Other M marks the return of the console based Metroid games to Japanese developers. Instead of building upon the groundwork laid out by US developer Retro Studios, Team Ninja under the guidance of Yoshio Sakamoto (one half of the original creators) decided to take their baby in a different direction.
Back in the early 2D games Story was handled with a quick introductory paragraph. In the modern portable games, static cut-scenes filled with text attempted to birth a character for Samus. With the first person perspective Metroids story was treated as an aside with logs and data mining. Other M takes its overblown plot and stands it center stage.
Right from the title Metroid: Other M – or MOM for short – the game hits you over the head with its paternal theme. There’s a daddy issue with Samus and her former team leader, Adam Malkovich. Then there’s the android modeled after Mother Brain , MB. She feels like the daughter of her creator, Madeline Bergman. Notice the running gag with the initials. And finally the Galactic Federations brilliant plan on controlling the Metroids with MB via “the first thing a baby sees equals mother” method. We can all thank Samus for teaching us that one at the end of Metroid II.
All of this is contrasted by long time villain, Ridley. Spoilers ahead! When you complete the game we learn how - a Ridley - grows. He starts off as a white fur ball that molts into a geeky salamander and ultimately transforms into the winged, fire breathing demon he is. I assume he’s either cloned himself or has asexual reproduction. Either way Ridley is a parentless monster unlike his cohorts.
By the way, the Galactic Federation ship with onboard zoo and nasty science experiments was already done in Metroid Fusion. Why are we retreading plot here?
Samus has always been the silent, but strong type. She also happens to have tits that aren’t perched up in front of the camera lens. That’s a rare sight in any medium. In Other M, Samus sort of retains those aspects, but she has this inane internal dialog. She glosses over her past and repeats key plot points through a voice actress that’s terribly dull. Worst yet she freezes up in the face of an adversary she’s conquered numerous times. It makes you wonder how she’s survived so long. I understand Sakamoto’s intention of making Samus more human, but this wasn’t the way to do it. This kind of past meddling is a cheap way of building an imperfect version of a character without affecting her modern day status. Why not follow thru with the suit mutation gimmick and the Galactic Federation manhunt at the end of Metroid Fusion?
The franchise staples such as suit upgrades, missile/energy tank hording, and map plotting are all present. Except it all unfolds in a polygonal world from a third person perspective. The sideways controller works surprisingly well for this setup. Even though the directional pad lacks the technical finesse of an analog stick, the game compensates with auto aiming and simple floor layouts. The dodge tactic and enemy finishers spice things up considerably. The player can enter a first person mode by pointing the controller at the screen. The transition is pretty smooth thanks to a slight slowdown that allows you to orient and aim.
For as refreshing as the changes are, the game feels shallow. In previous Metroids there were hundreds of missiles to collect. With Other M there’s eighty total. On top of that the player can regenerate their payload at any moment. That just defeats the whole purpose of hording them for combat. Through a convenient plot device, suit upgrades are authorized by the team leader. There’s one moment in particular where Samus enters a flesh melting hot zone without her protective Gravity Suit. Adam chimes in with an okay to wear it about half way through the level. What the fuck game? The map layout is also very linear with most items being tucked behind background elements thanks to tricky camera angles.
Atmosphere has been completely abandoned. The soundtrack in the Prime games really put an eerie edge on the discs. The music in Other M lacks memorable hooks and is far too minimal. Quite often there was nothing but silence. For instance there’s an “investigation” scene where the camera pans behind her shoulder. You creep along completely expecting a good jump scare, but nothing happens. No spooky ambiance, sudden noise, or action otherwise. I don’t know if the section was cut, incomplete, or just badly executed. But it does serve as a reminder of how important sound design is to creating tension.
Other M is a rough start for this new type of Metroid. The plot sequences are long winded and the disc is light on content. However the groundwork holds some promise if the developers shift focus back onto creating enticing game play. All I ask for is a perilous new world full goodies to excavate. Leave the space drama for film and animation please.