How Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Fails The Genre Nintendo Created

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It’s been a long time since a new Metroid game came out, making the release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond a potentially huge moment for fans. However, after being announced eight years ago and following an 18-year gap since the last installment, the game didn’t make the impact Nintendo hoped for. Early reactions suggest it’s becoming a controversial title, similar to previous divisive entries like Other M and Federation Force.

Metroid Prime 4 isn’t lacking in visual quality – it’s a beautiful game and arguably the best-looking first-party title on the Nintendo Switch. However, despite having fans, it doesn’t quite live up to the standards set by previous Metroid Prime games or other modern games in the Metroidvania genre, especially considering how long fans waited for a new installment.

Over the past ten years, the number of independently developed and third-party Metroidvania games has been incredible. Titles like Ori and the Blind Forest, Axiom Verge, Hollow Knight, and Dead Cells have brought fresh ideas to the genre. Hollow Knight, especially, and its upcoming sequel, Silksong, are praised for their detailed worlds, characters, and optional challenges. Nine Sols impressed with its complex combat, while unique games like Yoku’s Island Express (a pinball Metroidvania!) showed that anything can fit the formula with enough imagination. Even Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown added a simple but helpful feature – an in-game screenshot system for navigating the map. The Metroidvania genre is constantly evolving with a huge variety of creative approaches.

Metroid Prime 4 doesn’t quite reach the heights of other modern action-adventure games, demonstrating that the series is now falling behind the titles it once influenced. While Metroid Dread is a solid game, Nintendo’s recent offerings haven’t been as groundbreaking or original compared to the competition.

As a longtime Nintendo fan, it’s honestly a little sad to see them falling behind in areas they used to lead. I don’t expect every new game to be a total game-changer, but Nintendo has always been so good at reinventing its classic franchises. Think about Zelda – Ocarina of Time totally redefined the series when it went 3D, and then Breath of the Wild did it again with its open world. And Metroid Prime back in 2002 was incredible – nothing since has really captured that same magic. It just feels like they’re not taking those big swings as often anymore.

As a huge Metroid fan, I was really hoping Prime 4 would take some risks. I imagined they could’ve built on what we love about the series – the exploration, the atmosphere – but also surprised us with something genuinely new. Nintendo and Retro Studios had a chance to redefine what a Metroid game could be. Honestly, what we got feels…old. It’s basically the same formula we’ve seen before, just…more of the same, and with everything labeled as ‘Psychic.’ It’s disappointing because it doesn’t push the series forward at all.

Prime 4 relies heavily on gameplay ideas from older games, specifically those from the 1990s and 2000s. While this isn’t necessarily a problem, the game doesn’t really improve upon or even meaningfully change those ideas. In fact, its most unique feature – locking background music behind a paywall – feels out of place. Ultimately, Prime 4 feels like a remix of the first three Prime games, as if it were built from a hazy recollection of the originals.

The game keeps the same look and feel as the original Metroid Prime, but simplifies the environments into longer, more linear paths with occasional branching routes. Its world is structured similarly to Metroid Prime 2, with a central area connecting different environments. However, unlike Prime 2, these environments aren’t connected to each other, and the central area – a large, open space reminiscent of Sol Valley – feels tedious to navigate rather than interesting to explore. The game also features voice acting and cutscenes like Metroid Prime 3, but unfortunately lacks a coherent story or believable character reasons for their actions. Overall, it feels like a poorly executed remix of the previous three games.

The core gameplay of Prime 4 involves going into dungeons, navigating long corridors, using elevators, completing tasks like restoring power, and then retracing your steps through the same areas with new obstacles. While simple to understand, and initially feeling like a training section, the game never really moved beyond that basic structure.

One of the biggest issues with Metroid Prime 4 is how much it steers players along a set path, which feels out of place for a series known for letting you explore. While previous games like Fusion, Zero Mission, and even Prime 3 have offered some guidance, and Metroid Dread subtly guided players despite being a sprawling map, Prime 4 goes too far. Instead of feeling like a natural evolution of the series, it feels like a step backward, removing tension and limiting how much freedom players have to discover things on their own.

The game’s characters add to this frustration – they keep giving you directions over the radio even after they’ve stopped accompanying you. Hearing their subtly critical suggestions felt condescending, and I often rebelled by deliberately riding my motorcycle in the opposite direction across the desolate landscape. I felt like I needed to resist the game’s constant guidance to feel in control, but unfortunately, there wasn’t much to actually do outside of the main story path.

It’s especially disheartening that Prime 4 abandoned the exploration-focused gameplay that made the original Metroid Prime so unique, particularly since few games truly capture that style in 3D. While games like Batman: Arkham Asylum and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order show some influence, Prime 1 didn’t inspire as many imitators as Breath of the Wild did. Prime 4 had the potential to revolutionize 3D exploration games, but unfortunately, it falls short, relying on outdated concepts and flawed design choices, resulting in a disappointing experience.

Nintendo excels in genres like platformers and action-adventure, and many expected them to be leaders in the Metroidvania style as well. However, Metroid Prime 4 feels less like a creative endeavor and more like a project Nintendo felt obligated to finish after announcing it too early. This raises concerns about how difficult the game’s development actually was.

The Metroidvania genre is doing well even without Nintendo, as many other developers have successfully created games in this style. While newer Metroid games might not be the primary inspiration for everyone, titles like Hollow Knight demonstrate what’s possible. It’s great that the genre isn’t controlled by a single company. However, despite enjoying other Metroidvania games and having some concerns about the next Metroid title, I still hope Nintendo continues to make Metroid games. It’s my favorite series from them, and I believe it deserves the same level of attention as franchises like Mario and Zelda.

It’s reassuring to think that the mixed response to Metroid Prime 4 could push Nintendo to rethink the future of the series. While it didn’t quite capture the magic of Breath of the Wild, hopefully it will have a similar effect to the one Skyward Sword had – leading Nintendo to learn from its mistakes and create an even more impressive Metroid game next time.

I’m really excited about the possibility of a Metroid Prime 5. Nintendo is known for pushing boundaries, and I hope the next Metroid game will be a truly groundbreaking title that sets a new standard for others in the industry. The Metroid series is iconic and deserves a game that really raises the bar. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait another incredibly long time to see it happen.

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2025-12-12 21:41