Where to start on this one? Well let's answer the basic question very simply: yes, it is fun. But there's no way I could ever let one of Nintendo's long-running and innovative franchises off with a short sentence like that. Metroid: Other M is the eleventh game released and takes place after Super Metroid in the series' cannon (I'll post a picture of the time-line for those who are curious as to what it looks like). It's is a 3rd Person Action-Adventure game about the continuing adventure of intergalactic bounty hunter/occasional savior Samus Aran. This time around we learn more about her past and what type of person she is, and to do that, Team "we've-never-really-made-a-bad-game" Ninja has given Samus a vital new feature: a voice.
Let's start off on a positive note. The graphics here - especially for a Wii title - are absolutely gorgeous. Environments are well detailed; the classic enemies look awesome in full 3D; the gameplay, the in-game cutscenes, and the beautiful pre-rendered FMVs all blend seamlessly with one another. Seriously, if you can find a better looking current Wii title (without Zelda guilt-tripping me) you deserve a freaking medal.
Now let's get into shakier territory: The controls. Ah yes, the controls. This is the part many who haven't played the game yet will wag their collective fingers at. Normally you will hold the Wii remote on its side in a "classic NES" style, but when it comes to precise aiming, using missiles, scanning (which is technically gone, but here it highlights important things and is rather well implemented I might add), and using the Grapple Beam. The Wii D-pad can have issues with the comfort of your finger and judging depth in-game, but otherwise works great, and initially the view-swapping can be alienating due to the fact you cannot move in 1st person. But after awhile, mode swapping can become natural, and in fact, if you can get all of Samus's moves and powers working in tandem during combat, the gameplay with engulf you almost rhythmically and that is when playing the game is just fantastic and super fun.
Let's talk about some better stuff before the bad. One of my favorite critics, Noah Antwiler a.k.a The Spoony One, called the characterization of Samus Aran in Other M, "...possibly the worst mishandling of any character in gaming history." or something to that effect, but he meant that, even when admitting he is not the biggest Metroid fan. He believed that Samus was more of a strong-silent type, whereas in this game she monologues almost the entire game and has some light conversations with other characters. I will have to wholeheartedly disagree. I believe the characterization of Ms. Aran is nearly perfect. She has monologues in prior titles about her thoughts on the situation (to a limited extent), and all the supporting character she speaks with are either figures from her past or people she needs to communicate with in order to extract information or progress the story. I always felt Samus would act the way she does in this game and it's wonderful to finally see her they way I want.
Sorry I never got to this sooner. The story of Other M goes, when investigating a distress call from a Galactic Federation science station, a.k.a. the BOTTLE SHIP, Samus happens to meet up with her old partners from the Galactic Federation Army, including her ex-CO/father-figure Adam Malkovich (big-time Metroid fans will easily recognize this name). The usual feelings of isolation and possibly fear in normal Metroid games is traded-in for feelings of suspicion and mystery when the scientists are found brutally killed and someone on the team is suspected of killing their squad-mates and attempts to off you. We get some very interesting insight into Samus Aran's past here and I really got connected to what was going on in the story. My only problem here is that the voice acting ranges from pretty good to "What? Really? This is the best you could do?", and Samus's voice actress bugs me a little. Whoever she is, she does a great job, but I feel she's too soft-spoken for the part, I imagined Samus's voice something a little more like Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in terms of tone and toughness. Next time guys, Jennifer Hale (my favorite voice actress of all time) is you're girl; she does wonderful tough female voices, just listen to her as the female Commander Shepard from Mass Effect.
Now finally the bad. As a Metroid fan, I don't feel betrayed by Samus's treatment as Spoony said I should. No, no, no, but I do feel betrayed. I feel betrayed by the game's design. Don't get me wrong, Other M is not poorly designed; it's just not designed like a Metroid game. You gain abilities by getting authorization from Adam, which makes a lot of sense and I enjoy this "ability-reset" very much, but it doesn't the the classic "get-item" theme is gone and instead they've decided to play some "bleepy" noise and some stock "boop" noise when gaining a missile or energy expansion, and I have to ask, "why?". Speaking of missile and energy tanks, the missile tank only increases your stock by one missile, and then they pull a Legend of Zelda on you by giving you "energy parts" which you have to collect 4 of to gain more life, "why? just, why?". Everything feels very linear and there is no real noticeable exploration until after the end of the game, "Why!?". The classic Gravity Suit does what it's supposed to, but doesn't color your armor purple like normal and instead it glows purple when it's in use, "WHY?". The "Concentration" feature allows you to replenish your often finite missiles and health (when it's at critical levels), this feature adds intensity to the many boss fights, but this also means there are no recovery items and it's all done at save-points and through Concentration, "WHY!?". And then there's the music. The music is intense and eerie, but doesn't have the Metroid feel to it unless it's a (very well done) remix of prior tracks, "Please Nintendo, tell me, WHYYYY!!!!!!?????!?!?!"
Two quick things and then we're done. This game tries real hard at first to be Metroid Fusion, using it's obvious connections with Adam Malkovich and the use of Sectors with different simulated environments. It' misses one very vital thing on that point, Metroid Fusion is one of the scariest and most haunting games I've ever played (and it's on Game Boy Advanced!) which is created by a sense of loneliness and pursuit by the "SA-X", which Other M has none of. Eventually, toward the end of the game, it flipped its "Super Metroid-switch", which I have no real gripes with. The other thing is the length and difficulty. The game clocks in at about 10-15 hours, which for me is disappointing considering I'm almost 20 or 30 hours into Metroid titles such as Prime, Fusion and Super Metroid and still have yet to beat. But this game is quite challenging, and the only time truly difficult was during a later boss fight and either of the two first-person only action sequences all of which frustrated me like no tomorrow.
The conclusion of the game wrapped-up nicely, but left me a little unsatisfied when it came to action. Replay value is pretty low, but once you have complete the game, you unlock a "Theater Mode" which strings together the cut scenes with one made for gameplay segments to create sort of a movie out itself and it allows you to explore parts of the BOTTLE SHIP you may have missed. This game is surprisingly short, but if you're in need a great action fix, this is a perfect rental, and if you're a Metroid fan, I highly recommend you buy this at discount. I'll give Metroid: Other M 75/100 points.
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