GENRE
	First Person Adventure
	DEVELOPER
	Retro
	PUBLISHER
	Nintendo
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1-4
	CONNECTIVITY
	no
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After being dubbed one of the greatest games of this or any generation, Samus’ long awaited return and intro into the 3D realm propelled rookie studio Retro into the gaming industry’s spotlight. After promise of a sequel and two years of frenzied anticipation, the Prime series finally makes its way back to the Gamecube—this time with a fresh new coat of paint and few new tricks up its sleeve. Was Retro able to make a fresh new experience worthy of the Metroid name? Or was the original Prime just a severe case of beginners luck? Read on and find out.

visuals

Without a doubt, this is where you can see the biggest evolution from the first Prime to the Second; and that’s saying volumes. The original Metroid Prime was hailed as having some of the most intricate and well designed environments in the industry at its release, and was more than deserving of its acclaim. However, the addition of a more optimal use of the Gamecube hardware, a handful of new artists, and the classic talent from the original game blended together brilliantly to take this one a step above the original.

While it’s obvious that the Gamecube doesn’t quite have graphical brute force of the Xbox or PC, the true beauty in Prime 2 lies in its level design, and that’s something you just can’t fake with snazzy lighting effects or throwing in a few more polygons. Each area of Prime 2 not only feels distinct within the game, but also avoids following the same clichéd paths the original Metroid Prime stuck to. Most impressive is the sheer amount of material packaged into the game. Whether it’s barren wastelands, lush rainforests, futuristic metropolises, or ruined temples, it was obvious the artists at Retro paid special attention to each and every painstaking detail. Not only were the worlds impressive by themselves, but also they fit together in a way that didn’t feel juxtaposed. This was achieved through the use of well thought out level design, a key sense of pacing, and a massive collection of brilliantly animated inhabitants. It truly is a mix of organic and mechanic milieus that just hasn’t been done this well in the past.

audio

Once again, Retro followed the path of excellence you’ve come to expect from the Metroid series. While the remixed classics you love from the series are back yet again, they’ve been played down this time to make room for a slew of new pieces that fit the franchise like a glove. Metroid’s music has always been known for creating a sense of loneliness and mystery with a futuristic tone, and it’s safe to say that Prime 2 delivers once again in this aspect. However, one area they did drop the ball was in terms of voice acting. While it’s obvious we want to keep our heroine silent to maintain her sense of mystery, there were some scenes of dialogue that just felt out of place from the lack of production value. But that’s really the only gripe I can come up with for the game’s audio department.

gameplay

If there’s one issue I’m always harping on games about these days, it’s their lack of polish. That’s where the Nintendo difference always comes in for me. You can be rest assured that each and every aspect of the game has been tweaked to maximum efficiency when it’s under Nintendo’s wing, and it’s safe to say that Prime 2 is no exception to this rule. Like a giant sandbox for grown ups, the worlds are easy to navigate, and become progressively more fun to play around in the more tools you unlock. The glitch free environments are spaced perfectly for you to have just enough room to combat where needed, precision jump when asked to do so, and lead you on the natural progression of your mission without grabbing you by the leash and dragging you through. Also, the addition of light and dark parallel worlds also breathed some fresh new air into the game, helping to give it an identity when compared to the original. As you make your way through the game at the pace you see fit, you’re constantly rewarded with challenging, yet surprisingly not frustrating boss battles.

Quite possibly my favorite area of the game, the many boss battles each had a distinct feel and strategy to them. As is the Metroid tradition, you can’t simply run and gun your way through the bosses; you’re actually going to have to use your head and tools at your disposal along with twitch reaction to come out on top. The cerebral approach to the game’s major battles is what makes a game like Metroid stand out in the crowd as a finely tuned experience. While I could go on all day praising the franchise and the step in the right direction they’ve taken with its next iteration, there were a few minor issues in the game that rubbed me the wrong way.

My biggest gripe would have to be that while the addition of the dark and light worlds was a great idea to give the game a different feel from the original, the execution could have been better. The constant feeling of danger in the dark world from both beefed up baddies and a toxic environment was fun, but it just didn’t feel like Metroid to me. Metroid has always been about taking your time exploring a strange new world, and traversing it in new ways via the tools you uncover. However, in the dark world, it felt more like a typical first person shooter to me, rather than the first person adventure Metroid Prime has been dubbed. This skipping from world to world also lead to a few illogical puzzles. While they were far and few between, and not anything to make a big deal about, there were definitely more chokepoints in Prime 2 that had to be solved through pure luck of coming across the right area rather than testing out your new tools. This lead to a few moments in the game feeling like your typical collection quest, and I have to admit, it did take away from the fun a bit. This being the main new attraction to the franchise, Prime 2 did feel a little too similar to the original. But these petty complaints pale in comparison to the overall package.

multiplayer

The other big selling point of Metroid Prime 2 was the addition of multiplayer action for the first time in the long running series. While Retro did do a great job making a polished multiplayer experience, it just didn’t fit in with the franchise. Once again I’m going back to say that Metroid has always been about exploration, solitude, and immersion. These just aren’t the kind of things that can be pulled off with a heavily action-based first person shooter. Maybe some other modes such as the morphball races from the upcoming Metroid Prime: Hunters, or other modes unique to the Metroid franchise could have pulled it off better. But with the inclusion of strictly action based multiplayer modes, Metroid Prime 2 just can’t stand out as a multiplayer first person shooter. It was a good effort, but I would have much rather seen that time and money allocated to the real reason anyone’s going to buy this game-- the single player experience.

overall

Without a doubt, Metroid Prime 2 Echoes solidifies both the Metroid franchise and Retro Studios as AAA institutions. While not leaps and bounds above its predecessor, Metroid Prime 2 delivers a solid experience that doesn’t disappoint. With the delay of Resident Evil 4 until past the holidays, this is definitely the game for Gamecube owners to get their hands on this holiday season—a must buy.

9.6/10