hile the first Metroid Prime was a hit for both Nintendo and developer Retro Studios, the game had its share of naysayers; the game was too short, it was too easy, there was no multiplayer.  Well, it seems that in the sequel Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Retro Studios has taken all of those complaints to heart.  The result: perhaps one of the most expansive and difficult Metroid titles to date…that also includes multiplayer action.  While the core gameplay and visual style of Echoes is similar to the first Prime game, expect to experience an entirely new Metroid experience from the moment you first fire up the game.

Surprisingly, the game opens with Samus landing on the planet Aether.  It seems that a band of space marines have gone missing after pursuing a Space Pirate ship that crash lands on the planet’s surface.  But, there seems to be more to the planet than Samus initially realizes.  As she pilots her ship to the surface a strange storm strikes, causing her to crash land.  Only later does she find out the truth behind the odd visage of Aether.  Millennia ago the planet was struck by a meteor that caused a rift in both time and space.  As a result, the planet was split into two halves: one Light and one Dark.  The Luminoth, the inhabitants of the Light world, found themselves at war with the Ing, the evil and insidious creatures of the Dark world.  If the Ing were able to siphon off all the energy of the Light world, the Dark world would completely envelop Aether.  After finding her bounty of space marines dead, Samus agrees to aid the Luminoth against the Ing.  But, that’s a little easier said than done.

The world of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is one filled with severe contrasts.  The Light and Dark worlds open up avenues that the Metroid franchise has never ventured down and the result is compelling and engrossing.  You start off the game in the Light world, which while filled with dangerous creatures, is a relative haven compared to the world of the Ing.  Scattered throughout the Light world are portals to the Dark world; handy doorways that the Luminoth constructed in the past to make it easier to battle their unrelenting foe.  The Dark world, however, is an explorer’s worst nightmare.  The Dark air acts like a toxin, constantly draining your life.  To combat the venomous effects of the Dark atmosphere, the Luminoth managed to place countless Luminoth Light Crystals through the Dark world.  These Crystals project a bubble of Light energy around them, allowing you stand within their boundaries and regain your health.  You’ll also come across Luminoth Light Beacons, which function similarly to the Crystals except that they’re powered by the shots from your standard weapon and only last a certain amount of time.

Throughout your journey’s you’ll make use of both worlds extensively.  The new Light and Dark worlds offer up some pretty interesting puzzle opportunities somewhat akin to what you saw back in the day in the old classic The Legend of Zelda: A  Link To The Past.  But while essentially mirror images of each other (one room in the Light world will be the relative same size and shape in the Dark world), each world comes complete with its own unique enemies.  The Light world is filled with creatures of a more organic nature; natural predators and animals that seem more interested in finding a good meal rather than simply killing you for the sake of it (except for the Space Pirates).  The Dark world, however, is filled with more alien creatures.  The Ing seem bent on simply doing away with all life in the Dark world and as such, their forms seem more ominous and deadly.  Many have the ability to shed their corporeal forms and travel along the ground as a Dark puddle, only to reappear in a new location.  You’ll also occasionally take on Dark enemies in the Light world.  Every so often regular Light world enemies will become infected by Dark energy, which renders them much more powerful and aggressive.

Granted, all these enemies add up to one heck of a hard adventure.  But Samus, the resourceful bounty hunter that she is, has a few tricks up her sleeve.  For basic combat you still have your trusty blaster which fares well enough for smaller enemies or when you’re in a pinch for ammo.  As you play further in the game you’ll acquire your requisite ensemble of Metroid items, including the morph ball, bombs, missiles, super missiles, power bombs, boost ball, and grapple beam.  In terms of these kinds of items there aren’t many surprises.  The real fun starts when you pick up your first new beam weapon.  In a smart move, Retro Studios has done away with the Ice, Wave, and Plasma Beams.  In their stead are the Dark, Light and a third beam that we won’t reveal at this time.  Like their predecessors, each beam can open certain colored doors, with Dark opening black ones and Light opening white ones.  The real usefulness in the beams comes in their affects on enemies.  The Ing, creatures created purely from the Dark world, take enormous damage from the Light beam.  Light world enemies react in a similar manner, taking high amounts of damage from Dark beam shots.

Each beam weapon can also be complimented with some special combo attacks.  Acting much in the same way as using a super missile (charging your regular attack and pressing the Y button), the Dark and Light beams can unleash their own special super attacks.  But, like the super missile attack, these kind of offensive moves need ammunition.  While you still have unlimited ammo for your regular gun, the Light and Dark beams are bound by a limited amount of uses.  You start off the game with a maximum of 50, but you can eventually acquire up to 250 rounds of each. 

Rounding out the rest of the items are some new and some old offerings.  The Screw Attack makes its triumphant return to the Metroid franchise and is a mix of both offensive and platforming goodness.  The Screw Attack operates pretty easily; after jumping twice in a row (using the Space Jump) a third jump will initiate the move.  Besides being able to damage enemies while using the move, you can also attach yourself to special walls that can be then jumped off of in a similar manner to the old wall jump trick from the SNES classic Super Metroid. 

Also back again are a variety of different Visors that let you get a better view of what’s going around you.  You start off the game with the standard Combat Visor and the Scan Visor, which allows you to gain information on enemies, as well as download and decrypt Space Pirate data logs and Luminoth Lore files.  During your adventure you’ll also come across two new visors.  The Echo Visor is perhaps the most original.  While using it the world around you is cast into grayscale and you’ll be able to see your visor emit a sonar-like signal out around you.  The Dark Visor, which is quite similar to the X-Ray Visor from the first Metroid Prime allows you to see better in the Dark world as well as see hidden items and specially locked doors.  I won’t spoil the puzzles that await you with the two Visors, but I can safely say that Retro Studios does some impressive work in creating some intuitive and brain-busting obstacles for you to overcome.

Visually, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes doesn’t seem to be that much more detailed that the first game.  Enemy models and environments still sport a high degree of realism and detail, especially the fluid and almost cat-like movements of the Ing.  What has gotten some attention is that environments now seem to feature more stuff packed into them.  There’s nary a room that you’ll walk into that doesn’t have something to scan or interesting to oggle.  The Agon Wastes, for example, is an area mixed with ancient ruins and alien technology.  Cables pulse with electricity, the skies are filled with bird-like creatures and you just get a more powerful sense that the world around you is alive.  The Dark worlds also offer up some impressive graphical effects, especially the iridescent effect of the Luminoth Light Crystals.  Standing in the boundaries of one and looking out truly gives new meaning to foreboding.  Bosses are also refreshingly large and menacing; typically towering over Samus.

On the audio side of things Metroid Prime 2: Echoes brings to the table some nice sound effects and fitting music.  If you’ve grown fond of the classic Metroid tunes, you’ll be happy to hear that many of them make a return, from the “got a new item” ditty to the song that plays when you solve a puzzle or open up a new pathway.  Sound effect wise you won’t find too much in the way of new offerings, but what’s here is impressive nonetheless.

And then there’s the difficulty….saying that Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is more difficult and lengthy than the first game is like saying that the Boston Red Sox were lucky in sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals to win the World Series.  I highly suspect that we won’t be seeing any sub-hour speed run-throughs that some gamers managed to pull off with the first Prime.  This change of pace is either going to draw you or push you away.  Personally, I like challenging games and I like the direction that Retro Studios has taken Echoes.  With the longer playing time, there comes a more fulfilling sense of satisfaction with completing the game.  True, experienced gamers may run through the game quicker than others, but Echoes will surely surprise in its new focus on difficulty and length.

Multiplayer, while fun with three other friends, still feels a bit too Light.  Granted, it’s pretty apparent that Retro Studios included the mode as a sort of “value added” commodity, and as such it’s a pretty enjoyable time.  I did find some frustration in the game’s short list of maps and small environments, but the variety of weapons and power-ups are enough to keep things interesting for awhile.  Too bad the GameCube doesn’t have online capability, since the multiplayer offerings in Echoes could really have blossomed under that feature.

Overall Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is an exceptionally put together title.  Rather than simply fall back on its laurels, Retro Studios has taken the franchise in a whole new direction; one that fits the series like a glove.  The Dark and Light worlds offer up some innovative puzzle opportunities and the storyline is an interesting retelling of the classic “good vs. evil.”  While the difficulty may give some gamers headaches, the payout is truly worth it.

Be sure to also check out our previous 20 direct-feed movies from the game in addition to the new ones we’ve posted today!