Pandora's Box: The Ultimate GameCube Tier List

#7: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Rating: T

Players: 1-4

Price Range: ~$50 USD

A first-person action-adventure game in the Metroid series.

Truly a special game.

For starters, I love Metroid, as it is easily one of the most consistent and enjoyable series I've ever played, even if there was a period when the games weren't so hot.

This is considered to be the black sheep of the original trilogy, but I disagree. Honestly, the trilogy is so good, that everybody has their own opinions as to which game is better. People who prefer the more mysterious and intriguing elements of the story and the classic feel of Prime 1 say that's their favorite, people who enjoy more mechanical complexity and more refined game design, with some stellar bosses enjoy Prime 2, and those who want a more streamlined, more linear, casual, story-driven game say Prime 3 is the best. It just goes to show how amazing all three games are.

Some consider this to be an iffy entry of the series, but I don't think so. While it is the least accessible game in the trilogy, it is arguably the best.

First of all, let's discuss the qualities of the trilogy, or, more particularly, the first two games.

The graphics, music, immersion, and gameplay are S Tier. For 2002, the original Metroid Prime was a technical marvel, running at 60 FPS and looking amazing. Even today, the games both run extremely well while looking a generation ahead, with every bit of its locations looking stellar to this very day, which is definitely impressive. Also, because of some technical wizardry behind the game's doors, the game has no loading screens, allowing for seamless gameplay where your exploration isn't interrupted and leaves the game with this smooth and consistent framerate, which is quite an inspired decision. The game's music is also very special, having arguably the best selection of tunes the series has ever seen, with Echos in particular having a great set of tracks as well, such as the Torvus Bog and its flooded machinery or the Sanctuary Fortress. The games also have this unique sense of immersion that is sorely lacking today and hasn't really been replicated since. Sure, it has all the usual information that a game HUD should have, but it makes it so that you feel like you are looking through the eyes of Samus Aran. Fog can blur up the visor, bright lights allows you to actually see Samus's face and eyes, and taking a powerful attack causes her to flinch and throw her arm in front in protection, making you feel like you are in the Varia Suit. Also, the game's story is quite special as well, with most of it, particularly in the first game, being exclusively through these scannable hieroglyphs and computers, as the game also allows you to switch beam types, along with your visors. With the Scan Visor, you can scan all matter of objects, whether it be enemies to not only learn their weaknesses, but also lore around the world's ecosystem. You can also scan for lore around the game's story and factions, giving a healthy dose of world-building. Because these are scannable, if you are looking for a purely gameplay-driven playthrough, you can ignore them entirely, never stopping you in your tracks if you wish to leave them be, being a very great piece of game design. While Soulsbourne would receive high amounts of popularity for its flavor text, Metroid Prime was the progenitor of such amazing storytelling, where using the information you gather to piece together the plot is such an enjoyable aspect I really like. The games also have the usual Metroid exploration, where you find powerups through the world to use to find even more abilities, a game loop that is highly engaging, where you can go wherever you want and tackle any challenge you choose off the beaten path as long as you have the powers, skills, and imagination to do so.