Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Game Review – Mission Complete?

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a first-person, action-adventure game from Retro Studios and is the 10th main entry in the Metroid series. Released in 2025, players continue the journey of Samus Aran, the main bounty hunter in the series, who is transported to Viewros and unlocks new abilities as the Chosen One. Players are introduced to new characters who prove to be crucial to the success of the mission, and face a familiar, yet not unexpected, rival in the end.

In my review, I’m going to go into the details of the story, the gameplay, the overall experience, and discuss other aspects of the game. This is NOT a spoiler-free review!

The Story of Samus Aran

Samus Aran is a bounty hunter who often works for the Galactic Federation, going on missions to eliminate enemies and various threats to the galaxy. This story, which takes place between the events of Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion, takes Samus out of the heat of battle and onto the planet of Viewros, where she uncovers the secrets of the extinct Lamorn race. By doing this, she is also unlocking the secrets of herself as a descendant and the Chosen One of the Lamorn people.

As the story unfolds, she discovers several Federation soldiers who have been stranded on Viewros as well, and they find ways to help her unlock the secrets of the world to find a way home. Samus does not contribute much to their conversations though, and the soldiers are working hard to help her despite her complete silence on the matter. Unfortunately, in the end, all the soldiers are left behind to fend off Sylux as Samus escapes, leaving them behind to trap Sylux on this planet.

Apparently, all of this is Sylux’s fault, but he solely blames Samus for everything he has suffered and is bent on destroying her. I did not play the games that this was set between, so I was fairly lost for context, but from the flashbacks, Sylux seemed to be blowing the situation way out of proportion. Also, Samus should have been the one to stay behind and trap Sylux, not the soldiers.

The Gameplay of the Chosen One

The gameplay of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is easy to pick up for new players who enjoy a first-person shooter style with non-linear environments. While not every Metroid game follows the same format, the gameplay is familiar to fans of the series and follows a similar pacing to the other games. It falls under the category of open-world because of a new area, the hub world, where players can navigate openly on a new motorcycle called Vi-O-La. Character interactions can also be found in this area, and there are upgrades available throughout.

Scanning objects and lifeforms is crucial for success and understanding what types of weapons or attacks to use in each area. The game also introduces psychic abilities that allow Samus to shoot multiple objects at once using the control beam. These abilities aid in fights because it slows time down as you guide the beam to its targets, which is a key factor for success against certain bosses.

Like the previous games, unlocking new areas involves puzzle solving, exploration, and defeating enemies that have adapted to the different environments. You have to progress in the game to unlock new weapons and the Morph Ball to be able to explore areas completely. The Morph Ball is the only time the POV switches in the game, giving players better control of Samus as she weaves through small areas or battles various enemies.

Generally, I am not a fan of first-person shooters, but it did not feel challenging to control Samus. The only challenge I faced was when switching to the Morph Ball, because the perspective shift threw me off, especially during boss fights.

An Easy 100% Completion

For gamers who love getting 100% complete in a game, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is an easy trophy. There are three things you need to do to get 100% in this game:

Scans Collected: Scan every single item and enemy you come across. Scannable items display green in your HUD.
Items Discovered: Unlock every area on a map to find the items available and collect them (after scanning!). You can check on your regular items menu to see your progress.
Complete the Story: Finish every aspect of the game, including scans and items, to get 100% in the end. Note: the ending credit scene you get depends on your completion status of the game.

What Lies Beyond?

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond received some mixed reception from fans, with the studio seemingly taking their feedback to the extreme. Previously, fans felt Samus spoke too much and took away from the depth of the story. Now, she didn’t speak at all, which made for a lot of awkward moments with the other characters. The ending was also fairly ambiguous, leaving some confusion about what is happening with the story or where it will go.

Personally, I enjoyed the game on its surface as I enjoy science fiction, and the first-person aspect was not as challenging as I anticipated. I also liked how quick the game was, with fast pacing that kept things interesting. The ending was confusing though, and I didn’t like that Samus just left everyone to be killed by Sylux, who was a completely random boss at the end. I looked up the other ending cut scenes, but none of them provided any explanation for the characters’ survival, and Samus acted like it was fine that she left them there to die.

So, if you enjoy Metroid games or quick games to play, you’ll enjoy this one. Just don’t expect a logical ending!

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