Video Game Review: Metroid Prime 2 Echoes(Wii)

Sorry if anyone was expecting a yuri review! I am still watching Strike Witches season 1 on Blu-Ray so until I finish it the review for it i delayed. I apologize to all our readers for this inconvenience, but i promise to have a yuri review up very soon! Please look forward to it! :) And as for you FanGirl I will deal with you later! >D Now here is the review for Metroid Prime 2! Enjoy!

***SPOILERS AHEAD!***

Originally released for the GameCube back in 2004 this amazing follow-up to the original Metroid Prime is everything a sequel should be and then some! Now its even better with the new Wii controls! The story follows Samus Aran as she travels to the planet Aether. She is sent by the Galactic Federation to search for a lost Marine Corps patrol ship which had become damaged near the planet after battling a Space Pirate supply ship. During her mission Samus will once again encounters the radioactive substance known as Phazon, which has split the energy of Aether in two creating a light and dark version of the planet! Along the way Samus meets the local inhabitants of Aether, the Luminoth. The Luminoth are a technologically advanced race of insectoids who went to war with the brutally violent inhabitants of Dark Aether, the Ing. The Luminoth task Samus with retrieving the Light of Aether from the Ing in order to save Light Aether and defeating the Ing, and destroying the Phazon meteor that caused all the trouble. But an even more sinister enemy stalks Samus. Echoes marks the introduction of Dark Samus, a pure-Phazon clone of Samus born of her Phazon Suit and the Metroid Prime in the original game!

 Dark Suit Samus

 Dark Samus

 Luminoth

Ing

From a gameplay standpoint not much has changed between Prime and Echoes. Not that anything needed to be changed! When controls for a Metroid game were that good why bother fixing them! :P

You still scour vast and varied environments for Energy Tanks, Missile Expansions, new Suits and Suit upgrades. The major difference this time around are some of the suits and upgrades and abilities themselves. The new Light and Dark beams allow Samus to activate portals which allow her to travel between Light and Dark Aether. Doing so allows for some of the best puzzles the series has ever seen! These beams also effect enemies of the opposing spectrum! The Dark Suit protects Samus from the damaging atmosphere of Dark Aether, which is just as amazing(and treacherous) to explore as its Light counterpart. Echoes also marks the return of the fan favorite Screw Attack(sadly not the FUN type of screw :P)! The graphics are just as good as Prime's but several sound effects were changed. The new Wii controls also make the game much easier play. The original GameCube release got flak for having an awkward control scheme, making the game much more difficult than intended.

Combat is just as fun as ever! There are no recycles here, all the enemies are new and unique to Echoes! Even the Space Pirates get an overhaul! Almost all enemies require use of the games many weapons and upgrades to defeat, making for some great and challenging battle. But its the boss battles where Echoes truly shines! While there are not as  many bosses as in Prime all of the major villains are some of the most challenging, epic, creative, and longest boss fights the series has ever seen! They all require skill, patience, and devoted use of at least two of your weapons or gear. Stand out boss fights for me though are the Ing Emperor and Dark Samus!

As in Prime most of the story is told through scanned turminals or information written in ancient Luminoth language. Once again getting 100% logbook completion, as well as finding all Missile, Energy and Bomb upgrades nets you additional and secret scenes in the endings.

As far as games go they don't get much better than Metroid Prime 2 Echoes! From the use of a Nintendo staple in the Light and Dark worlds, to some of the most amazing boss fights in the entire Metroid saga, this game does so much right! My only complaint is that there is no Ridley
 this time around and again with the back tracking! But make no mistake! Metroid Prime 2 Echoes is is a rare thing, a game sequel that is better than the original! A must play! :D

Ing Emperor

Metroid Prime 2 Echoes(Wii) Score: 10/10

-----------FanBoy