Metroid Prime 4 : Beyond Review - Full Breakdown of Story, Gameplay and Features

We’ve been waiting for Metroid Prime 4 for so long that the original "See You Next Mission" screen from Metroid Prime 3 is now old enough to vote and drive a car. I have aged. You have aged. Ridley has died and come back as a robot, a ghost, and an experimental science project about 12x of its original size. But the wait is finally over. ‘Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’ is finally here. It is running on the Nintendo Switch 2, which is a powerful piece of tech that finally lets Samus breathe in 4K.

Is it a masterpiece? Is it a "Y Can't Metroid Crawl" disaster? Put on your Power Suit, grab some snacks, and let’s dive into the mysteries of Planet Viewros.

The 35-Year Metroid History Timeline

To understand why Beyond feels so heavy with lore, you have to look at the timeline. This isn't just a sequel, it is the bridge between the "Prime" era and the "Legacy" era.

Now that you know the basics (at least for now) of the franchise’s timeline, let’s begin discussing different aspects of the game, starting with its mind-blowing frame rate.

Frame Rate Hero - Why 120 FPS Makes Samus Move Like Butter

While the big box reviews keep it simple, we’ve benchmarked the actual performance. Retro Studios didn’t just update the graphics; they rebuilt the engine to take advantage of the Switch 2's NVMe SSD and DLSS style reconstruction. Here’s how :

The Joy-Con 2 Mouse Hack : Most reviewers will tell you the new mouse control feels awkward. That’s because they’re holding it like a regular controller (duh?). 

The Pro Tip : Hold the right Joy-Con 2 like a laser pointer. Go into the settings and toggle "Linear Sensitivity Curve." This makes your Charge Shots feel instantaneous at 120Hz. If you aren't playing at 120 FPS, seriously, are you even bounty hunting?

Hidden History : Decoding the 35-Year Backstory Behind Sylux and Samus

General reviews across the web (yes IGN, you too!) say the story is "fine." They are wrong. To understand Beyond, you have to understand the 35-year arc that started back on Earth Colony K-2L.

The Psychology of a Silent Hunter

For those who only know Samus as "the shiny robot man" (she’s a girl, guys, come on), her history is tragic. According to the manga, Samus was just 3 years old when Ridley led a raid that killed her parents. Ridley was aiming to kill Samus but accidently killed her mother, followed by events that made Samus's dad attack Ridely, and thus dying in the process. Eventually, she was adopted by the Chozo bird people (official guardians from there on), specifically Old Bird and Gray Voice.

In Beyond, Samus works with the Tanamaar Garrison marines. Many fans find their chatter annoying, but look closer at Samus’s silence. It’s a callback to her time under Adam Malkovich. She’s not mute; she’s a woman who has seen every team she’s ever led get vaporized into nothingness.

The Sylux Factor : 18 Years in the Making

Sylux is the Big Bad here, but he’s not just a generic 'I'll kill everyone in sight' kind of a villain. He’s been stalking Samus since Metroid Prime Hunters and Federation Force of the franchise. Remember the post-credits scene from 2007? Sylux stole a Metroid egg. In Beyond, we finally see the payoff of the same. He’s actually using Metroid-infused technology to power-up his Psy-bots.

His hatred for the Federation (in general) is personal. The 100% completion ending reveals that he once used to be a high ranking Federation soldier who felt Samus "stole his glory" during a messed up mission known as ‘Tanamaar Raid’. He doesn't want to save the galaxy, he just wants to prove he's better than the so-called "messiah" in the Varia Suit. Thoughtful, eh?

Beyond the Arm Cannon : The New Physics-Defying Powers You’ll Love

The big new gimmick is the Psychic Powers passed down by the Lamorn race. The Lamorn are basically the Chozo (if the Chozo were obsessed with psychic abilities and accidentally pressed ‘Shift+Delete’ on their own civilization.

• The Control Beam : You can mentally direct your shots. It’s like the movie Wanted, but with more plasma and fewer Angelina Jolies.
• The Psychic Glove : Found in Fury Green, this allows you to grasp and move Psychic Motes.
• The Psychic Spider Ball : This is the ultimate traversal tool. You’ll need to shock the sleeping mech VUE-995 in the Ice Belt to reach the Ancient Temple where this is hidden. It lets you latch onto purple tracks and even tether nodes in mid-air.

Why Everyone is Wrong About Sol Valley : The Pro-Hunter’s Guide to the Desert

The desert hub, Sol Valley, is getting roasted for being empty. But it’s only empty if you don't know where to look. To beat the game effectively, you need Green Energy Shards to power the Altar of Legacy. Here’s what we suggest :

• Don't Grind Tiny Crystals : Smashing the small ones with your Vi-O-La bike is for rookies. Look for Gibardaum Boulders. Use a Psychic Power Bomb (unlocked after defeating the Omega Griever) to crack them open for Bulk Crystals.
• The Time Shift Mechanic : Once you get the Chronos Visor, Sol Valley transforms. You can shift between the "Present" (dead desert) and the "Past" (lush civilization). Because of the Switch 2's SSD, this transition happens in 0.2 seconds.

The Amiibo Secret : Using Plastic Power to Skip the Sol Valley Grind

Don't ignore the plastic. Tapping the Sylux Amiibo reveals Echo Locations on your map for hidden Energy Tanks. The Samus and Vi-O-La figure gives you a bike boost that actually makes the desert travel super-fun instead of a chore.

The Bounty Hunter’s Cheat Sheet : Sol Valley & Beyond

Speaking of Amiibo, here’s all you need to know about the collectibles that actually hold the ability to make your sessions more immersive and enjoyable.

The Collector’s Edge : What Those Amiibo Actually Do

While some reviewers treat these as "plastic desk ornaments or toys," they are actually your "Fast-Pass" through some of the game's more exhausting grinds. Here is exactly what you get when you tap them on your Nintendo Switch 2 :

The Sylux Amiibo (The "Lore-Hunter" Perk)

• Echo-Location : Instantly pings the nearest hidden Energy Tank or Missile Expansion on your map once per day.
• The Forbidden Files : Unlocks "Memory Echoes" in your Logbook. These are fully voiced cinematic flashbacks that explain Sylux’s origin story—info you normally have to find via 100% scanning.

Samus & Vi-O-La Amiibo (The "Desert-Fix" Perk)

• Infinite Nitro : Gives your bike a temporary unlimited boost gauge for 5 minutes, perfect for crossing Sol Valley in record time.
• Custom Paint Jobs : Unlocks the "Dread-Carbon" and "Fusion-Neon" skins for your bike.
• Daily Refill : Once every 24 hours, tapping this refills your health and missile count to maximum.

Metroid Prime Series Samus (Legacy Amiibo)

• Classic Suit Skins : Tapping any older Samus Amiibo (like the Samus Returns or Metroid Dread figures) unlocks the Legacy Visor Skin, which changes your HUD to look like the 2002 GameCube original.

Newbie vs Veteran : Two Ways to Experience the Return of Samus

For the Noobs: "I've never played Metroid"

First of all, welcome to the cult. Here is what you need to know :

• The Wait, I'm Back Here? Factor : Metroid is a Metroidvania. You will see a door you can’t open. Don't throw your controller. You’ll find a Psychic Glove or a Fire Shot in three hours and come back to reclaim your dignity.
• Scan Everything (literally!) : Your visor is your best friend. If a boss is hitting you with a giant laser, scan it. It’ll probably tell you, "Hey, maybe shoot the giant glowing eyeball on its back, dummy."
• Missables Warning : The opening prologue at the UTO Research Center has three scans (Space Pirate, GF Trooper, and Aberax) that you cannot get later. If you miss them, say goodbye to your 100% game completion run.

For the Veterans: "I have a Varia Suit Tattoo"

Listen up, Chozo seeds :

• The Return of the Shock Coil : Sylux uses his signature weapon from Hunters, and it’s just as annoying as you remember. It drains your energy to heal him. Keep your distance and use Missile Stuttering to break his tether.
• Sequence Breaking : Yes, the Psychic Glove mote throwing can be used to skip the Ice Belt elevator. Retro Studios clearly left some Natural Magic in for the speedrunners.
• The Legacy Suit : Collecting 100% of the Green Crystals unlocks the Memory Fruit, which upgrades your suit to the Legacy Suit from Super Metroid. It even gives you a defensive barrier that costs 35 missiles to use.

Mastering Viewros : The Essential Upgrade Tracker for Serious Hunters

New Discovery : The Carvex Vin - During the Fury Green boss fight, you have to scan the vine specifically while it’s attacking, as you can’t scan it later in the boss-rematch room.

The Two Moments Where Prime 4 Actually Blew My Mind

While I have spent plenty of time complaining about the sand in Sol Valley, it is only fair to talk about where this game actually reaches legendary status. There are two specific areas that remind me why I fell in love with this series in the first place. These are the moments where the Switch 2 hardware and Retro Studios’ creativity finally shake hands firmly.

The Volt Forge is a massive multi-tiered factory-like area where the ambience is intense with sparks and the sound of humming machinery. My favorite part is that I got to constantly use the new Psychic Spider Ball to navigate magnetic rails that are always on the move. One wrong move and you are falling into a pit of lava. The 120 FPS performance makes the entire experience incredibly smooth. The boss fight here against the Omega Griever is the first time the game truly tested my ability to swap between weapons on the go. It is Metroid at its absolute best.

The Chronos Tower, is the tallest structure on the planet and serves as the peak of the ancient Lamorn civilization. The design of the Tower is brilliant because it exists in two states at the same time. You might see a collapsed bridge in the present day, but when you activate the Chronos Visor, the bridge goes back into ghostly existence. Exploring the tower feels like a figuring out a giant 3D map. The music shift is fantastic - from lonely winds of the present to orchestral anthems from the past. It is the one area of the game I would play over and over again just to enjoy the vibe.

The Verdict : Samus is Back, Sylux is Petty and the Future is 120 FPS

Metroid Prime 4 : Beyond isn't perfect (just like us humans). The Sol Valley desert can feel like a Bumper Car Simulator sometimes, and the troopers won't stop talking about the most random things. But the actual dungeon levels, like the Volt Forge and the Chronos Tower, are absolute peaks for the series. It nails the haunting vibe that made the original 2002 game a cult classic, while adding enough new psychic POV to keep things fresh.

Bonus Tip for the 100% Hunters : Don't forget that the Legacy Suit isn't just a cosmetic. It gives you the Legacy Barrier, which is basically a 'God Mode' button for 5 seconds. It costs 35 missiles to use, but if you're struggling with the final Phase 3 Sylux fight where he starts ripping the floor apart, it is an absolute lifesaver.

Final Thought : If Ridley shows up as "Cyber-XYZ-Ridley" in the DLC, I’m done.