Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Reviews Highlight Ambition, Technical Strength and Divided Reactions

Early reviews for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond have offered a wide range of impressions, with publications praising its atmosphere, technical work and adherence to series traditions while raising concerns about design decisions and new character elements.

Keza MacDonald of The Guardian described sections of the game as “classic Metroid,” highlighting the atmospheric, eerie and solitary design that has defined the series. MacDonald noted Samus Aran’s new psychic abilities and the return of slower, methodical exploration, calling these aspects faithful to the franchise’s earlier entries.

MacDonald also attributed frustration to certain design choices, including side characters who interrupt exploration and a desert overworld that she considered empty compared with more focused areas. According to the review, the game “feels, often, like an experimental game from 15 years ago,” a characteristic she associated with both its strengths and drawbacks.

Vincent Acovino of NPR credited the game’s visuals, sound design and performance as “a technical marvel,” particularly praising its graphical modes and art direction. Acovino argued that the game’s structure feels overly linear in early segments and described side characters such as Myles Mackenzie as persistent sources of irritation. Acovino concluded that the opening hours make the game “hard to recommend,” advising players to approach cautiously.

Harry Padoan of TechRadar reported a more optimistic first impression after a hands-on session, stating that the experience felt faithful to the original trilogy’s ambience. Padoan highlighted Samus’s new psychic powers, puzzle-based challenges and the balanced pacing between exploration and combat. He noted that the presence of a talkative companion character disrupted the usual sense of isolation but expressed enthusiasm for the game’s technical refinements and control options.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on December 4.