By Elias Dounis on December 4th, 2004

Just like any normal gamer, us reviewers look forward to some games more than others. Most often, these games are those that see a release during the holiday season, which this year includes games like Metal Gear Solid 3, Half-Life 2, and Halo 2. Naturally, we often criticize these games much more in depth than we would a game of lesser caliber. The reason for this is because it’s easier to nitpick flaws and areas in need of change when you’re anticipating a game, and even easier when this game is a sequel to a critically acclaimed and landmark title as those mentioned earlier are.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is also one of these anticipated games, as well as the sequel to what’s known to be one of the greatest games ever created. As a long time fan of the series, I can say that Metroid Prime 2 (MP2) is better than its GameCube predecessor in many ways. It’s a refreshing experience that many will claim to be one of the greatest adventure games of all time. However, this is not to say that the game doesn’t have flaws and things in need of change.

"Who Needs Aiming Anyway?"
Many of those who weren’t fond of the original Metroid Prime, or those who insulted the game without even laying a finger on a GameCube controller, often complained about the game’s control scheme. You see, unlike conventional home console first-person and third-person action games, Metroid Prime does not feature a dual-analog stick control setup. While it may look like a game that fits in the genre that most first- and third-person shooters fall into, that doesn’t mean the game must control like one. Unfortunately for those who weren’t fond of the previous game’s control scheme, it returns to Metroid Prime 2 without any noticeable changes made.

Many often question why Retro Studios, the game’s developer, opted to go with the control scheme that it uses in Metroid Prime, and many also question why the game features a lock-on targeting system on top of that. The answer to this is that the game has an emphasis on exploration and platforming, and because of this the developers believed that to truly recreate that classic Metroid feel they would have to translate the series into 3D in the first person perspective, with the emphasis taken away from the running ‘n gunning aspect of things. However, from my personal experience with both games, it becomes evident, especially in Metroid Prime 2, that the game is more action heavy than the classic Metroid games, and while a lock-on feature may make tough battles easier, latter boss battles in Metroid Prime 2 could’ve

In addition to the controls, many gamers complained about the object of scanning, while others didn’t. A new feature to the franchise exclusive to the Metroid Prime series, scanning is used to log descriptions of enemies, objects, and text that comes in the form of "lore" (to tell the game’s plot). Not only does scanning return in Echoes, but it even seems to be used more than ever in this sequel. I was one of those that hadn’t been too bothered with the object of scanning and once again I’m not bothered with it this time around because the writing of the descriptions featured in the scans are very well done, sounding intelligent, jam packed with tons of little details and tidbits that help against the game’s tough enemies and puzzles.

First-Person Adventure?
Many people like to label Metroid Prime and its sequel as a first-person shooter. That is unfortunately an incredibly vague and, to some extent, false way to describe the games, because they do not share many likenesses with games such as Half-Life 2, Halo 2, and Doom 3 other than the perspective that they’re dominantly played in. Metroid Prime 2 is just like what every other Metroid game has been before it - an adventure game that places emphasis on exploration and item collecting.

With the original Metroid Prime, the gameplay formula found in past Metroid games made an excellent translation into 3D, retaining everything that made the series one of Nintendo’s most respected. Metroid Prime 2 once again tosses players into a massive world that is constructed in such a way that what at first seems overwhelming and confusing soon becomes a polished world that is streamed together with detail and care. As players spend hours upon hours exploring the game’s labyrinth tunnels, bottomless canyons, and areas of the sort, one really learns to appreciate all the polish put into making Metroid Prime 2 the amazing game that it is.

Compared to its predecessor, Metroid Prime 2 isn’t as colorful. The planet players are tossed onto, Aether, isn’t as varied in terms of areas as Talon IV had been. While Talon IV featured a sandy ruin, a volcanic underground and even a beautiful snowy wasteland, in Metroid Prime 2 everything is much darker and mechanical, lacking the variety in locales that the original featured, but over time one realizes that the world of Metroid Prime 2 is more polished than its predecessor and different in a way that it keeps everything feeling fresh.

Lost in the Darkness
The planet Aether is much different from Talon IV in a very distinct way. Aether is a planet that has been torn into two identical but different worlds, one of the light and the other of darkness. In the game, players jump from light to dark sides of the planet through the use of portals. In essence, the way this is pulled off is reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, a classic Zelda adventure, in which players jump from light to dark worlds, finding that both are eerily similar, if not identical in design.

In Metroid Prime 2, the dark side of planet Aether presents players with an x-factor that must be dealt with for nearly the entire adventure, and that is its toxic atmosphere. This toxic atmosphere slowly drains Samus’ energy, and in order to survive players must to run to "safe zones" in the form of "light crystals," which forms a dome of light energy that not only prevents further energy loss due to Dark Aether’s atmosphere but also regenerates health when kept in its care. Personally, after clearing an area of all its enemies and taking a heavy loss of health due to enemy attacks and Dark Aether’s poisonous atmosphere, I would often stand idle for a minute or two or three to regenerate some, if not all, of Samus’ health. Doing so proved to be a keen strategy that kept me kickin’ much longer than I would’ve otherwise. However, some of the safe zones are only available for a temporary amount of time, vanishing when their energy has depleted, or when dark matter has taken over them. Because of this, the game requires that players move quickly and carefully through Dark Aether.

Taking this Light vs. Dark aspect a bit further, MP2 features "Light" and "Dark" Beams. Unlike the Plasma, Wave, and Ice Beams of its predecessors (which aren’t found in the game), these Light and Dark Beams are limited in terms of ammo and are used to deal great damage to creatures of a "dark" attribute color. Unfortunately, it never really felt as if the Dark Beam is too useful. Players are bound to use the Light Beam more than anything else since it’s the most effective against enemies and bosses. That is, until you get the "Annihilator Beam," which is a combination of both Dark and Light Beams.

Interestingly enough, while the Light and Dark world aspect of MP2 adds freshness to the game, one of the gameplay aspects that really makes it feel unique is the new emphasis on "Morph Ball" puzzles and boss battles. This time around the Morph Ball puzzles are much more complicated and found in abundance throughout the game, involving the climbing up of "Spider Ball" tracks, coupled with "Boost Ball" ramps and things of the ilk. In the original I felt that the use of Samus’ Morph Ball abilities were lacking and to experience the new emphasis which MP2 presents is very satisfying. However, the Morph Ball mini-boss battles, which are encountered often, can be very frustrating. There is no doubt that players will make many attempts to beat these bosses, dying time and time again until they realize the patterns of attack. Though, at times it felt that part of the difficulty came with the manipulation of Samus’ movements while in Morph Ball form. You see, the Morph Ball actually features physics that make it roll around like a ball, making a complete stop difficult to perform without taking another roll to one side, etc., so taking that into consideration made things a bit more difficult and let’s not forget that, while in third-person perspective, when in Morph Ball form, the camera cannot be manipulated freely to see your surroundings. For the next game (and trust me on this, there will be a Metroid Prime 3) I would suggest something be done about that.

Goin’ Retro
I must say that I love what Retro Studios has done with Metroid in 3D, and Metroid Prime 2 is easily one of the best adventure games that I’ve ever laid my hands on. While the game features many things that make it feel different than the original, it at times manages to feel more like the great Super Metroid then its predecessor. Fans are sure to point out how Green and Yellow Super Missile and Power Bomb doors have returned (akin to those seen in the 2D Metroid games), but nothing compares to the sense of nostalgia and satisfaction felt when seeing the Screw Attack in action for the first time in 3D (excluding Super Smash Bros.). For those who don’t know what the Screw Attack is, well, it’s basically an attack which turns Samus’ body and armor into a whirling lightning bolt, but in Metroid Prime 2 it’s also used to give Samus the ability to fly and jump off walls of specific types. I have to admit, though, that the Screw Attack isn’t as useful as it is in the 2D Metroid games, but it’s still cool nonetheless.

Upped Difficulty
One of the aspects about Metroid Prime that felt a bit out of place was the game’s inclusion of a hint system. Because of it, the game felt more linear than a Metroid game should, which isn’t very linear at all. This hint system, which basically tells players where to go next, had been used more heavily in two recent Game Boy Advance Metroid games, Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission, and after playing those titles, I felt a sense of satisfaction when discovering that MP2 practically trashes the hint system completely. Now, it only appears when you least need it, if at all, adding to the difficulty of the game.

Just like any great Metroid game, MP2 leaves players clueless on where they have to go to next after coming across a new upgrade. So, there’s plenty of time being spent traveling around the planet Aether, testing new beams, upgrades, and abilities in all types of places until they find something that works, thus progressing further in the game. This is part of the

Different from the 2D Metroid games, but similar to the original Metroid Prime, MP2 sends players on a fetch quest of sorts every so often, collecting "keys" in order to reach boss fights. Unlike most collect-a-thon games, this key collection aspect of Metroid Prime 2 doesn’t feel the slightest bit tedious. The way the game manages to implement the features of newly found upgrades to acquire these keys keeps everything feeling fresh. So, in essence, they’re acquired in the same fashion as any other upgrade in the game. Interestingly, I have spoken to a few friends who find this aspect a bit frustrating, and while I hadn’t felt the least bit frustrated when in search of these keys, I should acknowledge the fact that it can pose some tough times for a few players.

Frustration is a feeling many players will feel throughout the entire adventure. Just to make things more difficult for hardcore game players, the difficulty of Echoes has been upped considerably over its predecessor. Now, minor enemies can dish out a shitload of damage and can be extremely vicious, chasing after you and landing blow after blow if you try to run away (definitely smarter this time around). However, these encounters are nothing compared to the boss battles featured in the game.

As mentioned earlier, many of the mini-boss battles, which are quite possibly the hardest in the game, are played in Morph Ball form (a new twist for the series). Players will make many attempts in order to defeat these baddies - attempts filled with controller bashin’ and tons of swearin’. However, this is not to say that the game’s bigger bosses aren’t as hard either, because they’re seriously some tough sons of bitches, some of which require battles that last for 10 to 15 minutes, or even longer! Luckily, these boss battles are like an adrenaline rush, some of the toughest in the series (even feeling unfair at times, but once their patterns and weakness are realized, the chance of winning increases considerably). However, I have to say that these boss battles, as well as those from the original Metroid Prime, aren’t as memorable as those from Super Metroid. Of course, this could just be nostalgia kickin’ in...

What could’ve been
I mentioned earlier that the Metroid Prime games are “dominantly played in” in first-person perspective. The reason I had said that specifically is because I had been alluding to the fact that the game is also played in another perspective, which is third-person.

Whenever our heroine Samus Aran uses her Morph Ball, Spider Ball, and Screw Attack abilities in Metroid Prime 2, the game switches to a third-person point of view. When playing the game and using these abilities, it becomes obvious that this had been the best way to showcase these abilities in the game. However, one has to wonder that if these characteristics translated near flawlessly to the universe of Metroid in 3D in third-person, why couldn’t the game be entirely played in this perspective?

If in third-person entirely, it’s very likely that the inclusion of lock-on targeting and possibly the way the game is controlled could’ve been overlooked by many who disliked the first game. However, we will never know what could’ve been until what could’ve been becomes reality, or at least until another developer clones the way Metroid Prime games are played.

Where’s the story?
With this sequel Retro Studios wanted to expand on the storytelling/cinematic aspect of the Metroid universe. The cutscenes added to MP2 are a welcomed addition, since they do add to the overall experience and give us some slight insight into the game’s plot. However, the majority of the game’s storytelling is told through the scanning of various logs of text instead of being told through the game’s cinematics.

While there are some players that will be willing to read through loads of optional text, it’s very easy to skip the process, thus missing out on the game’s story. However, even when reading all the text, you’ll realize that MP2 isn’t going to receive any accolades for being a great, story-driven game. Furthermore, even when reading all of the game’s logs, the game’s plot doesn’t seem to be anything too complicated, thus resulting in all that reading feeling like a waste of time.

It’s easily understood that the planet Aether has been split in two by some galactic phenomenon, and that this split world is at war with another, but the true identity and intentions of Dark Samus, a dark version of the game’s heroine and the game’s villain, is never revealed. Only those who’ve completed the original Metroid Prime with 100% of the items collected will understand who Dark Samus is, but even then it feels as if there’s ton of empty holes in the game’s plot.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to not care about MP2’s plot in the slightest. The gameplay is without question the main attraction, and although the Metroid games have featured plots that are more intelligent and unique than any of Nintendo’s other big franchises, because of the games’ design (how the games’ world is perfectly designed for Samus’ abilities) it’s difficult to take the plots seriously. So, while the effort is respected, I don’t see how Metroid fans will ever really care about cinematics and story-driven elements.

A View on Multiplayer
When it was first revealed that Metroid Prime 2 would feature a multiplayer mode, many fans of the series cringed at the thought. Just like the Legend of Zelda franchise before it, many believed that Metroid shouldn’t go into the realm of multiplayer simply because it goes against what the series represents, and that is an adventure that explores new and unknown worlds. Well, Nintendo took the Legend of Zelda into the multiplayer realm with Four Swords on the Game Boy Advance and Four Swords Adventures on the GameCube, and now it’s Metroid’s turn to make the move into the multiplayer realm. Below is a review of the multiplayer portion of Metroid Prime 2 written by my fellow compatriot Anthony Swinnich.

Following up on a successful game is hard. Following up on 2002’s Game of the Year, or any Game of the Year for that matter, has to be even harder, and such was the task given to Retro Studios after the first Metroid Prime hit stores. This time around, however, Retro wasn’t content with including just a single-player adventure, so Metroid Prime 2: Echoes includes the option to go head-to-head with three of your closest friends. Nintendo and Retro could have gone balls out and included not only an ambitious set of options, but LAN play as well. Instead, they decided it would be easier to pretend it’s still 1997 and offer us a bare bones set up and next to no different modes or variants.

It’s like this multiplayer mode was lifted from an N64 cart that never made it to the market. You’re given two basic game modes: Deathmatch, and Coin Battle. You can’t really change anything in these modes either. In Deathmatch you can adjust the number of kills, and in

"...the difficulty of Echoes has been upped considerably over its predecessor."

Coin Battle you can adjust the number of coins needed to win. Both modes allow you to adjust the music, and the time limit. And that’s it.

This would have been okay if Retro included a large amount of stages, each completely different than the last. Sadly this isn’t the case. There are initially four stages when you turn the game on. As you play through the single player adventure you unlock two more, which brings the total to a staggering six. Though they are all fairly different in design, only a few of these stages are creative enough to be warrant playing on. You’ll probably ignore three or four of them.

This really puts a damper on how often you’ll play, especially since it will always be a simple four-person melee. LAN play could have extended the life of this title, even if it only offered the option to bring in four more people for eight person battles (the stages are certainly big enough to support it). They also provide enough open areas for shootouts and corners to hide in for any camper. It’s really a shame that there is so little to experience in the Multiplayer mode because it’s really quite unique.

Just like the single-player adventure, you don’t play this like a normal FPS. There is a lot of strategy involved, which in turn creates a lot of ways to play. It can get pretty crazy at times. Lock-on targeting is key to your success, though it really means that, in a shootout, you’ll strafe in equal parts to shooting. Usually at least one player will have a power-up of some sort, be it the Dark Beam, or Super Missiles, which will turn the tide of battle. If you’re on the losing end of a battle, you can hightail it away in the Morph Ball, which will break the lock your opponent has on you. You can also attack a few ways with the Morph Ball as well.

Items like the Grapple Beam and the Morph Ball are really unique, and add a lot to the game, but a lot of the power-ups you’ll get are random, and available through certain points on the map. The game loses a lot of value because of this. Most times you’ll be hoping for something cool like invisibility or power bombs, but you’ll get the nearly useless hacker mode. Also, the person with the better power-up usually wins. I know some people would like to disable certain ones, or all of them, but they don’t really have the option to.

The thing that makes this mode such a dud, however, is the fact that it is in no way pick-up-and-play, meaning the people you play with will have to have played either the first Prime, or Echoes itself. The control scheme does demand a lot of practice, and those well versed should have no problem getting right in, but those who aren’t won’t be won over. All in all, you should expect to play this mode with other fans only, as they’re the only ones who will appreciate the solid, but bare bones mode.

Retro Can Do Better Than THIS!
The visual display of MP2 is damn good looking. The game features clean and fluid visuals, but it isn’t as technically impressive as other high profile videogames available this holiday season. Those expecting the graphical leap like that of Halo to Halo 2 are going to be disappointed with what they’ll see in Metroid Prime 2, because graphically it’s more of the same.

At the time of its release, the original Metroid Prime had been considered one of, if not the GameCube’s best looking game, and Metroid Prime 2 is equally beautiful, with a few new graphical touches here and there. That which makes the game stand out visually is the highly commendable design and art talent put into the game’s landscapes and creatures. They truly seem otherworldly, and the touched-up Samus Aran character model in Echoes is the most bad-assed to date. Well, so it seems...

I’ve noticed something about Metroid Prime 2 that has been bothering me since the moment I first transformed out of Morph Ball mode and caught a quick glimpse of Samus’ character model. What I noticed was that the game features different character models for Samus in-game during single-player, during cutscenes, and in-game during multiplayer matches. See, while you’re playing in first-person mode, you can’t see Samus’ character model unless you’re going in or out of Morph Ball mode, and when you catch that glimpse you’ll notice that Samus’ character model doesn’t seem as detailed as the beautiful one mentioned above, which is only seen during cutscenes. In multiplayer the difference between character models is even more apparent. While it seems that her character model has been given more of a roundness and detail (to represent that seen during cutscenes), there’s a noticeable blockiness to Samus’ blaster, blockiness that reminds me of the primitive-looking Metroid Prime Hunters for Nintendo’s dual-screened handheld, the Nintendo DS.

After seeing games like Resident Evil 4 in motion, I know that the GameCube is capable of pulling jaw-dropping visuals, and to see such a technical shortcut like this bothers me, especially from such a high profile development studio as Retro.

Another Killer Soundtrack
Once again Retro Studios and Nintendo composer Kenji Yamamoto have delivered a killer auditory experience with Metroid Prime 2. The sound effects are pulsing, eerie, and bursting with intensity, and Yamamoto’s soundtrack is another odd mix of techno orchestra and remixed Metroid themes. Without question, the remixed Metroid themes are by far the best and most memorable tunes featured in the game, especially those which make a return from Super Metroid, but fans are sure to want to hear more of these classic themes. Yes, the original compositions featured are great in their own right, but the classic melodies are on a completely different level of greatness. However, I do feel that the original Metroid Prime featured a better soundtrack. The original compositions featured in the previous game felt a bit more unique than those in MP2.

Better than the First
If you hadn’t noticed, I got all nitpicky with this review of Metroid Prime 2. Quite frankly, as a huge fan of the series, it’s the easiest thing for me to do. However, despite all the game’s "flaws," I truly believe that Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is one of the greatest adventure games ever created. There’s just an incredible amount of polish put into the game’s single-player aspect that I cannot help but be impressed with. When I first began to play the game, I started to think that maybe it wasn’t going to be good as the first Metroid Prime, but after two to three hours of game time, the pace of the game quickens, getting better and better with each passing moment, eventually going to the point when you realize that not only is it better than the original game, but up there with what’s heralded to be the best in the series - Super Metroid. Metroid Prime 2 is a 20 hour gaming experience that you’ll want to experience over and over again.

~See You Next Mission~