Metroid series discussion

@Mikey  
The ice beam can be turned on & off, and it’s still handy for freezing enemies into platforms, and the ice beam is the Metroid’s weakness.
 
@Jarkes  
Really? I always just assumed the Plasma beam was just a better version of that beam.

@Jarkes  
Yep.
 
@Beau Skunky  
Yeah, I usually turn it off.  

 
Actually, the Spazer is a beam that widens the trajectory, it makes it slightly more powerful, the plasma beam passes through enemies and by itself is a single beam line.

You know, I wonder if Anthony Higgs from Other M having the same initials as Armstrong Houston from the Super Metroid Nintendo Power comic was an intentional nod to the other character. I highly doubt it, but it’s definitely a funny coincidence.

@Jarkes  
It’s possible. Y’know, the Super Metroid NP comic was made by Benimaru Itoh, whom also made the original Star Fox (SNES) comic for Nintendo Power, as well. He’s a good artist.

I finally played/got “Metroid Other M” recently, and I gatta say it’s not as bad as everyone says… I know I’ll take heat for saying that, but I don’t care.
 
It has some annoying flaws, yes, but it’s kinda nice to play a 3D Metroid with a third-person perspective, so you can actually see Samus, (and be able to tell you’re playing Metroid, and not some other generic FPS game) as that helps you do a bit more platforming, wall jumping, and such.  
I kinda like how it uses some clever camera angles in order to get around using the Wii-mote’s 8-direction directional pad, and make you feel like you’re a 3D sidescroller at times, while mixing more open areas too. I wouldn’t of minded using the Wii nunchuck, but it’s kinda clever how it uses only the remote.
 
One thing that kinda annoys me so far is, (besides getting lost in the game, or being unable to backtrack at certain parts) you can only recover energy at save points, or when your health is low. (Via a special move.) Not getting items from downed enemies does kinda take away the reward for beating ’em. (And being able to recover missles any time, takes away some of the challenge of using them, or collecting upgrades.)

@Beau Skunky  
I just hate the lack of exploration, and the combat is just so barebones and on rails. I don’t like how your beam snaps to everything, it makes it feel weak. And of course the awful story and voice acting. No it’s not bad but it will never touch the greats of the rest of the series. It’s a 6/10 at best.  
Also the game is just to handholdy.

@Mikey  
Y’know, I knew you’d be the first to respond, given how much you “love” that game. lol  
I don’t know, I found it more “Where the flip do I go?” most of the time, then hand-holdy. It never holds your hand when you finally need it too. lol  
So I’ve had to explore quite a bit frankly, even found quite a few hidden items. So there’s a li’l exploration, but it does feel kinda linier like “Metroid Fusion.”
 
Story-flaws aside, I actually enjoyed the cinematic scenes, (pretty well animated at least, though kinda lacks a bit with facial expressions) and the voice acting wasn’t that bad. (Samus being a bit deadpan seems suiting to me, given her tragic past.) Though, they tend to drag on with the story, and scenes at the beginning quite a bit.  
I think baby Ridley is kinda cute too… lol SSB kinda spoiled that twist for me.

@Beau Skunky  
The thing is, after you reach a save room, the map points you where you have to go. And there’s no agency like Super Metroid and nowhere near the same level of exploration, and the atmosphere is non-existent.

metroid the original is my least favorite while fusion is my favorite so far. for best soundtrack i think zero mission and super metroid are on a tie. for best gameplay i think zero mission is better. for difficulty, fusion takes the cake. best graphics, super metroid is the better, thou i think this spot might belongs to prime but i need to play this game to make my opinion. for weapons, fusion is the one i like the most. for areas and the atmosphere, super metroid is the king and for bosses, super metroid is the superior.

I still have yet to beat a single Metroid game. Any easy ones?

@Minshi Woods  
Start with Zero Mission.

@Mikey  
He’ll probably get lost right away.

So apparently any other time Samus fights Ridley, she’s fine, but in Other M, she freezes up?

@Minshi Woods
 
PTSD is a bitch. It’s not something you can just “get over” and you can have relapses at the worst possible times, even when relapses didn’t happen before.
 
…The PROBLEM is that it really wasn’t clear WHY it was happening.

@igotnopicks  
Nah, Zero Mission is fairly hand-holding. That’s honestly why it’s lower than Super. The amount of hand-holding, and the post game item hunt is as bad as Fusion’s. In Super you’re left your own vices, and you can collect items while progressing.

@Jarkes  
It’s a confusing mess like the rest of the story.

@Minshi Woods  
@Mikey  
Zero Mission is a good one to start, as it has an easier difficulty mode.  
“Super Metroid” was my first, but I’d only recommend it, if you’re very experienced with sidescrollers, and Zelda.
 
@Mikey  
I kinda disagree, despite it’s flaws, “Other M” still feels atmospheric, and suspenceful like any other Metroid game, and feels like the closest thing to a 2D feel in a 3D Metroid to me. (Kinda like how Super Mario 3D Land/World did that for Mario.) I even felt some urgency & challenge with some bosses.  
Despite it’s flaws, the action itself, wasn’t bad and I kinda liked the simplified controls for the Wii-remote. The auto targetting in third-person mode kinda takes some of the challenge away, of aiming and shooting, but it’s not as bad as some games.  
I kinda like how Samus automatically jumps over tiny ground obstacles (like vines) when running kinda like Link.
 
The action was good, but the lack of exploration, and such hamper the game a li’l so I understand why it’s the “black sheep” of the whole series.

@Beau Skunky  
Yeah as I said, it’s not bad, but I argue it doesn’t even touch Metroid 1 or 2, and it definitely doesn’t come close to the likes of Super and Prime Trilogy. I will fight anyone that says otherwise >:T

I will get started with Zero Mission tomorrow. Wish me luck.

@Minshi Woods  
Good luck, if you ever need help, just ask.
 
@Mikey  
I haven’t played the Prime trilogy, except the second one briefly in the store. I’m not very good at FPS games, but it was pretty good, I admit. It just didn’t feel like I was playing Metroid, and it felt like some other generic FPS game. Maybe if I play it longer, and give it another shot it’ll start to feel like a Metroid. Though, how is the platforming handled in that FPS view? I can’t imagine wall-jumping, or using the screw attack in it.  
Metroid kinda needs platforming, not just running around shooting things, I feel. Do the Prime games have that?
 
I honestly kinda prefer third-person shooter games, and I wouldn’t mind them experimenting with a third person view again, but unlikely as everyone seems to prefer FPS games, but me. That’s probably the one thing I prefer about “Other M” then Prime, (putting aside it’s flaws) but as I said maybe I should give those Prime games a shot, seeing as I need to catch up on them. I hear they focus more on the exploration & item finding aspect then “Other M” which sounds nicer.
 
Frankly, the FPS viewpoint kinda turned me off during the GameCube days, but I hear people say the games are good even for those not into the FPS genre.  
I don’t hate FPS games, I played Halo with friends before, but I just suck at them.

@Beau Skunky  
There’s a fair bit of platform segments in the prime series but obviously not as much as the 2D games.

@09MurphyM  
I guess that’s understandable, given the viewpoint kinda limits that. At least, they have the grappling beam.
 
Actually a new Metroid that shifts between FPS & third-person platforming might be kinda cool, though handled better then “Other M.”

@Beau Skunky  
You need to play more of the Prime games because they’re not just “more generic FPS games”. They’re more immersive and feel like Metroid in first person, and the focus is on exploration and immersion, not shooting. Play the first one through and you’ll see what I mean.

@Mikey  
I feel kinda bad saying that, as I don’t like to judge games I barely played. Maybe I’ll consider getting the Metroid Prime Trilogy. Maybe using the Wii nunchuck, and such will be easier for me. (As I’m used to Wii games like Skyward Sword, and such.)
 
And just so you don’t assume I’m mindlessly praising “Other M,” or saying it’s “better,” I’ll say it’s starting to have some annoying parts. Like those scanning “WTF do I have to find” segments are very interuptive, and annoyingly tedious. It’s also annoying some stronger enemies can hardly be killed unless you preform a special melee attack on them. (Like jumping on them.)  
And you can’t dodge in FPS mode, you have to quickly go back to normal mode, and dodge in time which is annoying for some of the more frantic bosses.
 
Also, while, Adam refusing to let you use the power bombs & some weapons sort’ve makes sense, (so you don’t hurt any humans, in case there’s any survivors) there’s really no justification to not being allowed to use the Varia suit’s heat resistant power, and have to trudge through heated areas BEFORE you get permission. Why would you need permission for THAT?  
A better excuse plot would’ve been probably Samus losing her items, or having them stolen, so she has to hunt them down again, like in “Metroid Fusion.”

@Beau Skunky  
Yeah, I hate those parts, there’s an especially horrible bit later, and another one at the end of the game that is just infuriating.  
And the authorization system just feels tacked on to me.  
And the fact that you’re immobile in first person mode sucks and is the only way to use missiles. I also hate those slow over the shoulder sections, those are obnoxious and pointless.
 
The Prime Trilogy is definitely better with the Wii controls.