METROID: OTHER M-
I'll be honest- character action games were not something I was aware of for a very long time. I see it more as a progression away from the action platformer, with a perfect case in the evolution of the Ninja Gaiden franchise. These games often focus on the skill and knowledge of the player mixed with enemy reads and cinematic visuals to create an action-packed experience. Many would cite Devil May Cry as a prime example, others might be familiar with the genre having played titles like God Hand or Bayonetta. It's not a particularly popular or successful genre of video games, which is likely how I avoided it for so long.
I used Ninja Gaiden as a reference point earlier because Team Ninja worked together with Metroid series creator Sakamoto to bring us Metroid: Other M, a game that is very interesting in itself. Other M is undoubtedly a character action game, albeit a very... easy one. A lite experience. There's a number of reasons for this, of course, which we'll touch on later. Other M's other claim to fame, of course, is it's gross characterization of the popular Samus Aran, which caused many folks to denounce the title as "the death of the franchise."
There are parts of Other M that are inexcusable. However, I'm here to do something that I don't normally do, which is defend a game considered by many to be quite mediocre. I'll start right away by saying that I love the Metroid series- I've played most of the games and consider Metroid Prime to be one of my favorite titles ever (and yes, I do love Super Metroid). I'm pretty well-versed in the Metroid mechanics and storyline, and I while I would never place Other M very high on my list of games or even Metroid titles, I think it has a few merits.
Controls:
I'll be saving the more atrocious aspects of Other M's design for later in the review, starting, instead, with the core gameplay. In a rather bold move made perhaps to evoke the classic feel of Metroid, Other M's control scheme is mapped entirely to a single sideways Wii remote. In some ways, it's a difficult decision to support- the 3D nature of the game is not suited for a D-Pad, the expanse arsenal of the bounty hunter is hard to capture on a severe lack of buttons, and that doesn't even begin to describe how the fundamental gameplay of a character action game would be jeopardized by such a small amount of inputs. Despite all of this, Other M does manage to pull it's control scheme off pretty well. In an odd sort of way, the game is more suited for left-handed players than the right-handed master race, as one of its key elements is a first person mode activated by switching the angle of the Wii remote. This is easier and more comfortable to do for a southpaw, as they hold the D-pad firmly under their thumb and swing the remote into place. The first person mode expands Samus' arsenal with missiles, also allowing her to see rooms in better detail and perform precision shots that, more often than not, expose enemy weak points. The trade off is that, because of the control scheme, Samus becomes immobile in first person view, exposing her to attacks.
While many believe the simplicity of control is a flaw of the game, I'm hesitant to agree. There's many other flaws in Other M but controls are not one of them. It's sleek, simple, and balanced, with high mobility and a wide range in third person and fixed, precise, high damage first person attacks. The way rooms are designed, with natural curves that automatically track Samus' forward movement, kind of negates the need for an eight point control system. Even enemy placement and overall architecture is done with this in mind.
Gameplay:
Other M is mostly a stage-based action game featuring light exploration and platforming elements. In terms of the exploration, while it's nowhere near as satisfying as the shortcuts and secrets of the original games, Other M does a fair job at keeping powerups hidden away in clever and fun ways. Several progression and powerup based platforming segments are quite well designed, though that isn't the main focus of the game. What's important to remember, at least in my mind, is that Team Ninja are not the sort of studio who would be best-suited to create a Metroid-style exploration game. That being said, they did a fine job replicating the feel of one- and to be honest, though the post-credits sequence has a bit of a strange, isolationist feel that separates it from the normal game, its an important aspect of the title in that it does open up the entirety of the game world for exploration and acquisition.
Combat takes high priority in Other M, and though older titles feature Samus as an unstoppable killing machine cutting through swaths of indigenous wildlife, this game pits her against creatures that can hold their own a bit better. While Samus' shots home in on enemies within a certain cone of vision, the key combat mechanic of the game comes from Sense Move, a boost dodge that can be triggered before an enemy strikes Samus. This ability becomes increasingly reliable as it also cues up an immediate power shot charge, making it an effective ability to counterattack foes. While it may feel unnatural to play defensively in Metroid, it's necessary in Other M. However, Sense Move gives the player invincibility frames, but doesn't allow them to perfectly dodge a move- many enemies have attack animations that take advantage of the vulnerable frames right at the end of a Sense Move animation, which is why proper directional input is important, as well.
Other mechanics like Overblast and Lethal Blow require precise positioning and certain requirements in order to execute, which results in a game that is very melee oriented and much faster than standard Metroid affair. However, there's just a few things lacking from Other M's arsenal that result in the game feeling like a linear Metroid title instead of a character action game. Combat ultimately lacks variation- abilities like Morph Ball and Grapple Beam feature in boss fights and platforming but rarely in basic combat. And, the game lacks any sort of score or time ranking for skirmishes, which detracts from it's replay and expertise potential.
As it stands, Other M may not be a bad entry to both Metroid and character action titles, more modern and accessible than prior iterations and less punishing and demanding than the genre it apes concepts from. However, there are aspects of the game that require exact knowledge of enemies, animations, and approach methods, like the title's hard mode, unlocked after beating the game 100% on a first runthrough. If it had been a little more committed to the genre staples, the story may have been forgiven.
Maybe.
Story:
Look, no matter which way you slice it, Other M's story is hard to swallow. From the authorization shenanigans to the more fragile look at Samus, things seem to be all over the place and contrast greatly from the bounty hunter we know and love. But Metroid Fusion set the foundation for this game in more than a few ways. We were all intrigued by Samus' relationship with Adam in that game, it made sense to expand on that thread. Now, I personally believe that Other M touches on a number of ideas that have been overlooked by many when they analyze the plot, such as the parallels between the characterization of Madeline and Samus herself, the idea and danger of conscience in military and survivalist situations, and more. That's a bit beside the point since there are some blatant symbolic cues the game doles out which are very eye roll-inducing, which makes one wonder if the subtle aspects are intentional or coincidental. There is one major plot point, however, that I believe is very often overlooked which I think hints at a much more intelligent narrative, though since the mystery is never really resolved there is little use in delving deeper into the subject.
Is Other M a good Metroid game? It's hard to say. The moments that are distinctly Metroid are very satisfying- Phantoon, the Queen, the Space Pirate sequence. Nightmare! Nightmare is great. Ridley is quite triumphant despite his evolution being... utterly bizarre. It's lonely and tense when it wants to be and high action and impact as well. It's not a perfect character action game either, but whether or not it wanted to do any of this is not certain. Blending Metroid and action was a risky choice, and I daresay that any other studio would have been up to the task- even Platinum would have needed some strict supervision if they were to incorporate their brand of action with Metroid's exploration. However, to call it terrible is a bit harsh. It's mediocre at times, but when it's successful, it evokes a feeling of an upgraded Metroid. In terms of difficulty, I would say that, on its hardest setting, Other M resembles Metroid Fusion in a lot of ways. Whether you see that as a good thing or a bad thing is your call. But, I do think this game deserves a second look, and maybe even a more analytical eye in terms of its subject material.
Topic: Evan_B Presents: The Contrarian Corner (Read 14832 times)
