"Metroid Prime 4: Beyond": Spectacular Return Without Big Surprises
After 17 years of waiting, the "Metroid Prime" saga is finally entering the next round. "Metroid Prime" relies on proven qualities.
(Image: Nintendo)
It has now been more than eight years since Nintendo announced "Metroid Prime 4" in its "Spotlight" presentation at E3 2017. With a mini-teaser that was less than a minute long, featuring some space graphics, the planned logo, and the familiar "Metroid Prime" theme, and nothing else. Over the subsequent years, the game became a "Duke Nukem Forever"-level running gag, and at times it seemed to have completely disappeared into development limbo. Now the game has been released for the Switch.
Originally, „Metroid 4 Prime“ was planned as a Switch-exclusive title. Now the game is available in two different versions: those who own the version for Switch 1 can also get a Switch 2 upgrade for a fee of ten euros. Our review refers exclusively to the version for the Switch 2.
Welcome Back, Explorer!
The last installment in the main series, "Metroid Prime 3," was a full 18 years ago – that was still a Wii game! In the world of "Metroid," we are now in the year "20X9." In it, the nefarious bounty hunter Sylux (who might be known from the obscure 2006 DS title "Metroid Prime Hunters" or the 100% ending of "Metroid Prime 3") is waging war against the Galactic Federation along with the Space Pirates. In the prologue of "Metroid Prime 4," series heroine Samus Aran is still fighting a desperate battle against the ruthless gang, only to be transported to the world of "Viewros" by a mysterious artifact. Her mission is clear: she must somehow get away from Viewros and stop Sylux once and for all.
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Between the prologue and the final confrontation lie ten to 20 hours of gameplay, depending on how diligently you proceed. Because "Metroid Prime 4" remains true to the design tradition of the "Metroid" series and presents a game in which exploration is just as important as action. As is typical for "Metroidvania," the world is largely open to the player from the start – but you can only progress further gradually as you acquire certain skills or weapons: Some barriers, for example, can only be shattered with the missile launcher, and various locks can only be cracked with an ice or electric shot. Viewros consists of many very different biomes, plant worlds, machine worlds, ice worlds, or lava worlds, which you gradually explore in this way.
Acute Scanneritis
One of the most important pillars of the "Metroid Prime" series, which has existed since 2002, is scanning the environment: Samus can switch from weapon mode to scanner mode at any time, whereupon unknown objects or creatures in her vicinity light up green and can be examined. Scanning is far more than just information gathering: sometimes it advances the plot or activates an important object. Scanning is such an elemental part of "Metroid Prime 4" that you quickly get into the habit of switching your view in every new room you enter, looking around, and analyzing everything green immediately. However, this is nothing new for fans of the series.
In general, this statement can be understood as the overarching motto of "Metroid Prime 4," because the development team Retro Studios did not venture into overly wild experiments: there are collectible energy tanks or upgrades for the weapon and missile supply, which make Samus Aran increasingly powerful over the course of the campaign. Quite traditionally, after the initial phase, she loses a large part of her special abilities again and has to gradually restore them: missile launcher, morph ball bomb, or multiple jumps are familiar and liked.
After not too long of gameplay, Samus encounters mysterious statues that grant her new "Psy" abilities. Although some of these are not entirely new, but rather violet-glowing variants of powers already known from previous installments: With the "Psychic Glove," she can grab or move certain objects from a distance. The "Psychic Boots" allow her to stand on seemingly immaterial platforms. With the "Psychic Lasso," she swings from anchor point to anchor point – and with the "Control Beam," she gains the ability to directly control a slow-motion projectile. Over time, these are numerous functions, and the gamepad is correspondingly heavily loaded. But all these skills are unlocked gradually, and you get enough opportunities to practice them so that they quickly become second nature.
Of course, there are also several upgrades in the weapon arsenal: Samus' standard blaster is soon expanded with the missile launcher. Later, she can also shoot with fire, ice, or lightning. And there are also various puzzles that are generally not too demanding and always boil down to using one of her special abilities in the right place. Or in other words: If you are familiar with the "Metroid Prime" series, you will immediately feel at home in "Metroid Prime 4."
