Introduction
Basic information
Developer Name: Nintendo / Retro Studios
Full Name: Metroid Prime 4 Beyond
Release Date: 2026
Released on: Switch 1/2
Cross Play: No
Initial thoughts
I have waited a very long time for Metroid Prime 4. Eighteen years is not a small amount of time, and during that wait I replayed the original trilogy endlessly. I sequence-broke them, experimented with routing, and squeezed every last bit of atmosphere and mechanical depth out of them, exactly how Metroid games are meant to be played. So finally booting up Metroid Prime 4 on the Switch 2 was surreal.
And the truth is: it is a good game. It controls well, looks impressive, and has flashes of genuine Metroid brilliance. But it also feels rushed, strangely constrained, and often disconnected from what makes Metroid feel like Metroid. The disappointment does not come from hatred, it comes from expectation, history, and the feeling that this could have been so much more. It almost feels like Mochtroid Prime instead!
Story and setting
Plot overview
The plot feels surprisingly thin for a game that took so long to reach release. Only one NPC feels properly fleshed out, while the rest seem to exist purely to push objectives forward. Many interactions feel as if cutscenes were removed or shortened late in development. This does reinforce a sense of isolation, but not in the intentional, environmental way Metroid usually excels at; instead, it feels like narrative content is simply missing.
Sylux returning should have been huge. We see him in the intro cutscene, and then he essentially vanishes until the final boss. Yes, there is a fake psybot stand-in, but that does not meaningfully build tension. By the time you reach the Chrono Tower and see Sylux hooked into tubes like some forgotten experiment, the moment raises more questions than intrigue. It feels abrupt rather than climactic.
World building and immersion
World-building is where the game begins to unravel. Metroids have very clear rules in the franchise. Before Metroid II, attempts to modify them resulted in Mochtroids, unstable, imperfect copies. Here, suddenly, Sylux has perfectly cloned a Metroid stolen in Federation Force and somehow turned it into something that behaves like an X parasite, the very organism Metroids exist to hunt.
This breaks internal logic. These Metroids fuse with hosts, infect bosses, and yet cause no ecological devastation on the planet Viewros. Metroids are apex predators that collapse ecosystems, yet here they exist in isolation with no visible consequences. This contradiction is never explained, and without scans or logs to justify it, immersion suffers badly.
Character development
Character development is minimal. NPCs exist to talk at Samus rather than grow alongside her. Samus herself remains entirely silent, which feels wrong. She is not a mute protagonist; she traditionally speaks sparingly but meaningfully. Here, even moments that beg for acknowledgment pass without a single line, making her feel oddly detached.
Emotional impact
The emotional impact is muted. Major events occur, but they rarely land with weight. Sacrifices, fake, and real, feel hollow, especially when gameplay immediately contradicts their supposed importance. Without strong character grounding or consistent lore, emotional beats struggle to resonate.
Rating for story and setting
I have visited multiple aspects of the story, and after some thought and objective thinking, I rated the story and setting with an 5.
Gameplay and mechanics
Core gameplay mechanics
At its core, Metroid Prime 4 plays well. Psychic abilities are genuinely fun, allowing beam manipulation and creative bomb usage. Viola, the desert bike, is a welcome addition mechanically, though it feels underused. However, the radio system being locked behind an Amiibo is baffling, especially when its unlock conditions are unclear even after 100% completion.
The biggest mechanical disappointment is guidance. Instead of organic exploration, an NPC constantly tells you exactly where to go, whether you want that help or not. This strips away the joy of discovery. A fusion-style navigation terminal system would have preserved player agency while still offering direction when needed.
Difficulty and balance
Difficulty is inconsistent. Combat is generally fair, but the constant guidance and upgrade gating remove much of the challenge traditionally found in navigation and routing. The game rarely asks the player to truly think spatially.
Pacing of the game
Pacing is uneven. The early game feels carefully built, but later sections rush forward rapidly. Four of the five main areas are facilities with cosmetic variations, snow, lava, underground, lightning. Which makes the game feel visually and structurally repetitive. I also have the idea that four areas are scrapped; this can be seen in the hub and the final boss battle. Four missing slots, four rings not lighting up in the teleporter.
Innovation and uniqueness
Psychic mechanics are the standout innovation, but they are not pushed far enough. Many ideas feel introduced and then abandoned rather than fully explored.
Controls and user interface
Controls are excellent and responsive. The UI is functional, though somewhat sterile compared to earlier entries.
Microtransactions
There are no traditional microtransactions, but locking features like the radio behind a $30 Amiibo is a concerning practice. Metroid has great music, I would have loved to test this.
Rating
After combing through many of the mechanics, the pacing and other factors of this game, I rated the gameplay and mechanics with a 7.
Graphics and art style
Quality of graphics and art direction
Visually, the game is impressive, but enemy variety is severely lacking. Grievers dominate the roster. We have sand grievers, fire grievers, energized grievers, and maul grievers, creating visual fatigue. Early worlds show promise, but later ones feel rushed. There are a few other monsters, but I am almost done naming them all if I say a few robots and some bee like creatures.
Technical performances
Performance is solid overall, but the lack of variety and reuse of assets becomes increasingly noticeable the further you progress.
Environment and design uniqueness
Environmental design peaks early. Later areas recycle themes heavily, making the world feel smaller than it should.
Rating
It took me some time to give the graphics and art style an objective rating. There are many things to consider, but ultimately, I rated this section with a 7.0.
Sound and music
Music score and how it contributed to the game
The soundtrack is epic and atmospheric, but the absence of the radio system dampens its impact. Whether it can be unlocked remains unclear. As of now, I have 100% the entire game, no radio unlock so far.
Sound effects quality
Sound effects are strong and impactful, especially weapon feedback.
Voice Acting
NPC voice acting is fine, but Samus’ silence is a major issue. She traditionally speaks briefly at critical moments, showing care and resolve. Here, even near death situations elicit no response, making interactions feel one sided.
Rating
After a lot of consideration, I rated the sound and music section with a 7.
Replayability
Game Length and content volume
A 100% run takes roughly 14 hours, which feels short after such a long development cycle. This game has fewer areas to explore compared to the other three Metroid Prime games.
Extra Content
Aside from hard mode, there is little additional content at launch.
Replay value
The inability to sequence break meaningfully hurts replayability. Upgrades are gated through NPC chips, and attempting early acquisition can softlock the game. This is the opposite of what Metroid encourages.
Rating
After thoughtful consideration, I decided to rate the replayability and game length of Metroid Prime 4 with a 5.
Suggestions and comparisons
Suggestions and feedback
The game needs more freedom, clearer unlock systems, deeper lore explanations, and less forced guidance. Like mentioned before, some scans would be neat on the Mochtroids. (Yes, they are Mochtroids to me until someone proves me otherwise.)
Comparisons
Compared to Metroid Prime 1, this game feels more restrictive, less mysterious, and less confident in player intelligence.
Plot Holes
Metroids cloned perfectly and behaving like X parasites with no explanation
Space Pirates absent despite universal teleportation
No ecological damage caused by Mochtroids on Viewros
Sylux modifying Metroids without explanation
Sylux infecting his own commander instead of Federation troopers
Fake sacrifice scene contradicted by enemy behavior
Sylux found hooked into Chrono Tower with no explanation
Mochtroids infecting only bosses breaks internal logic
Personal experiences and anecdotes
My feelings are conflicted. The game is fun, but short, rushed, and lore-inconsistent. Enemy repetition is extreme, scans are sterile compared to earlier games, the bike is underutilized, and the final boss is deeply frustrating, protecting fragile NPCs who die in one hit is not a satisfying finale.
A small but telling nitpick: Mochtroids now have one nuclear brain like core instead of their traditional structure. This could have been explained, a single scan would have solved so many issues, but instead it is left hanging.
Rating
Taking in all the personal experiences with Metroid Prime 4, I give it a personal rating of 6.5.
Last words
Pros
- Excellent controls
- Psychic mechanics are fun
- Strong soundtrack
- Visual fidelity
- Atmospheric early areas
- Solid combat feel
- Bike mechanics have potential
- Stable performance
- Classic Metroid framework still visible
Cons
- Rushed narrative
- Major lore contradictions
- Poor enemy variety
- Over-guidance
- Some repetitive side quests
- No meaningful sequence breaking
- Short length
- Silent Samus feels wrong
- Amiibo-locked features
- Weak final boss design (Altough Lockjaw was a nice surprise)
Metroid Prime 4 is a good game, but not a great one. It heavily carries the weight of its legacy but struggles to live up to it. With stronger lore cohesion, more freedom, and greater confidence in its players, it could have been exceptional. As it stands, it is enjoyable but undeniably disappointing.
FINAL RATING
6.5
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