Topic: Metroid Discussion Thread

[Fxeni]

Read this.
http://woopforce.blogspot.com/2010/09/other-m-does-not-make-samus-weak.html

Again, I understand. But then he says this:

Sure, the story may not have always been handled well, the dialogue was too cheesy at times, they might have let the whole Deleter thing unexplained, and it was anti-climatic sometimes;

Then proceeds to say it still had more emotional depth than other Metroid games. While I don't disagree with him on that (though I have to wonder what he thinks of Fusion), I still don't think it excuses the part I quoted and that he admitted. Had those scenes been handled better, then I don't think anyone would have an issues with the story. As it stands, it was still poorly handled.

[Flame]

nobody disagrees it wasnt handled the best way it could have, but the point stands to all the whiners.

[Bueno Excelente]

Of course it had more emotional depth than other Metroid games. It's easy when all your other games have ZERO EMOTIONAL DEPTH. The only emotions come from the gamers going "Ooooh such beautiful scenery, I bet Samus is feeling this or that, she must be really badass, I will count this as my own canon personality and I will be extremely pissed off at Nintendo if they ever reveal her true one!"

[Flame]

Of course it had more emotional depth than other Metroid games. It's easy when all your other games have ZERO EMOTIONAL DEPTH. The only emotions come from the gamers going "Ooooh such beautiful scenery, I bet Samus is feeling this or that, she must be really badass, I will count this as my own canon personality and I will be extremely pissed off at Nintendo if they ever reveal her true one!"

NOW THAT IVE SAID IT, IT MUST BE CANON[/littlekuriboh]

[Gotham Ranger]

Of course it had more emotional depth than other Metroid games. It's easy when all your other games have ZERO EMOTIONAL DEPTH.

[tornado fang] your [parasitic bomb]. When that baby metroid died, I nearly cried. I loved that little bastard.

[Bueno Excelente]

[tornado fang] your [parasitic bomb]. When that baby metroid died, I nearly cried. I loved that little bastard.

BOOHOOHOO THAT SPRITE CAME TO SAVE ME AFTER ALMOST KILLING ME

[Flame]

[tornado fang] your [parasitic bomb]. When that baby metroid died, I nearly cried. I loved that little bastard.

Only moment in the whole series then. (before Fusion and M)

[Gotham Ranger]

BOOHOOHOO THAT SPRITE CAME TO SAVE ME AFTER ALMOST KILLING ME

I'm beginning to think you have a stick firmly lodged up your ass, bro

[Bueno Excelente]

I'm beginning to think you have a stick firmly lodged up your ass, bro

I'm beginning people really have no exposition to any sort of quality story whatsoever if they consider an event like that something with EMOTIONAL DEPTH.

My last bowel movement had more emotional depth than that.

[Gotham Ranger]

I'm beginning people really have no exposition to any sort of quality story whatsoever if they consider an event like that something with EMOTIONAL DEPTH.

My last bowel movement had more emotional depth than that.

..Oh wow.

You thought I was serious.

[VixyNyan]

Super Mario Land 3 didn't have Mario.

You're right, there's no Mario riding a helicopter or a big shiny Peach statue anywhere in that game.

[STM]

Of course it had more emotional depth than other Metroid games. It's easy when all your other games have ZERO EMOTIONAL DEPTH.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oETaPIpH6nc[/youtube]

[Flame]

I dont think a bunch of red shirts dying really counts as emotional depth when we dont ever get to know them as characters.
Sure, makes you go, "oh wow poor space marines"
but thats about it. Samus' gesture afterwards shows that she respects fallen soldiers like that and she feels for them, but that hardly qualifies as gripping. theres still next to Zero emotional depth.

[STM]

Certainly did more in three minutes than Other M did the whole game.

Every so called sympathetic moment was so over-cheesed that I laughed at them. That's horrible writing. Never mind the one plot point that may have had some nice impact was introduced and finished in less than 10 minutes before the credits rolled.

[spoiler] The real Madeline's introduction would have been better utilized half-way through with her actually explaining about MB, not just having Samus recant that part. It made little sense to me for Samus to take over.[/spoiler]

What the team here needs to do is hire more competent writers that actually know how to set up a story and have it flow while not bogging it down to all hell in long and needless description.

Too bad most of Japan subscribes to this long exposition style of writing and always utilizes death of someone to induce character change. I'm not saying America's writing cliches are better, but at least change things up. Only time I liked what was going on was--

[spoiler]--the cutscene where she recovers Adam's helmet... and not even because of the moment, but because it was abruptly cut off by a Klaxon.[/spoiler]

[Bueno Excelente]

You're right, there's no Mario riding a helicopter or a big shiny Peach statue anywhere in that game.

Nitpickers. Cameo for a character whose name is on the title? Doesn't count.

[Align]

Only time I liked what was going on was--

[spoiler]--the cutscene where she recovers Adam's helmet... and not even because of the moment, but because it was abruptly cut off by a Klaxon.[/spoiler]

Out of spite, or because it was sensible?

[Hypershell]

The fact is that ANY previous "emotional" moment you can get out of a Metroid game is purely visual, no dialogue, and thus highly open to personal interpretation, to say nothing of attention span.  There's the death of the Baby, that glare in Samus's eye when she mentions the colony being under attack, and the various childhood scenes in Zero Mission.  At the end of the day, they're all only passing glimpses.  Other M was the first "deep" look into Samus's character in-game, and even though it was not perfect, I still think it was enjoyable.

Fusion is a slight exception, but I don't think anything in there was particularly gripping.  Dachola and Etticunes looked cute, but that's about it.  For all the complaining about Adam's "authorization" policies, I think Other M did a lot more for his character than Fusion could ever hope to.  Fusion just gave him a name and a catchphrase.

[STM]

Out of spite, or because it was sensible?

Just because of how poorly coordinated it was. One thing would have been to make the scene rumble instead of just abruptly cut to a Klaxon.

[Hypershell]

I disagree with that.  The klaxon is a wake-up call, and an appropriate one I think.  Samus returns to a bioweapon death trap scheduled to self-destruct so she can retrieve a memento?  Fine and dandy, but if nobody cleared her to be there, then she can't really afford to stand around day-dreaming.  It's appropriate given the item, but not practical given the location.  Or to put it another way: WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR FLASHBACKS!

If Metroid has any issues with self-destructing, it would be the rationale (or lack thereof) behind preceding the self-destruct with who knows how many smaller explosions throughout the facility.  We don't know why it happens, and there's no reason it should happen, but hey, it looks cool.

As far as Other M goes specifically, I'd prefer the use of the NES escape theme as opposed to the Super Metroid method of recycling Ridley's theme (awesome as it is).  Too much of that game's soundtrack goes unappreciated within the series; part of why I love Zero Mission so much.

[Satoryu]

The Game Overthinker hit the nail on the head. In short, people may think they know Samus, but they really don't know jack.

[Flame]

Movie Bob is awesome. He really is. I didnt know he reviewed Video games.

[The Drunken Dishwasher]

I fully agree w/ what Overthinker says~

Especially on how the control scheme just plain works.  Even now I still get surprised how nice it feels here and then during my playthroughs.

Sadly, the more dedicated forum users on the Metroid Database think otherwise, but w/e.

[Aresian]

I also happen to agree with Bob, but the MAIN thing that I agree with is the controller deal and the over all idea of presentation.

It's the kind of thing Legends 3 developers need to pay attention to and certain crazy flying bats need to consider.

Don't need to get complicated and abuse buttons and the double analog stick bullshit and all the extra crap that is often used in FPSes and what have you.

A simple controller scheme that allows you to control your character effectively, is perfectly fine. And a DEPARTURE from FPS style game play is more than welcome. I tire of it.

[Hypershell]

Yep, the Overthinker nailed it (though on Primes, I liked 'em, though I generally hate the FPS genre).  I agree especially on controls, Grapple Beam excepted (that was a bit awkward/clunky), the game controls remarkably well given the limited controller they chose.  On character, yeah, all this bull about Samus's character switch is pure fanon, and I find this illusion that strong characters must by definition be emotionless rather disturbing.

IGN actually had some freelancer post an article about how Other M "killed" Samus (by a woman, no less, but she echoes the same "strong women must be ice lords" mentality as the rest of the internet).  I posted a rather lengthy refute out of boredom, and I think one person noticed (if anyone cares, scroll down here, look for the Mewtwo avatar).



By the way, remember how Samus self-authorizes the Space Jump, being necessary, and the Screw Attack, which was not?  I think I know why.  Just noticed today, in Other M, the Screw Attack is listed in the menu as a sub-feature under Space Jump in the same manner as Shine Spark falls under Speed Booster.
THEY RUINED SCREW ATTACKING FOREVER!!!

[Mirby]

I don't see the mewtwo avatar...