Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Proves Something That Hardcore Fans Have Known All Along

After years of waiting, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is finally here, and as excited as I was for the next first-person chapter in Samus’ story, I can’t help but find myself a little underwhelmed. Don’t get me wrong, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond definitely isn’t a bad game, but it’s not exactly what I was hoping for either. There are several major aspects of the game that I just don’t connect with, and it actually has me looking fondly at the 2D games.

My first Metroid game was Metroid Fusion for the Game Boy Advance, and from the moment I started, I was hooked on the franchise. Of course, I’ve also really enjoyed the Metroid Prime series over the years, too. Samus is one of the first game protagonists I became attached to, and I’ll happily take any excuse to jump into the franchise’s world. However, despite its strengths, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a reminder that the heart of the franchise lies in a 2D setting.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s More Experimental Additions Take Away From the Franchise’s Best Features

Let’s Talk About the NPCs…

Okay, I know that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond isn’t the first game in the franchise to have NPCs, but I have a hard time appreciating characters like Myles MacKenzie. Myles isn’t a constant presence, meaning his place in the game doesn’t ruin the experience, but I definitely didn’t enjoy my time with him. Between him and Nora Armstrong geeking out over meeting Samus, there were some moments throughout the game that felt a little too Joss Whedon-inspired for my taste. I love the isolated and lonely feeling of early Metroid games, and adding several companion NPCs into the mix ultimately takes away from that kind of eerie atmosphere.

Throwing these companions into the story makes it feel like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is struggling with its own identity. On the one hand, it excels in its isolated, Samus-focused moments, but when the NPCs arrive, it seems like the game is trying to appeal to a wider audience instead of honoring the franchise’s proven methods. I understand that Nintendo wants the game to attract as many players as possible, but trying to appeal to multiple audiences at once instead of keeping a central focus often creates uneven pacing. NPCs aren’t the only reason Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has pacing issues, though, as the game’s openness throws a wrench in the momentum, too.

Metroid Prime 4 lists over 20 studios in its credits

Every NPC Companion and Skill in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Companion	Skill
Myles MacKenzie	Specialist Engineer skilled at weapon/vehicle repair and maintenance
Reger Tokabi	Galactic Federation sniper
Ezra Duke	An experienced Galactic Federation sergeant
Nora Armstrong	Galactic Federation pilot skilled at machinery
VUE-995	Battle android created to pilot heavy mechs

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s Open World Traversal Makes Me Long for Tight Corridors

When it comes to gameplay, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond still honors the series in many ways. This entry is packed with puzzles, which I love, and the game is at its best when it sticks to the classic Metroid Prime tropes. I’m open to new entries trying out fresh mechanics and features, but Metroid Prime 4: Beyond‘s open-world bike traversal and desert area feels more like an afterthought than a meaningful addition to the game. When Nintendo revealed earlier this year that Samus would be getting a motorcycle, I was excited about the Vi-O-La. Zooming around a hostile planet on a cool bike sounds like a great time, and it would be if there were anything truly noteworthy during these desert moments.

Over the past few years, a lot of projects have attempted to jump on the open-world trend, but not every game is fit for such an expansive map. Metroid Prime doesn’t feel like the best candidate for this setting style. Of course, down the road, the next Metroid Prime game could potentially nail its open world moments and prove me wrong, but as it currently stands, this entry’s use of open world exploration hurts the pacing just as much as the NPCs. When Samus doesn’t have to drive through the desert, the game’s level design is great, but once I realize I have to travel again, I find myself getting more annoyed than excited.

There are two Amiibos that offer rewards for Samus’ Vi-O-La. The Samus Aran Amiibo unlocks a jukebox that features three songs. The Samus and Vi-O-La Amiibo include several features, like a once-a-day Boost Recovery, an odometer, and skins upgrades that can be unlocked every 50,000 meters.

The Next Metroid Game is Hopefully Less Prime and More Dread

I will always have a soft spot for the older 2D Metroid games, but over time, I’ve come to realize that Metroid Dread is probably my favorite of the franchise. It’s technically 2.5D, but it’s a near-perfect balance of the classic Metroid formula and modern innovation. The gameplay is incredible, it looks fantastic, it nails the traditional atmosphere, and it’s challenging without being overbearing.

Despite its strengths, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a reminder that the heart of the franchise lies in a 2D setting.

Right now, there’s no way to know what the future of Metroid has in store for fans, but there is already a chance that Nintendo could be gearing up for more Prime entries. Earlier this year, there were already rumors that Metroid Prime 5 could start development soon. Every rumor and leak should be met with skepticism, but it’s obvious that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is setting up more stories. If Metroid Prime 5 still insists on expanding its scope and features to appeal to a wider audience, it will hopefully refine the new additions next time around, so they actually feel like meaningful features of the game instead of just add-ons to appease a wider variety of gameplay tastes.

Metroid started off as a 2D franchise, and while evolving is important, the defining features of these games have the limitations of 2D to thank. Metroid Dread proves that 3D influence can still have a lot of impact, but overall, a 2D-focused approach often brings forth the best Metroid games because that’s where the franchise was born.