In 2002, Retro Studios pioneered and released the GameCube masterpiece Metroid Prime. With it, the Texas-based development studio recreated the beloved Nintendo franchise Metroid in full 3D and sucked players into a highly immersive, rewarding and jaw-dropping experience. In it, players took control of intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran, and set off to explore the world of Tallon IV, a diverse planet with many surprises and rewards. Despite the first-person perspective gamers experienced this from, Prime focused much more on adventure, exploration and puzzle-solving elements as opposed to the shoot-em-up ones that most first-person games are founded on.

The result was an experience that many simply can’t speak highly enough of. To date, in fact, many critics consider Metroid Prime not only the very best piece of software to be had on GameCube, but one of the best videogames ever crafted, period.

Two years later, Retro Studios has released its very-anticipated sequel, Metroid Prime Echoes. First shown at E3 2003, Echoes follows the events in Metroid Prime directly. Similarly, the adventure stays very true the formula that the studio created with its 2002 release. Gamers still control Samus Aran. They still control her through the first-person perspective. The adventure focuses heavily on exploration and puzzle-solving. And it’s all as immersive as before.

But Retro hasn’t stopped there. The developer has improved on its predecessor’s recipe considerably. For instance, it has introduced more cut-scenes and story developments than ever witnessed in a Metroid game. What’s more, even more boss fights await players throughout the adventure, and classic power-ups like the Screw Attack have been implemented in a full 3D world. This is not to mention that the developer has created the very first Metroid multiplayer mode in the franchises’ history.

Despite these remarkable additions and improvements, however, Metroid Prime 2 Echoes still plays, looks, feels and sounds much like its predecessor. And ironically that’s the title’s biggest shortcoming. But how can that be? After all, Metroid Prime grabbed Game of the Year awards from countless publications when it was released, it remains one of highest scoring games of all time and it was certainly well-received by the fans. The answer might be surprising, but nonetheless: Echoes suffers from a been-there-done-that syndrome at times. It plays by the rules in the sense that it follows the mentality of, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But at the same time, it never introduces anything as novel as the things that its predecessor did. And considering that being fresh, surprising and different is what made Metroid Prime so exceptional, this disappoints.

Even so, Metroid Prime 2 Echoes is nearly every bit as good as its predecessor. It’s just as addicting. It’s just as immersing. It’s even more beautiful. It is, in fact, even smarter than thought possible and, thus, satisfying. It goes to show, too, that Retro Studio’s is without a doubt a very talented development house, and Metroid Prime 2 Echoes is another living, breathing product of the wealth of skill they possess in the art of game-making.

Features

• The sequel to the 2002 Game of the Year Metroid Prime
  
• Control Samus Aran from first-person again as she explores the world of Aether
  
• Travel back and froth between Aether’s two dimensions: its light and dark world
  
• Collect and solve puzzles with the use of many different power-ups, like the Morphball, Echoes Visor and Screw Attack
  
• Explore four different worlds called The Temple Grounds, Agon Wastes, Torvus Bog and Sanctuary Fortress
  
• An even more challenging and rewarding adventure awaits players
  
• Rated T for Terrific… and Teen.
  
• Pro Logic II support
  
• Progressive Scan support

A Battle of Light and Dark
Gamers that played through Metroid Prime are in for a real treat. Metroid Prime 2 Echoes picks up right after where the first left off, closely following the events that unfolded in Metroid Prime. After exploring Tallon IV and learning of the toxic and life-altering substance called Phazon, Samus escapes from the planet and embarks on a new adventure, which eventually leads her to the planet of Aether. Echoes’ opening cut-scene shows Samus Aran’s space ship zapped by a bolt of lightening. The electric shock is enough to disrupt her ship’s power, and send it hurdling towards the strange, new planet. The cut-scene’s completely well-done, and it’s only a glimpse of the cinemas that await players along their adventure.



Metroid Prime 2 Echoes

Aether’s a planet that is struggling between light and dark, or good and evil, as the game sometimes hints at. Aether at one time was the home planet to a peaceful existence called the Luminoth. The technologically-advanced group, however, was engaged in a war between a dark, evil race called the Ing. Through a series of events, Aether was split into two worlds – one light and one dark. The light world remained the home to the Luminoth, while the Ing came to dwell in the poisonous dark world. Making matters worse, while one world of Aether prospers, the other suffers. It’s up to Samus to restore energy to the three temples of Light Aether, and destroy the dark world forever. As cliché as it may sound, this is the very foundation for Echoes, but it works pretty well.