Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Struggles with Design Amidst Stunning Graphics

NEW YORK, NY — After a decade in development, Nintendo‘s latest title, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, hit the shelves on December 2, 2025, but it has left gamers divided. The new game, developed by Retro Studios, showcases stunning graphics and sound design but suffers from several design flaws that hinder the overall experience.

The game faced numerous challenges during its lengthy development, ultimately being scrapped and restarted. Although it returned to Retro Studios, the game’s troubled history is evident in its gameplay. Players find the game overly focused on action with less emphasis on puzzle-solving and exploration.

While the game boasts impressive visuals and soundscapes, the overworld fails to captivate players and seems devoid of personality. Early sections of the game push players through a relentless stream of enemies, and a lengthy tutorial to learn how to use Samus’ motorcycle, called Vi-O-La, leaves players frustrated.

In handheld mode on the Nintendo Switch 2, players can choose between two graphical settings: one runs at 60 frames per second, while the other provides 120 frames at 720p resolution. The vivid colors and intricate details showcase what the game can offer, but these technical achievements don’t mask the gameplay shortcomings.

Critics have highlighted the annoying side characters that populate the game, particularly a Galactic Federation engineer known for his endless quips. This character, along with others, distracts from the gameplay and disrupts the sense of urgency, portraying themselves in exaggerated awe of the protagonist Samus Aran during critical moments.

Despite occasional nostalgic moments and enjoyable combat sequences, the game’s poor pacing and tedious opening hours make it difficult to recommend, especially to those unfamiliar with the Metroid series. As one player suggested, “Metroid fans should approach with caution, while others might want to steer clear.”