NOTE: Obviously, there are spoilers in this feature for every game mentioned. If you see us beginning to discuss a game you don’t want spoiled skip ahead to the next entry.

HEAVY RAIN

Heavy Rain was a legitimately great game, and a great showcase for choice and consequence mechanics and narrative-driven gameplay in Quantic Dream titles- but it wasn’t perfect, of course. The entire game revolved around the mystery of who the Origami Killer who, but it was eventually revealed that it had been Scott Shelby all along. Except that doesn’t make any sense, because we’d been playing as Scott Shelby for a huge chunk of the game, and were privy to his thoughts and inner monologues and what have you. It just came across as a poorly executed reveal.

Metroid: Other M is widely reviled by the Metroid fanbase- there are multiple reasons for this. The game’s control scheme felt inadequate for the intensity of action on screen, the game cut down on Metroid‘s traditional strengths in exploration, atmosphere, agency, and isolation, in favor of a hamfisted story told via overbearing cutscenes; and, perhaps worst of all, the game took stoic series heroine Samus Aran, and turned her into a rather tropey character.

That last point is what sticks out with Metroid fans the most, and what has been central to most criticism of Other M in the seven years since it came out. And now, on the eve of a new Metroid game from Yoshio Sakamoto, long time Metroid producer, and also the man behind Other M, coming up with Metroid: Samus Returns, there is understandably some nervousness and trepidation about how Samus might be treated in the new game.

However, speaking to Kotaku in an interview, Sakamoto said that while he stands by his decision to depict Samus as he did in Other M, the criticism has given him pause, and made him reconsider how he portrays her going forward. “To be honest, as far as wanting to change that depiction of Samus, I made what I wanted to make. It did give me some momentum, I guess, and the ability to look at Samus from a new viewpoint, and maybe reconsider what I wanted to show about her,” he said.

Which is fine. Sakamoto is an artist, and a creative man, and he is allowed to have his own views about what he wants to say and do, and how he wants to do it. He is even allowed to stand by what he said and did- however, at the same time, his continued success is dependent on patronage by his audience, and it is good to see that he has taken the considerable feedback for Other M‘s depiction of Samus into account since. Hopefully, we can see Samus restored to her past glory going forward.

For Team Ninja who designed the game in partnership with Nintendo, they wouldn’t mind revisiting Metroid is Nintendo is up for it.

In response to whether Metroid: Other M may receive a sequel any time soon, Dead or Alive 5 director Yosuke Hayashi responded, “Unfortunately Metroid is kind of out of our league as it’s Nintendo’s game, but we’re still in close touch with co-creator Sakamoto-san, so we want to do something with him moving forward definitely. It really depends on what he wants to do with the game first.”

Would anyone be willing to play a new Metroid? That’s a given, but something tells us they may not gravitate too close to anything bearing the “Other M” identity any time soon.

To begin with, the Wii has become notorious for its shovelware- while no one is for a minute denying that there are good games to be found on the system (some of this generation’s best games are to be found on Nintendo’s little white box, after all), the problem that they are so greatly outnumbered by buggy and glitchy half assed titles that going shopping for Wii games is literally like finding a needle in a haystack.

The problem is further compounded when one considers that quality third party support on the Wii is increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Although we still get gems like No More Heroes 2 and Monster Hunter, most developers and publishers are increasingly washing their hands off the Wii, claiming any kind of success on the console is hard to be had. They do have a point, though: quality third party games on the Wii have, with few exceptions, bombed hard. Add to that the fact that the Wii is considerably weaker than the other current gen consoles and the PC, and one can see why most developers refrain from releasing any of their popular multiplats- like Red Dead- on the console.

The final problem that the Wii faces, of course, is WiWare. It’s a great service- in theory. But Nintendo’s archaic online policies have been the bane of the service, with WiiWare missing out on so many quality games that it’s not even funny. Some ridiculous restrictions- like the 40 MB size cap- have ensured that most indie developers give WiiWare a miss entirely. The few gems that are to be found on the service almost never make their money back, simply because Nintendo cannot be bothered to promote the service, or its titles.

With so many problems to face, ans the competition becoming increasingly competitive- both in price, and in the motion sensing capabilities on offer- the Wii went into 2010 facing its toughest year on the market ever. Was 2010 the year when the Wii finally lost relevance, fading into the background to become the shortest lived mainstream console ever? Or was it the year when against all odds, the little white box gained favor with the fickle hardcore crowd? Read on…

Q1 2010:

Travis Touchdown kicked off 2010 for the Wii in style

The Wii was in a largely comfortable position coming into 2010, at least from a financial perspective- Q4 2009 had been its most successful tenure on the market, and it was riding on the blockbuster success of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a title that perhaps single handedly salvaged 2009 for Nintendo, as far as software sales for their flagship console were concerned.

Its lineup for 2010 looked interesting, if somewhat niche, and it certainly looked better than the pathetic 2008 and 2009 that the Wii had suffered. The Wii kick started 2010 silently, although with a showing of strong third party support. Within the first three months, the Wii got several quality titles that silently swelled its library to surprising proportions- and barring one, not a single one of them was a Nintendo title.

So, from January to March 2010, we got Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, the atmospheric and chilling reimagining of the original Playstation Silent Hill, No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle, the sequel to the stylish 2008 game featuring wiseguy Travis Touchdown, Tatsunoko vs Capcom, a crossover fighting game that, against all odds, had somehow managed to find its way overseas, and outside of Japan,  Endless Ocean: Blue World, Nintendo’s sequel to its unusual ocean exploration game, Sonic and Sega: All Stars Racing, Sega’s surprisingly competent take on the mascot kart racing formula and Red Steel 2, Ubisoft’s sequel to its 2006 launch title that righted all the wrongs of the original game, and made good on its promises.

What was even more surprising about these three months was the unusually strong showing exhibited by WiiWare- the service that is oft neglected by most developers saw some genuinely good games hit it in this timeframe that simply could not be missed. So, in this period, we saw WiiWare getting the definitive version of Cave Story, the darling hit PC indie title, Mega Man 10, Capcom’s continuation of its retro reinterpretation of its robotic mascot, and  of course, Tales of Monkey Island Chapter 5, which for many provided the return to the Golden Days of Lucasarts’ adventure games that they had so long been yearning for.

Clearly, this was an unusually strong quarter for Nintendo, as far as software was concerned. Quite a lot of titles hit the system in this period, and while most of them were too quirky to truly be mainstream (and hence achieve commercial success), they were all excellent and well made games, that ensured that the Wii’s library would have several gems when all was said and done.

Q2 2010

Behold one of the highest rated (and arguably the best) rated games of this generation, and of all time

But surely the Wii was running out of steam by now? After all, what major announced title for the system was left for release? A couple, that would be done with in the coming three months, and then what? Would the console be done?

Q2 2010 demonstrated that Nintendo had different ideas about where its system was going. Clearly pissed at the Wii’s perceived lack of hardcore games, these three months represented Nintendo jamming themselves into the drivers seat, and pushing down the pedal hard.

The Wii started Q2 2010 in style, with Capcom’s long awaited third entry into its divisive Monster Hunter series hitting the system exclusively in April. Critic scores were favorable, for once, and the response from the audiences was receptive- here was a third party game for the Wii that demonstrated quality, and achieved proper success, both critically and commercially!

As far as third party support is concerned, the Wii saw a respectable quarter. It got Trauma Team, which was the series’ debut on Nintendo’s motion wielding console, the Motion Plus enabled Tiger Woods PGA 11, and multi platform titles like Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (arguably the best on the Wii), Green Day Rock Band, and LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4. On its part, the WiiWare service continued to host some good games, with the most notable being Bit.Trip Runner.

However, these three months will be remembered not for what the third parties managed on the Wii, but for what Nintendo did. First of all, of course, was Nintendo’s Super Mario Galaxy 2. The first direct sequel to a console Mario in over two decades, Super Mario Galaxy 2 had been unveiled at E3 last year to a lukewarm reception at best, with many leveling allegations that the game was a glorified expansion pack. Of course, that couldn’t have been farther from the truth, as it eventually turned out. Super Mario Galaxy 2 was not only a breath of fresh air in a stale genre, it also was the best produced, best made Wii game, best 3D platformer ever, in the running for best platformer ever, best Mario game ever, and out and out in the running for best game ever. Critics went berserk awarding the game perfect scores, citing its variety and its creativity. Gamers went nuts purchasing the game in large numbers, as the game managed to sell in excess of five million units in a very short time. Super Mario Galaxy 2 represented Nintendo at its best, and delivered a very strong message- the Big N was back.

Clearly, because they followed up the success of Super Mario Galaxy 2 with a stupendous E3 showing, which revealed a lineup of several blockbuster Wii games all due in 2010- but we’ll get to that later.

Q2 2010 also had Nintendo following up on the success of Super Mario Galaxy 2 with a much less significant, although no less unique, game- Sin and Punishment: Star Successor was the sequel to the N64 cult hit, a shoot em up game that was as quirky as it was fun, and that (shock! horror!) represented a genuine effort on Nintendo’s part to implement online in a self published game.

The Wii, which had looked to be on the verge of fading into irrelevance, had bought itself time, and had gained some momentum with the release of one landmark title- would it be enough to tide the Wii over for the rest of the year?

Q3 2010

Also behold the most controversial game of 2010. Yeah, the Wii was where it was at in 2010.

Q3 2010 probably represented the quietest bit of the year for the Wii- probably it was the lull before the storm (but more on that in the last section).

These three months were marked with the release of a grand total of one major title on the system (two if you count the somewhat subdued Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock). However, that one title was controversial enough to keep things moving, and moreover, to keep things exciting on a system that was largely ignored by the gaming media.

The game I’m talking about is of course Metroid: Other M. Now, Nintendo has always been known to experiment with the Metroid series- no two titles are ever truly alike, and all of them do something new, whether its the forced challenge of Metroid II, or the first person view of Metroid Prime. With Other M, Nintendo and developers Team Ninja decided to take a dramatic step in a direction no one had foreseen- they decided to make the Metroid experience more guided, more cinematic.

So, in a shift from tradition, we had a Nintendo produced game heavy on the cutscenes and on voice acting, and a Metroid game that held the player’s hand and showed him where to go. Naturally, such a change was met with stiff resistance from the fans, who cried foul, claiming that the spirit of the series had been compromised.

However, the single most divisive aspect of this game was perhaps its portrayal of famed series heroine Samus Aran. With little or nothing to go by, fans had, over the years, formed a mental construct of who they believed Samus really was- a stoic, silent, brooding survivor, who was on a mission to help the galaxy. Naturally, when the portrayal of the game differed from their own interpretation, they screamed- nearly three decades of pedigree had been staked here.

In a year when there were MANY controversial games, Metroid: Other M stands out for the risks it took with one of the most hallowed franchises in gaming. Was it a good game? Sure. Was it a good Metroid game? That depends on where you stand, and on what your definition of a Metroid game really is. Be as it all may, Other M was the lone standout for the Wii in a rather quiet Q3 2010.

Q4 2010

Donkey Kong. 'Nuff said.

And at this point, I officially give up.

Q4 2010 can be described using two words as far as the Wii is concerned. One word is Oh. The other is F**k.

Remember how I’ve been hinting at a ‘storm’ and ‘Nintendo taking charge’ all throughout this article? Well, this, buddies, is it- this is when shit hit the fan. This is when Nintendo unleashed the Wii in a bellow of fury at everyone around, bolstered by jaw dropping third party support, to prove, once and for all, that the Wii was relevant, that it was here to stay, and that the competition better watch out.

There are so many games to list out! Beginning with the adorable and fresh new take on a beloved character with Kirby’s Epic Yarn, to the return of the undisputed king- I mean Kong- of gaming, with Retro Studios’ finely crafted Donkey Kong Country Returns, to the re imaging of one of the most beloved games of all time in Goldeneye 007,  to the triumphant return of Sega’s mascot in Sonic Colors, the game that finally got Sonic in 3D right, to Warren Spector’s finely made yet divisive epic, Epic Mickey, to Treyarch’s Call of Duty: Black Ops, which for once represented a third party game not compromised on the Wii, to the surprisingly party title Wii Party, to the sequel of the dance hit, Just Dance 2, to the return of a much loved SNES classic in NBA Jam, to Nintendo’s blast from the past with Super Mario All Stars, to the third hurrah of star music game series with Rock Band 3…

And even WiiWare got in on the fun. Whether we talk about Bit.Trip Fate, the last entry in the retro rhythm game series that truly was a fitting farewell to the beloved saga, or of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1, which was Sega’s attempt at taking Sonic back to his roots, the downloadable service was in full form these three months.

I mean, what were they smoking? How can one console see so many worthwhile and un-missable releases in so short a time frame?

If this is where the Wii picks up from in 2011, then well, I’m gonna have to throw my cynic hat away.

CONCLUSION

There’s a reason why so many people proclaim the Wii ‘won’ 2010- the console was a beastly juggernaut. Just look at that list of software. It’s not even half of what the console had to offer. Many worthwhile releases had to be trimmed down from this piece, just because this article was running so long.

2010 is the year when Nintendo took charge- it’s the year when they returned to their roots. Even as Microsoft and Sony began to chase after the fickle casual crowds with their own takes on motion control (with, I may add, varying degrees of success), Nintendo finally acknowledged the hardcore gamer, and gave him his due.

2010 was the year when the Wii’s library swelled to epic proportions. At this point, anybody who buys a Wii really has no right or reason to complain- there are too many darn games to play on the system!

2010 was the year when third parties game appeared on the Wii, and they actually sold. It was the year when Nintendo ditched the motion control act, and went after the traditional way of gaming. It was the year when the WiiWare service finally came into its own. The year when Nintendo’s sales, ironically, slowed down to such an extent that even company head honcho Iwata expressed concerns.

As always, it was a year riddled with contradictions. But, for the first time, it can also well and truly be said that this, this was the year of the Wii.

Looks like Take-Two have struck gold with their recently released Historic Action Adventure, Mafia II. After industry analyst Michael Pachter’s recent comment that Mafia II will not be successfull, Take-Two came out all guns blazing, saying that not only do they expect Mafia II to be successful, it has also gone off to a spectacular star (see full story here).

Looks like Take-Two were right all along. In the newly released UK Sales Charts, Mafia II topped the list, with highest sales, and newly released titles HAWX 2 and Metroid: Other M debuted at #10 and #12 respectively. Metroid: Other M also claimed the second spot in the full price Wii list, behind Super Mario Galaxy 2. These sales in a matter of just a week look very impressive, especially for a Metroid game, since Metroid games haven’t really sold all that well before.

Kane and Lynch: Dog Days remains at the second spot. Wii Sports Resort, Toy Story 3 and Red Dead Redemption are the next three entries in the list.

Here is the Top 10 list:

01. Mafia II (Take-Two)
02. Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days (Square Enix)
03. Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo)
04. Toy Story 3 (Disney)
05. Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar)
06. Just Dance (Ubisoft)
07. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo)
08. Sniper: Ghost Warrior (City Interactive)
09. Prince Of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (Ubisoft)
10. Tom Clancy’s HAWX 2

Right from the word go Other M is playing with fire. It’s set right after the events of the classic Super Metroid, where Samus intercepts a distress signal from a research station codenamed Baby’s Cry. It reminds her of the sacrifice of the baby Metroid from the end battle with Mother Brain in Super Metroid, and so she flies in to investigate. Once there she meets up with Adam Malkovich and his team of Galactic Federation soldiers, who Samus once served with in her youth. It’s through these characters that a large part of Samus’ back story is revealed, and the new introspective focus of the narrative is easily noticeable due to the regular internal monologues and flashbacks used to tell the story. A pretty daring move, considering our lovely heroine has had only a handful of lines since the original game in 1986. It certainly has taken Other: M in an interesting new direction, one that has clearly paid off. Our protagonist has never felt so well fleshed out, and I haven’t been as engaged with a Nintendo franchise in a long time. It certainly helps drive the plot forward, and the story already has enough intrigue and twists and turns to make it a very easy sell. It must be admitted though that there are a few pacing issues with the story. It takes a little bit of time to warm up and, even though the epilogue chapter is classic Metroid all over, the actual ending just before the credits felt a little limp. In spite of this small blemish, a personal narrative of this magnitude is a new direction for the series to take and I certainly hope that this direction may translate to other popular Nintendo franchises.

The transparency of Samus’ visor reflects the new personal slant of Other M

The gameplay too is refreshing, mixing up both the side-scrolling action of the older Metroid games and the FPS action of the Prime meta-series. The game primarily plays out from a third person perspective and is controlled holding the Wii remote on its side like a NES controller. I’ve never been much of a fan of using the Wiimote in this way, but with Other M it really works and gave it that old-school original Metroid feel. It felt like going back home and really put a smile on my face. The twist comes in that, when you point the remote at the screen the game camera shifts to a first person viewpoint, allowing more intricate analysis of your surroundings. It’s sometimes also required to use some of Samus’ abilities like missiles and the grapple beam.

Other tweaks have been made to the way the game plays, including the use of melee attacks (certainly the Team Ninja influence coming through there.) Once you fully charge Samus’ beam you can melee a foe by either jumping on them or by moving close to them while they’re down. It works well and looks pretty stylish, though jumping on top of enemies can sometimes be a bit fiddly and feel imprecise. Another interesting feature is the concentration mode where by lifting the remote vertically and holding A, Samus can recharge her stock of missiles. Some fans may feel this makes the gameplay too easy, but it’s well balanced out when you consider that you need to find a safe place to do this move where you won’t be interrupted.

A new Metroid in 3rd person. Feels just like going home

With all these changes to the formula, it’s easy to feel concerned that the core mood of the Metroid franchise might be lost. Generally speaking this isn’t the case. Despite the inclusion of the Galactic federation team who regularly aid Samus, Other M does a remarkable job of evoking the same feeling of loneliness and isolation that has always characterised the Metroid series. One problem I did have with the new direction though came in how the acquisition of power ups was handled. Upgrades such as energy tanks are collected as always and are still fun to track down, but the upgrades needed to access new areas like the grapple beam or super missile aren’t obtained in a way that I felt did the series’ mechanics justice. Whereas in previous games in the series you had to solve a big puzzle or fight a large boss enemy to find the new ability, in Other M they seem to just sort of happen. Rather than robbing Samus of her skills at the beginning of the game and forcing her to acquire them again, in Other M the idea is that Samus has all the abilities but disables them until she is authorised to use them by commander Malkovich on account of her respect for him. It’s roped into the plot reasonably well, but at certain points it started to just plain annoy me. When shit hits the fan, you generally don’t wait to ask if you can use a cloth to clean it up. There were times when I was knee deep in lava dying slowly wondering why the hell he wouldn’t otherwise the damn Varia suit. It’s a slight misfire in that respect, but once more it’s a small dark spot on a game that fits extremely well into the Metroid franchise.

Eat melee attack evil slug monster!

The presentation is also a high point of the game, particularly in terms of the visuals. They just ooze quality and, whilst I usually do a lot of hating on the Wii’s visual capabilities, I truly can’t be critical of the graphics in Other M. They generally hit the spot with smooth and varied textures, awesome animations and a general level of polish that only Nintendo seem to be able to apply. It’s just a shame that some of the effects are a mixed bag, ranging from the cool holographic features on some of the levels to a few explosions that look a little too N64 for my liking.

Sound is something that Sci-fi themed games tend to botch, but Other M manages to escape this particular trap. The over-use of dodgy synthesisers has become synonymous with Science fiction gaming, (Mass Effect I’m looking at you!) but Other M manages to use a sparse orchestration effectively to create a barren and nihilistic mood. The voice acting also deserves credit, as my concerns for effectively voicing such a classic character as Samus Aran were immediately put to rest the moment she opened her mouth.

It’s a shame that such an enjoyable experience wound up being a relatively short lived one, at least it was in comparison to other games in the series. Without going for all the upgrades my play time clocked around roughly eight hours, though you can expect to see this go up if you wish to track down the elusive 100%. It’s a shame that the game couldn’t have been a few hours longer, as it’s hard to justify paying full price for such a short ride, but when all is said and done you can’t put a price on such a quality game.

Metroid: Other M gambles with some new gameplay mechanics and a refreshing story-driven narrative. It’s a game I cannot recommend enough to both fans of the series and anyone looking for a new experience on the Wii. It’s just a shame it couldn’t be a bit longer, but it is a subtle and enjoyable title that gets better with every play-through, as opposed to lesser contemporary titles that rely on cheap kicks and little substance. Nintendo are trying new things for once, and they deserve support in this endeavour. Other M is probably one of the strongest adventures on the Wii and one that is worthy of your time, but for those who are new to the franchise you may be better going for an earlier title in the series until the price comes down on Other M.

This game was reviewed on the Nintendo Wii.

Don’t worry.  Apparently, the story Metroid: Other M tells is a moving story, and it seems to tell it well. Why else would series creator Yoshio Sakamoto, who is also helming this game, admit to having cried after seeing one of the game’s cutscenes?

In the latest Iwata Asks, given over to the upcoming biggie from Nintendo, game director Ryuzi Kitaura revealed, “Since these were temporary cinematics, we were asking him to shoot things like Samus in tights, or polystyrene creatures, and there was no set to speak of.

“Sakamoto-san stood close to me, checking the monitors. When we’d shoot a particularly moving scene, I’d ask him ‘How was that, Sakamoto-san?’, but he’d be completely silent. I was really worried, thinking ‘Oh no, he doesn’t like it…’, but then when I peeked at his face, his eyes were full of tears.”

Well, I only hope they were tears of emotion, and not tears of frustration at how the game was turning out.

Metroid: Other M hits the Wii exclusively on 31st August. We’ll have our review ready by then.

Announced at E3 last year as a collaboration between Team Ninja and the original development team of Metroid games, Metroid: Other M instantly stood out for a variety of reasons, most of which did not go down well with long time series fans. The game’s self proclaimed focus on placing the story and the narrative paramount alarmed many- whereas the Metroid universe is exceptionally rich, and its characters enigmas, there has been a sense of desolate mystery surrounding the entire Metroid setup that has appealed to fans in so many ways. Samus Aran, for instance, the series protagonist, has a dark backstory that has often been hinted at in all Metroid games, but never really been elaborated upon. The fact that Other M sets out to tell a clearly definied narrative, via means of in game voiced cutscenes, displeased quite a few, who preferred the Metroid Prime games’ more passive methods of storytelling. Then again, the fact this is probably the first Nintendo game to truly go for a cinematic feel worried many Metroid fans- experimenting with new stuff is always welcome, and adotping new age techniques even better, but did Metroid have to be the scapegoat?

What probably worried fans even more, though, was many of the seemingly baffling design decisions that all made it seem as if Other M would be a drastic step down for the Metroid franchise, an issue only excaberated by the fact that Other M was immediately following the superb and impeccable Metroid Prime trilogy. For instance, the developers have made the decision to adopt a control scheme that mirrors that of the original NES game- a good idea if you’re making a 2D game, but Other M sees Samus traversing loads of 3D environments. How could you possibly negotiate 3D movement with a D-pad?

There was more- the transition from third person view to first person, which the game allowed, was alleged to be shabby; the game looked too action oriented for many Metroid fans’ comfort, who felt as if the Team Ninja influence was resulting in a deterioration of what had made Metroid, Metroid; there were those who felt that the introduction of other human characters effectively spelt the end of the sense of isolation that has pervaded all Metroid games, and that ultimately led to those games having great atmosphere.

Now, however, with each subsequent hands on that we’ve been offered, our reactions continue to get more and more positive. There is no doubt in my mind that Metroid: Other M not only has the potential to shine as an excellent Metroid game, and an excellent Wii game, but also as one of the best games this year, which is truly a difficult feat. Hit the text after the jump to see five reasons why Metroid: Other M could be the best game of 2010.

Check the latest trailer below:

5. CONTROLS

Earlier the object of much criticism, it seems now that Metroid: Other M’s control scheme has grown on us all. Holding the Wiimote sideways so that it resembles a NES controller, Metroid: Other M relies on the D-pad for movement, thus leading to the quandary of controlling a character in a 3D space with only eight possible directional inputs, but it works surprisingly well, and after a time, it just comes naturally to you.

What actually makes this transition to this rather eccentric control method is the fact that Metroid: Other M has the exact same controls as the other non Prime Metroid games before it. Long time Metroid fans will instantly feel at home, as their fingers will make naturally for those very same buttons to perform the very same moves that they’ve been doing these past years. For newcomers, this minimised control scheme represents a tidy, utilitarian and elegant method of controlling a game that otherwise might appear hopelessly complex and formidable.

Moreover, the game fully embraces Metroid Prime’s legacy by incorporating a first person mode, that lets you see from inside Samus’ visor, if only temporarily. While you are in first person mode, you’re immobile, though you still can turn 360 degrees on the spot. You can also perform a quick, evasive manoeuvre, if your enemy attacks. The first person mode is controlled logically using the Wiimote’s pointers, and is activated simply by turning the Wiimore so that it points at the screen- that is, a simple adjustment of the controller’s orientation allows you to switch to first person on the fly. As seems to be the case with the game, this might take a little getting used to at first, but in the end, comes off as naturally logical and intuitive.

Everything about the game’s control scheme- from how movement is handled, to how the first person to third person transition is exectued, from the quick run and gun gameplay to how Samus recharges her health tank, it all takes a little geting used to, but once you’re acquainted with the control scheme, it seems flawlessly subliminal, as you begin to wonder what other logically viable method of control the developers really could have used. The controls in Other M are exceptionally tight and well thought out, and are certainly the best this year, second only to perhaps Nintendo other big console release earlier this year.

4. IT’S FAST PACED, HIGH ON ADRENALINE, BUT IT REQUIRES YOU TO THINK

Metroid: Other M comes across as a bit of a shock after the slow and deliberate pacing of Metroid Prime. The Team Ninja influence is instantly apparent here, as this is probably the most fast paced action oriented Metroid title ever. Enemies assuage you almost constantly, in vast 3D arenas, highly reminiscent of Team Ninja’s Ninja Gaiden games, and you must take them down, and take them down fast, because they’re capable of doling out some serious damage. However, it isn’t a simple matter of run and gun- while the game’s auto lock feature makes it easier to ensure that you find your target, simply spamming the fire button will get you nowhere. You need to think fast, and think on your feet, if you’re to take your quarries down. Metroid: Other M presents you with several different means of taking down your enemies, and all of them work differently on each enemy, each time.

For instance, you could switch to te first person mode- it allows you to have greater precision, so that you can properly target your moves. It is also the only time that you can fire your missiles, which are otherwise unavailable for you. But the fact that you are largely immobile makes this an impractical consideration if you are being assaulted on all sides, though it works best if a single enemy is all you have to deal with.

Conversely, you could stick to third person mode, charging up your beam cannons, and firing, confidently knowing that your hit will hit the mark. However, it takes a longer time to take your enemies down this way, since the standard moves in your repertoire are also undoubtedly the weakest.

The Team Ninja influence is strong in this one.

The third method of combat is probably the one that is most influenced by Team Ninja’s Ninja Gaiden games. Metroid: Other M allows up close, melee combat, and there are quite a few lethal moves available at your disposal. Most notably, Samus has quite a few special moves that are restricted to melee combat only, and all of them are devastatingly powerful. The downside here is that melee moves place Samus in quite a compromising position, as you’re required to get up close with your enemies, which makes you indisputably vulnerable.

The possibilities with this game’s combat are endless- add to the three basic styles of gameplay mentioned above the vast range of weapons in Samus’ arsenal, as well as some of her special moves, such as the Morph Ball, and what you have on your hands is a game that features fast paced frentic action, but one that requires you to think quickly and on the spot, and often improvise, making do the best with what you’re given.

3. ATMOSPHERE

The Metroid games have always been amongst the most atmospheric games of their respective eras, and that, ore than anything else, is what has truly set them apart from all other games. There are those who aspire to be like Metroid, and nail all aspects of the gameplay and execution perfectly, but still fall short of the greatness of Metroid games, and that is because they lack the key ingredient to Metroid’s success- it’s atmosphere, that is rooted in the feeling of desolate isolation, of the overwhelming helplessness of being stranded, all alone, in a highly adverse environment.

With Metroid: Other M, things have changed a little, though. The fact that you are no longer alone- at least, not technically, since you find other

You're all alone. Again.

Galactic Federation crew from time to time- should come as bad news to some. However, it is a pleasant surprise, how the game manages to incorporate these other characters, because they are a requirement of the story, and can still make you feel alone and isolated.

Make no mistake, in Metroid: Other M, you are alone. All alone.

You’re left to fend for yourself in hostile environments, vast locales where you know your team mates are, and yet you never maintain contact with them. It’s a feeling of panic, and of overpowering dread, as you don’t have the support that you expect, and feel the dawn of the feeling of isolation. The fact that Other M is fast paced and high octane tends to compund the sense of panic, and add to the urgency, making you feel more afraid and frightened than ever before.

The atmosphere is greatly helped by the game’s beautiful visuals and great aural effects, all of which impress upon the vastness of the intimidating locations where we are now stranded, and all of which serve to impose even more panic upon the player’s psyche. Metroid: Other M makes good on it’s promise- it is a true Metroid title through and through, and that is because of its atmosphere, which provides an interesting spin on age old Metroid formula.

2. BLENDING OF GENRES

You might be tempted to call Metroid: Other M your typical run of the mill action game. Certainly, Nintendo seems to have, rather worryingly, concentrated more on the action side of things with Other M, and while Team Ninja are excellent developers, having made the superb Ninja

The platforming's as stellar as it's ever been.

Gaiden games, after all, Other M looks surprisingly unremarkable. In a year when we’ve already had an overload of action games, with the spate not looking as if it’ll stop anytime soon, there seems to be little reason to invest in the newest Metroid title, for those that are not fans of the franchise, anyway.

However, there’s more to Metroid: Other M than just that. I think I may here unhesitatingly say that Nintendo’s latest blends two genres so expertly that it soon becomes hard to tell one apart from the other. On the one hand, we’ve got the age old Metroid platforming and backtracking, rooted in the concepts of exploring your environments, and, via careful scanning, finding the way out. On the other, we have the much publicised fast paced run and gun action, which is incredibly varied, and offers so much more than is immediately apparent.

In Other M, you will play two games- traditional third person Metroid, and a new age, faster, more relentless one. It is an expert fusion of two vastly differing style of play, and it lends Other M with its own unique identity, and gives it the potential to outperform other games this year.

1. IT’S (STILL) METROID

You know, let’s face it, very few other games have the calibre or pedigree of Metroid games. And there’s a reason for that- Metroid games are just

The boss battles are still inventive.

that darned good. Unfailingly, each Metroid title has been amongst the best titles of its time, and that is because each title has stuck fast to what it is that makes Metroid Metroid.

With Metroid: Other M, though you might be tempted to think otherwise, that is how things remain. Take away all the trappings of the newfound focus on combat and action, all the pretensions of the game wanting to tell a story, and what you get at its core is what is still quintessentially Metroid. You still have to explore the environment thoroughly if you hope to make any progress. You still have to gradually structure your power ups, gaining new powers that allow you to enter previously inaccessible areas. You’re still all alone, possibly more than ever before. You still face of inventive bosses, all of whom have to be defeated imaginatively, after a bout of quick thinking. At it’s heart, and beyond it, Metroid: Other M is still Metroid, pure, unaduletrated, distilled.

You still have to unlock your power ups, slowly, and one by one.

In the end, it all seems to come together- the atmosphere, the graphics, the soundtrack, the gameplay, the tight controls, the swift platforming, the expert combat moves, even the somewhat corny story, told through voiced cutscenes. While we’ve played too little to be entirely sure, what we’ve played is exceedingly good so far, and seems to establish Metroid: Other M as a hell of a game.