Metroid Prime 4: Everything We Know About Nintendo’s Epic, Highly Anticipated Game

Metroid Prime 4: Everything We Know About Nintendo’s Epic, Highly Anticipated Game

One of Gaming’s long-time flagships of quality and innovation, the Metroid series has had a long and storied legacy. Since its debut in 1986, it has mesmerized players with its atmospheric world-building, crushing narrative, and maddeningly difficult gameplay. But no announcement has gotten the hype treatment quite like Metroid Prime 4. And in doing so, they’ve somehow managed to turn out a faithful recreation of the series in shape fans have been waiting to see after years of radio silence.

Whether you’ve loved Samus Aran’s intergalactic adventures for decades or are a newcomer to all the recent hype, Metroid Prime 4 should deliver a brain-bending experience. From its beautiful sights to its frantic new gameplay mechanics, here’s everything we know so far about one of Nintendo’s biggest upcoming titles.

Looking Back at the Legacy of Metroid

So to understand just what inspired the fervor surrounding Metroid Prime 4, we begin with the long and rich history of the Metroid franchise.

Making its debut on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1986, the original game in the Metroid series casts players as Samus Aran, a bounty hunter whose job is to stop the Space Pirates from weaponizing the parasitic Metroids. It was radical in non-linear exploration and atmospherics world design and the sort of payroll upgrades you’d never even blow into.

But the series would mature the most when Nintendo brought Metroid Prime to the Nintendo GameCube in 2002. Developed by Retro Studios, Metroid Prime took the fledgling franchise from 2D side-scrolling to that absolute quintessential 3D first-person experience we’ve grown to know and love. The game was awarded multiple “Game of the Year” awards and sold well, being lauded for its graphics, atmosphere, and innovative gameplay elements.

The transition to 3D play was further polished through its sequels, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (2004) and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (2007), both of which expanded the franchise lore while staying true to the gameplay that fans had fallen in love with during the franchise’s original go-around. The workflow release of the Metroid Prime Trilogy on the Wii in 2009 introduced a featurette young remaining on the littlest totals.

Then there was Metroid: Other M (2010), a polarizing entry that followed a more story-driven, third-person action approach. If the game was divisive, few things could detract from buzz for a return to Metroid Prime’s immersive first-person adventure.

Without a doubt, the announcement of Metroid Prime 4 at E3 2017 sent shockwaves across the gaming landscape and was an instant revival of hope and hype for the Space Giantess’ next major adventure, which was long overdue.

Everything We Know About Metroid Prime 4 So Far

We learned about Metroid Prime 4 during Nintendo’s E3 2017 press event. The game did shine a light on its world in its latest trailer, though it didn’t reveal many groundbreaking details about its gameplay or story. There were few details to be had in the years that followed, but fans freaked out.

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So Nintendo surprised everyone in early 2019 when it announced a bombshell: Metroid Prime 4 was going back to the drawing board. The game was in development elsewhere at the time, and Nintendo supposedly wasn’t happy with how things were going. So they turned to the original developers of Metroid Prime—Retro Studios—and put them in charge of the project to guarantee that the game could live up to the legendary expectations for the series. Even if this decision has left a gaggle of fans who’ve been waiting to see Samus deliver the smackdown on the enemies of the universe finally disappointed, it was clear that Nintendo wanted to deliver a top-tier experience up to the name Samus Aran itself.

Since then, Retro Studios has been quietly working away, and the anticipation has only grown. Nintendo has been a touch more stingy with its reveals, dropping nothing more than some small teasers and updates. With the Nintendo Switch now announced, there’s just no way to better bring a title like Metroid Prime 4 to life with updated graphics, gameplay, and world-building.

The Gameplay: Classic Exploration With Modern Gatekeeping

Unlike many other genres, exploration has always been one of the key ingredients that make a Metroid experience one-of-a-kind. The games give solo players the sensation of wandering sprawling, alien worlds, gradually unlocking new sectors and acquiring new gear and power-ups en route. But while Metroid Prime 4 will likely bring some new things, it’s even more likely to keep a core touch of previous franchise entries.

First-Person Exploration

At its heart, Metroid Prime is a first-person adventure title. It gives the players of its games a very immersive experience in the alien worlds that Samus visits. The first-person perspective and the game’s environmental design mean that any location feels like a worthy discovery. You will be divided eternally between twisted hallways, abandoned ships, and strange alien country clubs, finding secrets and fighting deadly enemies. More!

Features such as New Motion and Controls

The Metroid Prime series has a rich history of groundbreaking control schemes. The original Metroid Prime on the GameCube employed a fairly traditional control scheme with the now-ubiquitous lock-on mechanic, while Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, on the Wii, implemented heavy use of motion controls to simulate aiming and firing.

And (if the past is any guide) Retro Studios is at least on deck to eclipse every one of our hopes once more on Metroid Prime 4. Nintendo Switch has both classic joy-cons as well as motion controls, leaving room for both of those types of controls to be utilized. Though the details regarding controls for Metroid Prime 4 have yet to be revealed, one can expect controls to be customizable and an immersive experience regardless. If you like the precision that offers, you can aim using motion or pro controller aim.

Upgrades and Power-Ups

One of the hallmarks of the Metroid series, however, is the gradual unlocking of Samus’ abilities. As she proceeds, she collects an array of upgrades, from new missiles and bombs to suits that enable entry to previously inaccessible areas. They are necessary to unlock further regions or to resolve puzzles in the environment. And so PCP Prime 4 will carry on this tradition, solving riddles where numbers come alive.

The Narrative: A Newer, Darker Story

We don’t know a lot about the story of Metroid Prime 4, outside of the basics, but it stands to reason that it follows Samus Aran continuing her campaign against the Space Pirates, the nefarious Chozo remnants, and the ever-menacing threat of the Metroids. Unlike some other franchises that started around the same time, each Metroid Prime game could only tell its story through environmental storytelling, collected scan logs, and wayward moments—no cutscenes or long dialogue scenes. This editorial scope gave its players the ability to put the narrative together in their own time, and as a result, the story felt far more intimate and melded into the world itself.

But just like how with the original Metroid Prime, we had a true sequel with Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, we will probably be seeing some of the same with the Metroid Prime 4 when it comes to how it tells a story, while likely even giving more set pieces as opposed to just telling you to read a paragraph of stuff. That said, it’s hard to deny that with the other facets of the series still in baby steps, it stands to reason that a new title will have a more robust story with meatier character arcs and high emotional stakes. As one of Nintendo’s foremost characters, we need to finally know more about Samus’ lore, her relationship with the Chozo races, and her emotional conflict with the abilities that could have destroyed the galaxy.

The visuals: Stunning worlds, in HD

The graphics are so awesome about Metroid Prime 4 more than the writing examples. Fueled by the Nintendo Switch, the title will inevitably raise the bar for what we’ve seen on the platform to date. Retro Studios has always had an eye for atmospheric, detail-rich environments, and Metroid Prime 4 is bound to follow in its footsteps.

From deep, jungle-like, lush alien worlds to eerie, desolate planets, Metroid Prime 4 should take players to a range of talk-worthy beauties. It’s a big world players are diving into, but one that will also be organic and will boast realistic lighting, weather effects, and nooks that will make every nook and cranny feel unlike any you’ve encountered before. Whether you’re wandering around an ancient Chozo temple or battling Space Pirates on a forsaken research facility, the game’s fidelity will help extend the tension of exploration.

Why the Wait is Worth It

Metroid Prime 4 has had fans waiting an eternity to play, but the time spent in development should bear fruit. Nintendo and Retro Studios have proven that they will take their time when the result might be the ultimate experience. From the initial decision to scrap the game and start from scratch to the astounding amount of attention they’re placing into the design of the game, it’s evident all is not just well as the team is in constant overtime mode to give Metroid Prime 4 the true sequel treatment.

That extended development time ultimately allows for Metroid Prime 4 to maximize the power that the sleek Nintendo Switch has to offer, which, in a similar vein, could see a harder-to-run sequel prove limited outside of a revamp more than a real return to form—a title that retains the elements that etched the series as an industry favorite whilst contemporizing the experience for a 21st-century audience.

Question and answer (FAQ)

Summary: And now you wait

Metroid Prime 4 will inherit one of gaming’s most cherished legacies. Not only does it have downright beautiful graphics that should dazzle on any next-gen, but it’s also 3D, and first-person, and it’s the return of Retro Studios (or at least, it should have the keys to reboot the Metroid series). Whatever the next Samus Aran adventure may be, it can’t happen fast enough, but one thing’s for certain: You’ll want to stay in tune with the Road to Samus’s next adventure.

There’s much more to learn about when it comes to Metroid Prime 4, though, and get ready for an interstellar adventure unlike any other.

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