Metroid is one of the most beloved franchises in gaming. The series captivated audiences with fantastic level design and revolutionary gameplay and made history when stoic protagonist Samus Aran was revealed to be a woman in it's (at the time) shocking ending. Samus and Metroid have come along way since then, but that doesn't mean it hasn't had its fair share of setbacks. Case in point, Metroid: Other M, a title which should have been a surefire hit and instead is considered the worst game in the franchise.
Metroid: Other M has a reputation as a blemish on the legacy of the franchise. Even ten years later, Metroid: Other M is still viewed with strong disdain by many long-time fans. The game had its fair share of gameplay issues, but the real problems stemmed from a lackluster script and atrocious depiction of Samus. Metroid: Other M scrapped all the character development the previous entries established and portrayed Samus as a timid, insecure character that couldn't keep her emotions in check, something that flew in the face of her traditional characterization.
Traditionally, Samus has been portrayed as a badass bounty hunter who protects the universe from space pirates and other unworldly creatures. Her power suit complements her outstanding athletic ability perfectly and is packed full of mighty weapons to help Samus take on relentless foes. These character traits are all thrown out the window in Metroid: Other M, where Samus is whittled down to an overly dramatic soldier that relies on Commander Adam Malkovich's orders for her ever move. To make things worse, Samus is constantly moping around, reminiscing about her past like she's in a bad soap opera. The scenes of strong individualism and empowerment are absent, making Samus feel helpless and weak-minded to players. This went against everything the franchise is known for and felt like a slap in the face to Samus and her fans.
Samus' horrendous characterization wasn't the only thing holding Metroid: Other M back. The iconic Metroid formula would have Samus exploring her environment to find and unlock upgrades for her power suit, but Other M gave players all the weapon and power suit upgrades at the beginning of the game. Instead of unlocking them, Samus is under orders not to use her more advanced abilities until Commander Adam Malkovich gives her permission. Not only does this rob Samus of agency, but it also robs players of Metroid's most iconic gameplay form: exploration. Other M doesn't inspire players to explore the levels like in previous games; there just wasn't enough incentive to scout out each level. Players had nearly everything they needed, so most people just traversed each level in a linear fashion.
There are also a slew of smaller issues that quickly added up to a negative experience for players. The controls were clunky, and the cumbersome control scheme didn't match up with the game's fast-paced style. Most of the game was played from a third-person perspective, requiring players to hold the Wiimote horizontally. However, players would have to turn the remote vertically to enter first-person mode. Players could only fire Samus' missiles while in first-person, leading to strenuous encounters and boss fights as players had to swap between control styles frequently.
Metroid: Other M suffered from multiple problems ranging from bad voice acting to wasted character development. It presented Samus as an over-emotional young woman who relies on others for support and clarification, contradicting everything the previous Metroid games had done to make her so iconic. Many gamers believe the franchise never truly recovered from Metroid: Other M and is still struggling to find its footing. Regardless, Other M will always be remembered as an unappealing stain on the unequivocally brilliant series.