Metroid: Other M is a very schizophrenic game. It’s part 2d side-scroller, part third-person action game with a sprinkle of first-person shooting. If the game were just a modern, 2D side-scrolling Metroid game, I would probably buy 10 copies of it — but I just couldn’t seem to get interested in Metroid: Other M’s all-over-the-place design. Based on the reviews, though, it looks like I might need to reconsider.
Much to my surprise, it looks like Metroid: Other M has been generally well-received among game critics. While some reviews point towards gameplay mechanics that are clunky, slow, or just simply don’t work very well (particularly the 3D parts), it seems like Team Ninja’s efforts didn’t miss the target by too much, and that should be of some relief to all of the Metroid fans out there.
Here are six selected reviews from the interwebs, ordered from highest to lowest score:
Joystiq – 4.5/5
“At first, I wasn’t sure that Metroid: Other M would be a proper Metroid game or even a fun one, but as its action intensified over the course of the adventure, it didn’t take me long to dismiss the second concern. As for whether or not it’s Metroid … I finished the game with a 45-percent completion rate, and I’m currently going back through the map looking for hidden Energy and Missile Tanks. You tell me.”
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IGN – 8.5/10
“Many of the issues in Metroid: Other M could have been addressed with the inclusion of nunchuck control, so I’m not entirely sold on the idea that single Wii remote control was the best thing for this game. But in the end, this is still an excellent experience with great, intense action and an engaging story that turns one of Nintendo’s beloved characters into something more than a kick-ass bounty hunter.”
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Giant Bomb – 4.0/5
“It may not fully nail every one of its ambitions, but Other M at least gets close on all of them. More importantly, it really feels like an honest-to-goodness Metroid game. Nintendo’s stingier than I would like in doling those out, and while I’d probably take whatever I could get with the ‘Metroid’ name on it at this point, I’m more than satisfied with the way this one turned out.”
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GamePro – 4.0/5
“This, along with the solid action the game has to offer, makes Other M a worthy addition to the Metroid canon. While it isn’t the ‘instant classic’ we’re all clamoring for, it is a solid title that deserves to stand on its own merits; in other words, don’t unfairly judge it against your expectations because even though it doesn’t live up to the high bar that we’ve set for the franchise, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a worthwhile experience in its own right.”
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Destructoid – 6.5/10
“Many fans will be able to look past Other M’s many issues to find a pleasurable adventure, and I’d encourage them to, if only to experience what may be the best-told tale in the Metroid universe. Metroid enthusiasts won’t want to miss this, and nothing I could write could encourage them to take a pass. But to put it bluntly, Other M simply doesn’t meet the high-quality standards fans have come to expect from not only the franchise, but from Nintendo’s routinely-spectacular first-party line-up.”
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Game Informer – 6.25/10
“Late in the game, once Samus unlocks all of her abilities and begins meeting more familiar faces from the series, I experienced fleeting moments where it all clicked, and I saw glimpses of how great Other M could have been. But an hour or two of less painful gameplay can’t make up for the bad design choices at this game’s core.”
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