Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Arrives with Epic Atmosphere, but Some Decisions Disappoint
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Metroid Prime 4: Beyond hits Switch 2 with thrilling gameplay and stunning visuals, but frustrating challenges and a hesitant story hold it back.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Hits Switch 2 Carrying the Weight of a 20-Year Wait
Bounty hunter Samus Aran finally returns in style, but her triumphant comeback is not perfect. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond arrived on Nintendo Switch 2 in December 2025, ending one of the longest waits in gaming history. Developed by Retro Studios after a turbulent restart, the game promised to honor the legacy of the first-person series. The mission itself is thrilling: exploring the planet Viewros, mastering new psychic abilities, and riding the agile Vi-O-La bike. The question every fan kept asking, however, was simple: was the wait worth it? The answer, after hours of review, is a resounding “almost”. We found an excellent game at its core, one that shines brightly, but stumbles on design flaws that dim the achievement a little.
For audiences used to Nintendo quality and still warmed by the success of Metroid Prime Remastered, expectations were sky-high. In Beyond, Samus is not completely alone. For the first time, she interacts with Federation soldiers at certain moments, adding new momentum to the classic isolation formula. The game thus balances the introspective atmosphere that made the series famous with more spectacular action scenes. The result is an experience that lands most of its decisive moments, but, because of a few questionable choices, leaves the feeling it could have been even more polished.
The Highs and Lows: When the Gameplay Shines and When It Stumbles
Moving through the environments of Viewros is, most of the time, a pure delight. Combat is incredibly responsive and satisfying, especially with the Switch 2 motion controls and the precise aiming option, which recalls the fluidity of a mouse. The visuals are stunning and make great use of the console hardware. Moreover, the introduction of the Vi-O-La bike is an absolute win, offering explosive mobility that is fun both in exploration and in chase sequences. Yet the game makes curious mistakes that break this virtuoso rhythm.
The biggest culprit is the psychic powers. Although they sound like an interesting addition, their practical execution is needlessly complicated. To perform basic actions, such as triggering a telekinetic bomb, players must execute a command sequence that feels more like bureaucratic work than the skill of an intergalactic bounty hunter. This artificial complexity creates frustrating friction amid gameplay that is otherwise so polished. In other words, the game seems to fight against itself at certain points.
Confusing Challenges and a Toothless Villain
This inconsistency is even clearer in some enemy encounters. In one specific section of the Ice Belt, the game throws a swarm of wolf-like creatures at the player without giving any clear hint about the ideal strategy to beat them. The result? Many attempts, errors, and that frustration that feels unfair. Meanwhile, the narrative also falters through hesitation. The presence of antagonist Sylux, so awaited by the most hardcore fans, ends up underused. His dramatic potential feels wasted.
Likewise, Samus’s own arc feels conflicted. At times the plot tries to give the character more emotional layers, but it soon retreats into the emblematic silence that has always defined her. Beyond therefore feels like a title torn between innovation and tradition, between wanting to tell a new story and the obligation to be a classic “Metroid Prime”. This dual identity does not ruin the experience, but it keeps it from reaching legendary status.
Verdict: An Essential Switch 2 Journey, With a Few Detours
There is no doubt: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a great game. The first-person exploration is captivating, the map design is clever, and the feeling of being Samus Aran has never been better translated. It is a triumphant return for one of Nintendo’s most important heroines and a great reason to own a Switch 2 in January 2026. For fans who followed the whole saga, the moments of pure joy and discovery far outweigh the bad parts.
Still, it is impossible to pretend the stumbles do not exist. Poorly tuned combat encounters and unintuitive psychic mechanics stain a work that comes very close to greatness. The lingering feeling is that, with more rigorous final polish, Beyond could have been the definitive game of the new console. So the conclusion is clear: Samus is back, powerful and impressive, but her latest mission proves that even legends can slip from time to time.
