10 Most Under-Appreciated Video Games In MAJOR Franchises

In 2002, gamers couldn't go anywhere without being reminded that Metroid Prime was awesome.

No, "awesome" isn't the right word. Due to its focus on exploration, creative battle mechanics, and its atmospheric soundtrack, Prime was hailed as a masterpiece, a showstopper, the be-all-and-end-all, and other hyperbolic titles.

Although RetroStudio's first-person shooter was incredible, it wasn't perfect. It may sound blasphemous, but Metroid Prime 2: Echoes did certain things better. (Bear with me on this.) Despite the fact some bosses in the first entry were cool, the majority of them were simply beefed up versions of common enemies. Furthermore, a lot of these fights relied on blasting and strafing, rather than strategy.

But for Echoes, the developers did everything in their power to ensure bosses like Boost Guardian and Spider Guardian were innovative, elaborate, and rock-hard. Quadraxis earns special mention, since he's regarded as among the best bosses in video game history. (Seriously, fighting this nasty chap is a work of art.)

Echoes deserves further praise, since it has far less backtracking. When Samus acquires a new power-up, the player should recognise where to use it to open a new path.

Instead of forcing the player to run around for half an hour to reach their destination, the game often creates a smooth shortcut that takes Samus there instantly once she picks up a key power-up. The backtracking is minimised further, since our heroine can teleport around the planet once she obtains the Light Suit.

Metroid Prime is the superior game, but Echoes isn't far behind.