Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

As someone who didn't truly jump into the bounty hunter's boots until playing Metroid Dread in 2023, I consider myself a relatively new fan. I fell in love with Dread which catapulted me backward through the series, allowing me to finally appreciate classics like Zero Mission, Fusion, and the original Prime games. With this newfound context and appreciation, I was eager to see how Metroid Prime 4: Beyond would handle the series' legacy. After such a long wait, the visual presentation absolutely meets expectations, delivering a gorgeous world, but its structural changes might leave hardcore metroidvania purists feeling a bit alienated.

One of the biggest departures is in its pacing and structure. If I might offer a disclaimer up-front: I have never been a massive fan of the heavy backtracking that defines the genre, so the more linear approach in Beyond actually sits very well with me. It keeps the momentum moving forward, bolstered by what is easily the best combat in the Prime series. The way you swap between ammo types makes a surprisingly large difference in combat pacing, turning the core gameplay loop into an incredibly smooth and enjoyable experience. This shines brightest during the boss encounters, which are all very well-designed from both a gameplay and spectacle standpoint.

Admittedly, exploration is a bit of a mixed bag, though there certainly are high points. The Ice Belt is a fantastic zone that perfectly captures that classic, atmospheric Prime feeling. On the other hand, the Sol Valley hub feels more akin to Ocarina of Time's Hyrule Field than a Metroid Prime level. From an aesthetic standpoint, I really like it, and driving the Vi-O-La bike across the desert offers a lonely sense of peace when you are left to your own devices. The bike itself is cool and super fun to drive with a seamless mounting and dismounting animations, but it somehow feels woefully underutilized. The valley lacks the interesting level design needed to really make the vehicle shine. And yes, the green crystal grind at the end of the game is tedious, but such a late-game quest plagues every Prime game, so I do not hold this issue to harshly against Beyond. I don't dislike the way Sol Valley separates each zone, but do wish the journey between them was more interesting and involved.

The atmosphere does also takes a hit due to the inclusion of talkative companions. Traditionally, Metroid relishes in a deep sense of isolation, so having characters like Myles MacKenzie constantly checking in with Samus over the radio every time you cross the desert can get grating. That said, I do think the companions serve a neat narrative purpose: they elevate Samus's legendary status. They are constantly in awe of her and want to protect her, which is a fun dynamic. The main issue is that with everyone talking directly to her, Samus's silent stoicism eventually feels a bit awkward. We know she isn't actually mute due to games like Dread, Fusion and Other M, so even just a line or two in response would have maintained her cool factor while making the conversations feel less one-sided.

Unfortunately, the narrative stumbles hardest right at the finish line. Completing the mission hinges on a choice that feels entirely out of character for Samus: Spoiler. During my first playthrough, I stubbornly Spoiler, hoping to trigger an alternate ending where she Spoiler. Instead, the game punished me with a game over, forcing me to replay the entire final boss fight just to Spoiler. It was an incredibly frustrating way to cap off an otherwise stellar adventure. I understand that the story they want to tell is how Samus deals with the loss of her comrades she had grown close to, but am not a fan of the means to achieve that conclusion.

All of that said: I don't think I can overstate how, in spite of these seemingly major issues and complaints, I can't help but find Beyond to be the most fun Prime game to play. The movement, combat, and bike are snappy and fluid; the graphics and art are incredible, the music is amazing, and the exploration that is present is satisfying, even if it isn't as intricate as previous entries. There's also a slightly less tangible element that I love about the game, and that is Samus' cool factor. A large part of why I fell in love with Dread was how cool Samus carried herself in the face of terrible threats, not with bombast, but indifference. She's a cold, hard professional that is confident in her skill and abilities to get the job done, and that alone makes her more attractive than the Zero Suit treatment she received in Zero Mission and Other M.

Despite its narrative missteps and linear hand-holding, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a fantastic game. It plays beautifully, looks incredible, and offers some of the best combat and boss fights in the series, second only to Dread. It might not scratch the itch for players looking to get hopelessly lost in a labyrinth of backtracking, but for both newcomers and seasoned fans willing to accept a more directed journey, it is a ride well worth taking.