Hello everyone, continuing the Series review we're heading into probably one of the darkest and eeriest Metroid game ever made. Metroid Prime 2:Echoes.
Story
Metroid Prime 2 takes place actually one of the later games released into the series. Metroid Prime 2 takes place after the events of Metroid Prime:Hunters.
Samus has received a message from the Galactic Federation to investigate the disappearance of GF Squad Bravo that was investigating recent Space Pirate activity.
Enter the planet Aether, a planet currently experiencing strange atmosphere anomalies. Samus unfortunately crash lands on the planet after flying through the anomaly. Further investigation reveals that the entire squad is dead after trying to face a dark and twisted form of the native creatures and also a dark shadow of Samus herself, Samus discovers there is a dark doppelganger, Dark Samus. A somehow Phazon cloned creature that has all the aspects of Samus but more powerful in many ways. Samus however mission accomplished for the Galactic Federation, can not escape from Aether due to the atmosphere and must also defeat Dark Samus before she attempts to leave Aether.
Samus then later discovers an alien temple and the guardian of the temple, a Luminoth named U-Mos. U-Mos reveals to Samus that Aether has been hit by a strange meteor which brought with it the element Phazon, Dark Samus and a new race known as the Ing, dark horrifying creatures that can walk through the poisonus atmosphere of this new world and can kill anything and anyone they face. With this new threat the impact has also split Aether into two worlds. This new world is known as Dark Aether, which is a twisted and deadly mirror of Aether, the Luminoth population has been cut down and nearly extinct after the meteor crashed and it's army.
Samus must defeat Dark Samus and find a way to destroy the twisted world in order to escape the twisted planet.
The story and setting is more terrifying than any other Metroid game. If you though Metroid Fusion and Metroid Prime scared you in certain settings Metroid Prime 2 will scare you with the dark creatures of Dark Aether and the world itself. I hate going into Dark Aether, it's the most terrifying experience I've ever had playing a Nintendo game.
Presentation
Metroid Prime 2 looks slightly better then Metroid Prime. There are many new areas to explore which are very interesting and aesthetically fit the story and the events told in the story. Areas you explore show their new aesthetic to you but also show signs of what they used to be like before the meteor.
Aether and Dark Aether fit aesthetically into the story the picture paints with the description of both worlds. Aether is a shadow of it's former-self. Lush green lands now turned into wastelands full of stone and sand. Dark Aether retains those aspects you see in Light Aether but twists the image you were once familiar with, when you discover a new area you fear what the dark twisted form of the area will look like and what monsters inhabit the dark world. Although the areas bring a new look Metroid fans are not used to, graphically it's Metroid Prime with a slight bit more polish. Enemies have new designs but the graphics look exact to Metroid Prime.
Gameplay
To describe Metroid Prime 2's gameplay. In a nutshell it's Metroid Prime. If you have played Metroid Prime you've played Metroid Prime 2. With that said though there is still a new learning curve here and there for you to master. The new beam weapons you find in Metroid Prime 2 instead run on ammunition, unlike previous Metroid titles.
The Light Beam which is used mainly to take out Dark themed creatures and is essentially the Plasma Beam but can only be used to take out certain types of enemies.
The Dark Beam is effective on the enemies of Light Aether and is the Ice Beam, same story as the Light Beam, only used to take out certain types of enemies.
The Beam Ammo system brings a more tactical approach to combat, instead of finding the new weapon the tough boss had in it's possession you now use your Power Beam more than the new beams you discover. In order to replenish your ammunition you need to defeat enemies with a certain beam to gain ammunition for the other beam. Kill enemies with the Light Beam to refill on Dark Beam ammunition and defeat enemies with the Dark Beam to refill on Light Beam ammunition, in order to increase ammo for both you must find ammo expansion power ups in each area on Aether. Like the first Metroid Prime each beam has a it's own special ability which unleashes deadly force.
You do face the familiar face every once in awhile. Shriek Bats, Metroids and Space Pirates, but there are there new enemies on Aether you face which are varied and are very tough and smart. Strength of the enemies will come in speed, numbers, power and teamwork, you will never face an enemy that will rush at you hoping to take you down, these enemies will know how and when to strike at you when they can do the most damage.
Heading into Dark Aether players are presented with a challenge. Staying in the safe areas the game provides and using it effectively to take out enemies which you can not reach due to the harmful atmosphere of Dark Aether. Players need to play more defensively if they want to find the items to proceed into key locations of Dark Aether and if they want to find power ups for Samus.
The formula for proceeding through the story is the same as Metroid Prime. Find Object A to unlock Area A to face Enemy A to find Object A which will get you to Area B to defeat Boss A which will give you Object B to defeat Boss B. It's the same formula which honestly works for Metroid Prime. At the time games were not restrained to be as innovative and fresh as games of today are required to be, especially for a sequel into a popular series Metroid Prime 2 stays on the path set by Metroid Prime 1 but still brings something new to the table.
The formula is repeated but still brings a new twist to what players used to be comfortable with in previous Metroid titles.
The Verdict
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes brings a new twist to the series but also keeps true to the new path Metroid Prime had set out originally. The story is interesting, the graphics although the same design of the original Metroid Prime and gameplay still the same but with new twists, earns the game a score of.....
7/10
Nintendo fans and Metroid fans alike will get by without playing Metroid Prime 2, but if you want to go back to the time in which gaming was simple then Metroid Prime 2 is for you.
Metroid Prime 2 takes place actually one of the later games released into the series. Metroid Prime 2 takes place after the events of Metroid Prime:Hunters.
Samus has received a message from the Galactic Federation to investigate the disappearance of GF Squad Bravo that was investigating recent Space Pirate activity.
Enter the planet Aether, a planet currently experiencing strange atmosphere anomalies. Samus unfortunately crash lands on the planet after flying through the anomaly. Further investigation reveals that the entire squad is dead after trying to face a dark and twisted form of the native creatures and also a dark shadow of Samus herself, Samus discovers there is a dark doppelganger, Dark Samus. A somehow Phazon cloned creature that has all the aspects of Samus but more powerful in many ways. Samus however mission accomplished for the Galactic Federation, can not escape from Aether due to the atmosphere and must also defeat Dark Samus before she attempts to leave Aether.
Samus then later discovers an alien temple and the guardian of the temple, a Luminoth named U-Mos. U-Mos reveals to Samus that Aether has been hit by a strange meteor which brought with it the element Phazon, Dark Samus and a new race known as the Ing, dark horrifying creatures that can walk through the poisonus atmosphere of this new world and can kill anything and anyone they face. With this new threat the impact has also split Aether into two worlds. This new world is known as Dark Aether, which is a twisted and deadly mirror of Aether, the Luminoth population has been cut down and nearly extinct after the meteor crashed and it's army.
Samus must defeat Dark Samus and find a way to destroy the twisted world in order to escape the twisted planet.
The story and setting is more terrifying than any other Metroid game. If you though Metroid Fusion and Metroid Prime scared you in certain settings Metroid Prime 2 will scare you with the dark creatures of Dark Aether and the world itself. I hate going into Dark Aether, it's the most terrifying experience I've ever had playing a Nintendo game.
Presentation
Aether and Dark Aether fit aesthetically into the story the picture paints with the description of both worlds. Aether is a shadow of it's former-self. Lush green lands now turned into wastelands full of stone and sand. Dark Aether retains those aspects you see in Light Aether but twists the image you were once familiar with, when you discover a new area you fear what the dark twisted form of the area will look like and what monsters inhabit the dark world. Although the areas bring a new look Metroid fans are not used to, graphically it's Metroid Prime with a slight bit more polish. Enemies have new designs but the graphics look exact to Metroid Prime.Gameplay
The Light Beam which is used mainly to take out Dark themed creatures and is essentially the Plasma Beam but can only be used to take out certain types of enemies.
The Dark Beam is effective on the enemies of Light Aether and is the Ice Beam, same story as the Light Beam, only used to take out certain types of enemies.
The Beam Ammo system brings a more tactical approach to combat, instead of finding the new weapon the tough boss had in it's possession you now use your Power Beam more than the new beams you discover. In order to replenish your ammunition you need to defeat enemies with a certain beam to gain ammunition for the other beam. Kill enemies with the Light Beam to refill on Dark Beam ammunition and defeat enemies with the Dark Beam to refill on Light Beam ammunition, in order to increase ammo for both you must find ammo expansion power ups in each area on Aether. Like the first Metroid Prime each beam has a it's own special ability which unleashes deadly force.
You do face the familiar face every once in awhile. Shriek Bats, Metroids and Space Pirates, but there are there new enemies on Aether you face which are varied and are very tough and smart. Strength of the enemies will come in speed, numbers, power and teamwork, you will never face an enemy that will rush at you hoping to take you down, these enemies will know how and when to strike at you when they can do the most damage.
Heading into Dark Aether players are presented with a challenge. Staying in the safe areas the game provides and using it effectively to take out enemies which you can not reach due to the harmful atmosphere of Dark Aether. Players need to play more defensively if they want to find the items to proceed into key locations of Dark Aether and if they want to find power ups for Samus.
The formula for proceeding through the story is the same as Metroid Prime. Find Object A to unlock Area A to face Enemy A to find Object A which will get you to Area B to defeat Boss A which will give you Object B to defeat Boss B. It's the same formula which honestly works for Metroid Prime. At the time games were not restrained to be as innovative and fresh as games of today are required to be, especially for a sequel into a popular series Metroid Prime 2 stays on the path set by Metroid Prime 1 but still brings something new to the table.
The formula is repeated but still brings a new twist to what players used to be comfortable with in previous Metroid titles.
The Verdict
7/10
Nintendo fans and Metroid fans alike will get by without playing Metroid Prime 2, but if you want to go back to the time in which gaming was simple then Metroid Prime 2 is for you.
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