Metroid: Other M

[speedfreak]

If they didn't want to have nunchuk support they should have kept the game on a 2D playing field. I'll still get and enjoy the game but it's obvious that the controls would have been much better with Wiimote+Nunchuk as it is now. We could have moved with the nunchuck, aimed at enemies ourselves with the Wiimote instead of shitty auto aim, and we could have just tapped a button to go into first person mode with our Wiimotes already facing the screen instead of have to clumsily change how we're holding the controller.

[Doctor MK]

If they didn't want to have nunchuk support they should have kept the game on a 2D playing field. I'll still get and enjoy the game but it's obvious that the controls would have been much better with Wiimote+Nunchuk as it is now. We could have moved with the nunchuck, aimed at enemies ourselves with the Wiimote instead of shitty auto aim, and we could have just tapped a button to go into first person mode with our Wiimotes already facing the screen instead of have to clumsily change how we're holding the controller.

^^^ This sums it up, really.

Potential good reviews or not, we're still very much on the verge of our first true marmite Metroid game. And all because of one little design choice. I imagine people getting used to the Wiimote-only controls, but you won't be able to help but think "this would be so much easier with a Nunchuk".

In fact, I fully expect to see variations of that very quote in reviews. Calling it now.

[Octarine]

I honestly have no idea what to expect from this game, and that's definitely toning down my hype a bit. Apart from some details about the control scheme, we know almost nothing about the game now that we didn't know at last year's E3. For a game that's making so many unorthodox moves (greater emphasis on the story, odd controls, voice acting), it's a very risky move on Nintendo's part to basically tell us nothing about them.

I feel very similarly about Other M to the way I feel about StarCraft II right now, though for mostly different reasons. It's a game that I was really hyped about once, and that I still really want, but I'm just... burnt out.

...also, an official translation of the Metroid manga? Yes please.

[SuperLink]

I hope this is just Super Mario Galaxy 2 syndrome all over again though, with all these niggling doubts being well and truly proven wrong in the end.

Idk, the SMG2 thing was just a few naysayers feeling a bit pessimistic about the direction of the series. Other M's pessimism is pretty damn widespread it seems.

If they didn't want to have nunchuk support they should have kept the game on a 2D playing field. I'll still get and enjoy the game but it's obvious that the controls would have been much better with Wiimote+Nunchuk as it is now. We could have moved with the nunchuck, aimed at enemies ourselves with the Wiimote instead of shitty auto aim, and we could have just tapped a button to go into first person mode with our Wiimotes already facing the screen instead of have to clumsily change how we're holding the controller.

Completely agree. What the hell were they thinking? If you want Wiimote only, then a 2D game please. If you want a 3D game, then give us analogue support.

What an utterly ridiculous design choice.

[Noir]

Good lord, my brain is full of fuck from all this negativity. I was kind of hoping that after making my post about it, someone would show up with some brilliant theory for how fantastic the controls will really be and convince me to stop worrying and then everything would be rainbows and sunshine.

Instead people are just confirming my thoughts D:

[Saint Nathan]

Honestly I'm not seeing much issue with the controls. The environment and levels seem made for either moving straight forward, backwards, or sideways. You're not moving through very many open environments, as much as you're traveling between the foreground and the background. I think the more open areas in the game might be a LITTLE bit hard to go through, but the controls match the gameplay needs so far. Use of a nunchuck would do two things.

1. Give full circular control (samus can move in all directions)

2. Complicate and make the levels harder to navigate, because unless you dropped the sensitivity down to that of the D-Pad, if you head left you'll have a hard time going straight forward and might just end up bumping into everything.

Also, the firing scheme would need to be redone at this point. Samus's range of vision for the auto-aim seems designed to cover the blind spots created by the movement.

I think what we're seeing (and being cautious of) is the fact that this doesn't look like any other Metroid game so far. It's a weird combination of several Metroid games, and it looks odd.

[Doctor MK]

Honestly I'm not seeing much issue with the controls. The environment and levels seem made for either moving straight forward, backwards, or sideways. You're not moving through very many open environments, as much as you're traveling between the foreground and the background. I think the more open areas in the game might be a LITTLE bit hard to go through, but the controls match the gameplay needs so far. Use of a nunchuck would do two things.

1. Give full circular control (samus can move in all directions)

2. Complicate and make the levels harder to navigate, because unless you dropped the sensitivity down to that of the D-Pad, if you head left you'll have a hard time going straight forward and might just end up bumping into everything.

Also, the firing scheme would need to be redone at this point. Samus's range of vision for the auto-aim seems designed to cover the blind spots created by the movement.

I think what we're seeing (and being cautious of) is the fact that this doesn't look like any other Metroid game so far. It's a weird combination of several Metroid games, and it looks odd.

By jove, I think you might be onto something there!

Or in other words: I hope you're right. It's the kind of thing you've gotta play and feel for yourself, really.

[SuperLink]

Idk. This particular gameplay scheme may work with this particular control setup, but that's only if we think inside the box.

I definitely think the game could be infinitely better if they tried something else with the controls and the gameplay. You say the game wouldn't work properly with an analogue, but that's only because of the type of game it is. The entire game direction is "wrong", but if they had gone another direction, a more ideal direction, then analogue support would have complimented gameplay, and the whole experience would feel much more smooth than the one we've been given.

[Noir]

I'm going to laugh my ass off when we all buy it on the release date, play it nonstop, and find out it's the best Metroid to date, with better gameplay than Super Metroid and a more involving story than Prime.

Oh god, I can dream! D:

[SuperLink]

I'm going to laugh my ass off when we all buy it on the release date, play it nonstop, and find out it's the best Metroid to date, with better gameplay than Super Metroid and a more involving story than Prime.

Oh god, I can dream! D:

Quit tugging at my heartstrings. ;~;

[Conando]

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I'm still damn excited about the game. Wacky 3D d-pad controls or not.

[Noir]

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I'm still damn excited about the game. Wacky 3D d-pad controls or not.

I am too, like I said I definitely think I'm going to end up wrong to worry so much.

But I just can't shake that feeling that I'm not wrong. It's definitely odd and until I try it myself, I can't be sure.

[Jetronic]

I'm going to laugh my ass off when we all buy it on the release date, play it nonstop, and find out it's the best Metroid to date, with better gameplay than Super Metroid and a more involving story than Prime.

Oh god, I can dream! D:

I preordered it over a month ago, so that pretty much tells you everything right there =)

Also why am I the only person on earth who knows that they're going to enjoy this instead of speculating 1001 theories or why the game might suck? I've seen enough to like it. It's fast paced and

My life is complete (for now) o=

Edited July 26, 2010 by Jetronic

[Saint Nathan]

The entire game direction is "wrong", but if they had gone another direction, a more ideal direction, then analogue support would have complimented gameplay, and the whole experience would feel much more smooth than the one we've been given.

So for a change in controls... you would change the game.

You know, the game that combines 2-D platforming and 3-D platforming, and elements of Metroid Prime.

and the fact that it looks amazing

and that the control scheme is built to complement the gameplay.

yeah okay.

[Conando]

This is SuperLink's thing. Expect him to like it or at least not be as hard on it once he actually gets to play it.

[SuperLink]

So for a change in controls... you would change the game.

They've created a game with awkward/crappy controls when they could just as easily have made something 100% better (a fully 2D game or a 3D game with analogue) that leaves fans with 0 doubt.

So yes.

I honestly can't see where you're coming from about D-Pad working better than analogue for a game like this. It's not like you'll be using them to aim.

and the fact that it looks amazing

Haha, it really doesn't. The graphics look Metroid Prime level or lower, the gameplay looks awkward. Pretty much the only thing worth looking forward to is the plot.

and that the control scheme is built to complement the gameplay.

To quote yourself, the only reason they're using this awkward control scheme is because it's the only thing that works for this weird gameplay style.

This is SuperLink's thing. Expect him to like it or at least not be as hard on it once he actually gets to play it.

That was just once, with SMG2.

With Other M I was pretty optimistic about it for quite a while, but I'm just not feeling it anymore. Barely anyone else thinks it's going to be anything too special, so I'm not alone here, especially compared with other Metroid titles. I feel we're in for a massive disappointment.

[TrueBlue]

Let's not be overly panicky people. I doubt Sakamoto would let this game be released with awkward controls. We should wait until the game releases until we can judge for ourselves.

[Marcello]

I've already read magazines that have said it's awkward to go from 3rd person to 1st person.

[Saint Nathan]

I honestly can't see where you're coming from about D-Pad working better than analogue for a game like this. It's not like you'll be using them to aim.

It's a third-person game.

There is no second analogue stick to aim with in third-person.

Yes. You will be aiming with it.

Haha, it really doesn't. The graphics look Metroid Prime level or lower, the gameplay looks awkward. Pretty much the only thing worth looking forward to is the plot.

You never played Metroid Prime did you.

To quote yourself, the only reason they're using this awkward control scheme is because it's the only thing that works for this weird gameplay style.

Hmm. I wonder if any other games at all used a similar gameplay style and movement to great effect.

With Other M I was pretty optimistic about it for quite a while, but I'm just not feeling it anymore. Barely anyone else thinks it's going to be anything too special, so I'm not alone here, especially compared with other Metroid titles. I feel we're in for a massive disappointment.

Oh hush you. This is being made by two great video game companies. Team Ninja makes good games, and Nintendo simply does not fuck up with these things. You're seeing a style of gameplay you don't really understand and you're giving up on it because you can't handle the fact that it's new.

[SuperLink]

It's a third-person game.

There is no second analogue stick to aim with in third-person.

Yes. You will be aiming with it.

You aim automatically.

You never played Metroid Prime did you.

I did. It was amazing for its day, not so much now. For Other M to look worse than Prime is embarrassing.

Hmm. I wonder if any other games at all used a similar gameplay style and movement to great effect.

Ninja Gaiden doesn't use a D-Pad for movement, and it's not a game where a large amount of combat is shooting.

Those are part of why Other M looks so awkward.

Oh hush you. This is being made by two great video game companies. Team Ninja makes good games, and Nintendo simply does not fuck up with these things. You're seeing a style of gameplay you don't really understand and you're giving up on it because you can't handle the fact that it's new.

I've already read magazines that have said it's awkward to go from 3rd person to 1st person.

Apparently neither can the people who've already played it. Playtests have been far from praise-fests. Team Ninja don't make a habit of partnering up with Nintendo and they've barely made any games for Nintendo in recent years, so this partnership could well be just a cash in for them. Who knows if they actually put their all into it.

I had a lot of faith in Sakomoto initially, but since then he's done multiple interviews that make me question his vision for the franchise's direction. Really, the fact that he's the director is the main hope I have that this will be great, seeing as he also worked on Super and Fusion, and Fusion is one of my favourite games.

I dig new, honestly I do, just when it's genuinely well done, and I have doubts that this is. Playtests echo my concern.

[Octarine]

I've already read magazines that have said it's awkward to go from 3rd person to 1st person.

That's really my biggest worry with Other M. Not the D-pad controls or the auto-aim, both of which I'm cautiously optimistic about, but everything to do with switching to first-person. I don't really see why that should be necessary in a game as fast-paced as Other M seems to be, especially since it stops you in your tracks, and hearing that it's awkward to do isn't making me any less uneasy.

Dunno what's supposed to be wrong with the graphics, though. I haven't seen too many screenshots in the past little while, I admit, but I don't recall ever having thought that they looked particularly bad. I quite like the art design, at least.

Edited July 27, 2010 by Octarine

[SuperLink]

what's supposed to be wrong with the graphics, though. I haven't seen too many screenshots in the past little while, I admit, but I don't recall ever having thought that they looked particularly bad. I quite like the art design, at least.

They're not bad, they're just far from amazing.

Some of the character models have this awkward plasticy feel to them aswell, like they don't fit in with the highly detailed environments. It's hard to explain.

And yeah I hope you're not forced into first person mode that often :/

Edited July 27, 2010 by SuperLink

[Saint Nathan]

I've already read magazines that have said it's awkward to go from 3rd person to 1st person.

This is the only issue i'm really seeing with the controls. Why they want to add in first-person like that is beyond me, but I hope it has some purpose in the end. The fact that you can't even move the camera is especially odd.

[speedfreak]

New trailer

http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=131578

It has the Ridley theme. :3

[Saint Nathan]

Looks more and more like Ninja Gaiden every second. Not a bad thing. Not to mention there still hasn't been anything shown where the controls could get problematic.

Also Ridley! You glorious fucking space dragon, you'd better be in here.