Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Metroid Prime gave birth to one of the most unique first-person shooting experiences the world has ever seen.  The game did not control or feel anything like Doom, Quake, or any other FPS you can think of – it felt like Metroid.  This was made possible by the developer's bold move to scrap the typical control scheme and invent their own.  Strafe with the L and R buttons?  Not in this game.  Adjust your aim with the C-stick?  That just isn't Metroid's style.  What felt weird and unorthodox at first became the perfect control scheme for the game that perfectly complemented its 2D predecessors.  Metroid was born again, this time in the third dimension.  And like Mario and Zelda before it, the transformation was one we wouldn't soon forget.

This November Nintendo will unleash Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.  It's a beast of a game, a monster of entertainment, a colossal of colossus.  Join me as I delve deep into its dark world.

Metroid Prime had multiple environments within one giant world.  Metroid Prime 2 will have that as well, but this time you get two giant worlds.  The two worlds are separated by "Light" and "Dark" – one indicating good, the other indicating evil.  The demo began in a jungle/mountain type area that appears to be separate from the Light World.  If that's the case then the final version will have three worlds to explore!

The Dark World is darker and somewhat creepier than any world Samus has seen before.  The monsters are more vicious, and your body suit is not nearly strong enough to withstand the dark power that surrounds the planet.

Because of the Dark World's extreme power, you can't just walk around and explore the area like you would any other planet.  Remember in the first game how you couldn't traverse the Magmoor caverns because your suit's heat resistant feature had been damaged?  Your suit reacts to the dark power in a similar way.  It immediately drains Samus's energy.

However, there is hope for the Dark World.  Various crystals are dispersed in each area.  A large dome is formed around them, and entering the dome eliminates all Dark World threats.  The dome also replenishes energy, albeit very slowly.  It would be cool to find a suit that is immune to the Dark World's hazards, but at the same time it would remove the tension of having to hop from dome to dome.  My guess is the developers feel the same way and have no plans to include it.

Since the Light and Dark worlds are intended to be polar opposites, Metroid Prime 2 gives you two weapons to combat evil: Light Beam and Dark Beam.  Both have greater power than your standard blaster, both can be charged, and both must be used to eliminate locks that prevent certain doors from opening.  You still have the regular missiles that were introduced in the first game, but I'd assume they won't be available at the start of the sequel.  The Metroid series is known for making players work hard to acquire weapons or items that will give them an advantage.

Three new monsters (aliens?) were unveiled in the demo, each of which could be scanned for data.  The first one looked like a variation of the monsters found in the beginning of Chozo Ruins: they're small, have four legs, and like to hop toward their prey.  The second one was more human-like, walking on two legs and using its deadly sword arms to attack.  If necessary, it would even get behind a laser beam cannon and start firing!  (The cannon was too high to reach; otherwise it's likely that Samus could have used it as well.)

The third and final monster hunted in packs of two.  It was somewhat of a boss battle: the music changed, becoming more intense.  The area was locked in, preventing an escape (as if you'd want to).  They weren't too difficult to defeat, but could turn their bodies into a liquid substance and move around without being attacked.  Samus's Light Beam appeared to do more damage on these enemies than her standard weapon, but the missiles didn't seem helpful at all.

Metroid Prime 2's controls are identical to the original.  Samus still feels like Samus: pushing the thumbstick up or down moves her back and forth, while pushing the thumbstick left or right will only make her turn.  You can't strafe unless you're locking onto an enemy, which sounds ridiculous if you just played Halo, but it works perfectly in Metroid Prime's unique universe.  Holding the lock-on button (L) does allow Samus to move left and right, but her movement is still somewhat restricted so it doesn't feel like true strafing.  Once again, this doesn't hinder the game at all.  It takes away from the first-person aspect and makes it feel more like an adventure game.

The beloved Morph Ball is back, along with several new intricate areas to explore.  Will there be a pinball-style mini-game this time around?  No one knows for sure.  What we do know is that the Morph Ball will be an integral part of the game's success.  A missile expansion pack was hidden in the demo, giving us a small taste of the kinds of tasks we'll have to accomplish.  It was very simple but fun: you had to navigate through a series of electrical gates.  When the gates are turned on they create a laser field – touch it and get shocked.  Wait for the gates to turn off and you can go right through them.

Short but extremely sweet, the Metroid Prime 2: Echoes demo felt like a Star Wars teaser trailer.  You love every second of it, but when it's over, all you can think about is the finished product.  If you want this demo, it's yours for the taking.  Buy a brand-new GameCube today and you'll find a demo of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes right inside the box (along with the full version of the original Metroid Prime).  If you've already got a 'Cube, register five Nintendo games at Nintendo.com (any released in the past 10 months should work) and sign up to receive the demo by mail.  Quantities are limited, so as the Big N would tell you, don't delay.