Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Review (NS2) – The Journey Back Home

I’ve always had a “unique relationship” with the Metroid franchise. I knew of Samus Aran because of Smash Bros, and thus never played the original titles on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Entertainment System, or Game Boy. In fact, I’m pretty sure my first title was Metroid Fusion, before getting into the Prime Trilogy and some of the titles that came after. When there was a hiatus in the series, I absolutely joined fans in trying to get Samus back, and I enjoyed Metroid Dread when it released a few years back. Fast forward to now, and my Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Review will highlight that Samus still rocks it in both first-person and 2D side-scrolling perspectives.

Game Name: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2(reviewed), Nintendo Switch
Developer: Retro Studios
Publisher: Nintendo
Date: 12/04/25
Price: $69.99

I’ll start my Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Review with what you already likely know by this point. The game is likely the start of a new saga for Samus Aran, as she gets summoned to a Galactic Federation base that’s being attacked by her rival, Sylux. In the midst of an attack, a mysterious artifact is attacked, and she is pulled into a new world known as Viewros. One of the first things you’ll notice about Viewros when you arrive is that it’s absolutely beautiful.

Once there, you’ll learn several things, including that you are the “Chosen One” (isn’t she always?) who must travel the planet and search for various teleporter keys to not only get her back home, but help preserve the Lamorn culture that was lost long ago. A big part of the game is collecting crystals and scanning everything in sight (literally) to help piece together the mystery of what happened to the Lamorn, and whether their culture can be saved at all.

The other thing you learn is that you’re not alone on this planet. Not only was Sylux brought to Viewros, but a bunch of Galactic Federation soldiers were, too. As such, you’ll need to work with these soldiers to explore the areas of the planet, get the teleporter keys, and get out alive.

Easier said than done, as you likely can guess.

Arguably, the best news here is that if you were a fan of the original Metroid Prime Trilogy, you’ll feel right at home here. The game very much picks up where the past games left off, which makes sense, as Retro Studios took over after the “restart” was ordered by Nintendo. That doesn’t mean the gameplay is stagnant, though, far from it. There are numerous improvements and additions to gameplay to help expand on what was there before, while also keeping things “in the realm” of what many likely expected them to be.

The biggest thing is that, through her new connection with the Lamorn, she slowly gains Psychic Powers, which come in various forms. Some of them help her move objects, which can do everything from open doors, move objects, and in one case, actually help her move a special shot of her so she can aim it where she wants.

Easily the thing I was most excited about, though, and the thing that most of you will enjoy, is the arrival of the bike Samus gets to drive: The Vi-O-La. Not only does the game go to great lengths to ensure it’s a necessary part of your arsenal, but there’s a legit story reason for getting it! The bike is key on certain levels, and actually grows as you do. Plus, as you traverse the overworld, you’ll have to fight off many enemies, including having multiple boss fights where Vi-O-La is essential.

My favorite bit is that they actually figured out a way to weaponize the legendary Akira Slide. Oh yeah, it’s worth it, and you’ll want to spam it constantly. I don’t know if Vi-O-La will return in future games, but I wouldn’t hate it, especially with how much potential there is to make it part of the general arsenal that Samus has.

Oh, and yes, the various “classic weapons” are also within the game, like the Super Missile, Power Bomb, various elemental attacks, and so on.

Focusing on the level structure for a bit, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond does indeed embrace its heritage, aka the trendsetting “Metroidvania” style, and has you going to multiple sections of the game a few times with your new gear to unlock things you couldn’t before. As such, you’ll want to pay attention so that you don’t get confused about what to do next.

As teased before, the levels look beautiful! Make no mistake, Retro Studios crushed it with level design and maxing out what the Nintendo Switch 2 can do with its graphical upgrade. The level of detail is far beyond what the past Prime titles had, including not being afraid to do big backdrops and having minimal load screens as you go to new areas. Even when they do that, they give a nice cutscene to really make it feel like you’re “moving to the next spot.”

Just as important is that they expertly balance the exploration and combat sections. For example, in Ice Belt, you’ll truly feel like you’re in an Alien movie, as the atmosphere and “vibe” tell you that something is wrong, but you don’t feel the danger until much later in the level, when everything starts to go wrong, and various creatures attack you. A similar thing happens in Flare Pool, where you see various mechs that are there that will attack…but they’re offline when you first see them. Pardon the pun, but the “Dread” factor is high here, and that’s what makes exploring them so fun.

Plus, as shown above, sometimes, you don’t expect a boss or mini-boss encounter to happen, and then one pops up out of nowhere, and suddenly you’re in “attack mode.” Speaking of which, the bosses live up to the hype. You’ll need to pay attention and use both your various weapons and the “Free Aim” ability to strike first, strike hard, and absolutely show no mercy. The game even plays with the concept of a “never-ending onslaught,” daring you to see how long you can last before a cutscene comes in to save you. I may have died during one of those sections…and may have almost lost my love of wolves as a result. Almost.

The only thing really “jarring” about combat is that the game isn’t afraid to make you think you’re “in control” and that you “have everything on lock,” and then tosses you into a boss fight that wipes you out, making you wonder how it all went wrong so quickly. The final boss fight with Sylux had me roaring a few times because some of his techniques are broken.

Here’s my big tip: DON’T be afraid to search for all the weapon expansions and energy tanks to buff Samus up. Trust me, you’ll need them.

Speaking of “needing them,” allow me to address the “elephant in the room.” Or, in this case, on the planet Viewros.

Long before tackling this review, I heard a certain “section of gamers” that took excerpts from the cutscenes about the Galactic Federation soldiers you meet and bashed them to high heaven. Look, I hate “bad characters” and “cheesy dialogue” more than anyone, but after beating the game, if you really think that negatively about the soldiers you meet? You’re just a hater.

First and foremost, the soldiers have a purpose for being there, both on a large scale and on a small scale. Second, they’re not that annoying. I don’t know what people were expecting, but they act just like a whole bunch of other side characters from various fantasy and sci-fi stories. You have the veteran, the rookie who’s eager and excited around her hero, the nerdy “tech head,” the sniper with a history he’s trying to live up to, and your epic robot companion. They’re the “dream team,” and they show their worth more times than not.

Plus, if you really “boil down” the amount of time they’re in the game, it’s not that much. In my opinion, Retro Studios did a great job building them up to be true “teammates” to Samus Aran, and without diving too much into the final sequences, they’ll be back in the titles that may come after, and I’m all for that.

Another “overblown element” of the game is traversing the overworld, getting crystals, and doing “fetch quests” during the end parts. It’s not THAT bad, and despite what some people are telling you, you CAN unlock the music without the Amiibo. Even without it, the atmospheric vibes of the desert area perfectly help set the tone, especially with the random monster encounters you’ll have.

Not to mention, they tell you early on to collect crystals to help the Lamorn tree, so if you smash everything in sight as you come across it, including within the shrines, you’ll be fine.

Finally, the game’s music is incredible. Seriously, this could easily get “best score” at many award shows next year. You feel the vibes they’re dropping even if the music itself is minimalistic. You’ll love going to each new area just to hear what new music graces your ears.

Alright, and now we get to the part of my Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Review where I talk about its “bad points.” First and foremost, Samus gets a LOT of new abilities between her weapons and psychic powers, to the point that I sometimes forgot what I should use to get out of a certain situation. I’m not afraid to admit I got stuck at times and had to consult a guide, only to realize I had forgotten a basic power (like the control beam) that would solve the problem before me.

Second, I really wasn’t kidding about the difficulty spikes. Some of those boss fights made my hands cramp! I had to pause the game at times because of how much pain my hands were in. …I don’t like that feeling. I also wish that Sylux was shown more, especially given what happens at the end, but then again, that might have been the point, as he’ll be a key focus going forward.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond not only reinforces that Samus Aran can headline a game in first-person or in side-scrolling form, but it also shows the beauty that the Switch 2 can offer and teases many new journeys for our favorite bounty hunter. So, if you’re interested in the game, just play it! You wouldn’t want to let Samus down, would you?

Review Disclosure Statement: A copy of Metroid Prime 4 Beyond was purchased by The Outerhaven for review purposes. For more information on how we review video games and other media/technology, please review our Review Guideline/Scoring Policy.