| Metroid Prime 4: Beyond | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Retro Studios[a] |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Directors | Bill Vandervoort Jhony Ljungstedt Eric Sebesta |
| Producers | Jeff Moreaux Kensuke Tanabe |
| Designers | Bill Vandervoort Stephen Dupree |
| Programmers | Eric Sebesta Bharathwaj Nandakumar |
| Artist | Jhony Ljungstedt |
| Writers | Jesse Lee Keeter Tracy Nicoletti Megan Fausti |
| Composers | Kenji Yamamoto Minako Hamano |
| Series | Metroid |
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Release | December 4, 2025 |
| Genre | Action-adventure |
| Mode | Single-player |
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a 2025action-adventure game developed byRetro Studios and published byNintendo for theNintendo Switch and theNintendo Switch 2. It is the tenth main entry in theMetroid series. Players control the bounty hunterSamus Aran, who is transported to the undiscovered planet Viewros and tasked with a mission from its inhabitants, the Lamorn. She fights for survival while confronting her rivalSylux, who holds a grudge against her and theGalactic Federation.
Beyond retains thefirst-person gameplay of previousMetroidPrime games. Players guide Samus through non-linear environments, fight enemies, upgrade her abilities and scan objects and lifeforms for information.Beyond adds psychic abilities, used to control beam shots and manipulate objects, and ahub world, which Samus crosses with a new motorcycle, the Vi-O-La. The Nintendo Switch 2 version includes support for theJoy-Con 2 mouse controls for more precise aiming.
Nintendo announcedMetroid Prime 4 for Switch atE3 2017. It was initially developed byBandai Namco Studios and overseen byKensuke Tanabe, the producer of the previousMetroid Prime games. In 2019, unhappy with progress, Nintendo announced that development had restarted with Tanabe under Retro, who developed the previousMetroid Prime games. Nintendo revealedBeyond in June 2024 and confirmed the Switch 2 version in April 2025.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was released on December 4, 2025, eighteen years afterMetroid Prime 3: Corruption (2007). It sold more than one million copies and received generally favorable reviews. Critics praised its environments, atmosphere, and enhanced graphical fidelity on Switch 2. Reception was more divided regarding thenon-player characters, and the linear structure andopen-world elements were criticized.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is anaction-adventure game played from afirst-person perspective.[1] Players controlSamus Aran using theJoy-Con controllers to move, jump, aim at enemies and objects, and fire weapons.
Beyond takes place across a vast world of different regions, in which gameplay focuses on solving various puzzles, exploring rooms, and defeating enemies with a variety of weapons and the aid of a "lock-on" function that allows Samus tomove in a circle while staying aimed on an enemy. The lock-on function can also help with interacting with objects, such as connecting a Grapple Beam to swing between platforms. The game uses a first-person view, except in Morph Ball mode, in which Samus' suit transforms into an armored ball and the game uses athird-person camera. Aheads-up display, which simulates the inside of Samus' helmet during first-person view, provides a radar and mini-map functions, as well as displays on health and ammo amounts; when fighting bosses, the display also keeps track of their health. The player can scan objects and lifeforms to gather information.[2]
New toBeyond are psychic powers, which allow Samus to operate specialized mechanisms, see hidden platforms, and perform guided shots against enemies.[3][4]Beyond also adds ahub world, Sol Valley, that Samus crosses with a motorcycle, the Vi-O-La.[5] The motorcycle can perform manoeuvres that provide a speed boost and allow Samus to defend against enemies. At times, Samus is assisted byGalactic Federation soldiers who assist with puzzles and combat.[6] TheNintendo Switch 2 version allows players to use theJoy-Con 2 controller as amouse, similarly to a PCfirst-person shooter.[7]
| Metroid | |||
| Story chronology | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Main series inbold, remakes in parentheses | |||
| [8][9][10] | |||
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond takes place between the events ofSuper Metroid andMetroid Fusion.[11] The Space Pirates, using Metroids capable of possessing a host, attack a Federation facility on Tanamaar which recently unearthed an artifact. Samus is dispatched by the Galatic Federation to prevent the Pirates from stealing it. The Pirates are being led by Sylux, a rogue hunter whom Samus had previously encountered.[b] In the confrontation with him, Sylux accidentally damages the artifact, causing it to activate and teleport everything in its surroundings to the unknown planet of Viewros.
On Viewros, Samus explores the Chrono Tower. She acquires a crystal with psychic capabilities and uncovers a holographic recording from Chatoyant Vooloon, the last priest of the extinct Lamorn race. Facing extinction, the Lamorn made plans for their legacy to be preserved and teleported to a new world by a Master Teleporter at the pinnacle of the Chrono Tower. It can only be activated by five keys scattered across Viewros. Samus arrives in the jungles of Fury Green, where she rescues the Federation technician Myles MacKenzie. They are attacked by feral creatures called grievers.
Myles sets up a base camp in Fury Green to help Samus. After finding the first key, Samus learns that the Lamorns were psychically cultivating a tree to grow a memory fruit, a seed that will preserve their legacy on a new world. The cultivation can only be completed by feeding the fruit with green energy—a life energy uncovered by the Lamorns contained in crystals across Viewros. Samus acquires a motorcycle called Vi-O-La and battles Sylux. Sylux takes control of the Chrono Tower, erects a barrier around it, and infuses Metroids into the master teleporter key's guardians.
Samus encounters the Federation soldiers Reger Tokabi, Ezra Duke, Nora Armstrong, and the combat robot VUE-995. Recordings reveal that while the Lamorn race had hoped to use green energy to nurture the planet, it made the wildlife aggressive and transformed the Lamorn into grievers. The surviving Lamorns sealed themselves into the Chrono Tower, with hope someone would end their suffering.
Samus secures the keys for the teleporter, and uses a teleporter chip recovered by Reger to find mech parts. Myles repairs a giant Federation mech to breach a forcefield that blocks entry back into the Chrono Tower. Samus and the squad enter the tower and activate the master teleporter. Sylux ambushes them, but Samus defeats him in an alternate dimension. Sylux recovers and critically damages the teleporter. The soldiers restrain him long enough for Samus to leave Viewros via the teleporter. Samus plants the memory fruit and accelerates its growth using the psychic crystal, which sprouts into a rapidly growing psychic tree. In tribute to the soldiers, she leaves on the tree a pendant she received from Reger.
On 100% completion, a cutscene details Sylux's backstory as a Federation field captain, in which his reckless attempt to claim a Space Pirate superweapon left him as the sole survivor of his platoon, which he chose to blame on Samus and the Federation.[12]
Metroid Prime 4 was produced byKensuke Tanabe, who produced the previousMetroid Prime games. Nintendo announcedPrime 4 during theNintendo Direct presentation atE3 2017, and confirmed it was not developed byRetro Studios, which had developed the previousPrime games.[13][14]Eurogamer reported thatPrime 4 was being developed byBandai Namco Studios in Japan and Singapore. The Bandai Singapore staff included formerLucasArts staff who had worked on the canceledStar Wars 1313.[15] In 2018, the Nintendo of America president,Reggie Fils-Aimé, saidMetroid Prime 4 was "well into development" and "proceeding well".[16][17] Nintendo did not show it atE3 2018; the Nintendo of America marketing managerBill Trinen said they would share more when they "had something that would wow people".[18]
In January 2019, theNintendo EPD manager Shinya Takahashi announced that development had restarted under Retro Studios with Tanabe remaining as producer. Takahashi said the previous studio had not met Nintendo's standards and that the decision to restart was not taken lightly.[19] In October 2020, Retro posted a job advertisement seeking storyboard artists to work on "emotional" and "interesting and innovative scenes that elevate the narrative". TheVideo Games Chronicle writer Andy Robinson took this as an indication of a more cinematic focus.[20] The Nintendo developerNext Level Games, the third-party studioVirtuos, and other teams provided support. Tanabe also contributed material to the scan logs.[21]
Nintendo perceived demand for an open-worldMetroid game influenced by their 2017 gameThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but found this was incompatible withMetroid gameplay. As a compromise, they implemented the hub world and added the Vi-O-La motorcycle to assist the pacing. As development took longer than planned, Nintendo opted to ignore new developments in action and shooting games and prioritize the adventure game elements.[22]
Nintendo released the first trailer on June 18, 2024, which revealed the titleBeyond.[13][23] The trailer showcased similar gameplay to previousMetroid Prime games, with Samus exiting her gunship, navigating a research facility using her morph ball and scanning abilities, encountering the bounty hunter Sylux who first appeared inMetroid Prime Hunters, and ending with an establishing shot of a forest world.[24] Nintendo also announced thatMetroid Prime 4: Beyond was scheduled for release in 2025.[23]
Nintendo released a second trailer in a Direct presentation on March 27, 2025, introducing the forest planet Viewros setting, new enemies, the Lamorn race, and Samus's psychic powers.[3] In a Direct presentation on April 2, Nintendo announced a version forNintendo Switch 2, with enhanced visual resolution, the option to use4K at 60 frames per second or1080p at 120 frames per second, and optional mouse controls when using the Joy-Con 2 controllers.[25] A 20-minute demo covering the opening level was made playable atNintendo Switch 2 Experience events held worldwide between April and June, and showcased during aNintendo Treehouse livestream.[26][27] The demo was distributed for Switch 2kiosks inWalmart andTarget stores in the US in November.[28]
On September 12, Nintendo released a trailer showcasing a desert environment and Samus's motorcycle, along with the release date, December 4, 2025.[29]Amiibo figures were also announced.[4] A trailer focusing on the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition was released on November 4,[30] and a seven-minute trailer was released on November 14.[31] On the day of the game's release, seven music tracks were released on theNintendo Music app.[32]
Atthe Game Awards 2024,Beyond was nominated for Most Anticipated Game.[33] In November 2025, media outlets were allowed to play a 90-minute demo, including the opening sequence and a section in the Fury Green area of Viewros.[34][35] The presentation, puzzles and combat were praised.[2][36][6] Ethan Van Allen ofGame Informer felt Samus's new psychic powers were "a standout" and praised the mouse controls.[34]Nintendo Life's Alex Olney felt they blended well with the gameplay and were "refreshingly different".[36]
InVideo Games Chronicle, Andy Robinson found the preview "solid, if not particularly surprising" and wrote that it featured an entertainingboss battle.[37]IGN writer Logan Plant wrote that whileBeyond "likely won't redefineMetroid in any meaningful way – or live up to the unrealistic hype built by nearly a decade of waiting", it features "classicMetroid Prime exploration and combat, an intriguing setup, gorgeous art direction, and great technical performance".[6] Ari Notis ofPolygon wrote that whileBeyond was not a rehash of the originalMetroid Prime games, with some tonal differences, it "plays the series' greatest hits".[35]
Journalists criticized thenon-player character Myles MacKenzie, feeling he detracted from the series' sense of isolation. Plant described the period spent with Myles as ranging from "mildly annoying to downright infuriating".[6] Robinson said Myles made him worried thatBeyond would not be theMetroid game he hoped for.[37] Olney characterized Myles's dialogue as "sub-Marvel humor" and hoped he suffered "a painful, embarrassing death offscreen".[36] Donaldson hoped the sequence was not indicative of the full game,[2] and Notis said it was "hard to fully convey just how out of place Myles feels".[35] Van Allen thought Myles provided enjoyable comic relief, but hoped that companions were used sparingly.[34]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 78/100 (NS2)[c][38] |
| OpenCritic | 80% recommend[d][39] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 7.5/10[40] |
| Edge | 4/10[41] |
| Eurogamer | 3/5[42] |
| Famitsu | 8/10, 9/10, 7/10, 8/10[e][43] |
| Game Informer | 8.75/10[44] |
| GameSpot | 8/10[45] |
| GamesRadar+ | 3.5/5[46] |
| Giant Bomb | 5/5[47] |
| HobbyConsolas | 80%[48] |
| IGN | 8/10[5] |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 17/20[49] |
| Nintendo Life | (NS) 8/10[50] (NS2) 9/10[51] |
| PCMag | 5/5[52] |
| Retro Gamer | 68%[53] |
| Shacknews | 9/10[54] |
| TechRadar | 4/5[55] |
| The Guardian | 4/5[56] |
| Video Games Chronicle | 3/5[57] |
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond received "generally favorable" reviews according to thereview aggregator websiteMetacritic[38] and received a "strong" approval from critics according toOpenCritic.[39]
Writing forNintendo Life, Ollie Reynolds describedBeyond as "absolutely nothing like [he] imagined — and that's a good thing", and felt it deserved to be regarded as among the bestMetroid games.[51] Logan Plant ofIGN saidBeyond felt more like classic 3DLegend of Zelda games, though he did not see this as a negative, asZelda andMetroid "shared a lot of the same DNA".[5]Edge criticized its backtracking and finalfetch quest, writing: "Nintendo games have tested our patience before, but rarely in so many ways at once, and not without a core brilliance that makes such transgressions forgivable."[41]
Critics commented on the structure and pacing. Reynolds felt the linearity limited how far theMetroid formula could be modernized compared toMetroid Dread (2021).[51] Plant said Beyond was the most linearMetroid game he had played, noting he "never felt truly lost", and felt this would help new players.[5] Rhys Wood ofTechRadar likewise felt some areas were too linear, though he did not believe this detracted from the overall quality.[55] Plant praised the shifts between isolated exploration and sci-fi action setpieces, aided by the variety of environments, which he felt helped keep the experience fresh.[5]
The Sol Valley hub world was a point of contention. Reynolds said it initially felt empty but became surprisingly interesting over time.[51] By contrast, Plant felt Sol Valley was devoid of interesting locales and activities, and served only to pad out the runtime, emphasizing that it was the sole location to acquire green crystals required for progression.[5] Wood echoed this criticism, writing that Sol Valley felt barren and lifeless.[55] Darran Jones ofRetro Gamer found the level design poor and "a world away from the tightness of the earlier games".[53]
The atmosphere, art design, and narrative elements were generally praised. Reynolds felt the storytelling and art design were among the best in the series.[51] Wood wrote thatBeyond had a unique atmosphere comparable to the originalMetroid Prime, and praised the aesthetic of areas outside Sol Valley.[55] Although Wood criticized the bosses and enemies for lacking variety, he felt this did not detract from the overall quality.[55]
Despite pre-release apprehension, the companion characters generally received praise.[40][44][47][49][54] Reynolds wrote that "none of them are even remotely as irritating as previews suggested"; having developed an appreciation for them, and feeling they contributed greatly to the overall story.[51] Wood similarly found the troopers provided "great chemistry". Despite finding the character of Myles MacKenzie annoying, he stated they were less overbearing than he had feared; still allowing for long stretches of isolated exploration.[55] Plant found their presence to be acceptably limited, noting that they had "mostly likeable personalities and provide a few highlights that give Prime 4 its own identity."[5] Contrasting the praise, Andy Robinson ofVideo Games Chronicle had a mixed response; citing their implementation as "clumsy."[57] Keza MacDonald ofThe Guardian wrote that "unfortunately they areall annoying".[56] Jones described them as forgettable.[53]
The Amiibo functionality was criticized for locking certain features. The Samus Amiibo unlocks a radio feature for listening to the soundtrack in the desert, while the Vi-O-La Amiibo unlocks skins based on how far the player travels.[58][59][60]
In its first week,Beyond was the third-bestselling game in the UK, behindEA Sports FC 26 andMario Kart World. The Switch 2 version accounted for 83% of sales.[61] In Japan, the Switch 2 version sold 21,415 physical copies in the first four days.[62] In North America, the Switch 2 version reached number one on theNintendo eShop chart.[63] In February 2026, a Nintendo representative confirmed thatBeyond had sold more than one million copies across both consoles.[64]
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