This review was made possible by Popped receiving a review code for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo’s prodigal son — or perhaps, daughter — has returned! After being announced all the way back in 2017, and later undergoing a development restart under a different studio, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has finally arrived. The game has been the talk of the town over the last few years, with constant hype and speculation on its release brewing across the internet, not entirely unlike the collective buzz in the lead-up to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Not only is it a long-awaited revival of a dormant series, but it’s arguably the tentpole AAA release of the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch year. So comes the ultimate question… Does Prime 4 live up to the hype, or does it crumble underneath the weight?
Samus Returns In ‘Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’
The start of Metroid Prime 4 sees Samus Aran dispatched by the Galactic Federation to the planet Tanamaar in an effort to defend an artifact against Space Pirates. The Pirates are led by Sylux, the main antagonist of the game. Amidst the conflict, Sylux accidentally shoots the artifact, which, in a flash of light, teleports Samus to a new planet… Viewros. As she awakens on top of Chrono Tower, a spire in the middle of a desert, the core premise of the game is introduced. Samus is given psychic abilities, as she’s seen as the “chosen one” by the long-deceased Lamorn race. Chosen for what, exactly? To carry on their legacy to another planet using the “Master Teleporter.” The only problem is, the five Master Teleporter Keys are scattered across the face of Viewros, and must be collected to enact the Lamorn contingency plan. So it’s up to Samus to journey across the realm and find them.
While it’s a fairly basic plot, it gets the job done, as the real focus is the exploration and gameplay. It’s as good a setup as any for what’s essentially a fetch quest for a handful of MacGuffins. That’s not to say the game is entirely bereft of story past the introduction. Without spoiling too much, Sylux ends up being expanded on, and there are also a few NPCs you come in contact with who keep things fresh without overstaying their welcome on your journey. But the real story — the one that matters most — is your personal sense of discovery and “aha” moments when you solve a puzzle or beat a boss.
‘Metroid Prime’ Is A Mixed Fusion Of Puzzles And Combat
The story leads you to Fury Green to search for the first Key. It’s a lush, rich forest environment filled with aggressive plants and jungle predators alike, and it’s a great introduction (or reintroduction) to the Metroidvania formula. You get a sense of the platforming, backtracking, light puzzle-solving, and saving (don’t forget to save!) required to make it to the end of Metroid Prime 4. One other massive aspect, of course, is scanning. You can use your visor to scan enemies, flora, and other objects to read up on lore, or sometimes even gain useful intel on their destructibility. While using your visor, you also have psychic abilities at the ready. These include a Psychic Beam, a Psychic Bomb, Psychic Boots, and more, but most prominent is probably the Psychic Glove. This allows you to grab and move objects telekinetically, bringing a new dimension to puzzle-solving.
The light puzzle-solving truly feels like the lifeblood of the game. But unfortunately, combat seems to have taken priority here. Don’t get me wrong, the controls are great! You can use joysticks, gyro, or best of all… mouse controls (a must, in my opinion). But the combat doesn’t feel great most of the time. Shooting often feels a bit weightless, and even common enemies are bullet sponges. Missiles and other later abilities help mix things up, but if so much of the gameplay is going to focus on shooting, then there’s a problem if your primary way of doing so doesn’t feel engaging. Luckily, Prime 4 really shines in this area when it comes to boss fights. A perfect balance is struck between combat and puzzle-solving with multi-stage boss fights. You’ll have to dodge, jump, and even use your Morph Ball to avoid attacks, all while firing away and waiting for the right moment to strike weak points with missiles. Psychic abilities can even come in handy in these battles, further layering in critical thinking rather than just aimless shooting. So while the game doesn’t always justify itself as a first-person shooter, it at least excels at it where it really matters.
Going Beyond In ‘Metroid Prime 4’
After leaving Fury Green, Metroid Prime 4 begins to open up. You’ll soon find yourself in Sol Valley, the sprawling desert with Chrono Tower at the center. Here, a key piece of technology, the Vi-O-La, comes in handy. It’s basically a souped-up motorbike that you can summon with the press of a button. While it plays a part in some puzzles by controlling gadgetry, its main purpose is zooming across the desert. Bordering the vast Sol Valley are several locations housing Master Teleporter Keys, each as elementally distinct as Fury Green. These include Volt Forge, Flare Pool, Ice Belt, and Great Mines. Each of these locales has its own unique atmosphere and gameplay mechanics, ensuring the game never grows stale.
At the risk of comparing it to The Legend of Zelda too much, it must be brought up: Sol Valley feels like Hyrule Field. The stretching hub landscape, the mount used to traverse it, the elemental lands on each side — it’s all very Zelda. If ain’t broke, don’t fix it, I suppose, but this layout doesn’t always work in Prime 4’s favor. One issue is that there’s an illusion of choice in what order you can play the areas in. And if you know Metroid, you know you get little say. The bigger issue is Sol Valley simply feels empty. Perhaps if it were smaller and only served the purpose of being a hub, that’d work fine. But it tries to be more. It wants to be large, and it wants to sprinkle in little things to discover (à la Breath of the Wild) with shrines and collectible green crystals… but it’s ultimately far too little. It doesn’t take away from the impeccably designed biomes you’ll spend the bulk of your time in, but it definitely cheapens the overall experience a little, even if Vi-O-La is fun to boost around on.
While certain aspects of the game have felt like a mixed bag, there’s one positive takeaway that’s undeniable. Metroid Prime 4 may not be another Breath of the Wild, but it is for the Nintendo Switch 2 what Breath of the Wild was for the Nintendo Switch. It takes full advantage of the hardware, and it will likely remain the standout game in that regard for a while. Both the Quality and Performance modes work flawlessly, and I never once experienced any noticeable frame drops. It’s an absolutely gorgeous game too — scenic overlooks and panoramic views are stunning in both 4K on the TV and 1080p in handheld mode. Additionally, I mentioned mouse controls earlier, and it really is the star of the show here. It’s quick, responsive, and very clearly not an afterthought or gimmick. The mouse is here to stay, and there’s no better game to prove it.
‘Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’ – Final Thoughts
Metroid Prime 4 is a solid return to the franchise, even if some elements are a mixed bag. A hollow, empty desert connects an otherwise vibrant, masterfully designed world together, filled with the exploration and backtracking hallmarks of the series. Excellent light puzzle-solving often takes a backseat to slightly weak combat, but the two come together perfectly for exhilarating boss battles. In the end, a good Metroid is a great game, and ultimately it’s one that’s well worth experiencing on your Nintendo Switch 2, even given its flaws.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is now available for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Check out the trailer below:
Interested in more Nintendo? Check out our review of Kirby Air Riders.
The Review
'Metroid Prime 4: Beyond'
Metroid Prime 4 is a solid return to the franchise, even if some elements are a mixed bag. A hollow, empty desert connects an otherwise vibrant, masterfully designed world together, filled with the exploration and backtracking hallmarks of the series. Excellent light puzzle-solving often takes a backseat to slightly weak combat, but the two come together perfectly for exhilarating boss battles. In the end, a good Metroid is a great game, and ultimately it’s one that’s well worth experiencing on your Nintendo Switch 2, even given its flaws.