MAI!
Humpday Gaming
Yet another game blog
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Other M, More Like WOW THIS IS ACTUALLY GOOD
I have never seen so many Nintendo fanboy dicks being ripped off over one game. Of course that game is Metroid Other M, a game that I essentially had zero interest in from the moment Team Ninja was uttered in the same sentence. I thoroughly hate every game Team Ninja has ever made, and have sworn them off time and time again even though I always seem to play whatever game they release just long enough for me to be like "Yep, it's a Team Ninja game", while throwing it into the Never Gonna Play This Game Again section of my collection. So of course I grabbed Metroid Other M out of my usual morbid curiosity for Team Ninja games, and....I really like it.
First off I should mention that I haven't played Metroid since Super Metroid. I never much got into the Prime series, mostly because everything after the first Prime game seemed like constant tedium. And after I heard Team Ninja was gonna sex up Samus for Other M, I had essentially realized I would probably never play a Metroid game that I enjoyed again. Somehow though, they pulled off the impossible, and made a game I am really enjoying. Especially the further I get into it.
So what does it do right? A good amount, actually. The combat feels completely solid, and there are a lot of really unique fights for a game that only uses two buttons. I've actually never much cared for the action in Metroid, so it was a nice surprise that I found myself really getting into the various battles the game throws you into. For me though, shooting stuff has always been secondary to exploration in Metroid games, and Other M really nails that, too. It's not massively huge, but just about every room has powerups that can be found, or doors that you'll need to come back to later. Some people are moaning about how linear this Metroid is, but it's really not at all. It's just that the labyrinthine exploration of the older games has been streamlined into something much more approachable. Instead of Metroid and Super Metroid's massive, out of the way corridors that lead you on for days just for a missile powerup, you now get much smaller sections off the main path that will get you the same thing, with just as much satisfaction. It's hard to explain, but it works. I've spent more time trying to get the various powerups than I have actually playing the main game, so it must do something right. Oh, and the controls and weird 2.5d/third person/first person stuff all works. Again, it's just something you have to play to understand.
Okay, so I obviously like the game, so what don't I like? Basically all of the actual story elements are pretty painful. Samus is as stale of a character as any I've ever seen, and even goes above and beyond to sound like a dumb girl most of the time. I'm not sure how much Team Ninja had to do with the storyline, but it has their hallmarks of shit only a sugared-up twelve year-old anime fanboy would find exciting. There is also far too much of it. Especially in the first hour. At one point I just wanted Samus to shut the hell up so I could actually play it. Other than those complaints, I really can't think of too much. The gameplay eventually trumps all the shitty story, so I can ignore that aspect for the most part.
I'm about 80% through so far, and plan to take it out this weekend. Unless it just totally shits the bed in the last 1/4 of the game, I don't think my opinion will change much. So if you can get past the awful storytelling then I highly recommend you try it out. It's certainly worth the experience once the game lets you get into it.
First off I should mention that I haven't played Metroid since Super Metroid. I never much got into the Prime series, mostly because everything after the first Prime game seemed like constant tedium. And after I heard Team Ninja was gonna sex up Samus for Other M, I had essentially realized I would probably never play a Metroid game that I enjoyed again. Somehow though, they pulled off the impossible, and made a game I am really enjoying. Especially the further I get into it.
So what does it do right? A good amount, actually. The combat feels completely solid, and there are a lot of really unique fights for a game that only uses two buttons. I've actually never much cared for the action in Metroid, so it was a nice surprise that I found myself really getting into the various battles the game throws you into. For me though, shooting stuff has always been secondary to exploration in Metroid games, and Other M really nails that, too. It's not massively huge, but just about every room has powerups that can be found, or doors that you'll need to come back to later. Some people are moaning about how linear this Metroid is, but it's really not at all. It's just that the labyrinthine exploration of the older games has been streamlined into something much more approachable. Instead of Metroid and Super Metroid's massive, out of the way corridors that lead you on for days just for a missile powerup, you now get much smaller sections off the main path that will get you the same thing, with just as much satisfaction. It's hard to explain, but it works. I've spent more time trying to get the various powerups than I have actually playing the main game, so it must do something right. Oh, and the controls and weird 2.5d/third person/first person stuff all works. Again, it's just something you have to play to understand.
Okay, so I obviously like the game, so what don't I like? Basically all of the actual story elements are pretty painful. Samus is as stale of a character as any I've ever seen, and even goes above and beyond to sound like a dumb girl most of the time. I'm not sure how much Team Ninja had to do with the storyline, but it has their hallmarks of shit only a sugared-up twelve year-old anime fanboy would find exciting. There is also far too much of it. Especially in the first hour. At one point I just wanted Samus to shut the hell up so I could actually play it. Other than those complaints, I really can't think of too much. The gameplay eventually trumps all the shitty story, so I can ignore that aspect for the most part.
I'm about 80% through so far, and plan to take it out this weekend. Unless it just totally shits the bed in the last 1/4 of the game, I don't think my opinion will change much. So if you can get past the awful storytelling then I highly recommend you try it out. It's certainly worth the experience once the game lets you get into it.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
This is extremely exciting to me
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath Is Back!
One of the biggest regrets I had about the last generation of consoles was never getting to play Stranger's Wrath. Looks like that will be rectified come early next year.
One of the biggest regrets I had about the last generation of consoles was never getting to play Stranger's Wrath. Looks like that will be rectified come early next year.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Oh, So I Guess It Wasn't Sonic 4 Anyway
Sonic and Knuckles 3D fan video is all sorts of rad | Joystiq
Well I guess I can go back to only being mildly excited. I can dream, I suppose.
Well I guess I can go back to only being mildly excited. I can dream, I suppose.
Okay, I Can't Deny It Anymore. This Looks Awesome
The more I see these videos, the more excited I get for Sonic 4. I know I shouldn't, but damn. Just look at that. That's Sonic. And I haven't been able to say that for a decade or more.
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