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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

Update: Quality Time with Samus at the Nintendo Gamer Summit -- Page 2

Update by The Man in Black | 10/08/2004 | 09:15:13 AM PST

Light or Dark Meat?

You discover both light and dark weapons and you have to find ammo for both types. You also discover early on that dark weapons work best against the dark creatures, and you can quickly toggle between the two with the GameCube?s C-stick.

The Ing come busting into Light Aether from time to time, where their favorite tactic is to possess the bodies of other creatures, living and dead. But you also take treks into the nether world as well. There are several visors that you will find, and you?ll have to switch among them to explore Dark Aether.

The map interface is more important than ever since although Light and Dark Aether occupy the same physical space on the planet, areas can have different geographic features in each dimension. Solving many of the game?s puzzles will require you to jump between the two Aether?s to accomplish tasks in one dimension in order to alter the physical environment of the other. Also, pathways through an area in one dimension may not exist in that same area in the other dimension.

Light or Dark you ought to enjoy the scenery. Based on this preview, it?s clear that surface textures have been refined all around, and that the character models are sharp and crisply detailed. Additionally, particle effects and specular lighting have been amped to produce a spectacular display of fireworks, even in this early build.

New creatures include the Ing, the Luminoth (the denizens of Light Aether), and light and dark versions of Space Pirates. Samus?s Varia Armor is a knockout, and she also earns a Dark version of her gear. There?s also another dark denizen stalking Aether, who plays against all sides: Samus, the Space Pirates, the Luminoth, and even the Ing. Its identity is no deep secret (although it?s not Waluigi), but even still it will be more fun to figure it out for yourselves.


Up to four players can shoot it out deathmatch style.

Samus 4 Times

It?s also no secret that this time there?s a four-player multiplayer mode that includes deathmatch gameplay. All combatants choose their Samus, grab Light and Dark weapons scattered around the arenas, and begin the run-and-gun action. Reportedly, you?ll be able to unlock other skins for your fighters, too.

The multiplayer is fast and furious with some singular Metroid features, too. You can acquire a sort-of one-touch-and-you?re-dead power-up for your morph ball, and there?s a wildcard pick up that randomly generates different weapons.

Primed and Ready

Metroid Prime 2 should provide GameCube gamers will plenty of satisfying thumb action, even in the midst of the pomp and ceremony surrounding the launching of the Nintendo DS. That ?Echo? you hear could well be Samus Aran sounding the charge for Nintendo.


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