MP2: Echoes, a question for those who have finished it

[Allnatural]

I absolutely loved Metroid Prime, so picking up the sequel seems like a no-brainer (now that the price is falling at many stores, heh). The one issue that has made me hesitate though is mentioned in a few reviews...the lack of save points. The first game wasn't exactly generous with the save stations, but the game wasn't that difficult either, except for some of the bosses, and I remember there being a save station near every boss, so the infrequent save points was never an issue. Echoes is apparently a good deal tougher all around, and one or two bosses are cheaply difficult because there are no save stations nearby, which means replaying a long stretch of game just to reach the boss (and try again) if you die.

So, how bad (or not so bad) is it really?

 

[Doomulation]

Not that bad. You'd mostly die on bosses anyway, since if you would get low on energy you would simply take some time to get it back up. Before any major boss that I can remember there was a save point.

That is all if I can remember correctly. I was quite annoyed with some things in the game

 

[Allnatural]

Here's a quote from the G4 review:

Many times you'll have to run through the same boring gauntlet over and over just to get to a boss fight from a save point. In one instance, a save point is completely cut off from access with no warning whatsoever and then you're immediately dropped into a boss battle. If you die -- and you will -- you'll have to play a good 30 minutes of the game over again to get back to the same point.

That's the kind of thing I'm worried about. Just give me a damn save point before each boss and I'll be content.

 

[Doomulation]

Maybe I'll replay the game or I'll look at a walkthrough to get those details for you. I'll be back, since I don't remember having to go back about 30 minutes just to beat a boss. That is, unless you're talking about the final stretch with the last boss; had some problems with that one.

EDIT: Well, there MAY not be a save point before each boss, but again, you don't have to redo 30 minutes of game to get to them. In Echoes, there are quite a lot of bosses; but not all of them are truly hard. Call some of them... mini bosses. So just save in whatever save station you find. To my knowledge, there should be save stations before all the real and hard boss battles.

 

[Zilla]

If I remember rightly (been ages since I finished it) quadraxis is the only boss that's quite far from a save point.

 

[Doomulation]

Quadraxis? No... there's a save point just there.
There are two bosses in the game that there are no save point before - for all other there is. One shouldn't be too hard to best, and the other might be a little harder, but still...
The save points might not be placed just BEFORE the boss either, so be sure to use the save points as you near them!

Just replayed the game, so I'm very sure of this.

 

[Allnatural]

Thank you for your input gentlemen; I decided to buy it after all. To be honest, it was likely to happen anyway (based solely on the strength of its superb predecessor), so I don't know why I bothered asking.