So, like any good person with nothing else better to do today, and who has their game consoles 500 miles away in an apartment, I was reading my RSS feeder. I come across the Kotaku section, and I seem something… very unsurprising
It was a Nintendo story. I have to say I just skim these because I’ve gotten used to nothing happening that I care about. But something was
alarming.
Metroid: Other M was almost an on-rails game.
Okay, let that sink in for a moment. Let it sink in that METROID was almost ON RAILS. Mmm yeah, let that just digest. Done? Alright, well…
THE FUCK!?
Metroid, METROID, Other M was almost an on rails game!? METROID!? My head hurts! What the fuck am I reading!? Nintendo, what are you almost doing? You have to be kidding me. You were going to take the one game that isn’t Zelda that you make which is KNOWN for exploration and has helped spawn the genre, then turn it into an ON RAILS game?
Okay, I know Nintendo has been pretty fucking lost as to what a game actually is this generation, but this just screams everything I find wrong with Nintendo’s philosophy. They want everyone to play games right? Fine. I’m fine with that. Give someone Wii Sports and let them go amuse themselves. But the fact is, not ever game has to be accessible to god damn everyone. Would making Metroid a completely linear game help non gamers to play it? Yeah. Would said non gamers play it? Nope. Would you piss off every actual gamer who would have liked to play it. Probably, yeah.
I understand that Nintendo wants to get everyone playing games, I get it! But for Christ’s sake, have they lost touch with all their actual gaming background to the point where they could completely fucked up their chances at somewhat redeeming themselves in the gaming world? Would it have been worth it?
It just baffles me what Nitendo is doing. They keep saying they are aware of the hardcore market and are (attempting) reaching out to them, but at the same time they’re attaching this casual garbage to it which puts a hamper on their attempts. The fucking auto-play on New Super Mario Bros? Fuck you little kid, I didn’t have that shit when I played Super Mario Bros. 3 on the NES, did I cry that I couldn’t finish the level? NO! I kept playing until I finished the damn level.
I just don’t understand what Nintendo is thinking now. I want them to make me happy, I want to like their games, I want them to MAKE games. But they just don’t. They show up to E3 spouting all this shit like “Oh we got something for the hardcore gamer this year” and then they throw Animal Crossing out there and say “There you go!” and are confused when people ask them what the fuck they are doing. How many interviews after that were there where it was just Reggie like “Oh we gave you Animal Crossing what else do you want? You were asking for a game, we gave you one.”
I just don’t know anymore. I’m for one happy that they basically rehashed Super Mario Galaxy 2, because at least they won’t fuck with one of their rare winning formulas this gen. But god after hearing this Other M crap, I’m scared for the next Zelda, I really am.
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House of the Dead. Time Crisis. Dead Space Extraction.
Lack of control over character, except for pointing and shooting.
shit that's not good, I guess I am glad I haven't turned on my Wii to get disappointed on legendary Nintendo titles turned into crapola.
The #1 complaint about Metroid from outside the fanbase is "needless backtracking."
There are people out there that are just dead-set on the notion that a game should only move in a forward direction. These people cannot grasp the idea you are exploring a world and they don't want to understand it. They're more interested in story, too. They don't want to interpret the story for themselves, they want it [i[spoonfed[/i] to them.
Which is why Metroid Other M is getting voice acting and pretty FMVs to go with it. This is going to be a little different, but not too different. There's a little classic Metroid, a little Prime and then Nintendo compromised to make it cinematic.
I don't see why you're obsessing over what MIGHT have happened. Its not happening. I think they felt the FMV and story bits were satisfactory enough to appease those that don't otherwise understand the flow of a Metroid game.
My only concern is that its going to feel a tad more linear, which is one thing fans didn't like about Fusion. The added story, while nice, forced some things to be more linear, such as exploration. Sections were sealed off until Samus completed and objective rather than find the proper tool to get past the obstacles like usual.You could backtrack later, sure, butit was still kind of a shame to take that away from the player.
Nintendo clearly is trying to think of a way to appease both sides.
Zelda, while I think Spirit tracks is a nice return to form - at least dungeon-wise - but the current formula is a bit well-worn. It does need to start doing some new things.
Actually Killer7 would work out really well on the Wii.
whackity shmackity dooooo
Also, Nintendo's first-party games have been stellar this gen, their best work since the N64. Although Metroid: Other M happens not to be a game holding much of my interest, I'm more than confident that their good form will continue into SMG2 and Zelda.
Oh, wait, they're also making Other M? Good on them.
BOO HOO.
Aside that from what we've all read, it sounds like the direction they were going in was something like Killer 7 (which I'm fairly certain some people actually liked), what are we all really complaining about? I can guarantee everyone one of you that at least one franchise (or singular title) was almost something completely different than what you cherish today (unless you don't actually like any games). But through all of that development process, we have gems and we have failures. And not everyone one of those failures has ended the franchise you leap to morn. Super Mario Sunshine happened, right? That not-so-bright decision didn't lead to the end of all Mario games; it led to Galaxy.
And while we're talking about Metroid games, I'm sure you all remember when half of the world erupted at the idea of Samus adventuring in the FP perspective. And then it turned out to be one of the best games of all time (my opinion, but if you disagree, you probably hate fun (jk)).
But we're not even talking about that. We're talking about something that was ironed out before we ever heard about Other M. Realty check, gal and gents: we're out of the briar patch. The rails can't hurt us now. If we never heard this bit of info, nothing would change about the product we'll end up playing. Nothing would change, except apparently, we'd have a lot less people complaining about something that isn't even happening. So please, even if you're upset about this news, can we all please just agree that complaining about it is absolutely daft? Please?
HALLE-FUCKING-LUJAH!!
Serioulsy LOLAGE!
On Rails in this case means... 2.5D
I shall go back to my lolage, good day sir.
Although I don't know myself, I've been informed 'On-Rails' in this instance meaning something akin to 2D scrolling as opposed to 3D environment. Nothing about taking away exploration was inferred.
Such a game does not exist (meaning it is not in development and so it is not in any playable form) so you can't judge it simply based simply on a concept. If that were the case, then people would have continued to hate on the concept of Metroid Prime. Of course, once they got to play it they realized how brilliant it was despite how different the series is from the traditional Metroid titles.
While Retro Sudios take on the series has been groovy and successful in the west, I think that Nintendo are still trying to make the series popular in japan, hence what seems like a step backwards with Tecmo (Nintendo are all about such backwards steps these days).
Best to keep an open mind on it, even though I have my objections to it. Tecmo made Ninja Gaiden after all, so they deserve a chance to shine.
Okay, let that sink in for a moment. Let it sink in that METROID was almost 3D. Mmm yeah, let that just digest. Done? Alright, well…
THE FUCK!?
Metroid, METROID PRIME was almost a first-person game!? METROID!? My head hurts! What the fuck am I reading!? Nintendo, what are you almost doing? You have to be kidding me. You were going to take the one game that isn’t Zelda that you make which is KNOWN for exploration and has helped spawn the genre, then turn it into an 3D game?
I, uh... oh wait.