Since the days of the GameCube, the Metroid Prime series has pushed Nintendo hardware to its limits. All 3 games in the original trilogy were hugely impressive from a technical aspect, offering gorgeous environments, and impressive bosses. That trend seems to be continuing with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. ComicBook had a chance to go hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game, and it proved to be an impressive showpiece for the hardware. It’s been a very long time since the game’s development was rebooted, but it’s clear that the decision was ultimately for the best.
Videos by ComicBook.com
During March’s Nintendo Direct, fans were given a glimpse at Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and learned new information about the narrative. In the game, Samus will be exploring a new planet called Viewros, and she’ll have new psychic powers to help her explore and defeat enemies. That planet and the new abilities of the heroine were completely absent from our hands-on session with the game. Instead, Nintendo and Retro Studios elected to show off a sequence on the planet Tanamaar. This location appears to be where the game’s events begin, setting up Samus’ adventure on Viewros.
Metroid Prime 4‘s primary antagonist seems to be Sylux, a character first introduced in Metroid Prime Hunters. As the story begins, Sylux and his Space Pirates have been attacking the research facilities of the Galactic Federation. However, Sylux and the Space Pirates might not be acting of their own accord. Instead, they seem to be under the control of the Metroids. Samus is sent in to save the day on Tanamaar, where Federation troops are clearly being overwhelmed.
As the demo begins, Samus’ ship swoops in out of the skies, blasting away at Space Pirate forces as she makes her way down to the surface. On the ground, Federation forces fight back against an overwhelming onslaught, wearing both standard armor, and even using impressive mech suits. The production value immediately feels superior to anything previously seen in the Metroid series. It looks less like Metroid and more like something out of Halo, but as Samus departs her ship and enters the fray, the gameplay immediately feels familiar.
At the start of the game, Samus has all of her familiar abilities. She can scan objects, use the charge beam, and the Morph Ball is there as well. Those abilities are all highlighted in the demo as Samus makes her way deeper into Tanamaar, looking for cover as she attacks Space Pirates. Players quickly learn that Samus’ mission is to extract some kind of important artifact while on this world, and are given specific coordinates to find it. As Samus journeys on, the battle rages around her, both in areas she explores, and those out of reach of the player. As a result, the conflict feels a lot bigger than in past games.
It’s not just the fact that everything feels bigger than it does in the original Metroid Prime trilogy. The game also looks so much better than anything that has been shown to the public thus far. For the demo, Nintendo had the game in performance mode, and it looked absolutely stunning. The cinema scene at the start was impressive enough, but it all blended seamlessly with the gameplay. Many fans took issue with the footage shown during last month’s Nintendo Direct, but it seems clear now that the gameplay that appeared was on the current Switch hardware, and not Nintendo Switch 2.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond isn’t just taking advantage of the superior graphics and processing power of Nintendo Switch 2; it also offers support for the new Joy-Con mouse option. Players can use the mouse controls to attain the same level of accuracy they would get from a first-person shooter on PC, or they can elect to use a control scheme identical to what was used in Metroid Prime Remastered. The best part is, players can freely swap between these options, without any need for toggling between them in the menu. If you want to switch to mouse mode, you just turn the Joy-Con down and move it on a surface, and if you want to switch back, you just lift it and hold the controller in a standard position. It’s a great way to show what the mouse mode can do, while encouraging players to use the option when it suits them.
As Samus makes her way to the artifact’s location, a large Space Pirate named Aberax jumps into the location. Aberax is immediately followed by a Metroid, which takes over the larger creature’s body. Aberax’s body begins going through a change, with Metroids popping up throughout it. In the ensuing boss fight, the Metroids represent Aberax’s weak points. Players must use a combination of jumps and Morph Ball shifting to dodge the enemy’s attacks, using lulls to target each Metroid. Following the defeat of Aberax, Sylux arrives, and the villain’s attacks hit the artifact, causing some kind of explosion. Samus is caught in the blast, which is likely the catalyst for the character’s new powers. However, it’s impossible to say for certain, as the demo ends following a flash of light.
RELATED: Nintendo Switch Leak Finally Reveals Cancelled Retro Studios Game
While Metroid Prime 4: Beyond didn’t get a lot of attention during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, it might have been the most impressive game shown on the console thus far. It’s safe to assume Retro will deliver a fine experience on the current Switch, but it’s clearly not the ideal way to play this game. The developer really seems to be taking advantage of the hardware’s graphics, performance, and new features. Time will tell what the rest of the game has in store, and what to expect once Samus gets to Viewros. However, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond already feels like an incredible achievement, and it just might end up being the best reason to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025.
Are you excited to try out Metroid Prime 4: Beyond? Have you played the first 3 games in the series? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
Most Viewed
-
South Park Studios
