I have started this review seven times and had to rewrite it each time due to needing to keep my thoughts clear and consistent. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a game fans have been waiting for since 2017, when it was first announced, and now has arrived. But was the game worth the wait, or did the experience leave us feeling unfulfilled?
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has a fantastic introduction that gets right into the action and eases you into the controls and gives you a sense of what to expect. I would even say that it is one of the better beginnings in the Prime sub-series, because of how well it achieves the goal and establishes the mood. Once that introduction is done though, things start to get a bit strange as Samus as several Galactic Federation marines find themselves on the world of Viewros, where a new adventure occurs.
The best way to describe Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is that it is a bit uneven, and this can be attributed both to the lengthy development time and issues that were had, as well as the fact that talent from twenty additional studios were brought in to help Retro Studios. The result is a game that is great in some aspects, and feels incredibly dated in others. This can also be seen in the pacing with parts of the game being standouts, and parts just really dragging things down.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond does some things incredibly well, including graphics and visuals, and combat that stand as some of the best of the prime series. It is in other areas for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond falls short and has left me wanting. There were many complaints that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has gone for an open world design to the detriment of the game, but there is a major issue with that complaint.
The Metroid series has always been open world, being one of the progenitors of the Metroidvania genre. The difference, however, is that those were 2D open world games and, and while non-linear, there was a structure that kept everything flowing at a good pace while letting you explore as you desired. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on the other hand, has a major issue in this regard and that is Sol Valley, a massive desert that you must constantly travel in.
It is not the majority of the game, but there a lot of grinding must be done here, as well as using it to access other locations. This results in a game that has a lot of padding and that is not something that feels right for Metroid. This is before we even get to the motorbike that Samus can ride, which feels out of place in a Metroid game.
The cycle, the Vi-0-La, felt awkward to use due to the changing controls, and when in Sol Valley, just made me feel I wasn’t playing the right game. There is also the fact that Sol Valley needed more in it as a hub world, but the pacing just felt like it ground to a halt in these sections. Oddly enough though, the Vi-0-La sections and Sol Valley did make me wonder what a Mach Rider reboot game done with this tech would be like, especially if these sections were more developed. I have to say that I would be very interested in a Mach Rider Reboot if that format were used, but the thing is, that fits Mach Rider and not Metroid.
Then we have the issue that Sol Valley has minimalistic music unless you 100% the game, at which point you can select music to use and it makes a major difference. But why play the game after 100%, and this is where I criticize the use of the amiibo, because while it unlocks the music options early, it is a substantial additional cost that does not seem right. There has been a lot of back and forth online over if this is an issue, but it really does impact the game in a big way here.
I also need to note that the NPCs really hurt the experience overall. They are a constant presence throughout the game and really bring things down. Some characters are extremely annoying and if they were brief appearances, it would be one thing, but as stated, they are present during much of the game, and even contribute to the padding issues.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond does do some good things, as stated, including the psychic abilities. These were a very cool addition and opened up some really neat possibilities in terms of gameplay. In addition, enemy design is excellent and the bosses are some of the best in a Metroid game yet. It just is not enough though, in my opinion.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s biggest issue is that it feels like a game out of time, and as if it was a game made for the market as it was a decade ago. This is disappointing, especially after Metroid Dread, which cemented its place in the top three entries in the series. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is not a terrible game, but it is not a great game.
I have to also address the complaints I have seen that the game’s visuals are that of a PS2 or PS3 game, because quite honestly this is ridiculous.Yes, Sol Valley is not the most visually impressive area at all, but much of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond does do a lot to visually impress, even if there are some odd design choices, such as with some doors. The game is especially stunning on Switch 2 when running in 4K at 60 FPS or 1080p at 120 FPS, where it is absolutely gorgeous.
I will concede though, that the mouse controls on Switch 2 feel like they get in the way more than anything. I tried my best, but they just made the game a bit more difficult for me. It was a nice thing to add, and maybe others will do better with them, but I ended up sticking to the default control scheme.
I wanted to like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and was looking forward to it for years. But in the end, I just did not feel the payoff was there. Even the main villain felt lacking, especially when the full backstory is given, which resulted in a feeling of letdown for me after years of waiting and buildup.
Ultimately Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a competently made game, and definitely not the worst game in the Metroid franchise, but not the experience fans wanted for so long. Now I just hope we can get a sequel to Metroid Dread made by MercurySteam one day, or perhaps the Vi-0-La sections and Sol Valley idea can be explored in, as suggested, a reboot of Mach Rider that takes advantage of those mechanics. Otherwise, there are other great games on the Switch and Switch 2 instead.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
