Metroid: Other M Review (8.5/10)

The Metroid series is one steeped in the history of gaming, ranging from the classic NES and SNES side-scrollers to the modern hits of the Prime trilogy, and that's a weighty legacy for any developer to carry. Thankfully, Team Ninja have still managed to create a great story-driven experience in Metroid: Other M that fans will adore and newcomers will find relatively accessible and compelling. The events of the game take place straight after one of the aforementioned SNES titles, Super Metroid, as bounty hunter Samus Aran finds herself miraculously saved by her friend (a baby Metroid) who sarcrificed themselves and in doing so made their race go extinct...or so it seems. But as Samus investigates the mysterious Bottle Ship with the help of her old teammates, she finds that they are not alone, and their enemy may even lie within. This is an instantly darker plot than most of Nintendo's third party aids would dare to strive for on Wii, and for the most part the risk taken pays off, even if things become a little too fantastical later on and you sometimes find yourself pushing on with the somewhat repetitive gameplay to reach the next plot segment. Team Ninja pushed the engine as being a merge of side-scrolling and the modern FPS formats of the series, but the latter only makes a few notable appearances, so to be honest this is more of a harkening back to Nintendo's early days, albeit one that struggles due to Samus being able to move in 3D directions as well. Graphically, Other M varies, sometimes wowing and proving the Wii can do stunning vistas, while on other ocassions just seeming like a small step up from GameCube visuals, and the soundtrack is also a bit of a mixed bag, often repeating itself depending on the sector you're travelling in. Another problem comes in the game refusing to strip you of your weapons, instead having the omniscient Adam 'authorising' weapons when he deems them necessary, and while this must have seemed like a solid concept, when you're forced to endure blistering heats and come frequently near to death until Adam gives you your heat-resistant suit only when a boss appears is irritating to say the least. This only makes for about half of the overall game experience, but it often pulls the player back from being totally immersed, and as a result lowers the final score. There's almost a sense that Team Ninja are finding their feet with Other M, working out the kinks on the Metroid engine and the pacing of their story, but with the game offering well over 20 hours of genuine entertainment and now available for just £10 if you're looking for something to tide you over in a Summer that's pretty devoid of new games then this comes with high recommendation!