NBrid

Two years ago Nintendo resurrected the Metroid franchise with plenty of controversy. A first person Metroid? Blasphemy! But it didn't take long to see that Retro knew what it was doing. Is Echoes just as prime for greatness?

Super Metroid was one of my favorite games on Super Nintendo, and it didn't take long for Metroid Prime to become my favorite GameCube game. So to say I had high expectations for Samus Aran in Retro Studios second game ever, is putting it mildly. And after significant playing time, I can say that overall Metroid Prime 2: Echoes doesn't disappoint. Only the multiplayer mode does.

Like nearly every big sequel this fall (on every platform), Echoes doesn't stray far from the original's formula. The graphics are very similar, which is to say they are still amazing even today. The sound is also familiar with remixes of many of the same songs. Even the controls are identical, and this is my first disappointment with Echoes.

I would like to see an option for a dual-analog control scheme (similar to what you see in most console FPS games). Metroid Prime Hunters on DS has FOUR control setups, yet the console version only has one? I like to look around as I move, and not just when I'm stopped. I understand they did this to free up the c-stick to change weapons, but there are ways you can deal with this (instead of being the map, have it so when you hold down Z the c-stick changes weapons). At least the controls are rock solid and responsive, not all games can say that. So you quickly learn to deal with it.

Most of the gameplay, weapons, items, and even many of the enemies will be familiar to you; but there is also plenty new to see and do. The biggest of which is the whole light world/dark world dynamic. Yes, light/dark worlds is an old video game cliché, but they do it pretty well in Echoes. When on the dark side, you're at first limited to staying inside light bubbles because outside of them your health quickly drops (but you do slowly get health back while in them!). I was afraid this would hurt the exploration factor, but you learn to deal with it, and it just makes the two sides all the more different. Plus it adds a whole new dimension to the game's puzzles.

These puzzles are part of the reason why this game is definitely harder than the original. Tougher enemies are the other. Sometimes it's better to just run. (Damn those Rhinos! Yet they look so cute when they shake off after getting wet.) You may also spend significant time just wandering about because hints pop-up much less this time. It helps to have a good memory... (Sadly, fewer save points don't help much either, but it hasn't been a huge deal... yet.)

Another quip I have with the game is the lack of a real story. Yes, there is one -- if you bother to scan and read everything -- but it's hard to really get into it. The game is definitely more cinematic, but of your actions, not a storyline. There are a few scenes with "people", which is an addition over the original, but even these could have been so much better if they had voices. Don't get me wrong, part of what Metroid is all about is the solitude of Samus, but that doesn't mean you can't have a great story.

Just to get really picky, I also don't like the new menu system. Everything looks so messy as you try to rotate in the item you want. They tried to get cool and artsy, but it just doesn't work for me. Though the fact I had to bring this up to complain about should show you just how good of a game this really is! To make up for it, the new scan visor saves you a lot of time since once turned on, everything on screen that can be scanned changes color. It makes finding new scans (red or blue objects) so much easier than before.

I'm not sure I should bother, but some of you are probably interested in the Echoes multi-player mode. Don't be. In short, it's not very good. Let me list some of its biggest fundamental problems.

1) Few Options: There's normal deathmatch and a coin deathmatch. You set the timelimit and kills/coins needed to win. And you can change the background music. That's it. More modes and options (like setting weapons available) are needed.

2) Single-Analog: The control just doesn't work for a FPS deathmatch style game. You HAVE to be able to look around as you move to spot your enemy. More often than you'd like, you'll never see it coming.

3) Lock-On: You'll be walking around and suddenly you'll see an arrow pointing in the direction of a player who has you locked-on. At which point chances are you're already dead (unless you're fast enough to morph into a ball). It makes the game feel too much like a giant game of tag.

4) Random Power-Ups: In a few spots on each map there are '?' points. Touch it to grab a random power-up. Some of them are pretty cool (like the Ball of Death), but the randomness takes away any strategy. The same is true of weapons which you also get by random when you shoot open boxes.

5) Limited Weapons: The selection of weapons just isn't enough. This is made especially true because of what is there, there just isn't much variation. While in the main game the beams act differently, here it all feels pretty much the same (just the strength varies).

6) Weak Maps: The grappling and ball maneuvers are fun and do add a lot over what most other games have to offer, but the bare maps don't really show it off. They're also in general too small and lack any real secrets.

I think if they work on it more and deal with these problems (and add online play), they might have something. It just can't overcome the problems as it stands now.

Protip: The map is your best friend and should be consulted frequently. Remember areas you can't reach so you can go back later. Maybe even write it down!

At its core, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is basically the same great game as the original. Stick it in any genre you want, but to me it still feels more like an adventure game than a shooter. Metroid is a game that's all about exploration looking for new items and areas, and you only shoot in-between to stay alive. There is a reason Nintendo dubs it a 'FPA' (first-person adventure). And the details in this game, amazing! Make sure you take the time to enjoy all the work Retro put into every little aspect of this game. You will not find a game that oozes atmosphere more than Prime. I love the "ancient technology" feel of the game. In a way it's almost like a hardcore sci-fi movie, all about your solitude on a distant planet. Then throw in some old-school gameplay via the ball mazes, and you have one heck of a great game.

While Echoes is very similar to Metroid Prime, don't worry! There are more than enough new elements to keep it from being a rehash. It's reinforced my love of the series more than ever, and has become my second favorite GameCube game ever. Heck, maybe even my second favorite game of this entire generation. Right after Metroid Prime.

(Side note: If you played the demo, be careful. The actual game is different. The demo sliced together various parts from about the first 3 hours of the full game, and even what it contains varies a bit.)