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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

Review: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Review by Sid Shuman | 11/12/2004 | 18:48:14 PM PST

It may not out-Halo Halo, but nevertheless, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes reverberates with its own unique power.

Galactic exterminator Samus Aran returns to wage inter-dimensional war in Metroid Prime 2, a direct sequel to her beautiful-but-blemished 2002 FPS debut. And guess what? It's an extraordinary return to form.

Echo Chamber

The setup is standard stuff. While responding to a distress call on the distant world of Aether, Samus uncovers an age-old alien feud. But MP 2's plot takes a sudden sharp turn when Samus meets an otherworldly foe called the Ing, a shadow-like horde bent on corrupting the dimension of light. In keeping with the new dual-dimension theme, MP 2 arms players with two new weapons called Light and Dark Beams.

Replacing the Ice and Wave Beams found in past Metroid titles, these Light- and Dark-based weapons have a major impact on MP 2's gameplay. Darkling enemies, for instance, take extra damage from the shotgun-like Light Beam, while standard foes succumb quickly to the shadow-squirting Dark Beam. This simple dynamic is a welcome addition to MP 2's classic mix of action and exploration.

There's more good news, and it's in the form of MP 2's long-awaited multiplayer mode. It may not stand toe-to-toe with Halo 2's jack-of-all-trades multiplayer, but it's simple, quirky, and ridiculously addictive--all the earmarks of a classic party game. As for controls, MP 2 boasts a few small improvements, like an updated scan interface.

Unfortunately, there's one lingering issue: despite the huge uproar aimed at its predecessor, MP 2 still doesn't have a customizable control scheme. It's not a massive gripe--practice makes perfect, folks, honest--but the fact remains that MP 2's "FPS-lite" scheme works well for some players but not others. Here's hoping the next Metroid title takes that fact into account.

Prime Offering

Visually, MP 2's dazzling, organic-looking environments represent a quantum leap for console-based shooters. Like its predecessor, MP 2 obsesses over tiny visual details--you'll spot buzzing mosquitoes, drifting sand clouds, and glossy metal surfaces throughout each of the expansive levels. The character models have also received a noticeable upgrade; many of the darkling enemies look like fever dreams given grotesque life, as they melt into black ooze only to lunge screeching from the shadows.

And most important, you can expect a smooth, flowing framerate, even during heated four-player matches. Compared to the vibrant graphics, Echoes' Spartan audio comes across as a more muted victory. While the spine-tingling soundtrack and eerie atmospheric effects lend a cool otherworldly vibe, many of the weapon effects sound curiously flat. Oh, well??

Metroids Ate My Brain

Simply put, MP 2 is precisely what Metroid fans have been waiting for. While it makes important gameplay strides over its predecessor, it doesn't forget its side-scrolling roots. Players who despised the first Metroid Prime may find they harbor similar feelings towards MP 2. But open-minded gamers will find an instant classic.


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