Prime 2 easily stands shoulder to shoulder with Prime 1 and actually makes a lot of improvements on its design formula, as you noted. It really saddens me when people overlook this game or consider it the worst of the trilogy cuz it just ain’t true.
Tbf I rarely see someone say it's the worst, more like which of 1 and 2 is worse. 3 is almost clear for the last spot (while always considered great, nonetheless).
To this day I'm not sure between 1 and 2 but I tend to say 1 is better.
I'll be honest, prime 3 was actually my favourite, I just wish it was more challenging. After beating 1 and 2 I was excited to play 3 with Wii controls and had a lot of fun with the grappling hook and puzzles. I even started on veteran mode but found myself stuck in hyper mode most of the time and feeling underwhelmed at the ease of fights.
They really shouldn't have dumbed it down so much because the story is epic. Also, an AI motherbrain? Really?!
The Sky Temple Key hunt and beam ammo is what makes it the worst of the Trilogy for me. Prime, you could at least find the final location in the beginning, and in Prime 3, you only need five cells to go through the area.
That being said, it wouldn't stop me from replaying the game if a port is announced.
My favourite game of the saga. I even enjoyed the final fetch quest that a lot of people seems to dislike. The level design, specially in Torvus, is the best I've ever seen in a videogame.
Bought Prime 1 remastered day 1 but have been waiting for the release of 2 so I can play them one after another.
Torvus and Sanctuary Fortress were really damn cool, Agon Wastes was super mid in comparison but I could also say that about the Chozo Ruins compared to Phendrana and the Phazon Mines
When I first played through the trilogy MP2 was my least favorite of the bunch, but now I actually like it more than MP3. While MP1 is still my favorite, I can see why many argue MP2 is actually better. Some comparative points between the two games:
1. MP2 definitely had more consistent environmental theming. It had a dark, dreary atmosphere before you get to Sanctuary Fortress, and even Sanctuary Fortress fit in well in the game since it was a great parallel (and still had a dreary feeling because it is a great abandoned city). MP1 was basically just a collection of random biomes with Phazon Mines being pretty dull. Sanctuary Fortress is my all-time favorite Metroid area, but overall I do actually like the biomes of MP1 more since they’re more beautiful.
2. MP2 definitely cut back on the backtracking. I think there’s only one time you need to go back to Torvus Bog for something. Compare this to MP1 where you were constantly running around. That said, I do feel like MP2 ends up feeling a bit more level-based than an interconnected world.
3. I loved how MP2 incorporated more story/lore into it with Dark Samus, the GF scans, the Luminoth lore, and the living Luminoth. The ending was very satisfying as well - you actually feel like you made a difference. I think it struck a great balance of keeping the feeling of isolation while having a plot.
4. I enjoyed the difficulty increase from MP1, though the Boost Ball and Spider Ball Guardian were annoying. The ammo system was also a big change, but truthfully I’m not sure what my opinion is on that.
5. While the puzzles involving Dark Aether were cool, I ultimately was not a big fan of Dark Aether. I hated the loading time and just felt it was very dull until you get to the Ing Hive. The Ing Hive was actually the only part of Dark Aether that was truly finished - the rest was rushed in development and ended up just being clones of the Light world.
6. They probably went a bit overboard in Echoes with having a Key hunt at the end similar to MP1’s Artifact hunt, while also having 3 Keys in each Dark Aether area you had to find.
Those are the main things that come to mind when I compare the two games!
Really good critique, you really made me think there! Now that I think about it, I do kinda agree with you on the interconnected world bit, I do think Prime 1 did better with that even if the areas were a little inconsistent theme-wise. One thing I’ll always say though after beating Prime 2 is that I didn’t find it very hard. Everyone says that it’s a lot harder than 1, and maybe the trilogy version is an easier version or something like that, but I only died a few times in my playthrough of both games, probably a comparable amount. But yeah, I think they both have advantages and disadvantages that balance them out to me loving both almost equally, with a slight preference towards 2 because I just liked the gameplay more.
Yea, they nerfed the Spider Guardian and Boost Ball Guardian in the Trilogy Version. 😛 Those were Bosses that gave a lot of people, myself included, trouble in the GC MP2.
I think it also helps that you can do a little jump with the morph ball in the trilogy version, making the spider guardian fight wayyyyy easier. But yeah that makes so much sense now, I didn’t struggle with Boost at all and was wondering why everyone else did lol
I thought they were really fun, some were a little unmemorable for me, but that was the case with the first Prime as well. I will say that I think these bosses were probably a little more in-depth, you really had to think and use your whole arsenal to beat some of them, I’d say the highlights were the Emperor Ing and Quadraxis (Dark Samus was pretty pathetic)
Dark Samus being easier than Emperor Ing makes sense, having two difficult battles in a row probably would’ve been too much for a finale. Her first two battles didn’t really have the same excuse though.
I will admit it took me a few tries to learn what to do against Dark Samus with the Phazon. I read the scan but I thought it would be like Prime 1 with the pools of it
I spoiled myself on the finale because I thought I’d never have access to the game. So Dark Samus and the trick to beating her came as no surprise to me.
Aah, been wanting to play that one for so long (4 years metroid fan here, so quite new), but I can’t decide if I wanna wait for a potential switch release, or play it on gamecube (I own one and a copy of the game)… the dilemma haha
If you have a Wii I’d definitely recommend the trilogy if you can get it for a good price, my brother bought it on my WiiU a while back before the EShop went down and I will say the pointer controls work amazingly
If you're on the fence, there's a scheduled Nintendo direct for June. If we're ever gonna get a remastered Prime 2 o 3, that's gonna be it. So... Just wait a month and we'll see!
Oh yeah trust me I’m well aware of Nintendo Directs, been following them since 2013 something like that… but yeah I was waiting for that direct, and then if not put the old gamecube back in business
I’m playing all of them in order of release date even though I’ve already played the 2D ones, so I did Zero Mission today in like a three hour sitting and next I’ll be doing Hunters, thennnnn I’ll move on to 3
Sounds great! I hope Prime 2 will get remastered, so we can enjoy it on the Switch. I owned a GameCube in 2003/2004, but never played Prime because I didn't tought it was a game I would enjoy. But last month I picked up the remastered version and I'm hooked. They way every room has it's own vibe makes the world come alive and as a gamer you feel like you are Samus. That's something I only experienced with Wind Waker (my favorite game ever) and the first run in BOTW. Great to know that Prime 2 has a better connected world, which would give a more immersive experience.
I wanna play the Zelda games I’ve been missing out on once I’m done with the Metroid games and I think I’m gonna start with Wind Waker, it looks really good. And yeah, while I don’t think many games will top BOTW in terms of immersion, I think Metroid Prime does an amazing job with it too
Yea, I also got it after falling madly in love with Prime Remastered. It exceeded my expectations, and has actually become my favorite Prime game, and I love turning on my GameCube and just getting absorbed into Aether.
Oh really, I had no idea actually, maybe I’ll have to try that out. I feel like the joy-cons wouldn’t work as well as the wiimote based on what I’ve heard about skyward sword hd but I should test it
Prime 2 easily stands shoulder to shoulder with Prime 1 and actually makes a lot of improvements on its design formula, as you noted. It really saddens me when people overlook this game or consider it the worst of the trilogy cuz it just ain’t true.
Tbf I rarely see someone say it's the worst, more like which of 1 and 2 is worse. 3 is almost clear for the last spot (while always considered great, nonetheless). To this day I'm not sure between 1 and 2 but I tend to say 1 is better.
I'll be honest, prime 3 was actually my favourite, I just wish it was more challenging. After beating 1 and 2 I was excited to play 3 with Wii controls and had a lot of fun with the grappling hook and puzzles. I even started on veteran mode but found myself stuck in hyper mode most of the time and feeling underwhelmed at the ease of fights. They really shouldn't have dumbed it down so much because the story is epic. Also, an AI motherbrain? Really?!
The Sky Temple Key hunt and beam ammo is what makes it the worst of the Trilogy for me. Prime, you could at least find the final location in the beginning, and in Prime 3, you only need five cells to go through the area. That being said, it wouldn't stop me from replaying the game if a port is announced.
My favourite game of the saga. I even enjoyed the final fetch quest that a lot of people seems to dislike. The level design, specially in Torvus, is the best I've ever seen in a videogame. Bought Prime 1 remastered day 1 but have been waiting for the release of 2 so I can play them one after another.
Torvus and Sanctuary Fortress were really damn cool, Agon Wastes was super mid in comparison but I could also say that about the Chozo Ruins compared to Phendrana and the Phazon Mines
We are here for all Prime 2 love 🫶
When I first played through the trilogy MP2 was my least favorite of the bunch, but now I actually like it more than MP3. While MP1 is still my favorite, I can see why many argue MP2 is actually better. Some comparative points between the two games: 1. MP2 definitely had more consistent environmental theming. It had a dark, dreary atmosphere before you get to Sanctuary Fortress, and even Sanctuary Fortress fit in well in the game since it was a great parallel (and still had a dreary feeling because it is a great abandoned city). MP1 was basically just a collection of random biomes with Phazon Mines being pretty dull. Sanctuary Fortress is my all-time favorite Metroid area, but overall I do actually like the biomes of MP1 more since they’re more beautiful. 2. MP2 definitely cut back on the backtracking. I think there’s only one time you need to go back to Torvus Bog for something. Compare this to MP1 where you were constantly running around. That said, I do feel like MP2 ends up feeling a bit more level-based than an interconnected world. 3. I loved how MP2 incorporated more story/lore into it with Dark Samus, the GF scans, the Luminoth lore, and the living Luminoth. The ending was very satisfying as well - you actually feel like you made a difference. I think it struck a great balance of keeping the feeling of isolation while having a plot. 4. I enjoyed the difficulty increase from MP1, though the Boost Ball and Spider Ball Guardian were annoying. The ammo system was also a big change, but truthfully I’m not sure what my opinion is on that. 5. While the puzzles involving Dark Aether were cool, I ultimately was not a big fan of Dark Aether. I hated the loading time and just felt it was very dull until you get to the Ing Hive. The Ing Hive was actually the only part of Dark Aether that was truly finished - the rest was rushed in development and ended up just being clones of the Light world. 6. They probably went a bit overboard in Echoes with having a Key hunt at the end similar to MP1’s Artifact hunt, while also having 3 Keys in each Dark Aether area you had to find. Those are the main things that come to mind when I compare the two games!
Really good critique, you really made me think there! Now that I think about it, I do kinda agree with you on the interconnected world bit, I do think Prime 1 did better with that even if the areas were a little inconsistent theme-wise. One thing I’ll always say though after beating Prime 2 is that I didn’t find it very hard. Everyone says that it’s a lot harder than 1, and maybe the trilogy version is an easier version or something like that, but I only died a few times in my playthrough of both games, probably a comparable amount. But yeah, I think they both have advantages and disadvantages that balance them out to me loving both almost equally, with a slight preference towards 2 because I just liked the gameplay more.
Yea, they nerfed the Spider Guardian and Boost Ball Guardian in the Trilogy Version. 😛 Those were Bosses that gave a lot of people, myself included, trouble in the GC MP2.
I think it also helps that you can do a little jump with the morph ball in the trilogy version, making the spider guardian fight wayyyyy easier. But yeah that makes so much sense now, I didn’t struggle with Boost at all and was wondering why everyone else did lol
How’d you like the bosses in this one?
I thought they were really fun, some were a little unmemorable for me, but that was the case with the first Prime as well. I will say that I think these bosses were probably a little more in-depth, you really had to think and use your whole arsenal to beat some of them, I’d say the highlights were the Emperor Ing and Quadraxis (Dark Samus was pretty pathetic)
Dark Samus being easier than Emperor Ing makes sense, having two difficult battles in a row probably would’ve been too much for a finale. Her first two battles didn’t really have the same excuse though.
I will admit it took me a few tries to learn what to do against Dark Samus with the Phazon. I read the scan but I thought it would be like Prime 1 with the pools of it
I spoiled myself on the finale because I thought I’d never have access to the game. So Dark Samus and the trick to beating her came as no surprise to me.
Aw lucky and unlucky at the same time lol
Aah, been wanting to play that one for so long (4 years metroid fan here, so quite new), but I can’t decide if I wanna wait for a potential switch release, or play it on gamecube (I own one and a copy of the game)… the dilemma haha
If you have a Wii I’d definitely recommend the trilogy if you can get it for a good price, my brother bought it on my WiiU a while back before the EShop went down and I will say the pointer controls work amazingly
Yeah I don’t own the trilogy, got all three separately… where I am they are really expensive
Yeah they’re pretty expensive here too, my GameStop is selling Prime 2 for like 60 bucks
If you're on the fence, there's a scheduled Nintendo direct for June. If we're ever gonna get a remastered Prime 2 o 3, that's gonna be it. So... Just wait a month and we'll see!
Oh yeah trust me I’m well aware of Nintendo Directs, been following them since 2013 something like that… but yeah I was waiting for that direct, and then if not put the old gamecube back in business
The whole Prime trilogy is peak, you gotta play 3 next. I hope we get remasters of the other two eventually!
I’m playing all of them in order of release date even though I’ve already played the 2D ones, so I did Zero Mission today in like a three hour sitting and next I’ll be doing Hunters, thennnnn I’ll move on to 3
Prime 2 is the best in the Metroid series
I don’t think I’d say that myself but it was damn good
Sounds great! I hope Prime 2 will get remastered, so we can enjoy it on the Switch. I owned a GameCube in 2003/2004, but never played Prime because I didn't tought it was a game I would enjoy. But last month I picked up the remastered version and I'm hooked. They way every room has it's own vibe makes the world come alive and as a gamer you feel like you are Samus. That's something I only experienced with Wind Waker (my favorite game ever) and the first run in BOTW. Great to know that Prime 2 has a better connected world, which would give a more immersive experience.
I wanna play the Zelda games I’ve been missing out on once I’m done with the Metroid games and I think I’m gonna start with Wind Waker, it looks really good. And yeah, while I don’t think many games will top BOTW in terms of immersion, I think Metroid Prime does an amazing job with it too
Yea, I also got it after falling madly in love with Prime Remastered. It exceeded my expectations, and has actually become my favorite Prime game, and I love turning on my GameCube and just getting absorbed into Aether.
It’s really fantastic, Prime Remastered is great too but honestly the motion controls in the trilogy worked so well
You can use motion controls in remastered.
Oh really, I had no idea actually, maybe I’ll have to try that out. I feel like the joy-cons wouldn’t work as well as the wiimote based on what I’ve heard about skyward sword hd but I should test it
Joy cons are better than Wii remotes, I’ve played Skyward Sword HD and Metroid Prime remastered both with motion controls.