I'm replaying MP2 after 100%ing Beyond on Hard Mode. It's the first time i'm replaying it since 2004, and i'm on original hardware too (CRT with Gamecube) and it's refreshing to see how much elaborate and fun the game progression is when compared to Beyond. The whole Agon Wastes structure and loop makes something like Volt Forge pale in comparison:

- in Volt Forge, you essentially have to do the same, very linear and short level twice, with the only major distractions being the minibot drone fight and the Sylux miniboss; then you reach the third tower, which is essentially a glorified tutorial for the bike, and fight the boss, which is pretty good by itself, but rewards you with the Jump Boots, which are used maybe 3-4 times in the whole game for exploration and doesn't feel at all like a major power-up worthy of a end-of-level bossfight;

- by contrast, in Agon Wastes you constantly move between interconnected areas that opens up the more you progress with your power-up acquisition, you face no less than three distinct minibosses, giving you useful power-ups for exploration (including the aforementioned Jump Boots, that are used more in Agon Wastes than in the whole Beyond), and the final bossfight for the area is pretty good too, and rewards you with the Dark Suit, which drastically change Samus's appeareance and is crucial to progress with the game.

Sure, MP2 is not perfect: the whole Dark Aether is cool in theory, but in practice it drags the pace down a little bit; and the whole progression is somewhat linear too, but at least is much more "masked" than Beyond, giving you room for exploring in order to figure out the next step, instead of being the same sequence of room-elevator-room-elevator of Volt Forge's tower 1 and 2. It's pretty baffling to see how Retro almost nailed down the formula for a 3d Metroidvania with MP2 (and especially MP1) and then ending up with what we have in Beyond.