Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Review – A Solid Return For The Series

In this Metroid Prime 4 Review, we take a look at Retro Studios’ return to the classic FPS series that hasn’t seen a mainline installment since 2007. Fans of the Prime Series have waited a long time to dive into Samus’ next adventure, but was it worth the wait? Let’s dive right in and find out!

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Review – What is Metroid Prime 4?

Metroid Prime 4 is an action adventure video game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo. It is available on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch 1.

The game offers an FPS gameplay experience like the original Prime games where you see everything through the eyes of Samus Aran, the series’ protagonist.

Obviously, the game marks the fourth entry in the Prime series, which started in 2002 with the original game on GameCube. The first sequel, Prime 2: Echoes, released two years later (2004). Prime 3: Corruption, released three years later on the Nintendo Wii and featured motion controls.

Gameplay – Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Review

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond’s Gameplay is definitely the best part of the game. Any fan of the series will instantly pick up the controller and feel right at home.

Perhaps my favorite thing about the gameplay is the control scheme, as well as how much control players have over them. I used the standard Dual Stick scheme, which thankfully lets you aim with the right stick like Prime Remastered. Of course, you can still free aim and lock-n like original GameCube titles, too. The game even offers “mouse” controls that let you use your joy-con as a mouse for more precise aiming.

What’s awesome is you can adjust the controls however you like. The game lets you completely re-map every button on the controller, giving you more freedom. I didn’t have to change much from the default settings, but I appreciate the options for the players.

And speaking of the controls, they feel responsive, fluid, and easy to understand. Despite all the tools Samus has at her disposal, Retro Studios made logical decisions for what each button does. Once you get comfortable with the game, you’ll be able to do a variety of things in instant succession thanks to the smooth controls.

Prime 4 features the same core gameplay cycle as the previous games. You explore new areas, fight enemies, and scan the world around you. It’s more complicated than that, and sometimes you need a certain upgrade to progress. Furthermore, the game encourages backtracking, allowing you to become even more powerful in a ton of ways.

There’s also puzzles throughout the game, which require you to use the tools you’ve unlocked throughout the game so far. Whether it’s Samus’ Morph Ball, Missiles, or new Psychic Powers, you’ll need all of it to progress.

Let’s talk about Samus’ new psychic powers, because they’re the coolest addition to the series. It essentially enables Samus to do a few things:

• Fire a slow-motion control beam from her arm-cannon (controllable/slows down time)
• Control Motes with your Psychic Glove to complete puzzles
• Interact with Lamorn technology
• Emit Psychic Motes from your Morph Ball for puzzles

And there’s much more you can do with it. Overall, of all the new gameplay mechanics added to the game, this was easily my favorite. It seamlessly intertwines with the Prime experience, and elevates it. I had a lot of fun figuring out boss battles and puzzles with the new Psychic abilities.

Of course, there’s a lot of other returning mechanics. Samus not only has her regular arm-cannon beam, but she unlocks other shot types throughout the game. This includes an Ice Shot, Fire Shot, and Electric Shot. Together, these three ammo types also serve Samus on her quest. They’re not as creative as Samus’ other beams from previous games, but still fun to use.

But while Prime 4 offers a ton of fun mechanics, there’s some new things that weren’t executed well.

I’d be remiss not to mention Vi-O-la, the motorbike Samus uses on Viewros. The vehicle itself looks cool and drives fine, but its execution in how it was used leaves much to be desired for. You unlock it after visiting the Volt Forge early in the game.

Now, the vehicle itself controls fine. Samus can boost, fire a projectile, and turn quickly. But the way they executed its function in the games didn’t work for me.

The vehicle itself is mostly used in the Sol Valley, the worst area of the game. This vast, bland desert really does offer nothing but act as a buffer in between areas. Here, you also need to collect Green Energy Crystals and explore Shrines.

On one hand, I like exploring the Shrines. These bite-sized areas give you a chance to use your new tools to unlock even more items. So I had no problem looking for those areas. But searching for Green Energy Crystals was not fun.

As you collect more Crystals, you unlock things like upgrades for Samus, as well as a radar… to find more Green Crystals. I feel like it’s already enough backtracking for items. Searching for Crystals just felt like padding to make the game longer.

Now here’s the worst part. Hitting the Crystals with Vi-O-la feels like torture. Sometimes you’ll hit a pile of crystals with no problem and collect them all. Other times, you need to turn around and hit any remaining crystals.

You have to be careful because sometimes even the smallest crystal can remain. So you need to thoroughly check each crystal after hitting it. Even with the Radar, you only see nearby crystals. The map doesn’t show you where they all are.

Furthermore, Vi-O-la needs to be going a certain speed in order to break them. So if you’re not going fast enough, you’ll need to go build some speed for taking them down. Even with Vi-O-la’s boost attack, it just feels so tedious to search for them.

And while I liked exploring the game’s five regions, I did not like Sol Valley. I’ve never been a fan of desert regions in Nintendo games, and Prime 4 is no exception. Thankfully, it’s not as big as I anticipated, making it easier to traverse.

And despite the problems with the bike and Sol Valley, the gameplay in each region is fun. It feels like classic Metroid Prime action, which I think is what most fans really just wanted. When the game sticks to its roots, it feels like pure fun. That is, until you run into some of the game’s new characters.

Story – Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Review

Metroid Prime 4’s story begins on a Federation Facility on planet Tanamaar. The Federation has recently uncovered an artifact, which they’re researching on the planet. However, rogue Hunter Sylux (from Prime: Hunters) raids the facility, along with a band of space pirates. Samus comes to aid the Federation, but Sylux attacks the artifacts, sending them both to a planet called Viewros.

On Viewros, Samus uncovers a hologram message from the now-extinct Lamorn species. They seek Samus’ help to preserve their history by acquiring five keys to access the Chronos Tower’s pinnacle. Without spoiling any more of the plot, this is essentially the main objective of the game.

Throughout Samus’ journey, she encounters more Galactic Federation troopers who are actually named and have different personalities. Now, if you’ve been keeping up with the game’s development, you likely already heard criticism’s about the game’s dialogue and Federation characters (specifically, Myles MacKenzie)

The Federation Characters aren’t as bad as the internet makes them out to be, but I still didn’t like a single character other than Samus, Sylux, the Lamorn, and VUE-995. And while I think one of the series’ biggest strength is its lack of dialogue in favor of ambience, I do believe the series can have both.

Prime 3’s cast of characters felt more realistic and their dialogue and delivery was much better, too. Fleet Admiral Castor Dane, along with the crew members of the G.F.S. Olympus spoke more naturally compared to the cast & crew of Beyond. And I loved the other Bounty Hunter characters like Rundas, Ghor, and Gandrayda and how unique they were.

Myles MacKenzie’s dialogue feels cringe, Reger Tokabi is was trying too hard to be edgy, and Nora was just too much. Ezra Duke was okay, and I do appreciate his concern for others. But I still prefer characters like Dane, as well as Adam from Dread.

I believe the Prime series can definitely have characters with dialogue. But like Vi-O-la, the execution was done poorly. If it had better written companions and less “MCU” style conversations, the internet wouldn’t have blown up over MacKenzie or the other troopers.

Furthermore, these characters just appeared too much, taking away Samus’ alone time. Ezra and Nora accompany you for much of the Flare Pool region. Tokabi communicates with you during the Ice Belt, and MacKenzie talks to you throughout the entire game. Everyone joins you when you visit the Great Mines.

There isn’t a single region where Samus travels alone, and that’s a shame.

I will say though, the one good companion character was VUE-995. Samus encounters this Galactic Federation Android later in the game, and it’s dialogue feels more like Prime 3’s dialogue. It felt like the one character who actually belonged in the dark atmosphere of the franchise.

But despite all the yapping on the characters, there’s lots of other things I did like about the story. The game’s scanning mechanic gives you all sorts of information on the Lamorn and their lore. Additionally, I love reading about the Biology on Viewros,

All the scenes between Samus and the Lamorn were fine too. They’re dispersed evenly throughout the game, incentivizing you to keep going. The story behind their world is pretty tragic and makes for a solid story for a Nintendo game.

I also like how Sylux was utilized in the game’s story. I won’t say too much, as much of it isn’t revealed until later in the game. But I did enjoy how they provide a reason as to why he dislikes Samus and the Federation.

I think it’s very reasonable to say that while Prime 4 has a good story, it’s my least favorite story in the series. The supporting cast and characters, and how they were implemented into the gameplay, wasn’t executed as well as other Metroid titles. But I did like the overarching plot in general, as well as the game’s main antagonist.

Lastly, I did enjoy the game’s ending. Again, we won’t spoil the story, but it does feel like a satisfying end, especially if you 100% the game.

Graphics – Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Review

I should first mention that I played Metroid Prime 4 on the Switch 1 system. Therefore, I understand that I’m not seeing the game at its best, so I am going to go easy on it. But even then, I was impressed with what I saw on the original Switch.

Of course, the Switch 2 version looks prettier, but Metroid Prime 4 looks fine on Switch 1. The resolution may not be as sharp, but the game runs well and looks smooth. I can’t tell you what the FPS exactly, but it feels like the game is always running around 60 fps.

Despite the system’s age, Retro Studios still managed to make the game look great through the game’s different worlds. Volt Forge’s electric, stormy atmosphere and Flare Pool’s lava-filled theme all still looked great on the old hardware. They even added cool details to Samus’ visor and arm-cannon when you enter the Ice Belt.

The areas of Prime 4 all look beautiful, though feel somewhat uninspired. Flare Pool feels like another Magmoor Cavern, Fury Green looks like an extended Tallon Overworld area, and Ice Belt shares a lot of similarities with Phendrana Drifts.

That’s not to say they look bad, but I felt Retro Studios played it too safe. Prime 2 offered a Light/Dark World which altered gameplay completely. Prime 3 featured different planets, including optional ships you could explore. It felt like Prime 4 had variety, but not a lot of unique identity.

But there’s plenty of other areas where Prime 4 looks great. Volt Forge was perhaps my favorite area. It’s design not only looked great but complemented the game’s lore. It was cool to learn that the Lamorn used 3D Printing technology in this facility.

The enemy designs are cool too, though there’s a bit too many variations of the Griever and a few robotic enemies. I wish I could fight more Snow Wolves, and even Space Pirates don’t appear too often. While the enemy designs are cool, you often just fight the same 3-4 enemies in each region. The same goes for Sol Valley.

And of course, there’s Samus’ new suit, which is redder, with shades of purple to represent the psychic abilities she acquires. Overall, I do like the new design, and you get to wear it for most of the game. After the game’s tutorial phase, you unlock the new suit not long into the experience.

Samus especially looks cool on Vi-O-la. And of course, the developers gave you the Akira slide for extra visual flare.

Overall, Metroid Prime 4 looks like one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch in terms of graphics. Furthermore, it has a nice art style, with good enemy, NPC, and boss designs. However, I do think the developers played it safe when designing the game’s main areas. I felt like I’ve seen enough Desert, Ice, and Fire worlds in Nintendo games for some time now.

Audio – Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Review

In terms of music, Metroid Prime 4’s soundtrack feels very much similar to previous entries, especially Prime 1. It retains the electronic sci-fi themes along with orchestral elements that fans of the series will feel familiar with. Honestly, if you play Prime 1 Remastered and then jump to 4, you’ll see what I mean.

That said, I didn’t find the music as memorable this time around. I don’t mean to say the music was bad, but to me, they don’t stick like the Torvus Bog Subterranean theme or the Chozo Ruins main theme.

The music feels more orchestral, which I know some people like. But I also think there’s room for more head-bumping tunes as you explore the game’s various locations.

But in terms of sounds, sounds effects, and everything else, Prime 4 sounds great. It’s a small detail, but I appreciate Retro using the same sounds of Samus’ Arm Cannon and her scanner, as well as other sounds you may recognize. I also like the ambience when she shifts to her Psychic vision, as well as the Save Room.

And of course, it wouldn’t be Metroid without the classic sounds and songs, which return. It’s always satisfying to find an item or power up through the game and hear new renditions of the classic unlock themes.

Overall, Metroid Prime 4 comes with a solid soundtrack that definitely fits the game, though I think had potential to be better. However, it more than makes up for it with great ambience and cool sound effects.

Verdict: Is Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Worth Your Time & Money?

The fourth entry in the Metroid Prime series is definitely worth playing once if you’re a huge fan of the series. It retains the same classic formula of the original trilogy in terms of gameplay while bringing the refreshed control scheme of Prime Remastered. However, I also find it to be the weakest entry in the series because of a few key issues.

Firstly, where the game exceeds in gameplay, it lacks in execution. Riding Vi-O-la is fun, but there could have been a better use for it instead of just looking for green shards. I’m perfectly fine with characters that speak in Metroid, but the writing in this game isn’t as good as other Metroid games.

Furthermore, while Prime 4 is the best looking game in the series, it lacks a unique identity. The game’s different regions mirror locations from previous games too much to be considered original in my opinion. While they’re fun to explore and backtrack through, I think the developers could be more creative, especially considering we’re exploring an entirely new world.

But despite these flaws, it was a blast to play a Prime game again. Samus is still fun to control, and speaking of controls, they feel great, especially with the options provided to you. There’s a solid amount of boss battles, combat feels fun, and scanning the world of Viewros is enjoyable.

I also even recommend this game to newcomers of the series. While it’s not as good as the older games, it comes with a “Casual” mode intended to make the experience easier. So new players can dive into the world of Metroid with ease and enjoy the experience. Overall, it was a good game, but not a great one.

It may not be perfect, but it was worth the wait to play a new Prime game. And I do hope Nintendo and Retro continue the series, perhaps bringing a bigger, better experience next time around.

Check out what other reviewers thought of the game!

Score: 7.5/10

Lastly, for more gaming news, visit ClutchPoints. Furthermore, subscribe to our own gaming newsletter for more weekly info.

The post Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Review – A Solid Return For The Series appeared first on ClutchPoints.