Metroid: Other M

[Macka]

Announced at E3 2009, Metroid Other M is the latest title from Nintendo under the Metroid brand name, ending the three entry run from Nintendo’s Retro Studios and their Prime trilogy. Back in the hands of Japanese studios, Other M is a joint project between Nintendo and Team Ninja. Team Ninja, best known for the Ninja Gaiden series, were attached to the project to expand Samus Aran’s combat abilities, and to give a much more exciting and visceral feel to battles.

Like the perspective shift from side scroller to first person in Metroid Prime, Other M introduces its own share of changes to the standard formula. Most notably, Other M will focus heavily on story telling, featuring both in-engine and pre-rendered filmclips. For the first time ever fans will hear Samus narrate her story, as well as speak with other characters, as she explores her inner emotions and the consequences of her past.

Set to release in Australia on September 2nd, it’s sure to be purchased and enjoyed by all the cool kids. If you want to be cool too then make sure you hit up your local game retailer for your own copy of Other M next month.

• Classic Control – All you need is a Wii Remote. Holding the controller sideways, players can rapidly navigate both 3D and classic 2D environments, jumping and blasting enemies with ease.
  
• Perspective Shifts – By simply turning and pointing the Wii Remote at the screen the camera goes into first person perspective. This allow Samus to precisely aim laser blasts and rockets, attacking enemy weak points and finding hidden upgrades within the environment.
  
• Suit Abilities – Samus is nothing without her power suit. Like all Metroid titles, players will be able to make full use of her suit abilities, including missiles, morph ball, bombs, grappling hook, and much more.
  
• Dodge – Channelling her honed agility, players can rapidly flip and roll out the way of enemy attacks.
  
• Lethal Strikes – Never down and out, Samus now has the ability to brutally attack and mount enemies with finishing moves, delivering fatal blows to their weak points, and thrash them against the environment.
  
• Big Boss – Minions are nothing but cannon fodder. Thankfully, players will be put one-on-one against both new and familiar boss characters, giving a full workout to the dodge and lethal strike abilities.
  
• Explore – In traditional Metroid fashion the most effective means of upgrading your health and ammo will be to explore your environment, searching every nook and cranny for secrets.

• Samus Aran
  Raised on the human colony of K-2L, she was left an orphan after Ridley commanded an army of space pirates to raid the colony, killing everybody including her parents. Answering the colony’s distress call, a group of Chozo adopted Samus and took her to Zebes. There they trained her to be the ultimate warrior, infused her with Chozo DNA, and built her power suit. After leaving Zebes and the Chozo, she joined Federation Police division of the Galactic Federation, and for her duration there served under one Adam Malkovich. She eventually left Federation Police in favour of becoming a bounty hunter.
  
  
• Space Pirates
  Sworn enemy of the Galactic Federation, the space pirates desire rulership of the entire galaxy. The primary antagonist to Samus Aran, they are lead by two major figureheads; Ridley and Mother Brain. The seemingly indestructible Ridley has crossed paths with Samus on a number of occasions, while Mother Brain, originally a construct of the Chozo, met her end twice over on Zebes.
  
  
• Chozo
  An enigmatic super race of bird like creatures, the Chozo were seemingly wide spread across the galaxy, making home to a number of planets, covering their surfaces and skies with phenomenal technological constructs. The Chozo were responsible for creating both the Metroids and Mother Brain. Metroids were developed as an apex predator to combat the dangerous X parasite on SR388, while Mother Brain was developed as biological AI system on Zebes. Answering a distress call, the Chozo rescued Samus from the K-21 raid and rose on her Zebes to be a galactic warrior. Eventually, the Chozo population of Zebes would be either driven or wiped out by space pirate raids, whom were adopted by the deceptive Mother Brain. With scattered technology and long forgotten cities scattered around the galaxy, the ultimate fate and location of the Chozo species is unknown.

• Metroid
  Combating the space pirate thread, the Galactic Federation detects a spaceship travelling from the otherwise desolate planet of SR388. Suspected of transporting a dangerous biological species known as ‘Metroids’, the Federation sends search teams to find information. Learning that the space pirates are involved, and that they have an impenetrable base under the surface of Zebes, the Federation sends Samus Aran to wipe out the threat. Fighting her way through Zebes, Samus defeats Kraid, Ridley, Mother Brain, and all their space pirate minions, and eventually terminates the Metroid breeding program.
  
  
• Metroid Prime Trilogy
  A side story and not part of the ‘core’ Metroid story arc, though still canon, the Metroid Prime trilogy sees Samus battle a new threat. Travelling across the galaxy, from the Chozo ruins on Tallon IV to the space pirate homeworld, Samus fought against Metroid Prime and Dark Samus, destroying monstrous leviathans to rid the galaxy of the phazon threat.
  
  
• Metroid II: Return of Samus
  Concerned that Metroids may one day be used as a weapon, much like the space pirates intended, the Federation sends troopers to SR388. After losing contact with the extermination teams, Samus Aran is sent in to do the job herself. Picking off various hierarchies of Metroid evolution, Samus eventually confronts the Queen Metroid. After destroying her, and effectively removing the Metroid species from SR388, a nearby egg hatches. From it emerges a baby Metroid and, upon seeing Samus, mistakes her for its mother. Samus spares the life of the baby Metroid and hands it over to Federation scientists, hoping what they can learn from the Metroid will help make the galaxy a safer place.
  
  
• Super Metroid
  Shortly after handing over the baby Metroid to Federation scientists, Samus receives a distress call from the very research station it is held. Returning she finds the station’s crew killed, and confronts returning space pirate leader Ridley, who captures the baby Metroid and activates the station’s self destruction sequence. Escaping the station Samus pursues Ridley to Zebes, location of the original space pirate base, only to discover that the complex has been rebuilt. Once again fighting her way through space pirate minions and leaders, Samus discovers cloned Metroids, confirming that the space pirates once again intend to harness the creatures as a biological weapon. Eventually, Samus comes face to face with a Metroid of gigantic size. It assaults her, nearly killing her, but backs off at the last moment, and Samus realises this Metroid is the captured baby who had mistaken her for its mother. The Metroid escapes with Samus giving chase, and after regaining her strength and power finds herself in the lair of a revived Mother Brain. After a familiar fight, Mother Brain removes herself from her tank and attaches herself to a giant mechanised body. Using an intense laser she puts Samus into a state of near death, but before she can deliver a killing blow is assault by the returning Metroid baby. Attaching itself to Mother Brain and drainer her of her powers, the baby Metroid then attaches itself to Samus, transferring the power of Mother Brain to revive its fallen ‘mother’. Mother Brain rejuvenates herself and, just as the baby Metroid transfers all her energy into Samus, attacks the baby with a power laser. The baby is destroyed, its remains scattering to the floor, and Samus harnesses the new energy to destroy Mother Brain once and for all, initiating a planet wide self destruct sequence. Barely escaping the annihilation of the entire planet, Samus is left reflecting on the death of her ‘baby’, and its final sacrifice to save her life.
  
  
• ~~~ METROID OTHER M BEGINS ~~~
  Distressed and plagued with dreams after the events on Zebes, particuarly the death of the baby Metroid, Samus picks up a distress signal from a derelict Bottle Ship. Upon landing, she comes into contact with Galactic Federation soldiers under the command of Anthony Higgs, an old friend from her Federation days. She soon learns that her old Commander, Adam Malkovich, is too onboard the Bottle Ship. Due to an event that had Samus leave the Federation, Malkovich gives her a cold reception, refusing to let Samus know what orders him and his men are under. Samus soon finds herself caught up in the mysteries of the Bottle Ship, and so begins the next Metroid chapter...
  
  
• Metroid Fusion
  NOTE: The events of Metroid Fusion take place after Other M. Due to events and characters of Other M and their connection with Fusion, elements of Fusion may be considered spoilers to those who wish to learn the story in chronological order. If you have not played Fusion and would prefer to know the events of Other M prior, do not read the spoilered text below.
  

  Quote:

  Taking place some time after the events of Super Metroid and Other M, the story begins with Samus escorting biological scientists to SR388. Confronted by a hostile species, Samus kills the creature only to find it releases a strange yellow organism. Feeling unaffected, Samus finishes her mission and begins her return to the laboratory. However, on her return she loses consciousness, and gunship emergency ejects an escape pod before plummeting into an asteroid field. Her pod retrieved by scientists aboard and given medical attention, they discover that Samus has been infected with a strange parasite dubbed X. Surgeons attempt to remove Samus’ power suit, but are only able to remove portions, as parts of her suit are biologically attached. The removed sections coupled with the X parasite gave her suit a startling new look. On the brink of death, the scientists take a left over gene saved from the original baby Metroid and inject it into Samus. Metroids being the apex predator of SR388, the gene attacks the X parasite infection and destroys it. Samus awakens healed, but not without side-effects; having survived the X parasite, she was now immune to infection and instead could use the parasite to health, and with Metroid DNA now coupled with her suit she shared the species’ aversion and sensitivity to cold. After recovery, Samus is sent by the Federation to investigate an explosion at the Biologic Space Laboratories, where specimens from SR388 as well as her removed suit parts were taken. Given a new ship by the Federation, Samus is forced to follow orders from the onboard AI, whom she nicknames ‘Adam’ after Adam Malkovich, her former commanding officer in the Federation. Exploring the laboratories, Samus quickly learns that the X parasite has come on board, infecting all biological life. She finds that the X parasite is capable of replicating DNA, taking on forms of any infected species. Worse yet, she learns that the X parasite has utilised the infected portions of her suit that were removed during surgery, and thus a super powered ‘clone’ of Samus, dubbed SA-X, is wandering the labs. Exploring further, Samus stumbles into a Restricted Lab, and to her shock discovers cloned Metroids in various stages of their growth cycle. After a brief fight with SA-X, SA-X assaults the Metroid cloning labs as it identifies the Metroids as its natural predator. The Metroids break free, activating a fail safe procedure, forcing Samus to escape the restricted lab before it is jettisoned from the station onto the surface of SR388. Confronting her ship’s computer, it is revealed that the Federation had begun its own secret Metroid cloning program, using the station to replicate the environmental conditions of SR388, giving the perfect ecosystem for breeding all stages of the Metroid life cycle. On top of this, Federation scientists had developed a method of rapidly growing the Metroid, allowing them to advance a Metroid from its early stages all the way to Omega Metroid in a matter of days. Lastly, she learns that the SA-X has been reproducing asexually, and that at least 10 clones are onboard the station. Her ship’s AI informs her that the Federation has taken interest in the X parasite, particular the SA-X clones, and sees potential in their capabilities. The AI tells her she has caused enough damage to the ship and specimens, but Samus refuses to listen, having seen the power of the SA-X first hand. Concerned that Federation troopers will be overwhelmed when they attempt to board the vessel, Samus plans to initiate a self destruct sequence, risking her own life in the process. In an act of defiance the ship’s AI locks Samus in the navigation room, under orders to keep the station safe until Federation troops arrive. A verbal onslaught from Samus to the AI system, she refers to the system as ‘Adam’. Curious, the AI asks about this ‘Adam’, and Samus explains her connection to her former commanding officer, and how he died saving her life. Seemingly moved by this revelation, the AI decides that Samus must destroy the station, and advises altering the orbit of the station so that it will collide with SR388, essentially wiping out the threat on both. Samus agrees, and then realises that the AI is in fact Adam Malkovich himself, whose personality was uploaded to a computing system before he had died. With a set mission Samus fights her way through the space station, finally defeating SA-X, as well as a vicious Omega Metroid that had escaped from the cloning labs. With the space station on course to collide with SR388, Samus boards her ship and both her and Adam’s AI escape, watching the collision from orbit. The adventure ends with Samus pondering the reaction from the Federation, suspecting that she will be held fully responsible for her defiance.

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[coiler]

sounds great for noobs like me who are shit at gameplay but love the storyline.
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[UWSguy]

^Team Ninja aren't known for making easy games. It's what they are known for (chest enhancements) that worries me.

[Azza]

She...talked in the trailer. If she hadn't already said stuff in Brawl, that would have been mindblowing.

Looks to be a mix of 2D and FPS elements, nice job, Ninja Team (yes I got it wrong, but it sounds better, no?)
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[ZieDog]

when does prime trilogy come out in aust?
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[Luketheman5]

Looks interesting, the gameplay looks really different. But seems to include that Adam Malkovitch fellow from Fusion! We'll have to see how this develops.
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[Jarrod]

I'm not entirely convinced, but largely because...it doesn't look anything like Metroid in any way. It's like they've taken the Metroid franchise assets and just made a whole new concept out of it.

Which is fine, I guess, it's just not what I wanted. If it's good I'll be all over it, but if it's just a whole new game that could have used a new franchise and not one that doesn't 'work' I'll be really disappointed.
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[Macka]

I think the trailer looks fantastic to be honest. The reaction to the announcement of the game reminds me of when the first trailer for Metroid Prime came out, and everyone was like "OMG, they've completely changed Metroid, it's gonna suck" but it turned out to be one of the best games EVAR.

I have faith in Nintendo and Team Ninja, they never make crap games (for their key franchises), so I expect the game to be excellent.
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[Jarrod]

Ok, rewatching the trailer it does look insanely cool. I'm just over-protective of Metroid .
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[UWSguy]

Really? It is definitely different but watching it made me think 'Super Metroid' straight away, especially the look of the suit.
Of course, the whole talking thing is so not metroid. I'd love a new 3d one... but I guess it is not meant to be.
Still no word on what Retro is up to.

[Cerebral]

Rewatching the trailer, I take back most of what I said in the other thread, looks pretty cool all round.
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[Waka]

I never really liked the 3D metroidness, but i never played that much of it to be honest, but this looks amazing since there are 2D elements, i love 2D metroid, so maybe its the healthy middle ground im looking for in a metroid game
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[mcerto]

[Dare]

^ I was just about to say something along the same lines

I have still yet to play a 3D Metroid (waiting for the compilation), but like waka have enjoyed the 2D ones, so I'm sure this one will impress also
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[Azza]

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[Island_Wolf]

^Funny enough, when I show the E3 Nintendo trailer (or whatever, it was a youtube clip) to the boy I tutor, he was so not interested in Metroid until he saw "Team Ninja" and then he was exactly like the guys in the last picture... (and I don't even know who Team Ninja is...)
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[Sin Ogaris]

Ok... I only JUST watched the video (I know, I'm slow) but am I the only one NOT liking the whole "Metroid May Cry" (or I guess in this case you could call it Ninja Metroid, or Metroid Gaiden) vibe of this? Christ, Samus barely even fired her gun in that whole thing, she seemsed more happy pulling out punching combos or some crap, seriously, what the Hell? There's adapting a series and then there's turning the thing on its arse and kicking it in the balls until it can no longer bear children (I have no idea what that means either).

I'm afraid at the moment I have a very "Jibbs-esque" stance on Other M, I need to see a lot more before I resign myself to purchasing this title.

Please prove me wrong Nintendo and Team Ninja (not that I've ever cared about their games in the past, DoA never interested me and I haven't had the pleasure of playing the Gaiden series... unless you count the NES originals), for the love of God prove me wrong.

[Jarrod]

I've got no problem with an athletic 'wrestler' Samus. She is a bounter hunter after all, and has always been athletic.

The more I look at it though the more I dislike it. The art fucking stinks compared to the simply magnificent art direction of the Prime series. The anime characters look so boring and generic, and the enemy designs just look stupid (eg: Ridley).

Pretty much everything I hate about the trailer has nothing to do with the actual gameplay. It's all the presentation. It just looks so uninspired and un-Metroid, very cheap, especially when following from the likes of Fusion and the Prime series.

Which is odd, as apparently Nintendo R&D1 still has a huge amount to do with the game over Team Ninja.
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[kartanym]

It doesn't come out till next year, but it certainly has potential. I agree that, in some way, it's a step down in presentation compared to the Prime trilogy. But at the same time, it's great to see a return to its roots, so to speak.

[Dare]

Any questions you want answered about the trailer have been answered by those folks over at IGN

Video - Metroid: Other M - IGN Rewind Theater
Very interesting tidbits revealed that you may have glanced over
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[theory]

^ Damn, that was awesome. Tying in to Super Metroid / Metroid Fusion like that. Wow.
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[Macka]

[Dare]

^ question though friend, is do we think this will draw many new fans, or will this be a 'hardcore' offering only?

I hope and think it's gonna be a nice helping of both
glad u liked the vid, very informative
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[Azza]

MEGA BUMP

Official site is up, and Release date.
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[3mt]

TBH, I reckon this flaunting of Samus' real identity detracts from the malleable person that us gamers could fit into her isolation back in the Prime games.
Looks like they're moving away from the sense of extreme isolation as seen in Metroid prime 1, and doing a more of a character development thing.
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