Team Ninja and Nintendo has ended the summer with one heck of a bang with the release of Metroid: Other M. Bringing back some cool 2D side scrolling action with 3D gameplay is no easy task with just a Wiimote, yes you read that correctly, no Nunchuck to aim and shoot for the 3D levels. Metroid: Other M brings back the nostalgia of the original Metroid with modern graphics and gameplay elements, old school gamers and new gamers alike will find something interesting in this latest incarnation of Metroid for the Wii.

The story is told very well through video cut scenes and in game scenes, however, for some odd reason Team Ninja and Nintendo decided that skipping through these is just not an option, you are forced to watch every single scene no matter how many times you play through the game. The game will start you off with a very short tutorial where you test out all your abilities in a lab with a technician, gee sounds familiar. The controls do take a little to get used to, it just seems odd at first to be playing a 3d game with 2d controls, but it works out to be very smooth once you start blasting your way through the game.

If you have never played any of the previous Metroid games, don’t worry, there is an explosive summary video right at the start of the game to get you all caught up before you start blasting your way through the game, again not skip able no matter how hard you mash that A button.

Another shocker is you will hear Samus SPEAK in the game, frankly everyone thought she just lost her voice after all these years. This adds to the story of the game and frankly it is the first time we’ve had such a rich story line in a Metroid game and it is quite interesting. Samus investigates a distress call from a “Bottle Ship” and right at the get go you meet up with some old friends from the Galactic Federation, without spoiling too much it’s part of the huge story line in the game with a former “colleague”.

The first question most gamers will ask is, freedom of the camera. Well, frankly there isn’t much: You can look around in the 2D level, but not walk at the same time. You pretty much just switch to 3D by pointing your Wiimote at the screen and then pop back out to 2D by holding the Wiimote sideways again. There are some levels that are 3D, you can run around the level all you want, but if you wish to lock onto an enemy with your missiles, it’s the same “can’t walk” while aiming your Wiimote at the screen. It is a bit clunky and gets a while to get used to since you have to quickly get out of this “free look” 3d mode to dodge incoming fire.

There is also a strange way to refill your missiles and health; it is called “concentration”. In short you hold your Wiimote at “:45” (like a clock) and bring it up to “:00”.

As with all Metroid games, you’ll be expected to solve some puzzles, including morphing into a ball to get through a blocked door or jumping up to a grate and then Samus will automatically morph into a ball to get through an air shaft. Most of the puzzles aren’t too hard, but you will have to keep your eyes open for those air vents all over the screen.

Since Samus is teamed up with the Galactic Federation, she’s decided to listen to ALL orders. This includes not using her Super missiles without permission or even her Varia suit function when she’s melting in a lava pit. I’m sorry to say, Samus would never take this kind of crap, it just doesn’t make any sense. Ok, I’m totally melting or this stupid door is blocked to heck, I’m going to just stand here and die because some commander wants to flex his rank over me! So much for Samus being a bounty hunter who makes up her own rules to live by.

You will get into some pretty hairy close quarter battles in this game, and you get this great feeling of “heck yeah” when you blast a alien to bits. The controls respond extremely well in 2D and 3D modes, except when in the “first person free look” mode which your legs suddenly stop working. Aiming is handled by the computer, so you’ll have to get used to how to “look around” and lock onto the nearest enemy. Samus has a nifty new move, if you tap your D pad at the right moment, you’ll dodge the enemy fire and will be able to quickly fire back.

The game can be played though in about 12-13 hours depending on how hard you search for search items and hidden items. While you do not need these items to finish the game, you might want to go looking for them if you want to play the game again the 2nd time around. Metroid: Other M is a nice change to the franchise and is a must buy for the Nintendo Wii for shooter fans!

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