Metroid Other M is garnering some of the most wildly mixed reviews in recent memory. Some are saying very good to near-perfect, while others are crying below average and even "sexist." I can only imagine that there might be a lot of subjectivity in the experience, and has to do a lot with people's perceptions of things like "What defines Metroid," "What kind of person is Samus," and "Where can Metroid expand on its formula."
Personally, I've always saw Samus as a loner/emotionally-scarred warrior with a maternal side, so if that's bugging people, it's not going to bug me. (We saw this as early as Metroid II when she spared the baby, and again when she spoke nostalgically of Adam in Fusion. Even Metroid Prime 3 showed us a vulnerable Samus). Moreover, as far as design, I think this was the right time to transition. After four games, the 1st-person-centric gameplay of the Prime series ran its course. Bringing back the 3rd-person option (outside the Morph Ball) is, at at the very least, one thing I've been desiring since finishing Metroid Prime 1, and even as far back as Samus' appearance in the original Super Smash Bros on N64. I'm not one of those fans who says it must be in 2D, as I feel that's limiting just like 1st-person is; I wanted a 3rd person 3D Metroid, and I'll at least have the satisfaction of that being given a try if nothing else. I haven't played the game yet, and it is likely that a more perfect blending of Metroid Prime 1 and Other M is needed in Metroid's future, but I'm pleased Nintendo took this bold risk. Unfortunately, as I pre-ordered online, I won't get to play my copy of the game until an additional week out.