Metroid 4: Beyond Shows the Switch 2 at Its Best

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Everyone familiar with Nintendo is aware of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, the long-awaited next installment in the Metroid first-person shooter series. Originally revealed at E3 2017 as a major exclusive title for the brand-new Nintendo Switch, the game faced significant development challenges. In 2019, Nintendo made the tough call to completely restart the project, explaining that it wasn’t meeting their high expectations for a sequel to the acclaimed Metroid Prime games.

Game Rant had a chance to play about 90 minutes of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in New York City, and the experience left us feeling hopeful about the game after a long wait. The upcoming adventure, starring Samus Aran, feels spooky, immersive, and well-paced, suggesting it will give fans everything they’re looking for in a new Metroid Prime game on Nintendo’s latest console.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Is Glossy, Satisfying, and Unforgettable

The preview began with a familiar section – I played the same fifteen-minute gameplay demo shown during the Nintendo Treehouse event this summer. It’s a strong introduction, letting players get comfortable with Samus’ weapons. This part focuses on combat, as Samus helps a Galactic Federation outpost under attack, and it’s really well done. The fast-paced, first-person shooting from past Metroid Prime games feels great, and the enemies are smart and challenging, making each fight exciting.

I quickly moved on to the next area, a vibrant place called Fury Green. These natural environments have always been a highlight of the Metroid Prime series, offering a welcome change from the more artificial and confined spaces of the older 2D Metroid games. I’ve always enjoyed levels like these in Metroid Prime, and Fury Green was particularly impressive.

While exploring the dangerous environments in Metroid Prime 4, I got a good feel for how the controls work. The core gameplay isn’t a huge change from past Metroid Prime games: Samus can fire her weapons and missiles while moving or staying still, and you can aim precisely or lock onto enemies for faster combat. I often found myself using the lock-on feature because, with enemies attacking so aggressively, trying to aim and shoot freely wasn’t as effective or fun. Whether this combination of controls and enemy behavior is good or bad is really a matter of opinion, but it does lessen the impact of the game’s more innovative, hardware-focused control scheme.

Nintendo is showcasing Metroid Prime 4 as a way to highlight the Switch 2‘s new mouse controls, and thankfully, they work well. You can easily switch between aiming methods, and the mouse movement feels smooth and precise. However, it currently feels more like a fun extra feature than a significant improvement. The lock-on system limits any real strategic benefit from using a mouse, and after playing for a while, the small size of the Joy-Cons made it uncomfortable – they don’t quite replace a regular mouse. While clicking with the trigger is handy for menus, it caused my hands to cramp after extended use. The gyro controls also don’t add much, and they feel even more unnecessary since you have to manually turn them on in the settings.

Atmosphere and Combat Look Like Metroid Prime 4’s Greatest Strengths

Even with a few minor control issues, Metroid Prime 4 was incredibly fun to play. I spent about 90 minutes exploring the lush, green ‘Fury’ area, which featured a wide variety of locations – from cramped caves filled with vines to the ruins of an ancient alien civilization. The game consistently offered stunning views, filled with unique alien creatures and incredible detail – the best graphics I’ve seen on the Switch 2 so far. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond could very well be the Switch 2’s most visually impressive game, and a fantastic title to mark the console’s first year.

Metroid Prime 4 is likely the most realistic-looking game Nintendo will create for a while. It stands out with fully voiced scenes and believable character expressions, which aren’t common in their first-party titles.

The graphics in Metroid Prime 4 are beautiful and immersive, and the music adds even more to the experience. Like previous games in the series, it really makes you feel isolated in space with its calming synth melodies and ethereal vocals. These sounds blend seamlessly with the realistic effects of Samus’s equipment and the sounds of the alien worlds. While it may not have the same level of graphical polish as some of the biggest games on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or PC, it’s still a very enjoyable game for the eyes and ears.

I expected Metroid Prime 4 to be strong in many areas, and it delivered. However, the actual gameplay was even more engaging than I thought it would be. While shooting felt simple enough, each combat encounter was different and kept things fresh. I was always challenged to do something new, like protecting an ally or quickly adapting my tactics to handle various enemies at once.

The combat in Metroid Prime 4 really stood out when I fought the first two bosses: Aberax, which had been infused with Metroid DNA, and Carvex, a sentient plant creature. Although very different, both battles emphasized skillful movement. While defeating them involved hitting their weak spots – a familiar game mechanic – the real challenge came from dodging their varied attacks. It felt a lot like playing Returnal or the newer Doom games, where winning gunfights is less about aiming perfectly and more about constantly moving, managing multiple threats, and reacting quickly.

It will be fascinating to see how Metroid Prime 4 builds on its already engaging combat system and adds even more depth. I also hope we learn more about the game’s puzzles soon – the preview only showed very basic examples. Samus’ psychic abilities appear to be key to solving them, so that’s something to keep an eye on. If the puzzles, story, and exploration are as good as the combat and atmosphere, Metroid Prime 4 could be the fantastic return to the Prime series that fans have been hoping for.

I’m so excited! Nintendo just announced that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is coming out on December 4, 2025, and it’s going to be a Nintendo Switch exclusive. I actually got to learn more about it at a special preview event – Game Rant covered my travel and lodging for that, which was amazing!

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2025-11-14 17:07