Review: 'Metroid: Other M'

A novel - if frustrating - journey into the past.

Released On: Wii Developer: Team Ninja

Metroid: Other M can be best described as a love-letter to the past, and like so many of Nintendo’s recent or upcoming titles it boldly goes back to basics by throwing players into an older world of side-scrolling, soft-core puzzle solving, button-mashing and jolly, primary colours. If you’re a fan of those far-flung SNES days and miss a time when analogue sticks were but stuff and nonsense then you’ll feel right at home here, as although Other M plays out in full, gorgeous 3D, it still operates upon the principles of old-fashioned adventuring with some modern seasoning thrown in to smooth over any creases.

Don’t expect a dull rehash, though; following the exploits of famed bounty hunter Samus in an adventure outside of the original storyline (starting right after the events of Super Metroid and following our heroine as she answers a distress call from one seemingly abandoned space-station), it proves to be a brave and fresh new direction instead of the predictable throwback that you might have expected. Events will often play out in the traditional 2D, third-person perspective, true, but you’re by no means limited to a similarly linear path and there’s an open world lying right at your fingertips, allowing players to go where they please within its confines. What’s more, new additions such as the slick FPS mode (initiated by pointing the Wii remote straight at the screen), varied, distinct environments, impressive set-pieces and a roster of glossy takedowns to invigorate the twitch-reaction combat haul this title very distinctly into the 21st century, making the experience all the better for it. Perhaps more surprisingly, Other M also plays host to a far stronger story then you will likely ever see from any other Nintendo game with fully voiced CG cut-scenes, relatively decent acting and an intriguing spin on the character we all thought we knew so well. While it can stray more toward the realms of the ridiculous at times and manages to be occasionally heavy-handed, it’s still a very good reason to keep playing when other parts of the title aren’t quite keeping their end of the bargain.
Sadly, this will happen a lot.

Frustrations

To begin with, the latest Metroid can often play host to a certain lack of direction. Despite this being an invigorating twist in a generation where titles are more than happy to hand-hold or patronise, it can become frustrating in the extreme when you are left twiddling your thumbs due to minimal signposting. Secondly, a multitude of cheeky, unexpected pitfalls are often laid across your path to snag the unwary or extend the length of a puzzle beyond its shelf-life, often resulting in challenges that can feel cheap and undeserved. This is particularly true of the exceptionally lame get-out clause enabling Samus to unlock abilities over time, where - out of ‘respect’ for her commanding officer - she decides to put away the toys until he authorises their use. So I can’t open this door which I need to access in order to complete the mission he sent me on because I don’t want to break my ‘word’? Yes, that’s just about it. Bordering on the ridiculous, this faux-pas can pull you out of the world as effectively as a massive, rubber plunger, and can be matched only by the hugely annoying ‘scanning’ sections where the player - rooted to one spot - must try and discover some hidden secret on the screen to progress.
Most importantly, however, the FPS camera can be an even bigger pain. After a trilogy of first-person Metroid games developer Team Ninja would surely have developed a decent idea of how such a system should work? Apparently not, as we’re instead left with an at times brilliant addition that will be unresponsive and restrictive for the rest of the period. Frequently demanded for success during tense and high-speed boss battles, it’s made especially difficult due to the system clamping you in position while using this mode, proving to be particularly irritating when you’re trying to line up a shot with your foe breathing down your neck and knocking seven bells out of your spunky power armour. It’s not unusable, but could definitely be a lot better.

Payoff

Fortunately these headaches do leave us with a title that is eminently satisfying in the payoff, largely because of the elation engendered by a success that can be absolutely thrilling and immensely rewarding once you’ve managed to get over that particularly trying problem. There’s a lovely sense of easy-going escapism to be had while playing this game too, as it completely nails a rapture that will warp you back to the old days where our greatest worry would be in collecting every last upgrade (of which there are many to find) or progressing on for the next slice of intriguing cut-scene. While that certainly won’t make up for the niggling flaws lurking beneath the surface, it’s enough to make them bearable.

In short, Metroid: Other M is a damn good game that will remind you of why we’re so fond of the ‘good old days’, but will unfortunately pay homage to where it went wrong too, explaining aptly why the world has since moved on. It’s the sort of game where investment is hugely rewarded with amazing boss-fights, epically engrossing story and more, but will demand a lot from the player to get there. Fans and the uber-hardcore can undoubtedly hack it, but others may want to give Nintendo’s newest addition a miss.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a fan of the series then you’ll be in heaven here, but newcomers will only be able to see what the fuss is about if they can put up with liberal amounts of frustration. Although the latest Metroids’ foray into the old-school sensibilities brings a lot to the table, it harbours a lot of flaws as well.

Rating: 75%
(Good)