Review : Metroid: Other M

Well this game has already had mixed reviews from the major websites and this is a game that has a lot of good and bad in it. I got the game on the day of release and finished it in 13 hours. The game has also caused me to get frustrated with a couple of things but here's my review of Metroid: Other M

Let me start by saying that this is a heavy story game. The story is based after Super Metroid and even starts with a cutscene with the final blow being dealt to Mother Brain at the end of Super Metroid. The story sees Samus Aran going to a place called Bottle Ship which was sending out a distress signal code named "Baby's Cry" and Samus is reunited with some of her old Galactic Federation military buddies and here's where it starts to get frustrating... Adam her old commander tells Samus she can't use any of her power ups without permission from him. Along the journey you find out that a conspiracy is being hidden on the Bottle Ship and flashbacks galore but I won't give any of it away so if you want to find out, buy it or go read another review.
Controls are the next piece of frustration in the game because this game is a 3D platform shooter with locked camera angles and the controls are very 2D. The controls are simple admittedly but to switch to first person you have to point the Wiimote at the screen and hold it sideways for 3rd person. Why they didn't go with the nunchuk still baffles me because it would have made life so much easier and suits the game but Team Ninja chose to make it simple and aggravating, but at least it has auto aim... which is finicky and frustrating sometimes.
Once you get used to the controls the game plays very similar to the old Metroid games with a heavy Ninja Gaiden influence. Sometimes I think while making the game they forgot they were making a Metroid game because of all the lethal blows you can perform on downed enemies and cutscenes. Some of the new features to the game are the lethal blows as mentioned above and linear progression, you can also dodge with a press of a direction just before an attack hits you, other then that it's very similar with a 3D plain to roam. You also don't get health and ammo out of enemies anymore, instead you use the new concentration ability to restore ammo and some of your health. This is one of the other things that's frustrating because while fighting it's hard to restore your health when you can be attacked and even though you can dodge, you'll have to start the charge again! Exploration in the game is also strangled by the linear progression and you'll have to finish the game just to look for all the leftover upgrades.

Metroid: Other M is a good game but it has some seriously frustrating problems that may deter some people but the extreme Metroid fans may be able to forgive these problems, unless you're female, then the story will frustrate you if you're a fan of Metroid and insult you. Also I honestly hated some of the story but for the most part it's good. The game will possibly be more enjoyable if you're new to Metroid but that's a grey area. I give the game a 3/5 because while it is a good game, all of it's problems can ruin the experience sometimes. I'd recommend renting it if your unsure but it's worth playing at least.

Score 3/5