searching for you and it seems that everyone who has hit this seems to be running off of a drive of some sort.    One guy restarted and made it too the same part and the door was green.  they had to restart.

[TheFleece]

just out of curiosity, is it a legit copy or running off of a hard drive?   i went searching for you and it seems that everyone who has hit this seems to be running off of a drive of some sort.    One guy restarted and made it too the same part and the door was green.  they had to restart.

Really? My copy is legit. I'll probably restart tomorrow or after the weekend to see what happens.

[BwrJim!]

Then I hope I dont run into that.   Im in the ice caves somewhere and I have a feeling that point is coming up.   (i never expected you or anyone to answer that) Let us know what happens.

edit::  http://techforums.nintendo.com/message/15356

[greybrick]

Does anyone else get a bright blue bar on the right side of the screen when playing this game? It only shows up on my system when I boot up Other M, and it is kinda distracting.

[BwrJim!]

nope, but after my last system died, it sounds likeyour video card is dieing.  the black dots of death and all that.   I noticed similar things with my old system in games like force unleashed.

[greybrick]

nope, but after my last system died, it sounds likeyour video card is dieing.  the black dots of death and all that.   I noticed similar things with my old system in games like force unleashed.

Well that would just be the worst. I am just hoping it is a problem with this game and progressive scan.

[broodwars]

Ok, I'm sorry, but Samus panicking and turning in a screaming, scared-to-death little girl (even temporarily losing her Power Suit) just at the sight of Ridley bearing down on her has to be up there among the stupidest, insulting, destructive things I've ever seen done to a character in gaming.  Sure, I could understand her being startled at first, but considering the sheer number of times she's taken this particular boss down, this should just be another day at the office for her.  And, of course, she has to be saved by a man.  I haven't bought into the cries of sexism in this game up till now, but that scene?  Oh yeah, that was pathetic.

EDIT:  Damn, he's a hard S.O.B., too, if you don't get his pattern down quickly. 

[DAaaMan64]

If it helps, at this point chronologically Ridley has only fought her twice.

[broodwars]

If it helps, at this point chronologically Ridley has only fought her twice.

1.  Metroid/Zero Mission
2.  Metroid Prime
3.  Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
4.  Super Metroid

I see you conveniently overlooked the Prime games.   

Oh, and btw: Section 0 = Biggest frickin' tease in the entire Metroid franchise.      I have a feeling now that's what the post game content will cover, but man what a letdown.  The story's growing on me, though (it's definitely a darker and more interesting direction than Nintendo usually allows)...sort of, even if I think Metroid Fusion makes even less sense now in terms of the Galactic Federation getting a frickin' clue ("Even Nedry knew not to mess with the ****ing Raptors!").

I'm also kind of curious given recent events how Samus' computer can end up as it is in Fusion, as there seems to be certain data no longer available...

EDIT:  And uhh...why don't I have Power Bombs yet?  There's absolutely no reason why Samus shouldn't have them now. 

[Luigi Dude]

Ok, I'm sorry, but Samus panicking and turning in a screaming, scared-to-death little girl (even temporarily losing her Power Suit) just at the sight of Ridley bearing down on her has to be up there among the stupidest, insulting, destructive things I've ever seen done to a character in gaming.  Sure, I could understand her being startled at first, but considering the sheer number of times she's taken this particular boss down, this should just be another day at the office for her.  And, of course, she has to be saved by a man.  I haven't bought into the cries of sexism in this game up till now, but that scene?  Oh yeah, that was pathetic.

EDIT:  Damn, he's a hard S.O.B., too, if you don't get his pattern down quickly. 

The scene might be poorly written but it isn't really sexist though.  Samus turned into a scared little girl because the sight of Ridley was bringing back memories of when he killed her mother and so she was having a traumatic breakdown because of that.  This is once again an anime cliche they love to do to create forced drama.  It might be extremely stupid, but it's not sexist since similar things happen to male charactors in anime and videogames as well.

[broodwars]

Ok, I'm sorry, but Samus panicking and turning in a screaming, scared-to-death little girl (even temporarily losing her Power Suit) just at the sight of Ridley bearing down on her has to be up there among the stupidest, insulting, destructive things I've ever seen done to a character in gaming.  Sure, I could understand her being startled at first, but considering the sheer number of times she's taken this particular boss down, this should just be another day at the office for her.  And, of course, she has to be saved by a man.  I haven't bought into the cries of sexism in this game up till now, but that scene?  Oh yeah, that was pathetic.

EDIT:  Damn, he's a hard S.O.B., too, if you don't get his pattern down quickly. 

The scene might be poorly written but it isn't really sexist though.  Samus turned into a scared little girl because the sight of Ridley was bringing back memories of when he killed her mother and so she was having a traumatic breakdown because of that.  This is once again an anime cliche they love to do to create forced drama.  It might be extremely stupid, but it's not sexist since similar things happen to male charactors in anime and videogames as well.

When it happens with male characters in other properties, though, there's usually actual trauma.  I could understand if this was Samus' first crack at this boss, but it's her 5th and she's never shown any reaction like this before (not even in the Prime games).  This should be old hat by now.

[Halbred]

Brood: no, the bonus boss has nothing to do with Sector 0. Sector 0 is gone forever. That whole sequence was a HUGE letdown for me.
 
And yeah, Fusion makes no sense now. When Samus faces The Nightmare in Sector 5 in Fusion, shouldn't she be all like "you again?"
 
Also, you do get to use the Power Bomb once...at a critical moment...during a boss fight. You'll know when to use it, even though the game won't tell you it's unlocked now. So if you didn't remember it from the training thing, you'll die a lot.

[DAaaMan64]

If it helps, at this point chronologically Ridley has only fought her twice.

1.  Metroid/Zero Mission
2.  Metroid Prime
3.  Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
4.  Super Metroid

I see you conveniently overlooked the Prime games.   

Oh my bad I thought the Prime games came after that.

[Chozo Ghost]

Must...avoid....spoilers!

[broodwars]

Woah...The Metroid Queen, a callback to Metroid 2.  That's cool and all, Team Ninja.  I certainly wasn't expecting that.  Just one small thing, though: WHAT THE **** DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?!  There doesn't seem to be any frickin' way to attack that boss, and he's swarming with extremely annoying pests that are too numerous to Super Missile and don't stay frozen long enough to look around for a clue as to have to attack the boss.  ARGH!

[DAaaMan64]

Woah...The Metroid Queen, a callback to Metroid 2.  That's cool and all, Team Ninja.  I certainly wasn't expecting that.  Just one small thing, though: WHAT THE **** DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?!  There doesn't seem to be any frickin' way to attack that boss, and he's swarming with extremely annoying pests that are too numerous to Super Missile and don't stay frozen long enough to look around for a clue as to have to attack the boss.  ARGH!

Yeah that part sucks ass. Here's what I would do, pre-charge before going into first-person then swap to first person to shoot your super missile.

[broodwars]

Woah...The Metroid Queen, a callback to Metroid 2.  That's cool and all, Team Ninja.  I certainly wasn't expecting that.  Just one small thing, though: WHAT THE **** DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?!  There doesn't seem to be any frickin' way to attack that boss, and he's swarming with extremely annoying pests that are too numerous to Super Missile and don't stay frozen long enough to look around for a clue as to have to attack the boss.  ARGH!

Yeah that part sucks ass. Here's what I would do, pre-charge before going into first-person then swap to first person to shoot your super missile.

Thanks.  That helped a lot.  I'm now in a second phase where it looks like the game might actually deign to let me attack the boss.

Sheesh, it's hard to tell now which director Sakamoto is more obsessed with out-sillying: Hideo Kojima or Shinji Mikami.  This plot is easily worthy of a Resident Evil game, and it's just as stupidly wordy and cutscene-happy as a Metal Gear Solid game.  -_-'

EDIT:  Oh joy, a forced 1st person shooting gauntlet without any chance to heal at any time right after a major boss fight in a game where you can't move in 1st person.  Sakamoto, YOU SUCK! 

[DAaaMan64]

EDIT:  Oh joy, a forced 1st person shooting gauntlet without any chance to heal at any time right after a major boss fight in a game where you can't move in 1st person.  Sakamoto, YOU SUCK! 

Yeah that part really sucks ass too. All you actually have to do is look at MB, she's in the middle. You don't have to shoot anyone. Took me a while to figure that out. .