Ideas for a New Metroid Game

[JuicieJ]

Second, ignore that Other M happened, or at least used it as a case study for NOT to do in a Metroid game.

Other M actually got a lot of things right in the gameplay department. Linearity aside, it's pretty much exactly the first 3D game fans were expecting to see after the Metroid 64 tease. I think it's ironic, really. The fanbase absolutely HATED the idea of a first person Metroid when Prime was first revealed, and now they want the series to go BACK to that just because Other M wasn't everything it could have been -- or, in the case of some fans, a disaster of a game... which is a notion I can't even begin to fathom.

Other M's only major problem (again, linearity aside) is the writing. The basic plot in and of itself was actually pretty good -- certainly better than anything Prime 3 even threatened to offer -- but the execution was just... terrible, to say the least. For example, Samus and Adam (on the surface level) behave identically to how they do in the manga. It's just how they were handled within the context of the situation that was bad. The voice acting was also fine. It wasn't on the level of, say, Metal Gear Solid, but it certainly wasn't bad. I don't get why people harp on it, especially since they praise that of Prime 3, when it's pretty much undeniably of less quality.

Really, though, that's about it. When you get right down to it and dissect Other M's core gameplay, there aren't a whole lot of issues to be found, and the ones that are there aren't all that big of a deal. I'll readily agree that it would have been better for the Nunchuk to have been used for movement, but considering you're running down literal hallways most of the time, just like in all of the sidescrolling games, the limitation isn't detrimental. Not being able to move in first person is also an odd quirk, but you can sensemove out of it, and you're never required to stay in first person for very long -- outside of the pixel hunts, anyway... whiiiiich means I lied earlier, there's ONE core mechanic that was legitimately bad. But, anyway... seriously, those limitations aren't that big of a deal, and I find that many of the people critical of them are often holding a huge double standard.

I've noticed that no one ever seems to care that these same mechanics were in a game we all know and love as Mega Man Legends.

Legends started production long before the introduction of the DualShock controller, and actually only came out about a month after its release, so its control method never got to take advantage of the dual analog sticks, since the original PlayStation controller lacked them. Instead, it used the D-pad, and this meant limitations were involved. You could only move at one speed, in 8 cardinal directions, and you couldn't move while locking onto a foe. ...Yet it's praised as one of the greatest games ever made, while Other M is ridiculed for it. Can someone please explain this to me? Because it's one of THE largest hypocritical standpoints I've ever seen in the gaming industry. As a side note, I'd also like to know why people ignore the linearity in Fusion and Prime 3 when it's just as bad in those games as it is in Other M -- probably worse in Fusion's case. If there's one thing that irritates me above all else regarding fanbases, it's cherry-picking.

Moving on, what I'm ultimately trying to say is that I think Another M should be the next console Metroid game. Obviously not under that title, and obviously not with with a hamfisted story involved (and, of course, no pointless linearity), but the same core style that transcends the classic sidescrolling style into 3D. It's the same thing Super Mario 3D Land -- which also, hilariously enough, have controls that only allow you to move in 8 directions -- and it got a sequel to shine in the spotlight, so why not do the same with Metroid?

Regardless of the whole double standard thing, I'm aware many people naturally wouldn't want this style to return simply because of the limitations of holding the Wii Remote sideways. Thing is, that wouldn't have to be done with the Wii U. The GamePad and Wii MotionPlus & Nunchuk could easily be used instead. Both are viable options, meaning both could be made available as options. I mean, come on, the Wii U's exclusives have already been utilizing multiple control schemes. I bet even the Pro Controller could be an option for this style of play. I do think the GamePad would be the most ideal for said style, though, since the way it plays out practically begs for the GamePad's use. Think about it: The left analog stick would be used to move around (freely), the face buttons would be used for Samus's various actions, first-person would be activated by holding the GamePad up towards the TV screen (utilizing its ability to show what's on the TV and allow interaction between the two), and having the left stick still available would allow for movement while in first-person, akin to Skyward Sword and The Wind Waker HD. Side-stepping could also be an option, a la the Prime games. It's pretty much perfect for it.

If we could get this style of game and have it be freed from linearity and a pitiful script, then we could TRULY get the game we all were looking forward to back after the Metroid 64 tease. And, let's be honest, another first-person Metroid wouldn't be out of the cards just because of Another M. We could ultimately get the best of both worlds.

Anyway, that's my take.

 

[Hanyou]

Other M actually got a lot of things right in the gameplay department. Linearity aside, it's pretty much exactly the first 3D game fans were expecting to see after the Metroid 64 tease. I think it's ironic, really. The fanbase absolutely HATED the idea of a first person Metroid when Prime was first revealed, and now they want the series to go BACK to that just because Other M wasn't everything it could have been -- or, in the case of some fans, a disaster of a game... which is a notion I can't even begin to fathom.

Prime was my first Metroid game, like Ocarina was my first Zelda game. I had no preconceptions about the series.

I want another game like that. Prime 2 was okay, but Hunters and Prime 3 weren't enough like it. Both were more first-person shooters than adventure games, and neither really emphasized the core Metroid gameplay of item collection that made Prime so good.

So we weren't all looking forward to a specific type of game after some teaser. There are plenty of people for whom Prime is a landmark.

Also, I don't know where you get this idea that Mega Man Legends is widely praised. I've always thought the reception was lukewarm at best.

 

[HeroofScotland]

I've noticed that no one ever seems to care that these same mechanics were in a game we all know and love as Mega Man Legends. Legends started production long before the introduction of the DualShock controller, and actually only came out about a month after its release, so its control method never got to take advantage of the dual analog sticks, since the original PlayStation controller lacked them. Instead, it used the D-pad, and this meant limitations were involved. You could only move at one speed, in 8 cardinal directions, and you couldn't move while locking onto a foe. ...Yet it's praised as one of the greatest games ever made, while Other M is ridiculed for it. Can someone please explain this to me?

I can. MegaMan Legends was released in 1997 while Metroid Other M was released in 2010. In Legends' case it's archaic, in Other M's case it's just bad.

 

[Viral Maze]

More sex. More sex and car jackings... You should also be able to kill prostitutes. And do drive-bys. And have 3 main characters.


Yeah, GOTY Metroid right there.

 

[CynicalSquid]

Make a spiritual successor to Metroid Prime. First-person camera. Huge world. Lots of open exploration. There's a reason why Prime was so well recieved. A first-person camera works for Metroid.

It doesn't matter even if it's on the 3DS or the Wii U. The 3DS is about as powerful as a GameCube, so an experience akin to the first two prime games is possible. On the Wii U, there's almost no restriction of what the game can be.

Metroid Prime! Metroid Prime! Metroid Prime! Metroid Prime! Metroid Prime! Metroid Prime! Metroid Prime! Metroid Prime! Metroid Prime!

I never thought I'd say this... But I agree with you.

I never really liked the third person Metroids. They aren't bad. They just aren't my cup of tea.

I'd love to see a spiritual successor the the Prime games. Metroid just feels better in first person. I think it's because the third person games had a fixed camera, so the exploration felt really restricted. In prime you had full control of the camera and exploration didn't really feel limited at all.

So, I think they should make a spiritual successor to the Prime games, or they should experiment and do a 3D-behind the back-third person camera view.

I have no opinion with what they should add to the story, upgrades, enemies, etc.

 

[Ver-go-a-go-go]

I want another game like that. Prime 2 was okay, but Hunters and Prime 3 weren't enough like it. Both were more first-person shooters than adventure games, and neither really emphasized the core Metroid gameplay of item collection that made Prime so good

I'd love to see a spiritual successor the the Prime games. Metroid just feels better in first person. I think it's because the third person games had a fixed camera, so the exploration felt really restricted. In prime you had full control of the camera and exploration didn't really feel limited at all.

I would think that there's a large consensus among very dedicated Metroid fans that have come to the same conclusion - but the question, in my view, isn't truly should the series go back to the first person, but who should be the ones to do it. Sakamoto, while he did some amazing work on the earlier Metroids..... Is kind of in the way at this point. He has a very one-track mind when it comes to what he wants to do with the series, where it should go, and what it should be about. I think he certainly has a right to have some input, as he is an original creator of the series and deserves at least some voice, but I don't think he should be the end-all, be-all source for what Metroid is going to do in the future, just because his latest outings haven't been up to par (Super Metroid and Zero Mission were amazing, Fusion was okay, and Other M was decent.) So perhaps Nintendo shouldn't take it upon themselves to do it, and should, again, hand the reigns completely over to a second party.

I don't think it should be Retro though. Cfrock did convince me that the reason Corruption seemed so far gone from Prime was because the ideas simply weren't there anymore - they were restricted by two other games, and had to keep making up new mechanics and items each time, which really showed in Corruption. I think Corruption was a good idea from a story standpoint (with good voice acting, but with plot that is still very secondary), but it felt way too same-old same-old to me in the gameplay department. I do think Retro should give us its take on the classic Metroid formula on 3DS, as I would trust them to do it right, but they've already done their thing with the first person idea.

So who to give it to, then? I'll admit, my variety of video games doesn't extend far out much; I decided that I would have to stick to game franchises I really liked, and new IPs that looked incredibly interesting because of new time and money constraints, so my knowledge of all these different developers is severely lacking. Perhaps someone who is experienced in the first-person, but not in the way that your standard FPS is now structured.

 

[JuicieJ]

I can. MegaMan Legends was released in 1997 while Metroid Other M was released in 2010. In Legends' case it's archaic, in Other M's case it's just bad.

That's a total cop-out. We're not dealing with something like 8-bit hardware limitations, we're dealing with control schemes that are nearly identical and that both have game design structured around them.

So perhaps Nintendo shouldn't take it upon themselves to do it, and should, again, hand the reigns completely over to a second party.

*3rd party. ...Unless PlatinumGames does wind up being purchased by Nintendo somewhere down the line.

If for some bizarre reason you can't guess where I'm going with this, I think Platinum should be given a crack at it. I will stand by what I've said countless times before about Team Ninja doing the best they could with the material they had, but PlatinumGames has Hideki Kaimya... and Hideki Kamiya made Okami. He's the father of multiple Action franchises (Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, Bayonetta, The Wonderful 101), so that's naturally what he's most known for, but he's shown he knows how to make a kick-*** Action-Adventure game -- and given his heavy experience with straight-up Action games, I think he'd be the perfect man to head Another M.

I can just only hope this is what happens in Metroid's future. It probably won't, but a man can dream.

 

[HeroofScotland]

That's a total cop-out. We're not dealing with something like 8-bit hardware limitations, we're dealing with control schemes that are nearly identical and that both have game design structured around them.

Let me word it better: When Legends was released the Playstation analog controller wasn't even an year old. When Other M was released we had games with analog controls since 1996.

 

[JuicieJ]

Um... why? We're not in 1992 anymore. Both the Wii U and 3DS are capable of handling 3D graphing reasonably well.

Implying that automatically means a sidescroller Metroid should be out of the question. LOGIC!

 

[JuicieJ]

Did you even read the rest of my post?

You directly mentioned the 3DS in the part I highlighted. That implies you think even on that platform, sidescrolling is out of the question.

 

[CynicalSquid]

Isn't the glory of Metroid the exploration? I personally think 2D sidescrollers limit exploration, so I honestly think future Metroid games should be 3D first-person or third-person. Metroid just feels more natural in 3d to me. Exploration does work in 2D though, but it feels more free in 3D.

If that made any sense.

 

[JuicieJ]

The 3DS has graphing processing power equivalent to the GameCube. Is the GameCube a 3D console? Is the GameCube known for 3D games?

And here we go again, dabbling into yet another fallacy regarding pure processing power. Joy.

In case you're not aware, handheld gaming and console gaming are NOT the same. Handheld gaming is a market that the vast majority of consumers go to to play in quick bursts. It's not very common for people to play a handheld game for hours at a time like they would while sitting in front of a TV. Now, with this knowledge in mind, which would you say fits handheld gaming better: sidescrolling or 3D?

If you answered 3D, then you answered incorrectly! This is exactly the reason Nintendo stuck to the top-down style with the latest Zelda game, A Link Between Worlds. The game was technically set in a 3D SPACE, but the core gameplay mechanics were exactly what's to be expected from a top-down Zelda.

Also, let's not forget that there are PLENTY of sidescrolling games in modern day gaming. The New Super Mario Bros. games, Rayman Origins & Legends, Donkey Kong Country Returns & Tropical Freeze, Yoshi's New Island... Sidescrolling still exists, broseph, and it's not exactly uncommon. There are still even sprite-based games in existence for PC. It's hard to imagine how people such as yourself can have the kind of viewpoint you've expressed when the logic falls flat on its face.

 

[Ver-go-a-go-go]

The 3DS has graphing processing power equivalent to the GameCube. Is the GameCube a 3D console? Is the GameCube known for 3D games?

Again, I'm going to have to ask that you refrain from solely posting about graphical power of video game systems. It's a topic breaker, and too many threads have been derailed because of it.

Carry on.

 

[JuicieJ]

I wanna add something I don't think I've conveyed properly -- if at all. I'm not saying that sidescrolling/2D/top-down/etc. is automatically the best way to go for a game JUST because it's on a handheld. What I AM saying is that these styles can much more easily THRIVE on handhelds because of the general pick-up-and-play connotation handhelds have. The main thing needed for a handheld game is just for it to have that style of play to it. Even when you look at full-fledged 3D games on the 3DS, such as REvelations and KH3D, they're designed to be played in bursts. REvelation's chapters are all short and broken up into sections themselves, and KH3D has the whole "drop" mechanic.

All I was trying to say is that a sidescroller Metroid shouldn't be ruled out just because the 3DS has the capability of full 3D design.

Carry on with discussion.

 

[CynicalSquid]

Alright *Cracks knuckles* I'll try to make this as on topic as possible.

I don't think side scrolling has aged well. It works for indie games, and games in general that try to be retro. If they went for a retro, nostalgic feel for the next Metorid game, I'd be kind of fine with that. I just feel like gaming needs to stop living in the past and move on. 2D gaming, and sidescrollers really don't translate well into modern gaming. I don't think it would be easy to make a modern Metroid with old gaming styles. ALBW worked with an overhead camera view because it used those retro elements and was thriving for that nostalgic feel, but if you tried to make the same design and camera view with modern elements it wouldn't work.

I think gaming should move on. The nostalgic stuff was good for a bit, but those retro styled games have run their course, and are becoming overused. I think it's time to start experimenting and building up the modern gaming. I personally feel that gaming needs more innovation. Enough with these rehashes. I don't care if it's on the Wii U or the 3DS, Metroid feels more natural and free in a 3D environment.