Back behind the visor, better than ever
By Paul Hunter
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond feels like a proper “welcome back” for Samus, with the game nailing the fundamentals of what makes this series so incredible. Retro Studios, with Nintendo publishing, delivers another first-person adventure built around exploring interconnected regions, scanning everything that looks suspicious, and pushing deeper once your toolset grows.
Metroid Prime 4 keeps that foundation and layers in some excellent new mechanics. Psychic-style abilities give you fresh ways to solve problems and handle threats. A desert hub adds a different kind of travel between major locations, and you can tear across it on a futuristic bike. You’ll also run into a small group of friendly Galactic Federation characters along the way, used in short bursts so the game can still lean into that classic lone-wolf vibe.
On Nintendo Switch 2, you’re getting the enhanced version of the experience. There are two main display options, 4K at 60fps or 1080p at 120fps, plus a bunch of control choices like sticks, gyro aiming, and optional mouse-style controls.
So, does Metroid Prime 4: Beyond earn its spot next to the Prime classics? Let’s find out!
The turning point comes when a strange ancient artifact gets disturbed during the chaos. In seconds, the situation goes from “hold the line” to “what secrets does this place hold.” Samus is thrown across the galaxy and stranded on Viewros, a hostile world built on the remains of the Lamorn, a civilization that’s long gone but still leaves a heavy footprint behind. Viewros isn’t just a backdrop, the planet feels integral to the story, with ruins and abandoned systems that keep pointing you toward bigger questions.
Sylux also ends up on Viewros, which keeps the tension high. You’re not only trying to understand where you are and what the Lamorn left behind, you’re also dealing with the fact that your rival is out there, moving around with sinister intentions.
The small group of Federation survivors who turn up throughout the campaign eventually cluster around a home base. When you do cross paths put in the open, the game uses those moments to give the mission a bit more structure and to remind you what’s at stake beyond Samus herself.
At its best, the story is a steady mystery: learn what happened here, figure out why you were pulled in, and gather what you need to activate the Chrono Tower and get everyone off this planet.
Viewros is built around that familiar Metroidvania rhythm, and it stays satisfying because the upgrades feel purposeful. The Scan Visor is still your best friend for spotting details and chasing secrets, and Morph Ball routes keep turning “dead space” into real paths. What’s fresh is how Prime 4 folds in psychic-style abilities. You’re not just shooting switches anymore. You’re manipulating objects at range, steering attacks toward tricky targets, and using telekinetic control to solve puzzles in ways that feel natural for Samus in this setting.
The other big shift is Sol Valley, a desert hub that links major areas together. It gives the world more breathing room, and Vi-O-La makes it fun to move through. The bike handles smoothly, it comes with boost options, and it turns travel into an active part of the game instead of downtime. I had a stretch where I hopped on Vi-O-La “just to head back,” and that detour turned into a full sweep of side paths and hidden pickups before I even remembered my original goal.
Combat stays sharp, with bosses designed to push your full toolset. Prime 4 also supports completion-minded play. You’ll chase expansions for missiles and Shots, and late-game Scout Bots can help flag what you missed without killing the thrill of the hunt. A few radio nudges add light structure, and the final stretch leans into clear objectives, which kept my run moving at a steady clip.
The biomes do a lot of heavy lifting. Fury Green hits with dense colour and layered foliage, Ice Belt swaps that for colder industrial spaces, and Volt Forge stands out as a favourite because it changes as you progress. The first time I brought systems online there, the whole place shifted: machinery woke up, lighting changed, hazards became real problems, and even enemy behaviour felt more active. It’s a great example of how Prime 4 uses visuals to communicate progress without yelling at you.
Sol Valley is more open and straightforward, which helps it read as a connector. It also makes the richer regions pop even harder once you drop back into them.
Audio keeps the mood locked in. Each area has its own musical identity, base camp has a calm track that made me linger longer than planned, and the soundscape sells isolation with distant movement, humming tech, and sharp weapon hits. If anything, the sheer punch of combat effects can sit a bit louder than the music in the busiest moments, but it fits the tension.
On the technical side, Switch 2 gives you two strong modes: 4K/60 for clarity or 1080p/120 for smoothness. I stuck with Quality most of the time. Controls are flexible too, with sticks, gyro, and optional mouse-style aiming. I bounced between sticks and gyro depending on the situation, and it always felt natural.
Final Score: 9/10 - Amazing
Developer: Retro Studios
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond feels like a proper “welcome back” for Samus, with the game nailing the fundamentals of what makes this series so incredible. Retro Studios, with Nintendo publishing, delivers another first-person adventure built around exploring interconnected regions, scanning everything that looks suspicious, and pushing deeper once your toolset grows.
Metroid Prime 4 keeps that foundation and layers in some excellent new mechanics. Psychic-style abilities give you fresh ways to solve problems and handle threats. A desert hub adds a different kind of travel between major locations, and you can tear across it on a futuristic bike. You’ll also run into a small group of friendly Galactic Federation characters along the way, used in short bursts so the game can still lean into that classic lone-wolf vibe.
On Nintendo Switch 2, you’re getting the enhanced version of the experience. There are two main display options, 4K at 60fps or 1080p at 120fps, plus a bunch of control choices like sticks, gyro aiming, and optional mouse-style controls.
So, does Metroid Prime 4: Beyond earn its spot next to the Prime classics? Let’s find out!
Story and Narrative
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond wastes no time putting you in the middle of trouble. Samus responds to a Galactic Federation emergency that quickly turns into a full-on strike led by Sylux, with Space Pirates and captured Metroids in the mix. It’s a dramatic opening that sets the stakes, and it reminds you that Sylux isn’t just a cameo villain here. He’s a real deal problem.The turning point comes when a strange ancient artifact gets disturbed during the chaos. In seconds, the situation goes from “hold the line” to “what secrets does this place hold.” Samus is thrown across the galaxy and stranded on Viewros, a hostile world built on the remains of the Lamorn, a civilization that’s long gone but still leaves a heavy footprint behind. Viewros isn’t just a backdrop, the planet feels integral to the story, with ruins and abandoned systems that keep pointing you toward bigger questions.
Sylux also ends up on Viewros, which keeps the tension high. You’re not only trying to understand where you are and what the Lamorn left behind, you’re also dealing with the fact that your rival is out there, moving around with sinister intentions.
The small group of Federation survivors who turn up throughout the campaign eventually cluster around a home base. When you do cross paths put in the open, the game uses those moments to give the mission a bit more structure and to remind you what’s at stake beyond Samus herself.
At its best, the story is a steady mystery: learn what happened here, figure out why you were pulled in, and gather what you need to activate the Chrono Tower and get everyone off this planet.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond nails the part that matters most: the moment-to-moment flow of exploration, combat, and upgrades that keeps you pushing deeper. You’re constantly reading rooms, testing suspicious walls, and filing away locked doors for later, because you know your next tool is going to change what the map even means.Viewros is built around that familiar Metroidvania rhythm, and it stays satisfying because the upgrades feel purposeful. The Scan Visor is still your best friend for spotting details and chasing secrets, and Morph Ball routes keep turning “dead space” into real paths. What’s fresh is how Prime 4 folds in psychic-style abilities. You’re not just shooting switches anymore. You’re manipulating objects at range, steering attacks toward tricky targets, and using telekinetic control to solve puzzles in ways that feel natural for Samus in this setting.
The other big shift is Sol Valley, a desert hub that links major areas together. It gives the world more breathing room, and Vi-O-La makes it fun to move through. The bike handles smoothly, it comes with boost options, and it turns travel into an active part of the game instead of downtime. I had a stretch where I hopped on Vi-O-La “just to head back,” and that detour turned into a full sweep of side paths and hidden pickups before I even remembered my original goal.
Combat stays sharp, with bosses designed to push your full toolset. Prime 4 also supports completion-minded play. You’ll chase expansions for missiles and Shots, and late-game Scout Bots can help flag what you missed without killing the thrill of the hunt. A few radio nudges add light structure, and the final stretch leans into clear objectives, which kept my run moving at a steady clip.
Presentation and Audio
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond looks and runs like a flagship on Switch 2. Retro’s art direction leans into scale, with massive structures, clean silhouettes, and skyboxes that make Viewros feel wide and imposing. Up close, the detail holds too. Samus’ suit has a crisp finish, enemy models read clearly in motion, and the world is packed with little visual tells that reward you for slowing down and looking.The biomes do a lot of heavy lifting. Fury Green hits with dense colour and layered foliage, Ice Belt swaps that for colder industrial spaces, and Volt Forge stands out as a favourite because it changes as you progress. The first time I brought systems online there, the whole place shifted: machinery woke up, lighting changed, hazards became real problems, and even enemy behaviour felt more active. It’s a great example of how Prime 4 uses visuals to communicate progress without yelling at you.
Sol Valley is more open and straightforward, which helps it read as a connector. It also makes the richer regions pop even harder once you drop back into them.
Audio keeps the mood locked in. Each area has its own musical identity, base camp has a calm track that made me linger longer than planned, and the soundscape sells isolation with distant movement, humming tech, and sharp weapon hits. If anything, the sheer punch of combat effects can sit a bit louder than the music in the busiest moments, but it fits the tension.
On the technical side, Switch 2 gives you two strong modes: 4K/60 for clarity or 1080p/120 for smoothness. I stuck with Quality most of the time. Controls are flexible too, with sticks, gyro, and optional mouse-style aiming. I bounced between sticks and gyro depending on the situation, and it always felt natural.
The Verdict
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a confident return that nails the series’ core appeal: exploration that rewards curiosity, upgrades that reshape how you move through the world, and a steady mystery that keeps you pushing forward. Viewros is a great setting, Sylux adds pressure, and the Federation crew supports the mission without stealing focus. Psychic abilities and the Sol Valley hub add variety, while Vi-O-La makes roaming fun. On Switch 2, it looks sharp, runs smoothly, and sounds excellent.Final Score: 9/10 - Amazing
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond details
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: Retro Studios
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.