Longstanding Metroid Fans: Was Metroid 4 Beyond Worth The Wait?

Probably my GOTY at this point. I haven't finished it yet, but it's the most fun I've had with a game in 2025. I had basically 0 expectations and didn't watch much footage prior to release though. So, that might have something to do with why.
 
Not particularly. After I finished MP4, I replayed MP Remastered as I had some business outside on Friday, and I was reminded of how much I prefer that game. Lighter focus on combat with vastly superior environmental design. Metroid Prime lets you get lost (obviously) but it also uses verticality in its designs... at all and has a bunch of rooms with several exits, not all of which are immediately accessible from any entrance. It asks more of the player, etc. I think the romanticism around the puzzles in MP1 is a little overstated - there's nothing more complicated than the spider pillar in the mines you have to rearrange to reach all the exits, but the game is more visually creative in the outcomes of otherwise very simple inputs from the player.

Anyway, my thoughts on MP4 are largely summarized in the OT (link here). I've had a few more days to think about it. Clunky as Super is, I don't think I could rank MP4 above it. Same as Samus Returns, maybe. I'm thinking #11 on my power rankings. There's just so much junk between the good stuff in MP4, and the overall design isn't as interesting. It doubles down on the worst parts of MP3, which is something a lot of people were afraid of, and adds in some more crap that doesn't contribute to what many fans wanted.
 
I liked Super and Prime 1 the most. It's fun for a bit and then there's nothing really there. Lots of sand with little to do and see, boring backtracking just for upgrades, and it just doesn't stand out. Some parts they managed to pull off like some encounters and areas to explore. It's just getting to those moments feels empty. By the time I backtracked, got the upgrade and then got to my destination. I wanted to play another game.
 
Not really no but I enjoyed my time with it enough to 100% it. 8/10 is a correct score for it but it's below expectations for a Prime game.

Now reading some of the sentiments here you'll be lead to believe that it's a terrible horrible game and that's not the case at all.
 
No. Game has a massive identity crisis, trying to find its BoTW moment and this ain't it.

Having to revisit old areas that were on the opposite side of the world felt tedious and annoying. The world doesn't feel cohesive like a traditional metroidvania where you will be jaunting through these areas multiple times naturally. No, these are effectively Zelda dungeons you're traipsing through again and again.

Upgrades are all just normal series staples with PSYCHIC slapped on the title. Same fire, ice, and electric shots from prime 1 but worse in every way.

Samus never finds her footing enough to feel truly strong, even bosses and some enemies will kick the tar out of her if you let them. Bosses feel super spongey, causing me to audibly say "thank god" at the end of several fights for how long and tedious they felt.

Losing the final fight twice because four team mates went down at the same time and then were killed before I could pick everyone up seriously made me nearly quit.

TL;DR: it sucked and my disappointment is immeasurable. After completing the game my primary feeling was just frustration. Brings little truly new to the table to push the genre forward, instead seems content chasing trends and treading old ground.
 
Was a great game, better than most I've played this year.

Not as good as dread but not much is.
Pretty much this

One of my top 3 this year and a great game. Not as good as Prime 1, but close to Prime 2 imo

It has some amazing highs and music, but also some misses.
 
It was like ordering a burger without pickles and you wait for over an hour and get hungrier and impatient. Finally it comes to your table...with pickles.
 
No.

They made a Metroid game that isn't a Metroidvania.

90% of what's in the game is great, but they absolutely fucked the level design up and that brings the whole experience way down.

I'm still excited for the next one, it seems like they went too ambitious with this and had to really scale back and get something out the door. Hopefully they go back to what made the original one of the goats.
 
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Not exactly what I was hoping for, but it's a competent game with great atmosphere and exploration that plays things very safe. Looking forward to MP5, hopefully Retro takes what they learned here and delivers a truly transformative entry.
 
A question chiefly for Ninten-GAF.

As an outsider to the ecosystem and franchise, it feels like the game has released and not made much of an impact. *

How do fans of the original Prime trilogy feel about the fourth one? Is it living up to your personal hype/expectation?


* perception as an outsider.

Translation:

*Hey guys! It's me Adam! You might remember me from other purposeful shit stirring threads that have nothing to do with my personal game interests. Yup! This is another one of those!*

:messenger_grinning_squinting: :messenger_grinning_squinting: :messenger_grinning_squinting: :messenger_grinning_squinting:
 
Translation:

*Hey guys! It's me Adam! You might remember me from other purposeful shit stirring threads that have nothing to do with my personal game interests. Yup! This is another one of those!*

:messenger_grinning_squinting: :messenger_grinning_squinting: :messenger_grinning_squinting: :messenger_grinning_squinting:


Fried Rice Cooking GIF by Nigel Ng (Uncle Roger)
 
Honestly, Even though I really enjoyed it, No.

It's better than 3 imo, but still far, far away from 1 & 2.

I recently started playing 2 again and its aged like fine wine. Shits all over 4 from a great height in almost every aspect.
 
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I think people expected something amazing after all that time, so it burns when the product doesn't live up to that.
However, for what it's worth, the game is good overall. not great, not amazing, just good.
I enjoyed my time, but i get why people are sour. MP Remastered is just a much better game overall and people wanted that itch to be scratched.

Let's hope MP2 Remastered is coming soon.
 
No. Turned out to be very average, the game was made for a whole different crowd or lack of current talent within Retro. Even if a Prime 5 gets announced, I think I'm good, I'll stick to 2d Metroid or wait until they're willing to do another third person Metroid.
 
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