Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review: Samus Aran shines on Nintendo Switch 2

A beautiful experience that isn't without its flaws

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

🏆 Review Score: 4/5 - Great!

✅ Pros:

• 😍 Sumptuous visuals and atmospheric level design

• 🤩 Impeccable HDR presentation

• 🎶 Arresting and evocative soundtrack

• 📖 Scanning is as satisfying as ever

• 👍 Metroid’s long-running gameplay structure still holds up well

• 💜 New psychic abilities are fun to use

• 🐭 120fps mode and mouse controls are nice additions

• 👋 Motion controls are the best way to play

❌ Cons:

• 🌵 Sol Valley area is rather boring

• 🤔 Cutscenes are used heavily to mask load times

• 🤬 The NPCs are hit and miss

• 🤫 Samus probably should have had some voice lines

• 😞 Bike combat sucks

• 🤷‍♂️ There’s not much replayability

The Shortcut Review

It’s been an eight-year wait for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond since it was first announced, but has it been worth it? The answer is mostly yes. There are some frustrating flaws that prevent it from reaching the heights of previous entries in the series, including some controversial design decisions. But the overall package delivers a beautiful first-person adventure that Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 owners won’t want to miss.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond captures the essence of what the series is renowned for. It makes you truly feel as though you’re stranded on a hostile, foreign alien world as you scan the environment for more information and scour the world for vital upgrades. As Samus Aran, you’re more than equipped to deal with most of the threats that you encounter, but there’s also a vulnerability present that keeps you from ever feeling like a super soldier.

Metroid Prime’s appeal has never come from engaging in countless firefights, or spectacular set pieces (though you’ll find a healthy amount of those thrown in). Instead, what makes the Prime series special is the solitary journey and slowly building up your abilities to unlock new paths that make up a larger puzzle.

Just look at that view. (Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

Thankfully, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has plenty of these moments to cherish, and it’s easy to become absorbed in Samus’s quest to escape the planet Viewros. However, there are two sticking points that detract from the overall experience: the presence of NPCs (non-playable characters) and the desert plains of Sol Valley.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch

• Developer: Retro Studios

• Publisher: Nintendo

• Price: $69.99/$59.99 (Switch 2 upgrade costs $9.99)

• Install size: 27.6 GB

• Release date: December 4, 2025

You’ll spend a bit too much time riding around the mini open-world of hub Sol Valley. But unlike the expertly crafted main areas, Sol Valley feels empty, dull and merely acts as padding. There’s very little to discover of interest, and its intrigue fades quickly as you’re forced to ride from one section of the map to the other multiple times.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond still delivers an engrossing single-player experience – the likes of which only the Prime series can offer.

The same can be said about the Galactic Federation crew you encounter. They’re at odds with Samus being a solo, silent adventurer, and simply serve as a plot device instead of adding any actual substance to the game. They’re not as bad as initial previews made them sound, but they’re an aspect that could have easily been left on the cutting room floor.

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond might not be the revolution some fans were hoping for, then, as it largely sticks to what we’ve already come to know and expect. There’s definitely some scars present from the game’s tumultuous development, too. However, Retro Studios has still delivered an engrossing single-player experience – the likes of which only the Prime series can offer. For that reason alone it makes our best Switch 2 games list. Read my full Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review below for more.

How I tested Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on Nintendo Switch 2 🧪

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

I played Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo Switch 2 Edition on a 55-inch LG CX OLED using the game’s ‘Quality’ 4K/60fps mode in HDR. I also tested the game’s 1080p/120fps ‘Performance’ mode. During my review, I primarily played Metroid Prime 4: Beyond using the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, but also tested the game’s mouse motion controls.

It took me 13 and a half hours to complete Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on normal mode, with an item completion rate of 85% and a scan completion rate of 96%.

A review code of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was provided by Nintendo. The Shortcut paid for the Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade.

What I loved about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond ❤️

Fury Green is a gorgeous biome filled with alien fauna and flora. (Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

• 😍 Gorgeous from start to finish. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond may be a Nintendo Switch game at heart, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the best-looking titles I’ve played in quite some time. Running at 4K/60fps on Nintendo Switch 2, the series’ art style really shines. Backdrops are breathtakingly beautiful, and the game’s varied alien biomes are teeming with detail. There are loads of little flourishes and touches that give life to Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Samus Aran, too, such as seeing Samus’s reflection when firing off a blast up close, or the raindrops running off her arm cannon. It helps that the game’s performance also remains rock-solid throughout.

• 📖 Scan me for more. The Metroid Prime series delivers most of its story through the environment, as you can scan new creatures, objects, and structures to discover more details. Scanning quickly becomes second-nature and is entirely optional most of the time. For those of a curious nature, though, scanning everything in sight is a must and full of lore to enjoy.

• 🤩 Best-in-class HDR presentation. Most games tend to either implement HDR incorrectly or skip it entirely, but Metroid Prime 4: Beyond shows just how impactful the display technology can be. From piercingly bright highlights to dimly lit underground tunnels, if you have an HDR TV or monitor, you’re in for a visual treat with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. The game’s futuristic, sci-fi world has never looked so convincing.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is an HDR showcase. (Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

• 😈 Big boss battles. You’ll face off against several hulking alien monstrosities in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and each poses a distinct challenge. Identifying a boss’s weakness and exploiting it using your abilities is the name of the game, and you’ll also need to avoid their pattern of attacks. Each boss was enjoyable to take down and never felt unfair or overly difficult.

• 🎶 DJ, play that song again. You’ll be revisiting areas in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond multiple times, so it helps that the game’s soundtrack is up there with the series’ best. Fury Green and Volt Forge are two standouts, but even the title screen music delivers a powerful, evocative score that instantly transports you into the world of Samus Aran. I’ve already favorited many of the seven tracks available on the Nintendo Music app. It’s just a shame Sol Valley, the game’s open-world hub area, is all but silent.

• 👍 Metroid’s gameplay structure still holds up. Metroid established a rewarding gameplay formula that is still popular today. Discovering new upgrades and abilities like the Spider Ball or Ice Shot that allow you to reach previously inaccessible areas is still the core gameplay mechanic, but it’s no less satisfying in 2025 than it was in 1986. There’s some light puzzle solving involved, too, but nothing that ever feels too obtuse.

• 💜 New psychic abilities are fun to use. Samus will need to harness several psychic abilities in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and they’re a welcome addition. You can fire off a controllable shot to hit hard to reach targets, solve pattern-based puzzles, and activate floating platforms. The psychic abilities never outstay their welcome, and help to freshen up some classic upgrades.

Combat can get heated during the later stages of the game. (Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

• 🚴 On your bike, mate. You’ll soon discover a new mode of transport for Samus, the Vi-O-La bike. You can spawn and dismount the bike instantly as you zip around the game’s open-world area, and it’s even needed during some areas to unlock new routes. It’s admittedly fun to control, especially when you boost over a big sand dune.

• 🐭 120fps mode and mouse controls are nice additions. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was one of the first Nintendo Switch 2 120fps games to be announced that also had mouse controls, and both features work admirably. However, 120fps feels like overkill for a Metroid Prime as the series isn’t known for its fast-paced shooting. The drop to 1080p resolution is also hard to stomach compared to the crystal clear presentation that 4K provides. Mouse mode makes a lot more sense, as it provides 1-to-1 cursor movement and superior aiming accuracy. But be warned: the button layout takes some getting used to.

• 👉 Motion controls may be the way to go. Even though I played most of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond using the Switch 2 Pro Controller, I really should have been using the game’s excellent motion controls. Using the Joy-Con 2 controllers, you can basically recreate how Metroid Prime played on the Wii, which is arguably the best way to play. The motion controls are responsive and accurate, and makes the combat feel more engaging than before.

• 🤲 Plays great in handheld mode. If you prefer to play away from the TV in handheld mode, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond still looks fantastic and crisp. The resolution drops to 1080p to match the Switch 2’s display, and it drops down further to 720p if you switch to 120Hz mode. The game’s gorgeous HDR presentation admittedly takes a hit, as the Switch 2’s display can’t match the brightness levels of TVs and monitors. However, handheld isn’t a signifcantly downgraded experience by any means.

What I disliked about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond 💔

Screenshots don’t do Metroid Prime 4: Beyond justice. (Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

• 🌵 Sol Valley area quickly outstays its welcome. Sol Valley is the game’s mini open-world hub, which you’ll need to traverse to reach new areas. At first, it’s fairly enjoyable zipping around on Vi-O-La and smashing through piles of green crystals as you go. You’ll even discover shrines to explore and few story-specific locations. Unfortunately, being in an expansive, desolate desert quickly becomes tedious, and the lack of any music only makes things worse.

• 😞 Bike combat sucks. It doesn’t help that any enemies you face in the desert can be dispatched on your bike. But sadly, the foes you’ll face while zooming across the sand dunes are very annoying to fight. Most of the time you need to wait until you can attack them, and it’s very easy to lose track as they veer off in a different direction. Most of the time, I simply just boosted away as engaging wasn’t worth the hassle.

• 🤔 Cutscenes are used heavily to mask load times. As you venture back to areas you’ve previously explored, you’ll have to deal with some irritating load times. The game masks them behind fairly short cutscenes, but they can’t be skipped. Entering and exiting Fury Green, an area you need to return to frequently, really highlights the loading issues.

You’ll meet some companions along the way. Funnily enough, this robot is one of the most endearing. (Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

• 🤬 The NPCs are hit and miss. Samus is joined by a small crew this time around, and while they’re fairly inoffensive, your first encounter with Miles MacKenzie sets a horrible first impression. His cringe-worthy dialogue and habit of pointing out the obvious immediately grates. However, Miles’ annoying introduction doesn’t last long, and the rest of the companions you meet are thankfully far easier to put up with. Their presence also exposes another problem, though…

• 🤫 Speak up, Samus. There are some awkward moments where the NPCs will address Samus directly, only for the famed bounty hunter to either stare at them blankly or provide a stoic nod. It feels like Samus should have been given a few voice lines, as being mute doesn’t really work here like it does for Link in The Legend of Zelda.

• 🤷‍♂️ There’s not much replayability. Once the credits roll, there isn’t much of a reason to play through Metroid Prime 4: Beyond again, especially if you’ve found all the items and scanned everything there is to scan. Completing the game unlocks a new hard mode difficultly, but there isn’t a New Game+ option or any real incentive to replay everything again.

• 🚀 Miss me with that missile upgrade. As fun as it is accessing new areas that were previously off limits, it’s a little disappointing that most of the time you’ll just find yet another missile upgrade or shot upgrade for your troubles. I wish there were unique items to discover – like specific materials that could make a new suit variation for Samus, or logbooks that provide more lore.

Should you buy Metroid Prime 4: Beyond? 🤔

Icy cool. (Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

Yes, if…

• ✅ You love the Metroid Prime series and have been patiently waiting for a sequel

• ✅ You’re after an engrossing, single-player, first-person adventure game

• ✅ You want a more mature experience for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2

No, if…

• ❌ You’ve never been a fan of the Metroid gameplay formula

• ❌ You’re expecting Metroid Prime 4 to play like Call of Duty

• ❌ You want something that revolutionizes the Metroid Prime series

Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.