--Samus Aran, Metroid: Other M
Just because something is different from the norm does not mean that it is of poor quality. Experimentation within a genre or franchise is natural, so it does not surprise me that controversial games like Other M and Federation Force eventually emerged from the Metroid series. Metroid: Other M is certainly different from the usual series fare, but it manages to be bold, inventive, and well-crafted. The intellectual aspects the series is known far are reduced due to the linear nature of the story, meaning there is less initial emphasis on random collectible hunting, but the story itself explores almost entirely new territory.
Other M is by far the most existential, personal Metroid game, having the most complex narrative of all games in the franchise thus far. This polarizing development will greatly affect how much enjoyment series players will derive from Other M, as will the nontraditional gameplay that mostly occurs in third-person, though no one can legitimately say that the title does not illuminate many things about Samus' past and personality. Samus is still a lethal warrior--but she is also revealed to be a sensitive, introspective person who cares deeply for certain individuals. Her emotionality is explored quite thoroughly during the story of Other M.
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Production Values
For a 2010 Wii game, the graphics are excellent (first-party games for the Wii tend to have graphics vastly superior to those of third-party games), with the colors normally having distinct, vibrant tones. The cinematics sometimes have an unfocused look, as if the camera literally is not focused on what it is looking at, but the in-gameplay aesthetics are some of the best the platform ever saw. But the age and system of Other M make whatever visual imperfections are present seem quite tame considering how well they hold up today.
The audio is much more controversial. Yes, Samus finally speaks--and she talks a lot. That means that there is a great deal of voice acting. Some people might appreciate the storytelling that this allows for, while others might object to Other M's deviation from the franchise norm of portraying Samus as a largely silent bounty hunter. The story is very cinematic and dialogue-heavy, giving Samus many opportunities to converse with others and to introspectively talk to herself. In many cases, the voice actress for Samus is quite successful. The supporting cast is mostly fine, but sometimes characters seem to slip into a monotone delivery, although this never was overdone to the point of my frustration.
Gameplay
There are two major aspects of the gameplay that have upset some fans: 1) the third-person gameplay (with some side-scrolling and limited first-person play) and 2) the inability to use most weapons or suit functions until Adam authorizes them. Instead of Samus discovering additional weaponry and suit abilities in the environments around her, Adam must allow the use of certain functions at scripted points in the narrative. The beam effects stack as one obtains new beams, as switching between them, like in Metroid Prime, is not permitted. Iconic abilities like the gravity suit, plasma beam, speed booster/shinespark, and seeker missiles all make an appearance, so there is no ignoring traditions when it comes to the weaponry!
What is permitted is switching between third-person and first-person at will, though first-person locks Samus into one place, leaving her both stationary and particularly vulnerable. While in third-person, Samus can dodge most enemy attacks with properly timed uses of the D-pad, and these dodges are both smooth and incorporated well into the gameplay. The influence of Team Ninja is definitely noticeable, as context-sensitive finishing moves are far closer to what one might expect from Ninja Gaiden than from traditional Metroid games. There are now various physical attacks that Samus can initiate if enemies are weak enough. These moves fits very well into the novelty of the overall gameplay style, displaying a side of Samus that had never before been exposed in her games. Thankfully, Samus Returns for the 3DS retained the allowance of physical combat moves, which added something entirely new to the Metroid style.
There is even a Zero Suit section reminiscent of a Zero Suit-only portion of Metroid: Zero Mission! I loved seeing an element from a series classic resurrected in a new gameplay format!
Story
Metroid chronology:
1. Metroid/Metroid: Zero Mission (NES/GBA)
2. Metroid Prime (GameCube)
3. Metroid Prime Hunters (DS)
4. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GameCube)
5. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii)
6. Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)
7. Metroid II: Return of Samus/Metroid: Samus Returns (Game Boy/3DS)
8. Super Metroid (SNES)
9. Metroid: Other M (Wii)
10. Metroid Fusion (GBA)
Spoilers!
After killing Mother Brain in a modern reimagining of the ending to Super Metroid, bounty hunter Samus Aran wakes up in a Galactic Federation Infirmary. Once she leaves the facility, her ship intercepts a distress call from a vessel called the Bottle Ship deep in space. Samus travels to this ship and discovers that there is already a Federation squad on site, led by her former commanding officer Adam Malkovich, with a friend named Anthony present as well.
Evidence mounts that a highly malevolent creature is aboard. Computer data reveals that the Federation used the ship to conduct illegal bioweapon development programs. And, as if the team needs more to handle, one of the Federation marines is a traitor, killing of the others one at a time to conceal the failed bioweapon experiments. Using the residual DNA left on her suit, the Federation had recreated Ridley and metroids--going so far as to genetically modify the metroids to eliminate their natural vulnerability to cold in order to produce near-invincible living weaponry.
Adam sacrifices himself to kill what he thinks are all or most of the metroids on the ship, with Samus learning that there is a queen metroid aboard. The situation descends into utter chaos as more Federation personnel arrive to quell the threat posed by dangerous organisms, which are acting aggressively due to the telepathic commands of an artificial intelligence standing in for Mother Brain. Samus sees the resolve of the crisis. With the Bottle Ship scheduled to be destroyed by the Federation, she returns to recover the helmet of Adam in time to save the last physical connection to her cherished friend before it is annihilated, escaping to her ship in her Zero Suit within minutes of the remotely triggered explosion.
Intellectual Content
The puzzle-solving is unfortunately toned down in Other M. Defeating all of the enemies in certain rooms even triggers the appearance of nearby item locations on the player's HUD (heads up display). It's not quite as revealing as one of Samus' Aeion abilities in Samus Returns that can expose all item locations, but it does mean that there is not as much need for exploration. Given the very linear nature of the story, genuine freedom to scour the Bottle Ship for items at whim does not come until after one completes the game. Hunting down collectibles can still require careful observation despite this.
Conclusion
Yes, Other M deviates from quite a few franchise norms, but some players who love the series, myself included, still thoroughly enjoyed it. It blends side-scrolling, first-person, and third-person gameplay in a very coherent manner--and I have not played any other game that pulls that off! Other M is not a bad game. Contrarily, it has some masterful aspects, with Samus' third-person agility providing a very novel direction for the series to travel in. The evolution of the franchise proved very divisive, but division only means that people have not reached a universal consensus, not that the object of division is a negative thing.
Content:
1. Violence: Samus uses a variety of beams and physical attacks to defeat aliens, which are vaporized upon being killed. As one might expect from the franchise, there is no graphic violence.
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