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I honestly don't care whether or not Sakamoto created the franchise and the classics. I can appreciate that he made classic and legendary titles the same way that George Lucas managed to make the original Star Wars movies, until his vision got the better of him and he drove the franchise into the ground. And neither will acknowledge that they're bad products, they'll see it as their ultimate vision and admit that it was how the characters and stories always should have been.

Yes. The comparison with Lucas is one I've made myself. When a franchise is at that top tier of acclamation, and its creator comes back and drops a turd of an entry on it, it begs the question of who was responsible for the quality of the earlier entries. Neither games nor movies are one man creations, not even close, and even someone in complete control can have a trusted associate to bounce ideas off of to see if they're good ones. Then, later on, they think they don't need that, and you get an Other M.

 

[Chindogg]

I actually liked the 2.5D attempt of Other M. The story and first person scanning parts were godawful, the bosses stupid easy, and the weapon unlocks made no sense but the general idea was fun.

 

[Toxi]

Then I don't want to have a Metroid game without his input then. No matter how good the prime trilogy are,mother aren't what I'm looking for in a 3D Metroid game

Then thank God you aren't the one deciding the future of the franchise.

 

[Solid Samus]

You know what would have fixed most of Other M's problems right off the bat?

I actually liked the 2.5D attempt of Other M. The story and first person scanning parts were godawful, the bosses stupid easy, and the weapon unlocks made no sense but the general idea was fun.

Out of all the possible perspectives for a new Metroid I'd take Other M's 2.5D over all, assuming it's backed by a competent control scheme that doesn't limit my input or capacity as the player, and by competent world design/atmosphere/combat encounters.

 

[Leatherface]

I would like the exact opposite of everything you just said.

lol

yup.

 

[ShadowgeistX]

It would have worked if he'd stuck to his original vision of having movement be entirely in 2D with a 3D camera a la Pandemonium!/Klonoa. But Team Ninja insisted on a 3D game and Sakamoto refused to budge on the controls, so it didn't turn out well. Personally I didn't have many problems with the controls at all though.

Well, that pretty much explains it then. The controls were pretty good considering, but too simple for what the game wanted to be. Trying to shoot missiles was an ordeal at times and dodging became so simplified that I'm sure some people resorted to mashing directional buttons whenever an attack might be coming.

Gameplay was still pretty fun, and I would never watch the cutscenes again.

 

[Toxi]

Other M is the correct template for the Metroid franchise going forward.
They just have to remove :
- The story
- Other human characters
- 8 way digital movements
- Fixed camera angles
- Linearity
- Generic locations

Metroid should be third person period.

So basically, they just have to remove Other M from Other M.

At this point I'm convinced people would defend Sonic 2006 if it were a Metroid game just because it's 3rd person and 3D.

 

[Not75Drops]

I know people say that Sakamoto was the director for all non-Prime games but has there been any indication that he would dump the super linear, bad plot-focus in a new game? Has he spoken about Other M's problem's specifically since release? I doesn't make a difference if he was the director of Super Metroid if this is the direction he wants to take the franchise now.

Of course, some people like this so whatever, besides, he seems to want to stick to quirkier games and him and his team might be under a different name and possibly changed after the restructure.

 

[MrSaturn99]

I honestly don't care whether or not Sakamoto created the franchise and the classics. I can appreciate that he made classic and legendary titles the same way that George Lucas managed to make the original Star Wars movies, until his vision got the better of him and he drove the franchise into the ground. And neither will acknowledge that they're bad products, they'll see it as their ultimate vision and admit that it was how the characters and stories always should have been.

Better things have been done with Metroid without Sakamoto at the helm. You don't need Sakamoto to do a good Metroid. Have him on board as a supervisor if you must, but I have no qualms in admitting that the franchise is better without him.

Also everything about Metroid Other M was bad, bad, bad. Not just the story.

Has Sakamoto ever publically defended the game though? I remember a comment he made (in the Iwata Asks for Tomodachi Life, I believe?) where he'd be moving into the direction of smaller, less-ambitious titles. That gave me the impression he was really burned out by the game's reception.

 

[JinjoUnchained]

Kinda agree, but I'd put it a little differently. Other M wasn't 70% great, 30% terrible or any such breakdown. Rather, it's a fantastic idea that was poorly executed by people who don't know how to make video games. On the surface, Other M was trying for the action and pacing of Metroid/Super Metroid, but in a third person 3D space.

Once again, great idea, but they screwed up the execution with the control scheme. Why oh why did they go with the Wii Remote-sideways setup? Take the same game, but add analogue control through the nunchuk and pointer aiming through the Wii Remote, and you'd really have something. Instead, they went with this bizarre retro setup that is too imprecise for a 3D action game. D-pad control in a 3D space should have been left back in 1995 and the game provides no way to aim, so the combat is pretty much automated. Boo!!! You can't even switch to missiles without standing still in first person mode

It still plays fine, but it's more like a random B/B+ action game than a Metroid game. Metroid's Creed, if you will. That's to say nothing about the ridiculous pixel hunts, the long unskippable cut scenes, the long empty hallways, and insulting flashing waypoints (!!!) for items that violate the spirit of Metroid.

Metroid should take its' cues not from Other M, but from the Metroid Blast attraction in Nintendo Land. 3D, third person, analogue, pointer controls, and multiplayer. That's where Metroid needs to be. If they make a Metroid like that with a long campaign and great online multiplayer, then the series could be Nintendo's answer to Halo or COD (gameplay-wise, not sales-wise).

 

[NotLiquid]

Has Sakamoto ever publically defended the game though? I remember a comment he made (in the Iwata Asks for Tomodachi Life, I believe?) where he'd be moving into the direction of smaller, less-ambitious titles. That gave me the impression he was really burned out by the game's reception.

I don't know about post-release. People get burnt out on big game development for a plethora of reasons that isn't just down to reception. Sakamoto did however make it no secret that he wrote the entire game himself so he could enforce his vision of Samus and the story to the fullest extent. You could tell he was incredibly proud of it, in fact he said he regretted nothing about the game and wouldn't change anything given the chance. He even insists it ended up better than he himself imagined it.

 

[Mr Swine]

Then thank God you aren't the one deciding the future of the franchise.

I know, but it seems that Nintendo doesn't care about the future of the franchise either

 

[slop101]

What I would love, would be a new, huge 2D Metroid game (similar to Super Metroid, but bigger), with hand-drawn 2D art in HD, at 30 frames per second. Not unlike the newest King of Fighters games in style. That would please most people, I would assume, more than a full on 3D version would, which they could still make.

 

[Who]

A poster here mentioned once that they'd like to see a first person classic Metroid Prime but with Mirror's Edge speed and traversal.

Yes.

 

[Lunar15]

I'm all for a faster paced, action oriented Metroid that is more like the originals than the Primes, but I really don't think Other M is the right direction for that, gameplay-wise.

 

[MrSaturn99]

I don't know about post-release. People get burnt out on big game development for a plethora of reasons that isn't just down to reception. Sakamoto did however make it no secret that he wrote the entire game himself so he could enforce his vision of Samus and the story to the fullest extent. You could tell he was incredibly proud of it, in fact he said he regretted nothing about the game and wouldn't change anything given the chance. He even insists it ended up better than he himself imagined it.

Plus because of the existence of the Metroid Prime series many people might have different ideas about what kind of person Samus Aran was. That was a concern for me because Metroid has already become a solid franchise and probably in the future as well we will be willing to make the sequels.

I don't really have any strong feelings regarding other m but uh

wow

 

[Jebusman]

What I would love, would be a new, huge 2D Metroid game (similar to Super Metroid, but bigger), with hand-drawn 2D art in HD, at 30 frames per second. Not unlike the newest King of Fighters games in style. That would please most people, I would assume, more than a full on 3D version would, which they could still make.

You lost me there. Are you saying the artwork/spritework should be animated at 30fps, or the game should run at 30fps?

Because one of those two things is not a good idea.

 

[Kyzon]

I liked Other M.... That said, I don't want Sakamoto messing with anything but STRICT 2D Metroid anymore.

Most wanna say that Team Ninja ruined that game, but they didn't write the script, and they didn't make the huge push for that stupid control scheme.

Retro save us.

 

[Marcel]

Has Sakamoto ever publically defended the game though? I remember a comment he made (in the Iwata Asks for Tomodachi Life, I believe?) where he'd be moving into the direction of smaller, less-ambitious titles. That gave me the impression he was really burned out by the game's reception.

No he hasn't spoken publicly about it as far as I know. I think it's because Sakamoto is in a Nintendo EAD office closet that Iwata blocked off with a chair. Sometimes he gets food and water. Sometimes.

 

[Mr Swine]

No he hasn't spoken publicly about it as far as I know. I think it's because Sakamoto is in a Nintendo EAD office closet that Iwata blocked off with a chair. Sometimes he gets food and water. Sometimes.

Didn't he do tomodachi?

 

[dancrane212]

If I find any solace in the existence of Other M is that since it sold below expectations I doubt we'll ever get what you are suggesting OP.

I feel that this image by Mama Robotnik need to be in every Other M thread., there is hardly anything worth saving from that game.

Sakamoto has done some really cool stuff, but lets listen to him and let him do other things. I don't want to experience his "new emotions" in Metroid again.

 

[Jebusman]

No he hasn't spoken publicly about it as far as I know. I think it's because Sakamoto is in a Nintendo EAD office closet that Iwata blocked off with a chair. Sometimes he gets food and water. Sometimes.

Nah he can get all the food he wants. He just needs to wait for Iwata to give him authorization to eat it.

 

[Marcel]

Didn't he do tomodachi?

Ghostdeveloped.

 

[Molemitts]

Retro Studios should be expanded. So many games I want to see them work on. Including Metroid.

 

[Frumix]

To fix what's wrong with Other M would require to change basically everything.

 

[direct_quote]

Other M probably killed the chances for a good 3rd person 3d Metroid game... They really need to make a 3rd person Metroid that controls like Vanquish and is on a FUCKING PLANET not another large spaceship..

 

[JaseMath]

Is the OP trolling? Other M needs to be forgotten and never mentioned like the guy who killed John Lennon.

 

[Jebusman]

Other M probably killed the chances for a good 3rd person 3d Metroid game... They really need to make a 3rd persion Metroid that controls like Vanquish..

Nintendo just needs more collabs with Platinum. So many possibilities.

Star Fox.

Metroid.

Spoiler

F-Zero

 

[Mael]

I thought the thread would be about an actual quote from the man.

Oh well

Seriously disappointed about that.
If you look at the last 2 original Metroid games he worked on we have :
Metroid Fusion : A linear game with exposition up the ass about following orders in a space station trying to look like the place we visited in Metroid II.
Apparently Samus suit was not to the dev team's liking so they totally changed the iconic look everyone knew and love and basically destroyed Samus's reputation in Universe (Samus is now on the run (I think it's limbo myself) in another stupid "Big government is all bad, dude" plot we've all seen a million times).
Metroid Other M : A linear game with exposition up the ass about following orders in a space station trying to look like the place we visited in Metroid I & III (because 2 times isn't enough already).
After destroying the look of Samus in Fusion, we had to suffer in destroying pretty much the rest of what we knew of her.
I could go on but I don't really want to.

Seriously as far as mythos and content goes, keep Sakamoto as far away from Metroid as possible.
the only thing we'll get is another shitty plot and probably another space station because imagining a new world is somehow too hard.
As far as gameplay goes, keep Team Ninja as far away from Metroid as possible.
Oh and the people responsible for the level design needs to be thrown to the wolves.

 

[3bdelilah]

I recently played Super Metroid for the first time ever and it literally sky-rocketed to my top 15, and probably top 10, games I've ever played. Everything about it was great, except maybe some of the backtracking parts, but overall it has aged absolutely wonderful. I started playing Metroid Fusion (both SM and MF on the Wii U VC) and I'm enjoying that one a lot too, though Fusion seems far more linear than Super Metroid.

Any how, the reason for me saying this is because I want them to do a console 2D Metroid, I never really gotten into Metroid Prime. Not sure why, maybe the controls, maybe the fact that it's considerably slower paced (due to it being 3D), I don't know. All I know is that I personally would like a new 2D one.

 

[EatinOlives]

But how financially viable is that game in the current climate

I'm fine with Metroid making some compromises to be more marketable as long as I get new games.

It would be an absolute mistake to bring in useless cutscenes, voice acting and linear setpieces just because every other FPS has them. That's what drives well-established franchises into the ground. Hell, Metroid Prime 3's weakest part, as good as the game was as a whole, was easily the Call-of-Duty-esque first hour or so before Bryyo.

 

[Razzorn34]

I didn't hate Other M, but I didn't really enjoy it either. The gameplay was kind of off, but I did enjoy the return to 3rd person. It made me realize that even though I enjoyed the Prime series, 3rd person just feels right. I hope the next iteration is either 3rd person 3D, or 2.5D.

 

[Mael]

Metroid should take its' cues not from Other M, but from the Metroid Blast attraction in Nintendo Land. 3D, third person, analogue, pointer controls, and multiplayer. That's where Metroid needs to be. If they make a Metroid like that with a long campaign and great online multiplayer, then the series could be Nintendo's answer to Halo or COD (gameplay-wise, not sales-wise).

That's an infinitely better idea than whatever the fuck we got in Other M.
That attraction is actually very well made for what it was and closer to Metroid than the shitstain spawned from Project M.

 

[Yatōkiri_Kilgharrah]

I dont know why people keep saying Other M has plot inconsistencies with the other Metroid games. Those were actually explained.

Sakamoto also didnt say the Prime games were non-canon.


People also need to stop calling the more linear Metroid games "not metroid"
There are two kinds of Metroid. PInball Metroid and Action Metroid
There are two types of Action Metroid, more linear-ish DeadSpace feeling Metroid and Super Metroid. The only Metroid game thats NOT Metroid is Prime Hunters. Which is a multiplayer only game as far as Im concerned.
Metroid 1 and Metroid 2 gave birth to two types of Metroid. Other M is the later kind.

Other M has one major issue in terms of narrative ( which the more unsavory parts can actually be explained via the own games story if you pay attention. People's interpretation of the game is THEIR interpretation. No matter how flawed it may be, they own it. But dont ftry to push it as fact.)

In general the worst part of Other M is the complete lack of exploration. Which was replaced with "Find the pixel while you hunt". Despite being linear-ish Metroid 2 and Fusion have exploration in them. The second worst part of Other M is the fact the game has no map. If it had that and more sequence breaking it'd be

Agile Samus is Best Samus. If Retro ever makes another Metroid game, I implore you, leave Tank Samus behind. And get better model designers, she looks like an ugly blonde American in all the Prime Games. Other M samus isnt that great either.

Metroid Other M tried to do something no game has ever done before. It seems that Itagaki's Devils Third will carry on that mantle of merging first person shooting and 3rd person action in a seamless fashion.

 

[nkarafo]

Metroid is about:

Exploration.
Isolation.
Getting lost (Yes, DEAL WITH IT).
Atmosphere.
Non-linear level design.
Subtlety.


Metroid is NOT about:

Linear level design.
Hand holding.
The lowest common denominator.
Focus on story.
Bunch of generic characters.
Daddy issues.
Psychological problems.
Romance.
Sex.
Boobs.
Sex.
More boobs.
Samus in zero suit.
Sexy Samus.
Samus being sexy because she is vulnerable.
Samus being a sexy kitten.
Samus crying.
Sex.
Boobs.
Ass.
The baby.

 

[Seth]

Other M is exactly what metroid should be. Improve upon that system.

 

[Marcel]

Other M is exactly what metroid should be.

Hey, since you're living in an alternate universe, could you let me know how this movie is?

 

[Yatōkiri_Kilgharrah]

Metroid is about:

Exploration.
Isolation.
Getting lost (Yes, DEAL WITH IT).
Atmosphere.
Non-linear level design.
Subtlety.


Metroid is NOT about:

Linear level design.
Hand holding.
The lowest common denominator.
Focus on story.
Bunch of generic characters.
Daddy issues.
Psychological problems.
Romance.
Sex.
Boobs.
Sex.
More boobs.
Samus in zero suit.
Sexy Samus.
Samus being sexy because she is vulnerable.
Samus being a sexy kitten.
Samus crying.
Sex.
Boobs.
Ass.
The baby.

The guy above me is EXACTLY what Im talking about. You dont understand what Metroid is and has been. ( And seriously why do people keep bringing up the Baby, its a line Samus says a total of 3 times. She says it more in the other games for crying out loud)

Other M and Skyward Sword are my least favorite nintendo games because they rely on their linear structure (not to mention SS is basically Anime Zelda) more so than any other Nintendo game, but that doesnt mean the nonsense criticisms that get leveled at these games are reasonable.

Samus is allowed to be human, but never ever should a game be written in that manner. It just doesnt fit the medium.
Metroid could do with less cutscenes anyway.


I cant play linear games these days anyway, no replay value. Goodbye Final Fantasy, Hello Romancing SaGa.


(There's no reply button? Rather strange) (wait nevermind I see it now)

 

[PfantzyPantz]

Metroid is about:

Exploration.
Isolation.
Getting lost (Yes, DEAL WITH IT).
Atmosphere.
Non-linear level design.
Subtlety.


Metroid is NOT about:

Linear level design.
Hand holding.
The lowest common denominator.
Focus on story.
Bunch of generic characters.
Daddy issues.
Psychological problems.
Romance.
Sex.
Boobs.
Sex.
More boobs.
Samus in zero suit.
Sexy Samus.
Samus being sexy because she is vulnerable.
Samus being a sexy kitten.
Samus crying.
Sex.
Boobs.
Ass.
The baby.

Amen.

 

[Jebusman]

Metroid is NOT about:

Linear level design.
Hand holding.
The lowest common denominator.
Focus on story.
Bunch of generic characters.
Daddy issues.
Psychological problems.
Romance.
Sex.
Boobs.
Sex.
More boobs.
Samus in zero suit.
Sexy Samus.
Samus being sexy because she is vulnerable.
Samus being a sexy kitten.
Samus crying.
Sex.
Boobs.
Ass.
The baby.

The two thing bolded I don't think are necessarily a problem. You can have focus on story, while still having serviceable gameplay. Other M's issue was that the story was bonkers.

Also, the Zero Suit in and of itself isn't a problem. It's introductory game (Zero Mission) used it well. It's the Other M interpretation of it, especially with the high heel shoes, that goes astray with it.

 

[Yatōkiri_Kilgharrah]

The two thing bolded I don't think are necessarily a problem. You can have focus on story, while still having serviceable gameplay. Other M's issue was that the story was bonkers.

Also, the Zero Suit in and of itself isn't a problem. It's introductory game (Zero Mission) used it well. It's the Other M interpretation of it, especially with the high heel shoes, that goes astray with it.

Im of the mind that story should come from the gameplay itself and interacting with the ingame environments and setting.


Metroid is Pinball.

Metroid is Open World Sequence breaking

Metroid is 2D Action Horror with interesting traversal

Metroid is All These things.

 

[Marcel]

Metroid is Pinball.

Metroid is Open World Sequence breaking

Metroid is 2D Action Horror with

Metroid is All These things.

Metroid is The Name of the Main Character

 

[nkarafo]

The two thing bolded I don't think are necessarily a problem. You can have focus on story, while still having serviceable gameplay. Other M's issue was that the story was bonkers.

Also, the Zero Suit in and of itself isn't a problem. It's introductory game (Zero Mission) used it well. It's the Other M interpretation of it, especially with the high heel shoes, that goes astray with it.

As far as story goes, Metroid works better when you discover it yourself. Metroid Prime did this right. Super Metroid also presented a superb story with a much more subtle way. The problem in OtherM story wasn't only that it was crap, it was also the way it was presented to us. Like a movie.

As for Zero Suit, i think its just an excuse to make Samus another sexy female protagonist for the 15 year old boys.

 

[Dimmle]

Wow, lotta Metroid experts in here.

 

[Toxi]

The guy above me is EXACTLY what Im talking about. You dont understand what Metroid is and has been. ( And seriously why do people keep bringing up the Baby, its a line Samus says a total of 3 times. She says it more in the other games for crying out loud)

Ctrl+F "the baby"

She says it nine times.

 

[Shikamaru Ninja]

Metroid is about:

Exploration.
Isolation.
Getting lost (Yes, DEAL WITH IT).
Atmosphere.
Non-linear level design.
Subtlety.


Metroid is NOT about:

Linear level design.
Hand holding.
The lowest common denominator.
Focus on story.
Bunch of generic characters.
Daddy issues.
Psychological problems.
Romance.
Sex.
Boobs.
Sex.
More boobs.
Samus in zero suit.
Sexy Samus.
Samus being sexy because she is vulnerable.
Samus being a sexy kitten.
Samus crying.
Sex.
Boobs.
Ass.
The baby.

None of that is true. Certainly, you are not entitled to implicitly list what makes a Metroid - Metroid. We've seen the actual creators of the intellectual property deviate from Metroid 2 to Metroid 3 to Metroid Fusion. There are a combination of traditional tropes and conceptual elements that can be defined as Metroid. There is equally room for new ideas to propel the franchise forward, or at least offer new ingredients to the recipe.

Metroid: Other M can best be described as a disappointing polarizing game that resulted from a clumsy development process. Some great ideas, and some bad ideas. Mostly bad execution by the four entities involved (Nintendo SPD | English Localization Team | Team Ninja | D-Rockets). It's a mediocre game that is equally victim of internet hyperbole . Nothing is okay.. it's either the best or the worst ever.

I would think the best route would be a traditional Prime for console, and a traditional Metroid for hand held.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Agreed, Other M has his flaws but a sequel with everything corrected will be still better than a new Metroid Prime (we had enough of this).

Hahaha, funny joke! No one would actually post something like this unless it was 100% a joke!

 

[Yatōkiri_Kilgharrah]

Metroid is The Name of the Main Character

Well yes, Samus is the Ultimate Hunter.

The Last Metroid is In Captivity. The Galaxy is at peace.


*Weeps at the thought of Samus behind bars in a galactic federal prison*

 

[Yatōkiri_Kilgharrah]

Hahaha, funny joke! No one would actually post something like this unless it was 100% a joke!

We've had 3 Prime games. That's more than enough. Lets do something different. That works even better than Prime ever did. Retro could in no doubt, realize something great. With their experience with Prime and Donkey Kong.

None of that is true. Certainly, you are not entitled to implicitly list what makes a Metroid - Metroid. We've seen the actual creators of the intellectual property deviate from Metroid 2 to Metroid 3 to Metroid Fusion. There are a combination of traditional tropes and conceptual elements that can be defined as Metroid. There is equally room for new ideas to propel the franchise forward, or at least offer new ingredients to the recipe.

Metroid: Other M can best be described as a disappointing polarizing game that resulted from a clumsy development process. Some great ideas, and some bad ideas. Mostly bad execution by the four entities involved (Nintendo SPD | English Localization Team | Team Ninja | D-Rockets). It's a mediocre game that is equally victim of internet hyperbole . Nothing is okay.. it's either the best or the worst ever.

I would think the best route would be a traditional Prime for console, and a traditional Metroid for hand held.

Or we could just have Prime remade on the New Nintendo 3DS .That'd be freaking amazing and immersive.

 

[Servbot24]

Other M was horrid in every way. I thought we all had an agreement to pretend it never existed?