I'm so intensely happy to still have no reason to get a Switch 2.
The crap with the big central hub of nothing where you drive around while NPCs chat at you - that doesn't remind me of Ocarina of Time, it reminds me of the modern God of War games. And not in a good way. Those games had the same exact problem with layout and backtracking, where every area was basically a linear route and then if you wanted to get the things you couldn't collect along the way you pretty much had to just do the whole area over again.
GoW 2018 didn't leave a big impression on me but I also remember that tedious bloody lake and sailing around while Kratos talks about inane shit with his boring son. That describes the backtracking perfectly too.
The part that’s struck me (haven’t finished yet) that I don’t think you mentioned is I kinda feel like the creators either don’t like or don’t get or didn’t want to make a metroidvania game.
The backtracking feels so joyless, like there was a checklist somewhere saying to have it.
That’s my explanation for having to take your weapon power ups to “base camp.” It’s backtracking! The Metroid thing! Other examples feel just as perfunctory.
You combine that with the npcs, the deliberately kinda bad auto lock, the revive mechanic, and it feels like they wanted to make a regular shooter but had to slap in Metroid stuff.
I didn't say it but that's a little bit of the reason why I said it shouldn't have been called Prime 4, it follows neither the plot or structure of those last 3 games, as you say, it's almost as if they didn't want to make a Metroid Prime at all.
I really should have noted that in the review. It is so crap how all of the 'psychic' abilities are actually the same as usual just smeared with purple.
Yup, agreed with pretty much everything you raised. The “open world” Sol Valley area is such a chore to traverse, and the endgame mech/crystal hunts are straight up painful. Totally unnecessary. The NPCs, as well. Fortunately, I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized Mackenzie doesn’t actually accompany you the whole way. But it’s annoying how he still butts in on the radio so often (funny enough, the few times I felt like I needed a hint and called him up on said radio, he was nowhere to be found!). And just the concept of NPC companions does not belong in a Metroid game (in literally any other franchise, I wouldn’t have minded so much).
Still had a good time overall. And yes, the Sylux boss battle music is straight out of an 80s anime! Booyah 🤘🏼
Prime 4 makes me really interested to finally play Skyward Sword of all things, it's the only 3D Zelda I've never played and a lot of people have been comparing Prime 4 to that.
I feel the same too. It's not bad enough or unenjoyable enough for me to outright not recommend the game but it's also very thin on the bones and doesn't deliver what fans want. Perhaps in future Prime 4 will sort of have its own fanbase of newbies a bit like Phantom Pain does for Metal Gear Solid.
Oh, you are in for a treat. This may be a bit of a hot take, but IMO Skyward Sword is the most underrated 3D Zelda (especially the HD edition, which fixes the finicky motion controls and other QoL issues), it’s an amazing and beautiful game that’s really worth your time, essential playing for any Zelda fan. I can see the comparisons to Prime 4 and agree they generally hold, though Skyward Sword delivers on its promise to a far greater degree.
Been waiting for this one and you did not disappoint! Excellent review sir.
I'm about two hours in and so far it feels very much like a style over substance game.
The two boss battles I've fought have been cool and the environments are absolutely gorgeous, but there just... feels like there's something missing to the game. Many of the rooms don't even have enemies at this point, it's very bizarre.
I'm absolutely going to finish it, but we'll see if MP4 stays in my head longer than MP3.
Oh, and I really wish they would have just called it Metroid Prime Beyond or something as well. Drop the 4. It's been nearly two decades since the last main entry (we don't talk about Federation Force).
Glad you liked it! I'm afraid to say that not only are you right in your assessment but it also gets worse as you play, in my opinion; the first couple of areas are quite good but then the game devolves into an insufferable corridor shooter.
I'll likely finish it too but there's zero chance I do a 100% run which was my plan when I began playing.
It just seems such a silly thing to do, calling it a sequel, it's being crushed by the weight of a trilogy that redefined first person narrative games and exploration.
Cheers! It is all a bit of a shame and as much as I enjoy Dread (and it is beloved in this fanbase) I can't help but feel people like me's concerns about that game's linearity and chatty AI companion went ignored and gave precedent for some of the choices made here.
Couldn't agree more, nobody wanted anything other than Metroid Prime from a Metroid Prime game but that's what we were given: something else.
I'm so intensely happy to still have no reason to get a Switch 2.
The crap with the big central hub of nothing where you drive around while NPCs chat at you - that doesn't remind me of Ocarina of Time, it reminds me of the modern God of War games. And not in a good way. Those games had the same exact problem with layout and backtracking, where every area was basically a linear route and then if you wanted to get the things you couldn't collect along the way you pretty much had to just do the whole area over again.
GoW 2018 didn't leave a big impression on me but I also remember that tedious bloody lake and sailing around while Kratos talks about inane shit with his boring son. That describes the backtracking perfectly too.
The part that’s struck me (haven’t finished yet) that I don’t think you mentioned is I kinda feel like the creators either don’t like or don’t get or didn’t want to make a metroidvania game.
The backtracking feels so joyless, like there was a checklist somewhere saying to have it.
That’s my explanation for having to take your weapon power ups to “base camp.” It’s backtracking! The Metroid thing! Other examples feel just as perfunctory.
You combine that with the npcs, the deliberately kinda bad auto lock, the revive mechanic, and it feels like they wanted to make a regular shooter but had to slap in Metroid stuff.
I didn't say it but that's a little bit of the reason why I said it shouldn't have been called Prime 4, it follows neither the plot or structure of those last 3 games, as you say, it's almost as if they didn't want to make a Metroid Prime at all.
Absolutely. The other thing too is the theme is a mess.
Like your basic shot and a few upgrades are “psychic” but also you get elemental weapons.
I really should have noted that in the review. It is so crap how all of the 'psychic' abilities are actually the same as usual just smeared with purple.
Yup, agreed with pretty much everything you raised. The “open world” Sol Valley area is such a chore to traverse, and the endgame mech/crystal hunts are straight up painful. Totally unnecessary. The NPCs, as well. Fortunately, I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized Mackenzie doesn’t actually accompany you the whole way. But it’s annoying how he still butts in on the radio so often (funny enough, the few times I felt like I needed a hint and called him up on said radio, he was nowhere to be found!). And just the concept of NPC companions does not belong in a Metroid game (in literally any other franchise, I wouldn’t have minded so much).
Still had a good time overall. And yes, the Sylux boss battle music is straight out of an 80s anime! Booyah 🤘🏼
Prime 4 makes me really interested to finally play Skyward Sword of all things, it's the only 3D Zelda I've never played and a lot of people have been comparing Prime 4 to that.
I feel the same too. It's not bad enough or unenjoyable enough for me to outright not recommend the game but it's also very thin on the bones and doesn't deliver what fans want. Perhaps in future Prime 4 will sort of have its own fanbase of newbies a bit like Phantom Pain does for Metal Gear Solid.
Oh, you are in for a treat. This may be a bit of a hot take, but IMO Skyward Sword is the most underrated 3D Zelda (especially the HD edition, which fixes the finicky motion controls and other QoL issues), it’s an amazing and beautiful game that’s really worth your time, essential playing for any Zelda fan. I can see the comparisons to Prime 4 and agree they generally hold, though Skyward Sword delivers on its promise to a far greater degree.
I could say much more (and not to be *that guy*, but I actually have, here: https://gameandword.substack.com/p/review-the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-hd-switch-4ffe1014e73e?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web — apologies for the shameless plug, but I do hope it’s useful to you!)
It's one of my top must plays for 2026, it's a major hole in my Zelda knowledge when I've played the vast majority of the series otherwise.
You're not being that guy :) It was relevant to the conversation
Been waiting for this one and you did not disappoint! Excellent review sir.
I'm about two hours in and so far it feels very much like a style over substance game.
The two boss battles I've fought have been cool and the environments are absolutely gorgeous, but there just... feels like there's something missing to the game. Many of the rooms don't even have enemies at this point, it's very bizarre.
I'm absolutely going to finish it, but we'll see if MP4 stays in my head longer than MP3.
Oh, and I really wish they would have just called it Metroid Prime Beyond or something as well. Drop the 4. It's been nearly two decades since the last main entry (we don't talk about Federation Force).
Glad you liked it! I'm afraid to say that not only are you right in your assessment but it also gets worse as you play, in my opinion; the first couple of areas are quite good but then the game devolves into an insufferable corridor shooter.
I'll likely finish it too but there's zero chance I do a 100% run which was my plan when I began playing.
It just seems such a silly thing to do, calling it a sequel, it's being crushed by the weight of a trilogy that redefined first person narrative games and exploration.
Great read!
Sorry to hear the new prime fell off, honestly only dread recaptured any of Super's glory for me.
Honestly I felt the same way about Bayonetta 3 - New look, voice actor, new character...
Didn't carry the polished vibe 1 and 2 had, and then I saw they did a cheshire platformer?
Best to stick to what these games do best, and in Metroid's case that was like you said;
Creepy atmospheric, interconnected isolation against the odds.
Cheers! It is all a bit of a shame and as much as I enjoy Dread (and it is beloved in this fanbase) I can't help but feel people like me's concerns about that game's linearity and chatty AI companion went ignored and gave precedent for some of the choices made here.
Couldn't agree more, nobody wanted anything other than Metroid Prime from a Metroid Prime game but that's what we were given: something else.