Author: Metroidawesome
Title: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Posted: Saturday, June 20, 2009 at 10:55 am
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Samus returns after her phenomenal performance in Metroid Prime, but can she blast her way up to that level again? The answer is no, but Samus did not fail to please in the sequel.
Graphics
Allow me to start in the one area where 2 is better than 1. Metroid Prime was awe-inspiring graphically, but Echoes somehow manages to break the high record set by its predecessor for best GameCube graphics. I am by no means bluffing when I say that this game beats Halo 2 on the X-Box graphically. Like everyone else, I thought beyond a shadow of a doubt that the X-Box was the most graphical system of its time. I now think otherwise. Hurray for the little guy winning! As for specifics, it is the shading that makes it so damn good, even by current gen standards it still holds water.
Audio/Music
Technologically, Echoes scores high in the audio department, but the music falls short of its prequel’s standards. I love this game’s soundtrack, but it just can’t hold an ember that is the prodigy of Metroid Prime. The thing is that in Metroid Prime every single song was a song to remember, while only a few songs from Echoes have that claim of prestige. You will remember this game’s soundtrack, but not as much as the forerunner.
Gameplay
This is the area where Nintendo experienced a fail. They could have left everything from the prequel alone, but instead they decided to change a few things, and stumbled while doing it. The flaws all revolve around there being a “dark world” which is very similar to the light world where there are only minor differences and things are much more creepy. Now backtracking and exploring has been a major part of Metroid titles that fans have devotedly accepted as being part of the experience, but the dual world thing has made it ridiculous. Now even to solve a single puzzle can require a half hour or more of walking. Note that I said walking, not exploring, because that’s what it feels like, boring old walking. Also the dark world is almost too bloodcurdling. I like scary, but when it’s so eerie that you want to stop playing the game, and it’s like that half the time, I have a problem. You can’t see well, your healthbbar is always decaying from the toxic atmosphere, you always hear shrieks in the distance, and gratuitous monsters are liable to come from the walls at any given point. It’s overkill! Also your beams have ammo, which is exceedingly annoying and hindering.
STORY
While the plot is interesting, it is a little too typical for Nintendo. I can’t fully articulate this in text, so I’ll just let you see for yourself.
OTHER THINGS
You know that door problem in Metroid Prime 1? Well it’s worse here. The difficulty has also been cranked up since 1, which is good or bad depending on whom you are.
Overview
I realize that my review has been overly negative, but it’s hard not to do that. Any game following up Metroid Prime is bound to fail, let’s face it. Do not get me wrong though, this is a good game. My recommendation is buying the game if you are a Metroid fan and otherwise leave it alone.
Audio/Music: 8
Graphics: 10
Single-player: 8
Shelf-life: 10
Characters/Plot: 10
Charm: 9
Miscellaneous: 7
Total Score: 8.7
Product link:
Buy the original Metroid Prime 2: Echoes on Amazon here or the entire Metroid Prime Trilogy for Wii here!
MP2 is my least favorite of the Prime series (unless you count Hunters). It was good, but it had its problems. Never got around to finishing it.
By: Jon on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 8:18 pm |
Again, your review was great! I personally like Prime 2 more than the first one, but I always prefer my games to be more difficult. Also, I think the powerups in the second one were a lot cooler than in the first (Screw attack, anyone?).