Official Metroid Prime 2 Thread

[sofasurfer]

I haven't got the review to hand, but I don't remember Edge mentioning the screw attack or wall jumping at all.

They didn't mention them in the review

They did in Cube's review

[Cyhwuhx]

.::: As being available in the game, or by describing their usage? PR-bulletpoints are different info than experience of course.

[JedEvangelion]

Anyone far enough to comment on the amount of backtracking needed? It killed the first game for me (that and the way-hard difficulty level, TBH). I know it wouldn't be Metroid without all that backtracking, but there was something about it in Prime that just annoyed me in ways the old 2D Metroids never do. Maybe it was the sparse save points? Dunno.

[Professor Rob]

Haven't read Cube's review, but Nintendo Official Mag covered the screw attack and the wall jump. They even had an pretty interesting interview with Retro.

NoM's usually shit.

[Cyhwuhx]

Anyone far enough to comment on the amount of backtracking needed? It killed the first game for me (that and the way-hard difficulty level, TBH). I know it wouldn't be Metroid without all that backtracking, but there was something about it in Prime that just annoyed me in ways the old 2D Metroids never do. Maybe it was the sparse save points? Dunno.

.::: AH! I completely forgot this bit of spoilerific info concerning that!

Click For Spoiler

After obtaining the Light Suit you can use the Temples as warp points making backtracking quicker. Also all Dark Aether atmosphere damage will be completely removed. Finally... Relax...

You still have to backtrack though. Especially if you want all the items. Read one of the previous spoilers for another bit of info concerning forced backtracking.

[scottcr]

They didn't mention them in the review

They did in Cube's review

yeap.. Edge didn't... and I found the review a bit strange... since there's pretty much no negative comment and they don't seem to talk about any of the new features added, like the screw attack. Does it add to the game?

I'm really looking forward to Prime... however, what has damaged it in the online community are these bloody nonsense score discussions. "It didn't get as good a score as GTA or Halo therefore it is teh 5h1t." argh...

[pledge]

Only minor problem I have had so far is with the new scan visor. The new colour system is quite useful but once you have scanned something once it is green even if it is part of a new puzzle. I backtracked for ages until I realised

Click For Spoiler

that i needed to rocket a rock column again

[JedEvangelion]

You still have to backtrack though. Especially if you want all the items. Read one of the previous spoilers for another bit of info concerning forced backtracking.

Ah, I found the one (while managing to spoil a few other bits for myself - lol). Hhmmmmm.

Much as I hate to say it, I may wait for this to come down in price after christmas. I normally buy most A-list Nintendo titles without a second thought, but in MP:E's case I just don't think I'll ever see it through past 50%, so it's hard to justify the expense. Dying to play it, mind, but just know that once the initial lustre has worn away it'll go back on the shelf rarely to be picked up again....

Cheers for the info, it's definitely helped with this most difficult of decisions.

[Cyhwuhx]

Only minor problem I have had so far is with the new scan visor.  The new colour system is quite useful but once you have scanned something once it is green even if it is part of a new puzzle.  I backtracked for ages until I realised

Click For Spoiler

that i needed to rocket a rock column again

.::: Ah yes, I was stumped there for about five minutes as well.

"When stumped, scan," has become my motto. As a hint, be sure to scan enemies and bosses and check their logbook entries as well as their visor-summaries. Often the logbook entry holds a bit more info and explanation. The visor-summary only gives you the bare boned info.

[edit] As a warning btw, be sure to scan certain bosses if they change form, it's often worth a new scan entry.

[Sephiroth]

This arrived yesterday and Im scared to load it up.

I have too many games on the go at the moment and need to devote some serious time to this game.

I just hope it lives up to my expectations

Please edit that sig. It has way to many lines.

Thats one of the great things about rllmuk - no HUGE sigs.

[amanset]

Still hasn't arrived.

We still have loads of snow here, so all is not lost. Who needs videogames?!

[sofasurfer]

Please edit that sig. It has way to many lines.

Thats one of the great things about rllmuk - no HUGE sigs.

Is that better?

Its all in the edit

[Salsa Party Animal]

Got the game and haven't tried it out as I been busy today.

[Space Renegade Ulala]

Got the game and haven't tried it out as I been busy today.

Keep those interesting and insightful reports a comin'!

So, anyway, Cyhwhux, me old mucker - initial fears allayed, would you say it's better than the previous game? Even though I'm somewhat put off by the difficulty factor you've mentioned a few times, your overall enthusiasm is rather infectious...

[Vemsie]

You still haven't finished it, Vincent? God, you're one shit gamer

[Aardvark]

Keep those interesting and insightful reports a comin'!

Sarcasm is a non-renewable resource, you might be dooming future generations to survive on nothing but irony.

[squirtle]

Ok, played another couple of hours last night. Good lord, it's pretty. The first big lense room and the Agon Wastes are just ugly beautiful if you know what I mean. The transparent plants, the animations in the surroundings - all wheels turning and the like - just raise the bar several notches over MP.

I've just come out of my first trip into Dark Aether. Oh, lord, it's creepy. I don't like the Ing. They're incredible to look at, all the black bubbles and forming from nothing, great animation and the like. And I love the way the mini Ing bosses use your stolen powers against you.

So, yes, it's shaping up nicely.

[pledge]

Just finished a second visit to the dark world and had a really intense fight

Click For Spoiler

with dark samus

The game is just stunning to look at with the lights of at night.

[amanset]

Chrsit, whoever it was that dissed the menu system you're not half right. It is DREADFUL. Who on Earth thought that was a good idea?

Apart from that I'm loving it at the minute, although I am not far in at all. I have only got one equipment expansion (a missile pack) and have just got to a save point outside some temple. It really feel sliek there will be a boss soon as the hint system made sure to tell me that there was a save point ...

[Takizawa]

Chrsit, whoever it was that dissed the menu system you're not half right. It is DREADFUL. Who on Earth thought that was a good idea?

Until you realise you can use the C-Stick? Or do you know that and its still awful?

[Cyhwuhx]

You still haven't finished it, Vincent? God, you're one shit gamer 

.::: Go put a sausage-filled sock in it. I've béen spending most of my time yesterday with 'gaining entry' to the final boss, I finally did it, but the last thing is a bit of a bitch. Speaking of bitches...

Click For Spoiler

Our black mirror image has had a enormously small part to play as of yet, if she isn't somehow linked to the final battle, I'll go crying, for this is NOT how it was implied in previews and advertisements.

ALSO, scanning the last energy needed, implied that if it was removed from Dark Aether that world would become unstable. And the final battle is in Dark Aether.

Come on, chant with me...

*Escape Sequence, Escape Sequence, Escape Sequence, Escape Sequence, Escape Sequence* \o/

And Ulala, I think in the end I still prefer Prime, although I've put in more than double the time of Prime, Echoes feels small thanks to the double layer world, and while the bosses are definitely the pieces-de-resistance, the rest of the exploration is pretty mundane.

It definitely has problems with its pacing, and it's very clear they've focused themselves upon certain aspects. Design and looks are still top-notch but probably because they've been under less development pressure in comparison to the level-designers and programmers.

As a guide I can't really put one above the other, it's based on personal taste.

Do you want a more explorative experience with a more Metroid feel? Get Prime.

Want a tough-as-nails combat challenge and some very inspiring morph ball usage? Get Echoes.

Didn't like Prime? Stay the hell away from Echoes.

Just want a good game? Get either.

BTW, the PAL version has reached shops as of today, but doesn't come with the shiny cover the NTSC version gets, but it does has the same awkward boxart. The back is even worse with three nondescript screenshots preaching to the converted. Sugoi, Nintendo... *sigh*

[amanset]

Until you realise you can use the C-Stick? Or do you know that and its still awful?

It is still awful. It is a complete mess.

[Cyhwuhx]

Until you realise you can use the C-Stick? Or do you know that and its still awful?

.::: Using the C-stick is even worse. For one, you can't use it in the main menu and two, it's not helping as soon as you have more than four options on the screen at once.

You'll start hating it even more when you realise you need to go through it for a certain section in the game. It is NOT intuitive. Whoever designed this GUI should go back to college. it's also a real pain to discover what items you need when a selection is presented, it's all so cluttered and chaotic it takes far too much time to navigate the menu.

Selecting things on auto is also impossible. In other words, whereas in Prime you could anticipate to press L, 2 down, 1 down and set setting, here you have to double check at every single step because the option needed could be anywhere on the screen.

And THEN they screwed it over once more by removing all the eye-candy from it, which integrated it into the game. Compare Prime's menu's with those from Echoes and it's clear there is no competition to start with. Echoes has quite simply failed at that point. Miserably.

And the C-Stick doesn't change that one iota.

[patriot]

it still has yet to arrive. I'll beat everyone has beat it by now.

[pledge]

it still has yet to arrive. I'll beat everyone has beat it by now.

Have you had any post today? My local office is on strike today.

[patriot]

Have you had any post today? My local office is on strike today.

yeah i have. things usually take me ages to get. [even stuff that comes from uk]

[phresh]

I actually quite like the menu, nice to have something different. If you have that much trouble with it then your analogue contol can't be that good...

Also I really like the lack of save points, most games these days let you save so often that there is no risk involved in anything you do. It actually adds to the tension.

[amanset]

I actually quite like the menu, nice to have something different. If you have that much trouble with it then your analogue contol can't be that good...

If there is one thing I really hate with games it is swoopy posho menus. A menu serves a function and anything that gets in the way of that function is a fault in the design. The new menu design makes it more difficult to see options and to choose those options.

"Something different" isn't always a good thing. As the saying goes, "if it ain't broke ...".

[Takizawa]

I'm now around 3 hours in and the game is seriously opening up. Theres a clear hub system to it all which makes it easier to navigate than the original, but like someone mentioned, makes the whole place seem smaller too.

I'll put in some more hours tomorrow, for the meantime i'm just glad I havent come close to dying yet!

[squirtle]

Hmm, just got the

Click For Spoiler

Dark Beam after my first fight with Dark Samus. Excellent stuff.

Oh and I now have four energy tanks already. Most satisfying being the one in the circular morph ball room after doing the double bomb jump and the finding the hidden passage. Nice.

Really enjoying it so far.

Graphically, it's just stupendous. the level of detail in the background, that big room with the wind generators for the pirates in, the colours in that room before the big oval place with the Shriekbats in... It's all so fucking lovely. It's so much a step above Prime 1 that it hurts!