On its own, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is a fantastic game. As a sequel, it's too similar to the first.
Cons: It's all been done before; Multiplayer is a throwaway mode; Difficulty is harder
Did you like Metroid Prime? Your answer will dictate whether or not you like Metroid Prime 2: Echoes entirely. At this point there is very little reason to write a review because the game is so similar to the first (which is better anyway). But for those who haven't experienced the masterpiece, or want to find out how the minor differences hold up, I'm here for you.
Metroid Prime successfully brought Metroid into the 3-D world while retaining its fantastic blend of exploration and combat and even improving things such as immersion and environmental puzzles. This much is virtually identical: you still progress until you find a new item and a dead end, then you explore the environment, trying out your new abilities until you find your way ahead (and a dozen other upgrades in the process). Enemies are thrown into most rooms to help set up a great pace and engage you along he way.
So it's more of the same, which is definitely not a bad thing. The biggest difference is the light and dark system employed both with the beams (allowing you to expose weaknesses of enemies based on polarity) and worlds. Frequently you will be required to jump through a portal and visit a dark version of the world you are exploring. Here the atmosphere is hazardous to your health and you must move from light zone to light zone to avoid damage.
This is the situation that plights Aether, a planet that Samus is sent to investigate (and crashes on) after a distress call from Galactic Federation troops. You quickly find out that there is a battle raging between the light Luminoth and the dark Ing while the world has split into two versions, with the dark stealing all the power. In a surprising move, there is a bit of dialogue with the Luminoth, but Retro Studios has wisely kept this to a minimum and allowed most of the story to unfold through scan logs found throughout the environment.
What unfolds is an epic adventure that takes you to a variety of environments (perhaps not as varied as the first game, but also probably more realistically related) and pits you against a number of fearsome foes. Certainly one of the highlights of the game are the boss fights, which require you to think on your feet and combine skills to creatively take out your opponent. These are remarkably varied, with some taking mostly in morph ball form. This is also where the biggest challenge will probably come in for some players, as a few bosses are fought in the dark world with no light patches and some really hard attacks to dodge.
The one thing that perhaps makes Metroid Prime 2 Echoes worth playing to anybody who had their fill on the original would be its new difficulty. Particularly with the deadly dark world atmosphere, the game gets a lot more difficult. This is coupled with less frequent save points and much trickier environments to navigate. Don't be surprised if you get stuck a few times throughout the campaign. It's a double-edged sword that makes gameplay more rewarding and frustrating simultaneously.
On your first run through, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes will likely take anywhere from 15 to 20 hours, but it keeps going from there. Much like every Metroid game before it, there are tons of collectibles, a harder difficulty mode, and several scannable objects to encourage you to replay the campaign. Furthermore, online communities have made low percentage runs and speed runs popular objectives should you decide to take them.
What doesn't lend as much replay value is the multiplayer mode. While bad by no means, with the same lock-on and simple shooting mechanics from single player, the multiplayer just falls flat in comparison to modes of a similar genre. You can expect an hour or two tops in this mode before you've had your fill and moved on to something better.
One of the things that impressed people about the first Metroid Prime was its presentation. It was an extremely immersive game with impressive graphics and a moody soundtrack. Everything said about the first one applies to the second game, with several subtle improvements made to the graphics engine here and there. Although it's hard to see any areas where the game outdoes the first by a noticeable margin, it's still far and above one of the best looking Gamecube games.
Odds are, that if you enjoyed the first Metroid Prime, you have already experienced the fantastic sequel and come away satisfied. For those who were on the fence (and have experienced the first game, which is a must before even considering the second one), I can most certainly recommend Metroid Prime 2: Echoes for every reason that I would recommend the first one.
With the exception of innovation that is.