Metroid: Other M: Difference between revisions

'''''Metroid: Other M''''' was released on the [[Wii]] on August 31, 2010. The game was developed by [[Team Ninja]] together with Nintendo SPD. It is the second to last game on the [[Metroid (series)|chronological timeline]]. Events in this game follow those after ''[[Super Metroid]]'' and precede those of ''[[Metroid Fusion]]''. This game is the first ''Metroid'' installment to ever have a voice actor speak dialogue as Samus Aran. Rather than using [[Jennifer Hale]] from the ''[[Metroid Prime (series)|Metroid Prime]]'' series, who only voiced Samus by making grunting noises after an impact from an enemy, the game uses [[Jessica Martin]] to give Samus her first true speaking role.

|entry=I had gone to planet [[SR388]] to destroy the Metroids. After a deadly struggle, I managed to defeat the Queen Metroid, and as I was preparing to return, a baby Metroid hatched before my eyes. As I was the first thing the baby saw, it took me to be its mother. <br/> I felt that studying the baby might produce some peaceful applications, so I took it back to the Galactic Federation. <br/> But that baby Metroid was attacked in the middle of an experiment and fell into the hands of [[Space Pirate]]s, who were led by Mother Brain. <br/> In the hopes of rescuing the baby, I infiltrated [[Tourian|the stronghold controlled by Mother Brain]] on planet Zebes. <br/> But Mother's [[Hyper Beam (Mother Brain)|overwhelming power]] brought me to the brink of death. <br/> And then the strangest thing began to restore vigor to my spirit's light, which was close to going out.

''Metroid: Other M'''s gameplay is much more different than the gameplay from the ''Prime'' series, as ''Metroid: Other M'' utilizes a third-person perspective rather than a first-person perspective. The gameplay in Metroid: ''Other M'' is unique in its own manner; certain events are scripted to occur to give the game a cinematic and "fast-paced action movie" feel. Samus appears to be more acrobatic and more flexible in this game, as she is able to perform athletic blows to enemies, such as the [[Overblast]] and various kicks and throws. Another unique addition currently exclusive to ''Metroid: Other M'' is the ability to dodge incoming attacks or obstacles by moving the D-Pad in any direction before the attack makes contact, a technique known as the [[Sensemove]].

While the ''Prime'' series focuses heavily on scanning, it is not as important in ''Other M''. Whenever something needs to be examined, pointing the Wii Remote at the screen turns the perspective from third-person into first-person. When the targeting reticule locks on to a point of interest, the camera zooms in and tells Samus what is needed to destroy or bypass the structure, whether it be items like [[Morph Ball Bombs|Bombs]] or [[Missiles]]. Missiles work in the same manner in the first-person mode.  

Because Samus Aran is being monitored by her commanding officer, Adam Malkovich, she needs to wait until Adam authorizes her power-ups instead of collecting them like in most ''Metroid'' games. An example of this is the authorization of the [[Varia Suit]] not occurring until Samus reaches her first objective in the Pyrosphere, a sector possessing extreme heat.

''Metroid: Other M'''s control is very unique in terms of how to use the Wii remote to navigate Samus Aran throughout the game. To control Samus in her third-person perspective, the Wii remote is held sideways, similar to a [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]'s controller. Because the Nunchuk peripheral is not used, Samus can only point and shoot while in first-person. Samus is rendered immobile, though she is able to dodge attacks via Sensemove, which is accomplished by moving the pointer off of the screen when Samus's [[visor]] turns green. Samus can switch to first-person to third-person at any time, unless she is in a "hunt the pixel" situation, a situation in which she is forced into first-person mode until she locates a point of interest. Samus can also switch from first-person to third-person in midjump, which can be effective in using Missile/Overblast combos on enemies.

The graphical detail in the several environments is overhauled, as the advantage of the Wii's expanded memory space and enhanced processor from the [[Nintendo GameCube]] gives ''Metroid: Other M'' a technical boost in visual flair. Although the game may look astonishing in many sectors during the adventure, some low-resolution textures are used to prevent gameplay slowdowns. The game mostly runs around a solid 50-60 frames per second (FPS) but will occasionally slow down if too much action is on the screen. Such instances are rare, however.

A variety of graphical techniques are seen throughout ''Metroid: Other M'', such as complex bump-mapping, bloom lighting, and the use of Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI). The water effects on the surface of rivers make heavy use of bump-mapping and texture-mapping, as the reflection of the water accurately displays the reflection while maintaining a real-time flowing effect. Bloom lighting is very consistent throughout the game; it is used for many of Samus's beams as well as the beam attacks of [[Cyborg Zebesian|certain enemies]]. Bloom lighting and afterimage techniques are heavily used in the Pyrosphere section, as the lava appears very bright onscreen and appears to "bleed" onto surrounding areas. The lava effects, however, are somewhat lacking in detail, as the effect is only a moving 2D plane. Despite this, its frame rate is steady for the most part, as mentioned above, even with these effects, a feat praised in many reviews.

The music in ''Metroid: Other M'' is much different than that of other games in the ''Metroid'' series. It is more ambient and atmospheric than the diverse memorable tunes from other games in the series. A prime example of this occurs on the game's title screen, which plays the main theme of ''Metroid'' with several ambient effects, adding tension and suspense to the game. The music in this game is orchestrated unlike that of the other games, which use mostly Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) effects or synthesizers used many times in the ''Prime'' games. It features a fast-paced beat with several panic-inducing effects such as loud percussion or the various musical techniques used by the strings, such as a vibrating tremolo effect. However, when the action cools down, the orchestra's mood changes with the current events Samus is experiencing. When Samus is investigating the sectors in the game, the music changes to a suspenseful tone, which often lets Samus know that something will occur and that she must stay on alert at all times. An example of this is the sudden beating of drums accompanying string instruments.

Compared to other entries in the franchise, ''Other M'' has received mixed reactions from critics and fans alike. Points of contention include Samus's voice acting, the game's lengthy cinematics, and its linear progression. This latter trait contrasts with most other entries in the franchise, which place an emphasis on the exploration of diverse, open worlds and unknown objectives, though ''Other M'' is not unique in this respect. Other entries that have deviated from this formula in some way are ''[[Metroid Prime 3: Corruption]]'' and ''Metroid Fusion''.

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#[[Fune and Namihe]]

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#[[RB176 Ferrocrusher]]

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#[[Queen Metroid]]

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