I was thinking about this earlier: we've had two, high-profile, first-party console games which each provide very new angles on two of Nintendo's most-loved franchises. They both have their roots in an increasingly close partnership with Tecmo Koei.
IN THE BLUE CORNER
Hyrule Warriors
Platform: Wii U
Developer: Omega Force / Team Ninja
Release: Summer 2014
It's very much a high-concept game: Zelda meets Dynasty Warriors; and you have to say it ticked pretty much all the boxes fans would hope such a project would throw up. Hyrule Warriors was certainly a surprise when it was revealed, and whilst it didn't break through any glass ceilings, it was probably quite a bit more successful than a few people were expecting.
It's not really a Zelda game, but it arguably deserves to stand in its own light more than any of the other [big franchise]-meets-Dynasty-Warriors titles. It takes the familiar formula of the Koei series - loads of playable characters, loads of levels, loads of weapons, LOOADDDS of slashable meat on-screen - and drenches it in Zelda fan-service; nothing from Nintendo's sacred franchise is off-limits.
Possible pros: It's a great fan-service experience, and I don't think there's much from Zelda's near-30-year history that was omitted. I also think quality-wise it surpassed some expectations - I certainly know that I thought it ran the risk of ending up feeling a bit 'cheap', but the core gameplay remained surprisingly playable throughout. Hyrule Warriors has also continued to be supported with comprehensive DLC. Finally, you can kill enemies by hookshotting the moon into them.
Possible cons: Maybe 'better than some expected' is a prime example of faint praise - the core Warriors gameplay still has a limit of enjoyability and it's never going to live up to the richness of an actual Zelda game. Presentation-wise, one might make a similar case - it's one thing to be 'well put-together' for a Warriors game, but it's never approaching the level of polish of a Zelda game. Perhaps there's a sense that Hyrule Warriors maxes out how good a Warriors game can be without really approaching how good a Zelda game can be.
IN THE RED CORNER
Metroid: Other M
Platform: Wii
Developer: Team Ninja / Nintendo SPD 1
Release: Summer 2010
An early fruit of the Nintendo/Tecmo love-in, it wasn't until halfway through the E3 2009 reveal trailer that many of us realised this big-budget, CGI-heavy, Team Ninja game was actually a new Metroid. An actual, new Metroid game! And what's this? 2D AND 3D gameplay combined? Fans may still clamour for the ethereal 'Metroid Dread', but Other M probably remains the closest thing we have to such a title. It's a balls-to-the-wall, action-oriented alien blaster that despite initial glances, feels exactly like a classic Metroid game once you get your hands on it.
Unlike Hyrule Warriors, Other M sits unashamedly in the canon. It's neither a spin-off or a side-series, and it thus brings a new complexion to the Metroid franchise. For better or worse, it has much more of a focus on story and character. If past Metroid games were Silent Hill, Other M is closer to Resident Evil - atmosphere and exploration are still important, but there's often a jarring interlude of cheese-heavy plot.
Possible pros: In a world where gamers demand of Nintendo to 'not just do the same thing all the time' more than we do of any other company, Other M is arguably exactly the sort of thing we should be celebrating. It's a bold shake-up of a storied franchise, and it isn't prepared to duck out of the scrutiny by calling itself a 'spin-off'. It won't sit well with purists, but hey, that's why they're called purists. And that's not to be apologetic of the actual gameplay - Team Ninja's proficiency with action-heavy combat systems means Other M sports some genuinely fantastic close-quarters fun. Fighting through legions of space pirates is as slick as butter down an ice hill; to the player, Samus probably feels more like a total badass than in any other Metroid game.
Possible cons: Other M isn't short of its detractors, even if they generally can't agree on which single element is the biggest sore-point. Other M certainly does plenty different, but being different doesn't mean being automatically good. Samus Aran is a much-loved character, and Other M failed to give many fans the portrayal that they ideally imagined. The story - foregrounded heavily throughout the game - has Samus emotionally and practically reliant on her commanding officer and Galactic Federation allies. At worst, it's the very antithesis of what the character stands for. But even at best, it's a messy, often intrusive plot device that can break up the gameplay. And the wider story itself is brimming with the sort of cheese that might be par for the course in a Resident Evil or Metal Gear Solid, but it's somewhat less palpable in a Nintendo series that has historically mastered the virtue of solitude and plot-minimalism.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
So the question is simple but purposefully open - out of Hyrule Warriors and Metroid: Other M, which is your favourite? Interpret 'favourite' however you like - which is better, which do enjoy more, which are you more glad exists?
Explain and debate away!
N-E Staff
I was thinking about this earlier: we've had two, high-profile, first-party console games which each provide very new angles on two of Nintendo's most-loved franchises. They both have their roots in an increasingly close partnership with Tecmo Koei. IN THE BLUE CORNER Hyrule Warriors Platform: Wii U Developer: Omega Force / Team Ninja Release: Summer 2014 It's very much a high-concept game: Zelda meets Dynasty Warriors; and you have to say it ticked pretty much all the boxes fans would hope such a project would throw up. Hyrule Warriors was certainly a surprise when it was revealed, and whilst it didn't break through any glass ceilings, it was probably quite a bit more successful than a few people were expecting. It's not really a Zelda game, but it arguably deserves to stand in its own light more than any of the other [big franchise]-meets-Dynasty-Warriors titles. It takes the familiar formula of the Koei series - loads of playable characters, loads of levels, loads of weapons, LOOADDDS of slashable meat on-screen - and drenches it in Zelda fan-service; nothing from Nintendo's sacred franchise is off-limits. Possible pros: It's a great fan-service experience, and I don't think there's much from Zelda's near-30-year history that was omitted. I also think quality-wise it surpassed some expectations - I certainly know that I thought it ran the risk of ending up feeling a bit 'cheap', but the core gameplay remained surprisingly playable throughout. Hyrule Warriors has also continued to be supported with comprehensive DLC. Finally, you can kill enemies by hookshotting the moon into them. Possible cons: Maybe 'better than some expected' is a prime example of faint praise - the core Warriors gameplay still has a limit of enjoyability and it's never going to live up to the richness of an actual Zelda game. Presentation-wise, one might make a similar case - it's one thing to be 'well put-together' for a Warriors game, but it's never approaching the level of polish of a Zelda game. Perhaps there's a sense that Hyrule Warriors maxes out how good a Warriors game can be without really approaching how good a Zelda game can be. IN THE RED CORNER Metroid: Other M Platform: Wii Developer: Team Ninja / Nintendo SPD 1 Release: Summer 2010 An early fruit of the Nintendo/Tecmo love-in, it wasn't until halfway through the E3 2009 reveal trailer that many of us realised this big-budget, CGI-heavy, Team Ninja game was actually a new Metroid. An actual, new Metroid game! And what's this? 2D AND 3D gameplay combined? Fans may still clamour for the ethereal 'Metroid Dread', but Other M probably remains the closest thing we have to such a title. It's a balls-to-the-wall, action-oriented alien blaster that despite initial glances, feels exactly like a classic Metroid game once you get your hands on it. Unlike Hyrule Warriors, Other M sits unashamedly in the canon. It's neither a spin-off or a side-series, and it thus brings a new complexion to the Metroid franchise. For better or worse, it has much more of a focus on story and character. If past Metroid games were Silent Hill, Other M is closer to Resident Evil - atmosphere and exploration are still important, but there's often a jarring interlude of cheese-heavy plot. Possible pros: In a world where gamers demand of Nintendo to 'not just do the same thing all the time' more than we do of any other company, Other M is arguably exactly the sort of thing we should be celebrating. It's a bold shake-up of a storied franchise, and it isn't prepared to duck out of the scrutiny by calling itself a 'spin-off'. It won't sit well with purists, but hey, that's why they're called purists. And that's not to be apologetic of the actual gameplay - Team Ninja's proficiency with action-heavy combat systems means Other M sports some genuinely fantastic close-quarters fun. Fighting through legions of space pirates is as slick as butter down an ice hill; to the player, Samus probably feels more like a total badass than in any other Metroid game. Possible cons: Other M isn't short of its detractors, even if they generally can't agree on which single element is the biggest sore-point. Other M certainly does plenty different, but being different doesn't mean being automatically good. Samus Aran is a much-loved character, and Other M failed to give many fans the portrayal that they ideally imagined. The story - foregrounded heavily throughout the game - has Samus emotionally and practically reliant on her commanding officer and Galactic Federation allies. At worst, it's the very antithesis of what the character stands for. But even at best, it's a messy, often intrusive plot device that can break up the gameplay. And the wider story itself is brimming with the sort of cheese that might be par for the course in a Resident Evil or Metal Gear Solid, but it's somewhat less palpable in a Nintendo series that has historically mastered the virtue of solitude and plot-minimalism. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ So the question is simple but purposefully open - out of Hyrule Warriors and Metroid: Other M, which is your favourite? Interpret 'favourite' however you like - which is better, which do enjoy more, which are you more glad exists? Explain and debate away!