Metroid: Other M is easily one of the most anticipated games of the year, but does it live up to the hype? In this critic’s opinion, no. Although a beautiful looking game and at times rewarding, it’s the other stuff that makes Other M a top contender for “weakest Metroid ever.” Primary among them: the developer seems to have been more concerned with making a movie rather than making a good game. And we all know game makers should stick to their day jobs and get out of the movie business.
Hollywood-inferiority complex aside, Other M has moments of brilliance. The majority of the game is played with a fixed camera angle from behind, as you move from room to room. Some rooms are designed like a 2d sidescroller, and others are like a 3d free roam, similar to old Crash Bandicoot games. Using the D pad while holding the Wiimote sideways like a NES pad, Samus can move in any direction. At any time, you can point the Wiimote at the screen and you are instantaneously taken into first person perspective. The effect is really polished and slick. Team Ninja obviously spent a lot of time on making sure this effect works properly, and it shows.
Once you are in first person perspective, you can shoot baddies and scan items. However, you cannot move Samus in any direction. The B button pulls triple duty in this mode. It scans items, locks on enemies and also locks you into first person perspective. This becomes handy as you are looking around rooms because you will switch out of first person as you look to the sides of the screen if the Wiimote loses contact of the Wii sensors. So B is used to lock you into first person.
Because the game only requires the Wiimote, you have a limited amount of buttons for a very complex character. But Team Ninja did a good job of simplifying the controls to take advantage of the shortfall of buttons. Jump is mapped to the 2 button. Fire is mapped to the 1 button and morph ball is executed by pressing A. When in morph ball, 1 and 2 buttons work the same. To get out of morph ball, press A again. By holding the 1 button, you power up your arm cannon or bombs. Upgrades are automatically added to your arm cannon and there isn’t a need for a hud to switch between various upgrades or cannon types as in Metroids of old. I like this a lot, as the controls really need to be as simple as possible given the decision to play with just the Wii mote.
The controls aren’t perfect, however, and do lead to some frustrating moments. When battling rank and file enemies such as flying aliens or ground crawlers, the controls work fantastic. When you are battling medium to big bosses, the controls are about as frustrating as any game I’ve recently played. The reason, the smaller enemies can be killed easily by button mashing in any perspective. You can just run around and slam the 1 button all day and kill all the baddies you want. The gun auto locks on the nearest enemy and without any troubles, you pulverizing the aliens to oblivion.
The bigger enemies are a different story. These baddies require you to switch between the normal perspective and first person perspective. The big problem, you can’t move while in first person mode. This is immediately frustrating as you battle the first main boss. You are required to lock onto him with missiles and that can only be accomplished in first person mode. However, you are a sitting duck in first person mode because you can’t move. It takes too long for your missiles to lock on and in the meantime, you just get man handled by the boss. It seems as if the timing is just not right between the amount of time between attacks from the boss and the amount of time that is required to lock on with you missiles. The boss can move that much faster than you can lock on. If the lock on was a little faster, this would not be as frustrating as it currently is.
I think Team Ninja was aware of this shortfall and they seem to have included some gameplay mechanics to compensate. First, you have unlimited missiles and potentially unlimited health. When you want to replenish your missiles, you hold the Wiimote vertically and hold the A button. It takes a few seconds and once the charge is completed, you have all of your missiles back. No longer do you need to find missiles laying around the room. You just make your own at any time.
Health is almost the same. Once you have taken the beating of your life and are on the verge of certain death, the screen informs you that you can hold the Wiimote vertically and hold the A button to replenish your health. It’s like drinking a red potion in Zelda. But like I said, you can’t do it all the time. This only works when you are below 25% health. It takes a little longer to replenish your health and it requires a full charge. If you get hit while charging your health, you have to start over with the charge. You can and will die while attempting to recharge your health especially during the boss battles. If so, just continue and try it again.
Overall, the controls work well and the new mechanics are welcome and relevant to Other M. But the switching from 2D to 3D, as impressive as it is, doesn’t always empower the player with the best available controls (that is, split second speed).
As for presentation, Other M looks and sounds fantastic. The graphics and effects make for one of the best looking Wii games to date. Samus is highly detailed and very shiny. (She is wearing metal after all) The lighting is dark at first, but as you restore power to various areas of the game, the atmosphere lightens up. Details emerge and the world becomes vibrant and lively. The sound works well on a stereo TV. I don’t have a surround sound system, but I can imagine it sounds good if you do. When you hit a save point, little sounds start spewing from the Wiimote speaker. I always like when developers find a way to use that little guy.
Now, I want to discuss the main complaint I have with Other M. Unfortunately, it is so big and glaring that it really takes away from what would otherwise be a great game: THE CUT SCENES. Giving Samus a voice was the worst idea in the history of ideas. I know Metroid fans have been clamoring for this for a long time. All I can say is, be careful for what you wish for. Team Ninja has turned a video game fantasy into a nightmare. Samus is a whiny soul searching brat. Instead of coming across as the sexy confident bounty hunter we all thought she was, she turns out to be nothing more than a rebellious and insecure teenage girl with a daddy complex.
The worst part, you can’t bypass these cut scenes and are forced to listen to this dumb blond as she tries to figure out who she is and why she is. And there are a lot of these cut scenes. The first hour of gameplay is at least a third cut scenes. Reportedly, players can unlock a two-hour film presentation of every cut scene somehow upon completion of the game. But I don’t know why you would even want to torture yourself with that, though. The computer-generated acting is that bad, and detracts from gameplay in a disappointing way.
The linear level design is also questionable. In fact, I believe I may have overlooked an important part of the game while exploring, with no way back to the area that I need to access in order to advance the game. If so, I will have to reset my game and start over, forcing me to sit through the heaviest of the torturous cut scenes. If I can’t find a way around this, this will go down as a major design flaw. I have spent over an hour and a half trying to figure out a way back without success. Lame.
Even if I can successfully find a way past this point, it’s still a design flaw in my opinion, as clues aren’t properly given. Not that I like games that are overly easy, but I’m way past the point of acceptable problem solving. It’s a line Team Ninja should have steered clear of.
Conclusion
Other M is a weird game. I don’t see it appealing to anyone other than hardcore Metroid fans. Also, I’m not sure the hardcore Metroid fans will enjoy Other M like some of the other games in the series. Some will, but I think the flaws in the game are going to be enough to turn off a good chunk of hardcore fans, especially as word of mouth spreads. If you are on the fence, rent Other M or wait to hear reviews from friends with similar tastes before spending $50. If you’re already set on buying Other M, don’t say I didn’t warn you of its shortcomings.
Three stars out of five. (more here)
Review based on incomplete play-through (50%) of retail copy of the game provided by Nintendo.
RATING SCALE
***** = A masterpiece. Not to be missed by anyone, including veterans and newbies. Furthermore, it advances the medium. Think Wii Sports.
**** = A great game but more of the same. Would be enjoyed by all that play it. Think Mario Galaxy 2.
*** = Good if not average game. Playable. Good and bad things about it. Fans will like it. But it falls short of greatness.
** = Bad game. Poorly executed. Not worth your time.
* = Unplayable. A joke. They get one star for publishing a game.
A shame, but unsurprising given the overwhelming evidence leading up to launch.
In hindsight, and as I said before, the August release was probably done on purpose. With a late summer release, Nintendo will make its money back and this game is forgotten by the holidays, when bigger, better titles will sell like hotcakes, fill their coffers, and allow everyone to forget this unfortunate footnote in the Metroid series. I'll save my $50 for Donkey Kong or Kirby.
Prediction: 2D Metroid (game or at least an announcement) by next Christmas.
From what it sounds, my worst nightmare has come true. They have turned Samus into a real housewife of the galaxy. I would have been ok with the cutscenes if Samus' character stayed in tact.
I'm not even reading this garbage, nor the snarky comment that Jack will inevitably leave here.
I'm just posting to ask, why are YOU doing "Infendo's" review of Metroid: Other M instead of Blake? Also, I wonder if you're playing the same game as Nintendo Power and Famitsu, who gave it a 8.5 and a 35/40 respectively.
Truly, this has rocked me to my core.
So another Wii game I will be picking up in the cheap bin is what your pretty much saying. Dammit had high hopes for this one. I was waiting to see if I wanted this first or Mario Galaxy 2. I guess I will get Mario Galaxy 2 first.
"So another Wii game I will be picking up in the cheap bin is what your pretty much saying. Dammit had high hopes for this one. I was waiting to see if I wanted this first or Mario Galaxy 2. I guess I will get Mario Galaxy 2 first."
Here's an idea: rent the game and decide for yourself what it's worth rather than listen to whatever *poo* people are going to say about it online!
Thanks, Mark.
@Poochy,
If you don't want to read the review, maybe you shouldn't comment on the review. Also, since you haven't played the game, maybe you shouldn't comment on the game.
Once you have read the full review and have played the game, come on back and make a real informed opinion. Until then, your opinion doesn't really matter.
@garyaga,
I actually do agree with Poochy on this one. Mario Galaxy 2 is a more polished Galaxy 1, but more of the same. With that said, rent this one and check it out. It's a different enough game that you might really enjoy it. If you consider yourself a hardcore Metroid fan, I still think you will like this game. It's the no Metroid fans or fence sitters that I think will pass on this one.
@ Poochy
"Also, since you haven't played the game, maybe you shouldn't comment on the game. "
No, because I know that I'll love the game. I know from the opening paragraph that you were complaining about how movie-like it was, but that happens to be one of the key selling points for me. I am definitely one of those hardcore Metroid fans you mention; I can't imagine this game being meant for anyone else.
Also it sounds like you yourself aren't a hardcore Metroid fan. Again, why no "official Infendo review" from Blake?
@Poochy,
"I am definitely one of those hardcore Metroid fans you mention; I can't imagine this game being meant for anyone else."
If you would have read the full review, that was exactly what I was saying. This game is for hardcore Metroid fans and I think they will still like this game. My review does not take away from that. It merely suggests the flaws that in my opinion will keep the non-Hardcore fans from really enjoying it.
After you play it, I am interested in where you would place it in the Metroid series. Is it in the middle, bottom or near the top. Come back and let me know what you think.
Will do, general.
Will do, general. 🙂
Can't say I'm surprised. The game is still sitting comfortable at the top of my list on Gamefly, but it seems like all the fears and worries I had about the game have been confirmed. Well, at least I don't have to worry about people accusing me of just hating change anymore.
Out of curiosity though, any word on how long the full game is? I noticed you mentioned that the cutscenes total to about 2 hours, which is usually long enough to beat a Metroid game. Is the game really that cutscene heavy or is it just much longer than the average Metroid game?
Nintendo will release a Metroid game for the 3DS similar to this to make the most of the engine by Team Ninja but will probably focus on 2.5D gameplay and no zooming.
I have Other M pre-ordered so I'm set. Hope the game sells well as I see it doing 500-700k worldwide by the end of the year.
[i], but it seems like all the fears and worries I had about the game have been confirmed. Well, at least I don't have to worry about people accusing me of just hating change anymore. [/i]
Seems like you were determined to hate the game anyway if you're so willing to take one negative review (in the midst of positive reviews coming from Famitsu, Game Informer, and Nintendo Power) as gospel.
I have a couple of problems with this review. I mean if the reviewer doesn't like the game, so be it. My gripe comes with a few things the reviewer totally missed. For example, the way you can't move in first-person view. Obviously you can't, the game is not meant to be played that way. Otherwise they could've just called it Metroid Prime 4. As for the slow-reaction time that makes it hard to avoid hits since you "can't move", did you not know that it is possible to dodge by tapping the D-pad even in 1st person mode? Not to be too harsh, but you should know these small details when reviewing a game, especially if you're criticizing the slow-reaction of Samus while in first-person mode.
As for the part where you got stuck, that's not a design flaw. The game can hold you by the hand for the story mode, but it doesn't have to tell you where every single secret is. I'm pretty confident that if there's a power-up at some place, you should be able to reach that place somehow. Linear level design would be more along the line of something like Gears of War. Of course this is not a "move forward, kill stuff" experience, this is Metroid. It should be rewarding to find those extra upgrades, but obviously you have to work towards them.
Thanks for publishing my comment.
Lord_Vynos
Go on tell me, how much angry fan comments have you deleted? Nintendo Fanboys be crazy.
Everything I've seen of this game tells me this review is probably right on. It's glitz before substance and I'm really disappointed. I'd like to give the game a shot but I just don't think I will.
I'm surprised that no one complained that this guy is unqualified to review anything.
If the game is as linear as he says the he couldn't have missed something important to the progression of the game…
"Seems like you were determined to hate the game anyway if you're so willing to take one negative review (in the midst of positive reviews coming from Famitsu, Game Informer, and Nintendo Power) as gospel."
I haven't read those reviews yet. All I've seen are the scores, which I don't care about. I never do. I've read this one. And unless he was lying/mistaken about certain things in the review then yes, certain fears I had regarding design choices in the game have been confirmed. Could this be contradicted by future reviews? Of course. That's why I used the word "seems" instead of "are". Because they seem to be based on this review.
And as I said, I will still rent the game and make a final decision for myself. I'm just not expecting it to be a positive one.
So because you can't get the timing down and because the game doesn't hold your hand when you get lost (i.e. exactly what games SHOULDN'T do) it sucks? Yeah, no, kthanxbai.
"Reportedly, players can unlock a two-hour film presentation of every cut scene somehow upon completion of the game."
Wait, what? There is a review up but the reviewer didn't complete the game?
@Mark: The game is reportedly 15 hours long on first play through. Yoshio Sakamoto – oh, the review also missed the mark on this, Team Ninja developed it along with Nintendo… the story is not theirs, refuting the following: "Team Ninja has turned a video game fantasy into a nightmare. Samus is a whiny soul searching brat. " – went on record and said that you would only find approximately 35% of the upgrades upon the first completion.
Again, I don't want to sound rude, but I think this review is unfair for the game. Not because it is negative towards a game I'm hyping, but because it is based on obviously limited playtime with Metroid Other M. People read this Web site, and I think it is misinformation to judge a game that the reviewer did not complete and for which the game mechanics were not fully understood or covered. It's as if I wrote a review for Uncharted 2 after only playing the slow opening sequence where Drake is injured and can't move fast, and said that the game was slow and unresponsive. It's totally irrational.
The developers have given 3 years of their lives for Metroid Other M, I think you owe it to them to at least finish the game once before passing judgement on it.
Thanks for publishing my comment.
Lord_Vynos
How to improve Metroid: Other M's controls. v4.0
It's simple, really. Just use Metroid Prime 3's controls.
Change -/+ from Visor/Hypermode to a First/Third Person toggle.
This allows for:
-Full movement in First Person.
-Greater movement control in Third Person.
-Missiles to be fired in Third Person.
-Replayability as you have two completely differnt ways to play the game.
-The removal of Auto-Aim: Just have Samus point where the Wii Remove is pointing on-screen while in Third Person. Heck, have an option to disable this and continue using Auto-Aim just for the hell of it, for those who don't like that kind of system. What's that? You're leading ahead to compensate for movement but instead Samus is aiming 45 degrees in the opposite direction? Silly Anon, that's not how it works! You have to aim at the enemy and the game will lead for you. A limited degree of auto-aim would have to remain in a full 3D environment. Playing like it were Geometry Wars wouldn't work!
Poochy:
You're a fanboy. You said "No, because I know that I'll love the game." You've already decided that it's amazing and that anyone criticizing it must be attacked. There have been other reviews mentioning the flaws that were pointed out in this review. I'm not exactly sure how reliable it is to trust Nintendo Power, Nintendo's own magazine. And Famitsu loves anything anime.
@Lord_Vynos
"There is a review up but the reviewer didn't complete the game?"
Yes, I have spent around 5 hours with the game. Plenty long to have a solid opinion on the matter and the main criticisms outlined in the review. I plan on finishing the game as well. If at the end of the game my opinion changes, I will update the review. But since the game came out today and we know how interested people are in it, we felt justified in publishing the review as is.
"did you not know that it is possible to dodge by tapping the D-pad even in 1st person mode?"
Yes, I do know that you can do this. It is still a very frustrating mechanic. I have died over 20 times while playing this game. Not that I don't mind dying, but that should tell you about the difficulty level of the game.
Finally, to all those that want to flame on the review. Notice the star rating. We try to be as unbiased as possible when reviewing a game. If we let one of you hardcore fans review any game series that you are a fan of, you would give it five stars because of your bias. That doesn't do anyone that is looking for an unbiased opinion any good.
This is clearly a game that Hardcore fans are still going to play and probably like. But as you can tell from the non-hardcore comments, a lot of what people perceived in the game is a reality. Hence a 3 star rating.
What I am interested in after anyone has played the game is to come back and let us know where in the series you would rank this game. It is a solid Metroid game, but I think it will end up being towards the bottom of your favorite Metroid games of all time.
team ninja makes the WORST cut scenes ever!!! lol ninja gaiden was soo tight and the cutscenes were so bad it was funny and kinda awesome! but them doing their horrible acting magic on my space fantasy babe samus?? noooooooooo
weren't you supposed to wait till friday to publish this review?
i guess you really wanted to get your negative opinion out as soon as possible.
weren't you not supposed to publish this review till friday?
i guess you really wanted to get your negative opinion out as soon as possible.
@joe: Team Ninja is not responsible for the cinematics.
@bonch: "Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently." The magazine has increased in quality over the last few years and I think their reviews are thrustworthy.
@mark: I understand the star rating of this Web site, it is pretty simple. That's not my issue. Nor is the fact that you don't really like the game so far. My problem is that it's pretty much inconsistent with everything I've read so far about the game. I also dislike that some information, such as the dodge system in first-person, were not mentionned to get your opinion through. I think there is a certain logic behind the game design, and it's overlooked in your review. Basically, I can't possibly be favorable to this review because it's based on a game which you didn't complete and for which you didn't explain all the proper mechanics available to the player; you even went as far as to criticize the game for your inability to find your way towards a secret.
Obviously I can live with the negativity, I haven't played the game myself so I can't judge it. But considering you've only scratched the surface with 5 hours of game time (allegedly 1/3 of the game), I think it's unfair for you to pass judgement right now as well – and most of all to publish such an opinion to the masses.
And the game is not being released until August 31, 2010, in North America, with first reviews from major publications set to hit the Web this friday.
Thanks for publishing my comment.
Lord_Vynos
I have always imagined Samus as a complex, multifaceted character. Sounds like they turned her into the atypical existential anime woman. Let me guess, she never smiles even once, does she? I blame Neon Genesis Evangelion for popularizing this type of character in Japanese entertainment.
Oh well, there's always Super Metroid and Metroid Prime.
Im sorry but you fail @ life and deserve to burn in hell for the shame you put on the whole revier community.
I hope you suffer serious injuries -.-
Wow it heated up since I last posted. But I decided to wait for more reviews. Infendo being my favorite Nintendo site. Rarely does reviews for whatever reason. So I cant really say to much about how they rate games. I dont have any place to rent it all Block Busters and Hollywood videos have shut down. The game fly thing I dont like I just dont feel comfortable with companies automactically taking money from me. I like to give under my circumstances. Im gonna read more reviews than make a decision on Mario Galaxy 2 and this game. Its just that Ive been waiting to play this badly it was on the top of my list this year. The first review gives it a mediocre review.
this is a reputable website? what?
Also who lit a fire under Poochy???? lol Im just kidding with my friend. I hope you enjoy this game. Seems you were geared up for this one also.
i wonder how it plays- it def looks action packed.
at the very least it was a great experiment trying to marry a lot of different elements not even seen in metroid before. i gotta respect that initiative.
that said, i see we're using stars for reveiws. is that how the whole numbers do or dont matter debate ended? to use stars instead? man… that debate seems so long ago now…
I think it could be stars, smileys, numbers or chocolate chips, it's not the rating that matters in a review. It's the way the review is written and the information used in the review. I understand that judging a videogame is entirely subjective, and I don't pretend it is possible to do otherwise. However, when information is dismissed with the clear agenda of backing up the reviewer's opinion, then it isn't a fair review.
It should also be noted at the very beggining of the review that the game hasn't been completed. With the current playtime of the reviewer, this fits more as impressions than as an actual review. The rating altogether should be taken out of this review until the game has been properly played and completed.
Thanks for publishing my comment.
Lord_Vynos
Its funny how you described a non linear game after calling it linear.
Its also funny you whine about immobility in First person mode, which led to you getting your butt handed to you, yet you CAN dodge, and you failed to mention that in the review, but then happen to say you know of said ability in response to a comment that brought it up OUTSIDE the review.
Also, I found this part funny: (and im surprised no one has brought it up!!)
"Upgrades are automatically added to your arm cannon and there isn't a need for a hud to switch between various upgrades or cannon types as in Metroids of old. "
Hmmm…. let me guess, your first Metroid game was Metroid Prime, wasnt it? Because Beam has been in Metroid, Metroid II, Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, and Metroid Prime 3. Prime 1 and 2 are the only ones where you select your beam type via HUD. The HUD usage is not "Metroids of old"
You clearly started playing Metroid with Prime. Clearly.
It sounds like the biggest complaint is the cutscenes, so hopefully that is the worst that's wrong with it. I can overlook bad voice-acting or overlong cinematics, as regrettable as they are, but I cannot ignore bad gameplay. I've been obsessed with the series since Metroid Prime so I think I'll still enjoy Metroid: Other M.
You people are idiots. I have some slight problems with this review, but this guys is entitled to his opinion. It's the people who think that a reviewers word is god that pisses me off. The game has gotten great reviews just about everywhere else. Make your own d*** opinion! Stop following other people's!
Beam STACKING**
When a reviewer or gamer complains about the lack of a certain type of control then it usually means that the game sets up that ype of expectation but doesn't deliver on it. We knew that Samus couldn't move in first person, but he said the mechanics of that mode are not well-balanced for the challenge the game presents. he felt as if he should be able to move or have the timing rebalanced so that the game would be better.
This review has confirmed what I've feared. Nintendo released an unfinished game just to strengthen the relationship with a 3rd party developer. Poor voice acting? Fire Emblem is arguably a much smaller game, but they didn't screw that up. They rarely screw up anything in their major released. Heck, Flagship only made Zelda better, Square expanded the Marioverse greatly. Rare kept Donkey Kong alive and Amusement Vision made the greatest version of F-Zero evr. Team Ninja seems to have shipped their game too early if it's really as lacking as the review makes it out to be. NOA knew this so they didn't give the game the amount of attention that it could have used to help make it a more cohesive whole. 🙁
@ Sam
I only buy the games that the magazines tell me to buy.
Wow, it seems as though a 13 year old got his hands on this game early…You bitch about being stuck in a Metroid game??? Have you ever played a Metroid game before…?? If it is true that you are only 1/3 through this game and passing a review on it, then you are the biggest joke on the internet! Also, there are embargo's for the review that do not expire until Friday…why the hell is this up???
I don't feel that a single reviewers word is the endpoint, but he's mirrored some complaints that many other reviews have shared. Eve some of the larger ones that tried to gloss over certain issues. This was just the final nail in the coffin of doubt.
Wow Mark, you F'd this one up bad.
how does one get lost in a linear game? complaining there aren't enough hints to help you through? complaining about the difficulty?… how ******* old are you!?
@Sam: I don't mind the opinion. I can make an opinion of my own as well. But when information is dismissed, or even false, to serve an opinion, then I have a problem. The camera in Metal Gear Solid has consistently altered my enjoyment of the franchise, save for perhaps the last installment. I wouldn't hide that there is some sort of camera control, or that you can reverse the X/Y axis, to back my point.
"However, you are a sitting duck in first person mode because you can't move." You see. That's wrong, because it isn't true that you can't move. You have the ability to dodge. However, this was dismissed for some unknown reason. I wouldn't even have a problem with it if the reviewer just added something along the lines of: "there is an option to dodge, but I didn't find it very responsive or useful." That's an opinion, and it doesn't try to hide information as well. Subjectivity cannot come from thin air.
Thanks for publishing my comment.
Lord_Vynos
It's very unprofessional for any professional writer to get defensive online with readers who have different opinions. Everyone, even the writer, is entitled to their own opinion.
Hey trolls (lord_vynos, Kuribo1985, Captain, CrazyLink),
Congratulations on criticizing a critic. Kudos to you. I have news for you. A lot of reviews are published before the reviewer finishes the game. You don't honestly believe that all reviewers finish every game they play do you? If you're so dead set on trashing this guy, take his review with a grain of salt and go latch on to some some other reviewer that sees the game as you do.
@Steve…Oh look a knight in shining armor. Look I don't care if he doesn't like the game. But if you want to be titled a reviewer, then finish the goddamn game first. Oh and these reviewers that do not finish games, please give me a list so I can stay away. If they do exist I'm sure they are living out of their parents basements with a 56k connection.
This is an impression, not a review. Please remove the score.
@Marcus: You mean like Roger Ebert? He responds to people regularly, and has famously responded to the game community at large.
I'm no real fan of Metroid, and while I think some legitimate points have been brought up here, it's likely anyone who denigrated this game was going to be crucified for doing so.