Video Game Review: Daring, Innovative ‘Metroid: Other M’

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CHICAGO – In many circles, Samus Aran is as iconic as Pac-Man, Mario, Link, and whichever video game character turned you into a hopeless addict. I can vividly remember experiencing the ending of the first “Metroid” game so, SO many years ago and the legendary franchise is still going strong with the accomplished and innovative “Metroid: Other M.” The Nintendo Wii-exclusive has a few issues that could have been improved upon, but it’s a daringly unique game, a refreshingly original take on a timeless character.

Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

What’s so unusual about “Metroid: Other M” is the developers’ attempt to blend different gaming styles into one unique package. The game alternates between a side-scrolling platformer, a first-person shooter, and a third-person shooter — sometimes in the blink of an eye. The majority of the title is controlled with the Wii-mote facing sideways and the directional buttons and 1 & 2 getting a lot of action. But the player can also swing his controller toward the screen and take on a first-person control scheme that will be more familiar to standard-shooter players.

Metroid Other M
Photo credit: Nintendo

It’s not uncommon to be rolling along through the world of “Other M,” knocking out inferior enemies with your standard missile, only to come across a more notable enemy that will require you to switch mental gears and attack from behind Samus’ mask. It’s not uncommon to be perfectly attuned to one control scheme only to realize that you must immediately jump into another. As you might imagine, the controls of “Metroid: Other M” can take some getting used to and one wonders if they couldn’t have remained streamlined and still found a way to use the Nunchuk. When the daring control structure works, “The Other M” shines but there were times when I felt more hampered by them than impressed.

Metroid Other M Photo credit: Nintendo

As for the story of “Metroid: Other M,” it’s a bit lackluster. The super-cool Samus responds to a distress call and finds her old military colleagues also on-board. As they head one way, she goes another and stumbles into a ship overrun with enemies and will spend the entirety of the game clearing it out and solving the mystery of what the hell is going on there. The first hour of “Other M” is ridiculously weighed-down with poorly-written cut-scenes but they soon give way to what you really want from a “Metroid” game — Samus kicking ass.

The story of “Metroid: Other M” unfolds in a unique way outside of just the control scheme. The writing seamlessly blends traditional puzzle-solving experiences like how to get from point A to point B along with standard combat. And as your character upgrades her abilities, doors that were once-closed are now open to you, resulting in a title with a relatively-limited bag of tricks that still doesn’t feel repetitive. A well-designed upgrade system is so essential to keeping a title like this from getting stale and “The Other M” never gets stale.

It helps that the world of “Metroid: Other M” and the enemies within it are constantly surprising both on a conceptual level and in terms of graphics. “Other M” is a beautiful game, one that should be held up as an example of the visual capabilities of the Nintendo Wii and as proof that the arguments that graphics shouldn’t be a priority on this platform are invalid. It’s one of the best looking Nintendo Wii games to date. Some of the cut-scenes could have used a little work and the character design (outside of Samus, who is awesome) can be a bit lackluster, but that’s really only a problem near the beginning of the game when they play a larger role. It’s not long before Samus is exploring a gorgeously-rendered, expertly-conceived world and that’s all you really want from a “Metroid” game.

The sometimes-awkward controls and some bad screenwriting hold “Metroid: Other M” back from perfection, but I couldn’t help shake the feeling that I remember from that first “Metroid” experience. Even as a kid, we knew that title was way ahead of its time and there’s simply no denying the influence and impact of the original “Metroid.” Will “Metroid: Other M” have the same impact? The market is so diversified now that I’d be surprised, but it could easily be seen as the forefather of future games that attempt to blend control styles in a new way.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com