Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - Sequel to a revered title on the GameCube

Introduction

Samus is back in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, a sequel to one of the most revered titles on the GameCube. With Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Retro Studios and Nintendo have infused the sprawling, desolate adventure of the original with even more action, exploration, and excitement. What does that mean for you, lonely space traveller? Tons and tons of challenge.

The sequel to Metroid Prime puts you in the role of bounty hunter Samus Aran once again. Your mission is to locate federation troopers who are missing on Aether — a planet torn into light and dark domains. To help you travel through the depths of light and dark, you have all-new beam weapons, a screw attack, and power-ups. Eliminate your enemies, solve puzzles, and open doors in an effort to restore peace to Aether. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes also features competitive multiplayer modes supporting up to four players.

Basics

Controls

The adventure takes place from a first-person perspective, but because the focus is not on shooting, the controls do not adhere to your standard first-person shooter controls — traditionally dual analog. Instead, the developers have implemented a system closer to what was introduced in Zelda: The Ocarina of Time.

• Control Stick - Move/Turn
• L-trigger - Lock/Scan/Strafe
• R-trigger - Manual Aim
• A-button - Shoot/Bomb/Charge/Scroll Text
• B-button - Jump/Boost Ball
• Y-button - Missiles/Power Bomb
• X-button - Morph Ball
• Z-button - Map
• D-pad - Visor Modes
• C-stick - Switch Weapon Type

Lock-on/Scanning:

You can lock onto enemies and all important objects by holding down the L-trigger. Meanwhile, the controls allow you to circle strafe around the enemy or object and position yourself. It is the same for scanning. You can strafe and move around while you scan objects, which is imperative to avoiding damage during this process.

Sidestep:

When you are locked on to something, you can tap left or right and the jump button to perform a sideward leap. It is an advanced technique used to avoid projectiles and more quickly position yourself.

Strafe:

When you do not lock on to an object and hold down the L-trigger, it alters the control scheme slightly. By using it in conjunction with the control stick, you can strafe left to right, in addition to walking backwards without turning around. In both cases it is a very important function to accustom yourself with, but especially the latter can prove useful if you want to back off an enemy or object without turning your back to it.

Manual Aiming:

Just hold down the R-trigger to activate this free look mode. Because you cannot perform this while you are in motion, you should make it a habit to examine every room in detail once it is clear of enemies. There are many secrets that hide along the walls and the floors. Look and ye shall receive. Advanced players will be able to use this to quickly adjust aim and be generally more effective.

Jumping:

This is a painless process, and extremely forgiving. do not be shy about charging across a chasm or larger gap. Chances are it is closer than you think. Of course, there are many areas that are too high or too far away, but you will be able to access them in time. Just have patience and search for those power-ups.

Morph Ball:

You can use your morph ball at any time. Simply use the control stick to maneuver yourself around, and be sure to take advantage of the L-trigger, which will position the camera for you if you want.

Visor HUD

In Metroid Prime 2 Echoes you have to see through lead character Samus Aran's eyes. Because of this first-person perspective, you must learn to use the Heads Up Display (HUD) on her combat visor.

• Visor Modes: Use D-pad to switch.
• Weapon Type: Use C-stick to switch.
• Caution Level: A height meter used to indicate how close your feet are to dangerous material such as lava.
• Missile Supply: Your current available missiles. Not total.
• Radar: Monitors hostile activity (orange dots) around you.
• Map: This is the basic onscreen map. It is there to give you basic ideas, but press Z for the more detailed version.
• Energy Supply: Your power suit needs energy to function. It is basically your health. The highest amount of energy you can have is 99. However, the small squares above are energy tanks. Fill them up for backup reserves.
• Dark/Light Energy Supply: When you get both beams, these gauges show how much supply of each energy type you have. Use them wisely. TIP: If you need one type of energy, destroy objects with the opposite type to spawn opposite energy.

Visor Switching

The D-pad is used to swap from visor to visor. You begin with only the Scan Visor, but it can and must be used frequently. It is key to unraveling the complicated story, locating secrets, and learning how to defeat enemies. Once activated, you can easily turn it off by tapping the A-button. Be sure to use the manual aiming to look around rooms frequently with this.

Choose Your Weapon

With the flick of the C-stick, you can switch between your various weapons. Eventually you will earn a total of four, but you only begin with one. As soon as you do earn a weapon, memorize the direction you must flick the C-stick to access it. Eventually, you will need to manage your arsenal in clutch moments.

Map Interface

Understanding the map is key to exploring Prime 2's huge worlds. Tap the Z-button to access the map and everything is at your fingertips. There is a built-in key to explain what things mean and you can easily zoom, roate, and navigate each room with little problem. Take note that each room has a name and location to its overworld. There is also a dark version of each world, which although it can look similar on the map, it almost always houses different things.

Hint System

Metroid Prime defaults with the "Hint" system activated. do not freak out and assume that it will ruin the game for you. It merely highlights the next area you need to go to. It does not tell you how or what you need to get there. Essentially, it is a device to overcome the frustration that could ensue from exploring such a vast 3D world. And it is even more unassuming in Prime 2 Echoes, so if you find you cannot wait for a hint, that is right where this guide comes in.

Power Suit Upgrades

Major Suit Upgrades

• Missile Launcher: Light Aether, Temple Grounds. Blow up the large yellow crate near the deserted marine ship.
• Morph Ball Bomb: Light Aether, Agon Wastes. Beat the Bomb Guardian to earn it.
• Space Jump Boots: Dark Aether, Agon Wastes. Beat the Jump Guardian to earn it.
• Dark Beam: Light Aether, Agon Wastes. Beat Dark Samus to earn it.
• Light Beam: Dark Aether, Agon Wastes. Find it in Ing Cache 1.
• Dark Suit: Dark Aether, Agon Wastes. Beat Amorbis to earn it.
• Super Missile: Light Aether, Torvus Bog: Beat Pirates in Torvus Temple to earn it.
• Seeker Launcher: Light Aether, Temple Grounds: Find it in the Hall of Honored Dead.
• Gravity Boost: Light Aether, Torvus Bogg: Find it in the Main Hydrochamber.
• Grapple Beam: Dark Aether, Torvus Bog: Beat Grapple Guardian to earn it.
• Dark Burst: Light Aether, Agon Wastes: Find it in Mining Station B.
• Dark Visor: Dark Aether, Torvus Bog: Beat Chykka to earn it.
• Spider Ball: Light Aether, Sanctuary Fortress: Beat Spider Guardian to earn it.
• Power Bomb: Dark Aether, Torvus Bog: Beat Power Bomb Guardian to earn it.
• Echo Visor: Light Aether, Sanctuary Temple: Beat Dark Samus 2 to earn it.
• Screw Attack: Light Aether, Sanctuary Temple: Find it in the Vault.
• Annihilator Beam: Dark Aether, Ing Hive: Beat Quadraxis to earn it.
• Sonic Boom: Dark Aether, Ing Hive: Find it in Ing Cache 2.
• Light Suit: Light Aether, Great Temple: After restoring power to three temples, visit U-Mos to get this suit.

Energy Tanks

1. Light Aether: Temple Grounds, Storage Cavern B: Use missile launcher on red door.
2. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Mining Station Access: Use bomb on breakable block, exposing an orb cannon, which will shoot you into upgrade.
3. Light Aether: Agon Wastes: Bionenergy Production: Manipulate the platforms in the room to allow you access to the Tank.
4. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Temple Access: Drop a bomb on the first circle on the floor to get the Tank.
5. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Transit Tunnel East: Use bomb slots in the tubes to change the current, then use bomb jumps to get up to the power-up.
6. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Mine Shaft: Bomb jump on top of the cracked block and bomb jump one more time to a higher ledge to the left. Boost left, hop up then boost left again to head inside a wall. Bomb jump up and left, then go up once more. Continue left to fall down to the Tank.
7. Dark Aether: Torvus Bog, Cache B: Open the green door in Dark Torvus Temple to get it.
8. Light Aether: Temple Grounds, Windchamber Gateway: Use orb cannon then grapple to the power-up.
9. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Reactor Core: Use the orb cannon to blast to the center sphere and hang on with the spider ball. Boost using the red nodes on the spheres, avoiding the electric charges.
10. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Watch Station Access: Jump to the ledge to get this power-up.
11. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Mining Plaza: Use Echo Visor to find and shoot three audiowaves. This will make a beam of lighht appear. Screw Attack to the source of the light to earn the Tank.
12. Light Aether: Temple Grounds, Fortress Transport Access: Once you have the Light Suit, go into the Light Beam here to be transported to the Tank.
13. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Meditation Vista: Screw Attack over to the platform and ride it to the power-up.
14. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Torvus Plaza: Boost up the halfpipe and cling to the spiderball track above. Follow the tracks up to the Tank.

Missile Expansions

1. Light Aether: Temple Grounds, Transport to Agon Wastes: Shoot the green webbing to expose the Expansion.
2. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Sand Cache: Once you can open amber doors, go to Mining Station A and scan that door. Head through the hex door to get the Expansion.
3. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Portal Access A: Use the ball cannon to get to the other side of the room. Roll under the cannon contraption there to find the expansion near a corpse.
4. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Transport Center: Upon returning from Dark Aether, go to the far end of Portal Terminal and use the bomb slot to gain the power-up.
5. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Command Center: Roll under the floor here and explore to find the Expansion.
6. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Storage B: Go through the dark door in Biostorage Station.
7. Light Aether: Temple Grounds, Temple Assembly Site: From the pillar, leap up to a ledge and roll into the morph ball tunnel to get it.
8. Light Aether: Great Temple, Transport B Access: Look for a morph ball opening in the hallway. Bomb jump up to get to the Expansion.
9. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Forgotten Bridge: This will be available on the bridge once you activate the bomb slot in Dark Forgotten Bridge.
10. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Underground Tunnel: Roll under the grate near the door to claim it.
11. Light Aether: Temple Grounds, Hive Chamber A: After you talk to U-Mos and return to this chamber, defeat the Dark Missile Trooper here to gain the missiles.
12. Light Aether: Temple Grounds, Hive Chamber B: Next to the morph ball hole is a capped tunnel. Bomb it to get inside. and get the Expansion.
13. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Hydrodynamo Station: Find it in front of a purple door.
14. Dark Aether: Torvus Bog, Undertransit One: Roll as far left as you can in the bottom tube of this area then bomb jump up to the top tube, heading through the contraption in the middle. Roll all the way right in the bottom tube. Bomb jump up to the next tube then jump once more up and right to get the missiles.
15. Dark Aether: Agon Wastes, Crossroads: Boost up the halfpipe in Transport Center to a portal and go through to claim the Expansion.
16. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Abandoned Worksite: Once you have the grapple beam, use it to grapple over to the power-up.
17. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Portal Chamber: Go to Portal Chamber in Dark Aether. Jump up to the morph ball hole, roll through and ride the piston down. Go through to the Light and grab the Expansion.
18. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Path of Roots: Once you have the grapple beam, use it to swing over to the missiles on the ledge.
19. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Torvus Lagoon: You need Gravity Boost to gain this power-up. Explore the underwater area to find the Expansion floating above some Venom Weed.
20. Light Aether: Great Temple, Transport A Access: Next to the save location. Roll back there and bomb the pile of rocks to get down to the Expansion.
21. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Dynamo Works: Upon beating the Spider Ball Guardian, use the spider ball tracks up. At the top of the area, bomb jump up and to the left then roll to find the Missile Expansion.
22. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Hall of Combat Mastery: Find the spider ball tracks that head into a wall. Maneuver through lasers, fire, moving platforms and nasty bomb jumps to reach the Expansion.
23. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Gathering Hall: Drop into the water and use a Power Bomb to break the glass, and another to break the drain cover. Once it's drained, boost up to the spider ball tracks and maneuver to bomb slots on both sides of the room. When both are activated, grapple over to a platform that leads to the goods.
24. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Main Research: Go to the spider ball track on the blue wall. Wacth out for the moving parts that try to knock you off the track as you roll and bomb jump to the top.
25. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Central Area Transport West: This is a vertical maze. Head to the top of the room and drop down a level. Change to the morph ball and enter the chute on the far left. Go right twice to find the power-up.
26. Dark Aether: Aerial Training Site, Ing Hive: Near the portal is a wall-jumping wall. Use it to get to the Expansion on the ledge above.
27. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Sentinel's Path: Hit the door with the Annihilator Beam and listen to the sound it makes. Hit each of the locks in the correct order to reproduce the tone and unlock the door.
28. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Temple Access: Use the Dark Visor to see the nodes and hit them with the Seeker Missile. Once you uncover an orb cannon, roll into it. Use the Echo Visor and disable the audio then ride the cannon again to grab the goodies.
29. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Ventilation Area A: Roll over to the block to the right. Eliminate the enemy and get on top of the block then bomb jump to get up to the higher level, where you can roll left and gain the power-up.
30. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Main Reactor: Follow the spider ball track around the corner from where you enter the bottom part of the room. When you get to the top portion, use the boost to get to the rotating spider ball columns. When you get through this, drop a Power Bomb on the glass at the end to earn the missiles.
31. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Sand Processing: Boost up the right side of the halfpipe and go through the tunnel. Scan the console in the next room and activate the bomb slot to drain the sand out of the previous room, exposing an Expansion.
32. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Storage C. Raise the middle platforms with the control panel in Bioenergy Production then find the spider ball track nearby. Boost between the tracks and head to the center of the room. From here, boost to the edge of the triangular platform and from here, boost one last time to get to the ledge. Blast through the green door to claim your prize.
33. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Mining Station A: Find the cracked wall with your scan visor and drop a Power Bomb next to that portion of wall. Use the ball cannon to launch up to a spider ball track. Manuever along it to get to the Expansion on the left.
34. Dark Aether: Sky Temple Grounds, War Ritual Grounds: Switch to the Dark Visor and locate five red nodes. Use the Seeker Missile on them to open a path to the Expansion.
35. Dark Aether: Sky Temple Grounds, Plain of Dark Worship: Sitting in the open.
36. Light Aether: Temple Grounds, Communication Area: Leap up to the ledge near the door and use a Power Bomb to break the glass, exposing a morph ball hole that leads to the missiles.
37. Light Aether: Temple Grounds, GFMC Compound: Use the Screw Attack to get on top of the ship. You'll find the Expansion at the far end.
38. Dark Aether: Sky Temple Grounds, Phazon Grounds: Screw Attack across the gap to get it.
39. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Storage A: In Mining Station B, Power Bomb the weak wall (the scan visor will reveal its location). Go through the light door to retrieve the expansion.
40. Dark Aether: Agon Wastes, Warrior's Walk: Use a Power Bomb on the floor and boost to the far end below... work quickly to avoid getting hurt a lot by the Phazon.
41. Dark Aether: Agon Wastes, Junction Site: Hop up to the spider ball track and follow it to a bomb slot. This will shift the room and provide access to the Expansion.
42. Dark Aether: Agon Wastes, Ing Cache 4: In Duelling Range, go through the dark door. Near the entrance is a morph ball tunnel that leads to the goodies.
43. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Torvus Grove: Switch to scan visor and check out the tree. Drop Power Bombs next to the weak points to bring the tree down and expose the power-up.
44. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Plaza Access: Activate both bomb slots in the tunnels to allow access to the top tunnels. Use bomb jumps to get to the top and claim your prize.
45. Dark Aether: Torvus Bog, Undertemple: After using the portal in Main Hydrochamber, use the wall jump to get up to the expansion.
46. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Transit Tunnel South: Roll to the left and find a bomb slot. Use it to change the current in the tunnel. Head up to the top of the area (using multiple bomb jumps to get up the shafts of current). Activate the second slot and drop back down under the wire cage. Go all the way to the top, then far to the right to find the final bomb slot. Go back one tunnel left and double jump here to claim the Expansion.
47. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Training Chamber: Roll up the spider ball track and boost across to a semi-circular track. Roll under it and boost over to the track. Bomb jump across the spider tracks and head up until you see a rounded mass of tracks on the ceiling. Head toward the statue and drop down to the platform below. Hop up to the bomb slot and activate it then fall into the water and grab the Expansion.
48. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Sanctuary Map Station: Use the Light Suit to warp by stepping in the yellow shaft of light. This leads to the Expansion.
49. Dark Aether: Ing Hive, Hazing Cliff: Kill the Dark Diligence Drones and grab the Expansion from the tunnel behind them.

Beam Expansions

1. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Central Mining Station: Man the turret and blow up three generators in this area. Use the Pirate Skiff to space jump up to the platforms. Follow the path back to a force field and use the morph ball to scoot behind it to get the Expansion.
2. Dark Aether: Torvus Bog, Cache A: Head to Poisoned Bog and blast the purple door with a Seeker Missile burst to uncover the power-up.
3. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Watch Station: Roll up the spider ball track to find a kinetic orb cannon. It will shoot you across to another track. Cling to that and roll until you reach a moving track on the outside of a disc. Use a bomb jump as you pass through a pair of red bars, and repeat the process on the next disc. Keep working through until you reach a grid of spider ball tracks. Go to the bottom left corner and drop to another track. Keep moving on the rotating tracks, bombing at the red bars. Soon, you'll reach a tunnel. Roll until you see a perpendicular tunnel leading away from the camera and roll back to score the Expansion.
4. Dark Aether: Sky Temple Grounds, Profane Path: Use the Echo Visor to find some audio locks. Shoot the main door with the Annilhilator Beam. Hit the locks in the right order (to match the tone that the door makes) in order to gain access to the Expansion.

Power Bomb Expansions

1. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Sanctuary Entrace: Outside of Sanctuary Fortress, use a Power Bomb to gain access to an elevator near the entrance. Ride it up and scan a console to activate an orb cannon. This will shoot you to a spider ball track. Use the turret to shoot the wall on the other side of the cavern, the cracked temple and the spire to the right. Once they are all destroyed, use the spider ball tracks to get over to the new hole. Shoot across the gap with the orb cannon to finally get the Expansion.
2. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Transit Station: Break the glass with a Power Bomb in this room. Go into the portal. Head past the Dark Ingsmasher and go into the portal behind it. Go through the tunnel and head to another portal then go across the spider ball track to reach another portal. Go through and use more tracks to get to the expansion. Whew!
3. Light Aether: Sanctuary Fortress, Main Gyro Chamber: Use the Echo Visor and Annihilator Beam on the door. Once it's unlocked, go into the orb cannon to get the Expansion.
4. Light Aether: Temple Grounds, Dynamo Chamber: Power Bomb the gate then use another Power Bomb on the wall (scan visor should help you find it) to locate the Expansion.
5. Light Aether: Agon Wastes, Sandcanyon: Use the Screw Attack to get to the central platform. Use a power bomb to collapse this contraption and reveal an Expansion.
6. Dark Aether: Agon Wastes, Feeding Pit: Once you have the Light Suit, go into the putrid water and explore to find the Expansion.
7. Dark Aether: Torvus Bog, Putrid Alcove: Go into the water and use a Power Bomb on the weak wall. The Expansion is contained within.
8. Light Aether: Torvus Bog, Great Bridge: Find the pile of rocks on the ledge and Power Bomb it to reveal a tunnel. Roll inside to get the power-up.

Multiplayer

Match Types

There are only two types of matches available for multiplayer action, but they each have the same general idea — kill your opponents to win.

• Deathmatch: Kill as many opponents as possible before time runs out.
• Bounty: Kill opponents and collect the coins they drop. She who finishes with the most space loot, wins.

Maps

There are four maps available right off the bat, and two more will be unlocked as you progress through the single player game. Here is how the maps break down:

• Sidehopper Station: One of the most entertaining of the maps, Sidehopper Station allows you to use all of your abilites. There are extensive morph ball opportunities here, with kinetic orb cannons and spider ball tracks galore. Open space platforms make for good free-for-all territory.
• Spider Complex: There is a large sphere at the center of the area covered in spider ball tracks. Boost out from the sphere to various areas stuffed with power-ups.
• Shooting Gallery: Get to the turret and try to hold it down as long as possible. If someone else is in it, try to use the nearby bomb slot to blow them up. Fun!
• Crossfire Chaos: More of a wide-open run n' gun level than any of the others, Crossfire Chaos is for those who just prefer to blast.
• Pipeline: The open, watery areas of this level call for a lot of gravity boosting. The goodie-lined tunnels that connect areas, however, call for plain ol' boosting.
• Spires: Use the kinetic orb cannons to get between the platforms, and catch power-ups as you shoot through. This one can devolve into a mad scramble to see who can knock out whom with the orb cannons.

Starting Gear/Abilities

There are power-ups strewn throughout the various levels, but each warrior begins with the same basic sets of abilities.

• Power Beam: The regular old cannon comes standard. Charge it up to pack more of a wallop.
• Space Jump Boots: Or, as lay people call it, double jump.
• Gravity Boost: Use this extra jump underwater to float.
• Dark Visor: Press right on the D-Pad to enter into Dark Visor mode. This will allow you to see invisible opponents.
• Morph Ball Bombs: When in morph ball form, release these when near enemies. The second it hits a foe, it will detonate. Score!
• Boost Ball: Use this to escape from enemy fire or boost into an opponent in order to dish a small amount of damage.
• Grapple Beam: If there is a grapple point, you can swing on it by pressing L. Simple as that.

Power-ups

There are two kinds of naked power-ups you can grab to quickly replenish your suit. They are:

• Missiles: Each missile pick-up gives you five.
• Energy: This replenishes your health. You can collect health even when you are full just to keep it from other players.

In addition, you will find power-ups in crates. Shoot the boxes to yield the pick-ups inside. Here is what is available:

• Annihilator Beam: Press DOWN on the C-Stick in order to use this Beam, which combines the effects of Light and Dark. Use single shots to track your target.
• Dark Beam: Press RIGHT on the C-Stick to use this once you pick it up. This is the shotgun of the Metroid world. In other words, it is slow and should be used in close. If you charge it up, you can freeze a foe and finish her off.
• Light Beam: Press LEFT on the C-Stick to use this. A charged Light Beam will yield a spread attack, which is very useful when you want to affect a wide area in front of you.
• Power Bomb: A very damaging attack, you must (of course) be in morph ball form to use it. Try to lay a bomb at your enemy's feet.

You will also find several holograms stashed throughout the worlds. These give you a special but random power, some of which are not even available in the single player game. They are:

• Death Ball: You will be trapped in morph ball form for the duration of this attack. You will be unable to boost, but can still take damage in this form. However, if you hit an opponent, you will deal major hurt of your own.
• Hacker Mode: When this mode activates, you will be able to drain an opponent's energy by scanning them. The downside is that while it is on, you cannot change into the morph ball or fire any other weapons.
• Invisibility: This will, of course, make you disappear to the eyes of others. Those using the Dark Visor will still be able to see you, but you can get some sneak attacks in.
• Invulnerability: For as long as it lasts, this will make you impervious to harm. Go buck wild!
• Massive Damage: Just like it sounds. Hit 'em hard and hit 'em quick.
• Unlimited Beam Ammo: If you have any Beam weapons when you grab this, the ammo will be unlimited, but only for a limited time.
• Unlimited Missiles: Same story, but with missiles!

Log Book

To collect entries for your log book, you have to be meticulous and thorough while in scan visor mode. There are several types of things that need to be scanned in order to complete the whole list, and some of the things you must scan are only available for scan once (like bosses). Since some of the Secrets are directly tied to how much stuff you scan, you will want to be vigilant and never miss an opportunity. Make sure you turn on the scan visor and look around in each roo

Creatures

Each lifeform you encounter in Prime 2 should be scanned when you first encounter it, because you never know when you'll come across it again. This goes double for any boss you fight in the game. Make sure you scan it before battling, because if you kill it, you won't have the opportunity again. If a boss has more than one form, be sure to scan them both.

Research

Research can be gained by scanning mechanisms like security systems, crystals and non-sentient lifeforms (plants and such). Whenever you encounter a new piece of technology, make it a point to scan it. Those things that show up red on the visor display should always be scanned, but things that show up blue should also be scanned. When in doubt, scan.

Lore

Lore is often found by scanning corpses. By doing this, you can gain more insight into the history of the area, and feed the story of your quest. Lore can also be gleaned from computer terminals and such. Again, scan everything that glows when you switch the visor on, and you should be safe.

Secrets

Unlockable: Galleries

• Rough Sketch Gallery: Beat game on Normal
• Storyboard Gallery: Beat game on Hard
• Promotional Gallery: Scan 40% of logbook
• Character Gallery: Scan 60% of logbook
• Creature Gallery: Scan 80% of logbook
• Boss Gallery: Scan 100% of logbook

Unlockable: Endings

Collect 75% of the items in the game, and you will see Samus outside of her suit after beating the final boss. Collect all items, and see a special ending with Dark Samus.

Unlockable: Multiplayer Goodies

• Darkness Soundtrack: Beat game
• Dark Echoes Soundtrack: Beat game
• Luminoth Soundtrack: Talk to U-Mos
• Pirate Fear Soundtrack: Talk to U-Mos after restoring power to Agon Temple
• Torvus Bog Soundtrack: Talk to U-Mos after restoring power to Torvus Temple
• Pipeline Arena: Talk to U-Mos after restoring power to Torvus Temple
• Sanctuary Soundtrack: Talk to U-Mos after restoring power to Sanctuary Temple
• Spires Arena: Talk to U-Mos after restoring power to Sanctuary Temple

Metroid Prime 2 Echoes Review

By Matt Casamassina Updated: 12 Dec 2018 10:39 pm Posted: 12 Nov 2004 10:36 am

Two years ago newcomer Retro Studios created with Metroid Prime what we consider to be the best GameCube game. Better than Super Mario Sunshine, Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Pikmin, and Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem. Better, in fact, than any Nintendo-developed GCN game. And it did so against all odds, amidst a series of internal company layoffs, of cancelled projects, and incidentally against the predictions of most critics. Not bad, huh?

Depending on whom you ask, Metroid Prime is even today described as the best game ever created, an amazing transitional sequel for the franchise, or a surprisingly well-produced adventure game that should have featured dual-analog control. There are people on both sides of the fence, but few would disagree that the title was at the very least a success at recreating the series in the first-person perspective while remaining true to the play mechanics and smart level design that helped make Samus Aran a star to begin with. Whether it was the way the game easily handled platform elements where other first-person games failed, or the stylistic heads-up display that put you in Aran's suit, Prime felt fresh and groundbreaking.

Metroid Prime 2 Echoes, in every way an extension of that winning formula, does not. As a result, anybody who played through the original game will already have a very clear picture of what waits in this anticipated sequel: more of the same. Yes, that means an identical control scheme and similar level structure, pacing, weapon and upgrade advancements, and Morphball-based puzzles. And despite an updated graphics engine, even the visuals look closely related to those in the title's predecessor.

That feeling of totally new, of completely fresh, is subdued. But this is the truth and in the end all that matters: if you can look beyond that, you are going to discover that Metroid Prime 2 Echoes is still one hell of an engaging, thrilling, and wholeheartedly entertaining sequel. It plays just as well as the original and in some ways better. It is at times cleverer, more difficult, and even prettier. And there are still some surprises to be found hidden around corners and behind locked doors. Which is why, like the original, it is one of GameCube's best titles.

The Facts

• All-new adventure starring Nintendo mascot and bounty hunter Samus Aran
• Explore Aether, a planet caught between two dimensions: the Light and the Dark World
• Join the Luminoth to fight against the evil Ing, a beastly race from the Dark World that threatens the Light
• Travel between the Light and Dark World, solve environmental puzzles, battle enemies, unlock new areas, and more
• Search the planet for upgrades that can improve Samus Aran's weaponry and gadgetry
• Fight a wide assortment of challenging boss characters
• More third-person Morph ball-based puzzles than ever before
• A lengthy single-player quest promises at least 20 hours of gameplay
• New four-player compatible multiplayer mode
• Unlockable art assets
• Runs in progressive scan mode
• Dolby Pro Logic II compatible
• Requires three memory blocks for saves

Let There be Dark

Metroid Prime had an amazing opening. Space bounty hunter extraordinaire Samus Aran landed atop a desolate space station and fought off Space Pirates before the entire structure exploded. The complete segment, dripping with atmosphere, proved to be the perfect setup for the quest that followed. Prime 2's beginning is disappointingly far less dramatic. A well-orchestrated real-time cut-scene illustrates Aran's approach to the largely unexplored planet of Aether. An electrical storm damages the heroine's ship and she's forced to set down. You take control from here.

Samus has come to the planet to aid the Federation Troopers, whose own ship is abandoned somewhere nearby. The Troopers, you learn, followed a group of Space Pirates to Aether, but before they could pursue the enemy they were attacked and slaughtered by an unexpected foe, a nasty race of dark creatures from another dimension. Aran comes upon the dead soldiers shortly after the game begins and downloads a computer log that triggers another cinematic of the attack. The game's story is driven by an assortment of other in-game cut-scenes — much more than the original offered — most of them polished and intriguing.

From the very beginning, Echoes successfully recreates the overwhelming sense of isolation that has been with Samus through all of her adventures. She's alone. Nobody's backing her up. Either she gets the job done, or she dies. The creepy mood is set in stone after Aran predictably loses all of her gear again. Not a technical malfunction, as in the first game, but a theft. Shortly after the bounty hunter encounters a mysterious anti-version of herself known as Dark Samus, a group of the beastly Ing creatures surrounds the character and literally steals most of her weapons and gadgets. When the smoke clears, she's left only with her Morphball ability and her trusty Power Beam. Echoes is not Resident Evil, but we found ourselves spooked by some of the title's dangerous locations and situations all the same. And the ambient soundtrack from composer Kenji Yamamoto, full of both subtle tracks that feature heartbeat rhythms and grandiose battle music, drives the eerie theme home.

There is definitely a formula in place and Echoes doesn't often stray from it, which may upset some gamers hoping for an entirely new take on the franchise. Samus loses her gear. She has to find it. And in the meantime, parts of this massive, gorgeous world remain locked to her. Only after Samus bests some large and challenging bosses and solves some truly clever environmental puzzles do these added abilities and items become available, at which point she can access more locales in the world. Same as before. There is a lot of backtracking in Echoes, which has been a point of complaint for some critics. But in our opinion, this is part of the franchise's charm, just as backtracking has always been engraved in the Zelda series. It is knowing that there is a cliff that can only be reached by using Aran's Grapple Beam, and then wondering where the Grapple Beam is hidden, that will both intrigue and drive you. It is classic Metroid design and Retro Studios has once more executed on it triumphantly. The result is a game that is nearly as fun and enjoyable as the first, an achievement in and of itself.

Echoes is not a first-person shooter. That is to say, it is much more than that. You explore Aether in first-person mode, but can switch to a third-person view via Aran's Morphball at any given time. The play is a combination of first-person shooting, platforming and exploration with third-person Morphball puzzles. Retro created a surprisingly capable control scheme for the first Prime and that configuration is carried over, largely unchanged for the sequel. It works very well, especially where platforming is concerned. Jumping from platform to platform is more intuitive than in any other first-person style game that comes to mind. A system enables the bounty hunter to target and stay locked onto enemies while strafing around them. But there is no dual-analog control. And to be honest, there are some cumbersome moments because of it. A couple of mechanically difficult boss fights in particular would have been less so had we been able to look and run at the same time. Retro, if you are reading, hook us up for the inevitable (and already anticipated) Revolution sequel. Or at least give us the option.

This worthy sequel revolves around the concept that planet Aether exists in two dimensions. The Light World, inhabited by the peaceful, Chozo-like Luminoth, and the Dark World, which is overrun by the evil Ing. The Luminoth and Ing have been at war for a long time, but recently the dark creatures have gained an upper hand and are threatening to topple the balance of the dimensions and eliminate the Light once and for all. It is up to Samus to right the balance and destroy the Ing before they can do more damage.

Click on the image to download movies of Metroid Prime 2 Echoes Which brings us to the major differences between Echoes and the original Prime: the new world, the new dynamic, the new weapons, and the new upgrades. Retro's unbelievably talented artists have gone to work to make Aether an organic, curvy, detailed world filled with the little extras that truly bring it to life. Each locale, from the rain-drenched swamplands of Torvus Bog and the futuristic, industrialized corridors in the Sanctuary Fortress to the vegetation-filled pathways in the Agon Wastes, is simply breathtaking. Walkways are intentionally cracked and broken, with protruding trees and rocks. Holograms float in the air. Waterfalls shimmer in the distance. The sun glares down upon the horizon. Or flashes of lightning temporarily illuminate the environments.

Aether is divided into Light and Dark halves and Samus must travel to both in order to advance through the game. The areas in the Light World are described above. The Dark World can be summed up in a word: purple. Although the alternate dimension houses some clever puzzles and some truly remarkable boss fights, we oftentimes found ourselves preferring the Light World locations for their variety and for their beauty. Much of the Dark World looks the same, which is a complaint, and the area is generally more difficult, too, which means that at times we actually dreaded going there, especially when we were already low on energy. Still, Retro has smartly created puzzles that involve both dimensions. Successfully navigating both the Light and Dark Worlds in order to, say, raise a bridge in one dimension so that it also moves in the other, paving the way to progress onward, is extremely satisfying.

The same can be written of Aran's major new weapons. The Light and Dark Beams are powerful new guns that enable the bounty hunter to dispose of enemies and solve puzzles. The Light Beam can more easily destroy Dark World creatures and vice versa, just as the Dark Beam (which, by the way, is the ugliest weapon in the game; the shimmering purple textures that surround it do not look so hot) can remove specific barriers, raise levers and activate machines, and vice versa. The dynamic works well and once you understand the formula you can more quickly advance through the game. For instance, while the Power and Dark Beams might cause little damage to an enemy Ing, the Light Beam would quickly obliterate it. The catch is that, for the first time, you can run out of ammo. The good news, however, is that it actually doesn't happen very often, especially if you wisely conserve Dark and Light matter so that you have it when it is necessary. Both of the weapons have useful secondary charge functions, including a burst shot for the Light Beam and the same for the Dark, which emits a projectile that more or less freezes opponents. Samus eventually gains more weapons, one of which combines the power of Light and Dark, and is equally impressive for reasons of its own. Unfortunately, though, many of the old favorites are gone. The Ice Beam, for example. The Wave Beam, too. Also gone are the X-Ray and Thermal Visors from Metroid Prime, but in their place are two brand new ones that are sure to please for entirely different reasons. The Dark Visor, which is gained about halfway through the game, enables Samus to see objects and enemies that exist in the alternate dimension. The spectacularly stylized display, surrounded in a television-quality grain filter, highlights enemies and objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye in a pinkish hue and naturally it looks gorgeous. The Echo Visor actually turns sounds into visuals, and it too is amazing. You will probably flip on the visors just to marvel at them. We did.

Aran's suit upgrades are just as impressive. A new multi-target Seeker Missile enables the bounty hunter to simultaneously lock five different enemies or objects, and many of the environmental puzzles make use of this truth. The Gravity Boost gives Samus a temporary hover ability while underwater. The Power Bomb will explode just about any object. And of course the Screw Attack is intuitively injected into the play experience, allowing Samus to corkscrew up walls and to otherwise unattainable areas. All of these upgrades have a bearing on Aran's physical make-up. The character model looks more detailed and sexy than ever before from the start. But as Samus gains new suits — the Light and Dark ones to be specific — she grows grittier still.

Metroid Prime 2 is more difficult than its predecessor. The game is challenging from the start and it only gets harder. And partly because of that, it is on occasion also more rewarding. The beginning of the game feels roughly as difficult as a point halfway through the original Prime. Although at least one boss fight is unfairly made more difficult due to a lacking save point, most of the time the bosses are just hard. To tell you the truth, we died playing some of the bosses three or four times before finally discovering the routine and then capitalizing on it. The larva boss Chykka was a particular thorn in our side. And we won't even go into the final fight. After the bouts are over, there is a real sense of accomplishment. In addition, some of the regular enemy characters are menacing and impressive, too. The Ingsmasher, a gigantic statue-sized entity powerful enough to shake the screen, hurls dangerous shockwaves at Samus. Another hovering drone can actually cause Aran's suit to crash, just like a computer. The hunter's vision will skip, go into black and white and you will need to reboot the suit with a combination of buttons. It is extremely creative, and we're only detailing a small portion of the enemies in the game.

Meanwhile the puzzle challenges, be them in first-person view with the help of a visor or special weapon, or in third-person using the Morphball or Spider Ball, which still kicks as much ass as ever, are all fulfilling. Prime 2 is not easily beaten, either. The game will run you a commendable bare minimum of 20 hours and we wouldn't be surprised if some gamers put in double that.

Echoes has a multiplayer mode, too, which is sure to extend the replay value of the game for some. Up to four players can duke it out in a standard deathmatch-style competition and true enough, Retro Studios has tried to Metroid-ize the feel and function of arenas. There are Morphball Cannons, which launch Samus across chasms and up to second-tier levels. There is a Death Ball that immediately eliminates any opponent you happen to roll into. And you can even hack the suits of your foes, temporarily disabling some of their functions. And to top everything off, there is also a treasure hunt mode in which you compete against friends in a collect-a-thon. The multiplayer mode runs smoothly and as far as four-player split-screen goes, it really is not bad. But at the same time we simply do not feel that Metroid Prime needed a multiplayer mode to begin with — the series has succeeded on its single-player merits for more than a decade. Despite Retro's attempt to put a Metroid spin (pardon the pun) on the multiplayer mode, in the end it is still just deathmatch, and deathmatching doesn't work so well when you can always see exactly what your opponent is doing. And there is no getting around the fact that the multiplayer mode feels archaic compared to the onslaught of online-ready fragfests available to owners of Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation 2 consoles.

Naturally, the game runs in progressive scan mode and Dolby Pro Logic II so that it both looks extremely crisp and detailed and sounds fantastic in full surround. Retro's artistic sense is impeccable. But the developer's engineers are technical wizards, too. Not only does the game spit out huge, detailed locations filled with textures that offer more clarity than those in the original, and with more enemies on-screen, more advanced particle and lighting effects, and even some reflections and transparencies to boot, but it does so while retaining a fluidity of 60 frames per second. There are couple drops here in there, especially in the mesmerizing Sanctuary Fortress area, but for the most part it is an amazing accomplishment — again. And of course the sound effects and music fit the mood. A futuristic voice now announces that new data has been added to Aran's logbook. Enemies growl and whine realistically. Bombs explode and weapons thump with a real umph. And it is also separated nicely. The only thing missing, in fact, is more voice dialogue. Not for Samus, per se, but for some of the other characters. True to Nintendo form, the Luminoth have one or two sound samples that repeat when they are talking, and then text does the rest. For a game with such high production values, more speech would have been nice to complement the superb visuals.

Verdict

Metroid Prime 2 Echoes proves that Retro Studios' first game was not a fluke. This long-anticipated sequel to what I consider to be one of the greatest games ever made arrives as one hell of a great new installment to an already-outstanding franchise.

Echoes is not exactly a groundbreaking product. The feeling of originality, of freshness, that overwhelmed me as I played through Prime is not present in this sequel, and that is mainly because Prime 2 doesn't stray from the winning formula. It strictly adheres to it, in fact. that is a little disappointing. But at the same time the end experience is every bit as amazing as the first, which means that if you loved the original game then you are going to love this one too. And if you hated it, well, you are probably not going to have a sudden change of heart now.

Prime 2 succeeds because it successfully recreates the Metroid experience in 3D. It succeeds for all the same reasons that the first did, and no new ones. The wide-openness of the huge, gorgeous world. The gargantuan number of hidden upgrades that promise access to areas unreachable. The intense boss fights. The intuitive first-person platforming elements and the challenging third-person environmental puzzles. And most of all, the exploration factor. Just getting to know the world is immensely enjoyable and extremely rewarding. Did I mention that the game is artistically and technically head and shoulders above most games on the market, competing systems included?

I have a couple of minor quibbles with the Echoes. The Dark World is less compelling than the Light World. The lock-on system is not without problems. A dual-analog control setup is long overdue, at least as a secondary option for those who might prefer it. And at least one boss fight was made unfairly more difficult due to the lack of a nearby save point.

But everything said and done, this is still one of the best games to come out in the last couple years and in many ways it stands side-by-side with Metroid Prime. Some gamers may actually prefer it.

And what it boils down to is this: if you are okay with Echoes being an extension of the first game and not a revolution, you are going to flip out over this sequel.

Our highest recommendation.