"New Metroid games are few and far between, so the launch of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond should have been a monumental event for the fanbase. Instead, eight years after its announcement, and 18 years after the previous game, Nintendo's big December 2025 release landed with a loud thud. Already, this once highly anticipated title is poised to be one of the series' most divisive games, earning a spot alongside Other M and Federation Force."
"This isn't for lack of polish, as Prime 4 is indeed visually stunning and perhaps the greatest first-party showcase of graphics on the Nintendo Switch and its successor. But while it has its share of enthusiasts, it's difficult not to feel underwhelmed by the final product in comparison to prior Prime games and even other, similar entries in the Metroidvania space that has grown in Nintendo's frequent absence."
"The list of Metroidvania games from independent and third-party developers in the past decade alone is astonishing, with Ori and the Blind Forest, Axiom Verge, Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, Animal Well, and others throwing new concepts and innovations into the genre's well of ideas. Hollow Knight and its follow-up, Silksong, have captivated players with their dense worldbuilding, roaming NPCs, and optional side objectives, all of which have come to define the critically acclaimed series."
Metroid Prime 4 launched in December 2025 after an eight-year development announcement and an 18-year gap since the previous mainline Prime release. The game delivers striking visuals and may be the best first-party graphics showcase on the Nintendo Switch and its successor. Despite technical polish and a vocal group of enthusiasts, the overall experience feels underwhelming compared with prior Prime entries and recent Metroidvania releases. Independent and third-party Metroidvanias introduced dense worldbuilding, roaming NPCs, optional side objectives, intricate combat, and inventive mechanics, leaving Prime 4 feeling less ambitious and causing division among longtime fans.
Read at GameSpot
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]