Metroid Subprime
METROID PRIME 2: ECHOES (2004) takes the groundwork laid by the first game and does little to expand on it, which leaves a still great yet somewhat familiar game. The new dynamic here is the dark world vs. light world trope that Nintendo wheels out every now and again, it’s used fairly interestingly here, with the “what happens in one version affects the other” stuff coming out from time to time, but the main difference is that the dark world is much more dangerous than the light. Whilst in the dark world you can be hurt whenever you aren’t inside the protective light bubbles that sit around the maps, and this mechanic is actually just a little boring, it has the effect of making you jump between visible “waypoints” in a pretty linear fashion and diminishes the impact of one of Metroid Prime’s best elements, the exploration. There is a little more story this time, with a corrupted version of Samus made by Phazon causing problems for the planet you’re saving this time, and a friendly insect-person guiding you through the story, but it’s all a little basic and not particularly engaging. The atmosphere is back though, and the game still controls, plays, looks and sounds fantastic. On the whole the game is still great, though its best parts are the ones most similar to the first game, which leaves the whole thing feeling like a pretty uninspired expansion on Metroid Prime. It’s more, slightly less interesting, Metroid Prime.