All in all the sequel to one of the best games ever is thankfully not a disapointment, and any Metroid fan or Gamecube o
User Rating: 9.2 | Metroid Prime 2: Echoes GC
Unknown developer Retro Studios brought the Metroid series to the 3D world back in 2001, and the final result was a near flawless first person adventure experience. At the time Metroid Prime was probably the best looking game ever. Everything from the perfect controls, breath taking worlds, challenging puzzles, the morph ball, and the satisfying combat and intelligent AI made Metroid Prime one the best games ever created. It's sequel would follow in it's predecessor's footsteps, but fall just short of passing the mark that Metroid Prime made. In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Samus has once again loses her powers after crashing on an unknown planet. In traditional Metroid fashion you'll have to find all of her weapons and body suit armor by exploring the vast world. The second installment in the series controls and feels pretty much exactly like it's predecessor did. Instead of using the C-Stick to look left and right or up-down and horizontally, you use the the C-Stick to select from different arm cannon attachments. Most of the time you'll use the R button to automatically lock on to your foes and blast them with your arm cannon. Like most games in the Metroid series you'll come across an area that hinders you from progressing any further, and you'll be forced to go and look for an item or power up that will grant you the ability to advance through that area. What may be the most helpful device in the entire game is Samus's Scanning Visor which allows you to scan almost any sort of creature, wall, platform, or anything supicious in order to learn more about it. The info that you get from scanning objects could play a very big role in ultimately figuring out what you need to do with them. And at times you must scan certain objects in order to get an elevator or lift to work. All of the important things you scan are recorded in a log book, which is basically a huge diary that keeps data of all the creatures and other important things you scan. Metroid Prime 2's gameplay is a little bit more difficult than the first game. There are more bosses and tough enemies this time around that require more thought out strategies. The game's difficulty level reaches its peak when you enter the dark world. If you are a hardcore Nintendo fan you should know that Ninty is fascinated by the light and dark worlds. Just think Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past. Anyways, you'll spend a great deal of time in the dark world. Unfortunately when you first enter the dark world and for the majority of the time you spend in the dark world your suit will not allow you to walk around the environment freely. You'll be forced to run to small light energy bubbles to regain your health after being exposed to the toxic air. Most of your battles, including boss battles, will be done in small bubbles. This can create more frustration than anything, but also forces the player strategize and do everything in his or her power to survive. Metroid Prime 2 probably makes better use of the morph ball than the first game. You'll solve many more puzzles and use your morph ball for boss battles more often. The morph ball still controls as smoothly and beautifully as it did in the first game.
Graphically Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is not a huge step up from the first game, which isn't a bad thing at all. Afterall Metroid Prime is considered to be one of the greatest looking games of all time. However, every great looking game starts to look a little less great as time goes by. All of the areas in the light and dark worlds are beautifully detailed. Character models are smooth as a baby's bottom. The game never freezes up or lags and runs very smoothly at all times.
Sound wise Echoes is great. Some people will be disapointed by the lack of voice overs (though there are a few, but none from Samus), but depending on who you are you may not count that as a flaw. The music isn't quite as nostalgic as Prime, but it's unique darker style suits it well, and you'll still find yourself humming them. You will hear some traditional Metroid sound effects that we all know and love as well. This game will keep you busy. It's slightly longer than the first and will last even longer if you plan on filling up your log book, collecting all the items, unlocking everything in the art gallery, and trying to get 100% of the game completed. I wish I could say that the game's multiplayer helps the game's value, but in all honesty the multiplayer is a complete miss. The stages in the multiplayer are boring and uninspiring and the game's formula just isn't suited for traditional first person shooter multiplayer. All in all the sequel to one of the best games ever is thankfully not a disapointment, and any Metroid fan or Gamecube owner would be crazy to pass it up.
