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GameCube | Adventure | Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Boxart for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes 69 screen shots
  • GRAPHICS: 5.0
  • SOUND: 4.0
  • CONTROL: 4.5
  • FUN FACTOR 5.0
  • AVG USER SCORE 4.5
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 4.6
Winner of the GamePro Editor's Choice Award

Feature: Metroid Prime 2 Interview [E3 2004]

Feature by FUNKYZEALOT | 05/18/2004 | 14:47:08 PM PST

We sit down with the project manager behind one of Nintendo?s most highly anticipated games.

Behind the huge press booth of Nintendo, we sit down and talk one-on-one with Kensuke Tanabe, the project supervisor for Metroid Prime 2, who talked in depth of the story and plotline.

Gamepro: Can you tell us the background story for Metroid Prime 2?

Kensuke Tanabe: The Luminoth are a mosquito-like race who are on the verge of extinction on their home planet Aether. In order to survive, they create an energy controller machine that amplifies the energy from the planet. The large machine consists of four parts?the main base draws the energy from the planet, and the energy is amplified and distributed throughout the surface of the planet through three sub bases. The race was starting to flourish when a Phaezon meteor hit the planet, creating two dimensions of Dark and Light.

GP: Can you describe the Ing race?

KT: The Ing are a spider-like race who appeared along with the appearance of the Dark dimension. They are stronger than the Luminoth, and are winning the power struggle against them. The Ing cannot survive in the Light world as they quickly evaporate, so they "snatch" (in other words possess) creatures in the light world. Samus will mainly be fighting these possessed animals, called "dark creatures."

GP: How does Samus fit into all of this?

KT: A ship from from the Galactic Federation landed on planet Aether to fight the space pirates, who are on the planet collecting Phaezon for power?after the Pirates' defeat at the hands of Samus (in the first Metroid Prime), they are trying to recover and use the Phazon again to mutate themselves. The Galactic Federation contingent at Aether is wiped out, and Samus is sent to the planet to fight the pirates. She then meets the Luminoth, who ask to aid her in their fight against the Ing.

GP: Are the Ing allied with the pirates?

KT: No, actually the Ing possess the space pirates, so all three factions on the planet?the Luminoth, Ing, and space pirates, are all against each other and have their own agendas.

GP: How do the Light and Dark worlds interact and relate with each other?

KT: The energy from the planet supports both the Light and Dark worlds. To collapse the Light or Dark dimension, all the energy needs to be absorbed from one world and transferred to the other. The energy is stored in Energy Controllers, which Samus must transfer energy from using an Energy Transfer Module, created by the Luminoth to destroy the Dark world along with the Ing. The Ing however steal the device, and have been using it against the Luminoth to collapse the Light world. The Ing have taken over the three sub bases, and need to only take over the main base to turn the whole planet into a Dark world.

GP: Can you give an example of how the Light and Dark worlds interact?

KT: We can't give you any other example so far other than the one shown in the demo, but there are "forgotten objects" in the different worlds that you need to pass various puzzles and obstacles. One simple example is there's a door you need to pass through in the Light world, and you need to go to the Dark to activate a switch to open the door.

GP: Will there be any other weapons beside the Light and Dark weapons?

KT: No, there will only be two types of weapons. However, there is a weapon that combines the Light and Dark weapon called the Annihilator.

GP: Are there going to be any other modes than the announced deathmatch mode?

KT: Aside from the deathmatch mode, there is a Bounty mode where the person who collects a certain amount of coins wins. Although coins can be destroyed by gathering crates that are spread out across the map, killing opponents will be the main way to get coins. Once a player is killed, she drops all of her coins, and starts again with a set amount of coins. Hence, as the game progresses more and more coins are in the playing field. So for this mode, the one who is the best at aiming or has the most kills isn't necessarily the one that wins?you can have someone who simply hides and runs around collecting coins win the match.

GP: Any final comments or thoughts?

KT: To those who played Metroid Prime 1, be prepared for a more exciting and enthralling Metroid Prime 2.


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