Metroid Prime 4 Review: A deep, cinematic return to Samus Aran’s universe. Explore full gameplay analysis, story overview, combat upgrades, graphics performance, boss fights, world design, and expert impressions in this detailed 2025 review.
Metroid Prime 4 Review: A Stunning Return to the Legendary Sci-Fi Universe
Few game franchises in the world carried as much anticipation as Metroid Prime 4. After years of silence, restarts, and complete studio shifts, Nintendo has finally delivered the long-awaited next chapter in Samus Aran’s story — and the result is nothing short of extraordinary.
Metroid Prime 4 isn’t just a sequel. It’s a statement.
A statement that atmospheric science-fiction games still matter.
A statement that first-person exploration can still feel revolutionary.
A statement that Samus Aran remains one of gaming’s most complex, compelling heroes.
This review breaks everything down: gameplay, world design, combat, performance, upgrades, lore connections, comparisons to earlier Prime games, hidden details, and whether this may be the greatest Metroid game ever created.
The Story: Samus Returns to Her Darkest Battlefield Yet
The narrative in Metroid Prime 4 is easily the most story-rich and emotionally driven entry in the Prime series.
A Direct Continuation — but Accessible for New Players
The game picks up shortly after Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, but uses clever flashback sequences and scan logs to ensure newcomers can understand Samus’s place in the galaxy.
A New Threat Emerges
While the Space Pirates remain dangerous, the highlight of Prime 4’s story is the introduction of the Voidborn, a mysterious interdimensional force that corrupts matter itself. Unlike Phazon, this threat is alive — and it learns.
Samus’s Internal Conflict
This game shows a version of Samus we haven’t seen before:
More introspective
More scarred by past battles
More driven to protect galaxies that barely know she exists
Her emotional evolution is subtle and handled through environmental storytelling rather than lengthy dialogue — pure Metroid philosophy.
Like we highlighted in our Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.3 Preview, modern games are shifting toward richer world-building…
Gameplay: The Perfection of the Prime Formula
Metroid Prime 4 refines everything the trilogy built while adding modern mechanics that elevate exploration, combat, and movement to new heights.
Exploration Returns as the Heart of the Experience
The loop is perfect:
Explore
Discover
Scan
Fight
Backtrack with new abilities
Unlock hidden secrets
But it feels faster and more fluid than older Prime games, thanks to new traversal mechanics.
New Movement Abilities
Phase Dash: A short, directional warp that lets Samus avoid attacks and cross unstable terrain.
Magnet Grip: Lets Samus run along metallic surfaces like walls and ceilings.
Boost Grapple: A high-speed grapple that enables new shortcuts and puzzle solutions.
These make the world feel alive and interconnected in ways Prime 1–3 never quite reached.
Combat: Intense, Strategic, and Surprisingly Difficult
Combat in Metroid Prime 4 is more aggressive and more tactical.
Enemy AI Has Been Completely Overhauled
Enemies flank, retreat, charge, and use environmental advantages. Flying enemies circle Samus in dynamic patterns, and ground creatures burrow or climb surfaces intelligently.
New Beam Systems
Samus’s iconic weapons have been reimagined:
Plasma Beam: Burns and melts certain barriers.
Nova Beam: Can pierce energy shields when scanning nodes are exposed.
Dark Matter Beam: A high-risk, high-damage weapon that consumes Samus’s shield energy.
Switching beams mid-fight becomes essential.
Boss Battles Are the Best in the Franchise
Every boss feels like an event — huge, cinematic, puzzle-driven, and intense.
Some highlights include:
A multi-phase serpent that coils around a collapsing tower
A Leviathan-class Voidborn that shifts dimensional layers
A Space Pirate commander wielding stolen Chozo tech
These battles blend exploration, scanning, and pure combat mastery.
Level Design: This Is Prime at Its Absolute Best
World-building is arguably Prime 4’s greatest strength.
Interconnected Worlds With Modern Design Philosophy
The regions are massive but carefully connected with shortcuts. The new fast-travel network is optional and limited, preserving the classic sense of discovery.
Five Major Maps, Each With a Unique Identity
Aetherion Station – A ruined research satellite drifting in a nebula
Crystalis Depths – A frozen underground labyrinth
Voidscar Jungle – A hostile, overgrown alien biome
Iron Canyons – A molten wasteland filled with Space Pirate machinery
The Shattered Eye – A surreal interdimensional final zone
Each biome contains:
Environmental storytelling
Puzzles rooted in the area’s logic
Powerful mini-bosses
Hidden Chozo memories
Secret item paths for completionists
Sound Design: Retro Studios’ Masterpiece
Metroid has always excelled at sound design — Prime 4 improves it dramatically.
Atmospheric Perfection
Metallic echoes in abandoned stations
Low-frequency hums in alien caverns
Creepy whispers in Voidborn zones
Every sound pulls you deeper into Samus’s psychological journey.
Music That Evolves With the Player
Themes dynamically shift based on:
Scan activity
Threat levels
Environmental states
It’s dynamic and cinematic — without losing the eerie minimalism Prime fans love.
Graphics & Performance
Nintendo’s hardware limitations worried fans — but Metroid Prime 4 is one of the most stunning Switch-era games ever made.
Lighting & Environment Detail
The game uses advanced global illumination techniques rarely seen in Switch titles. Weapons create real lighting effects, and Samus’s visor reflects environments subtly.
Smooth Performance
60 FPS target (mostly stable)
Dynamic resolution scaling
Excellent optimization
It’s a masterclass in making hardware limitations irrelevant through artistic direction.
Much like the visuals we analyzed in our Stellar Blade PS5 Review, Prime 4 uses artistic style to overcome hardware limits.
Upgrades, Suit Mods & Scan Log Enhancements
Prime 4 includes the most robust upgrade tree in the series.
Suit Enhancements
Void Shielding: Resist dimensional anomalies
Reactive Armor: Boosts melee counter windows
Visor Mods: Thermal+, Spectrum Analysis, and Dimensional Overlay
Scan Log Is Now Essential
Scanning isn’t optional — it’s integrated into combat, puzzles, and story progression.
Samus learns from every scan, gaining bonuses against certain enemy types.
Hidden Secrets & Replay Value
Metroid Prime 4 is packed with secrets:
Hidden Chozo archives
Optional boss fights
Multi-phase puzzles across different zones
Entire zones that change after major story events
100% completion takes around 40–50 hours, placing Prime 4 among the largest entries in the franchise.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Best story in the Prime series
Gorgeous atmospheric graphics
Deep, dynamic combat
Massive, interconnected worlds
Smart puzzles
Excellent boss design
High replay value
Cons
Difficulty spikes may frustrate newcomers
Some backtracking still feels tedious
Switch hardware limits texture density
Expert FAQs
Is Metroid Prime 4 newcomer-friendly?
Yes — even though it continues Prime 3’s story, the game recaps key lore.
Is it harder than previous games?
Yes — especially boss battles.
How long to finish?
20–25 hours main story; 40–50 hours for completion.
Does it support gyro aiming?
Yes — and it’s incredibly smooth.
Does multiplayer exist?
No — single-player only, staying true to Prime’s design.
Buyer’s Guide: Should You Play Metroid Prime 4?
Highly Recommended For:
Fans of atmospheric sci-fi
Exploration-heavy gameplay lovers
Players who enjoy puzzle-based progression
Fans of Metroidvania games
Not Ideal For:
Players who dislike first-person exploration
Those who want fast, constant action
If you enjoyed:
Metroid Prime Trilogy
Prey (2017)
Halo Infinite’s exploration
Doom (for combat feel)
Returnal (for atmosphere)
…you will absolutely love Metroid Prime 4.
Conclusion: A Masterpiece and a Worthy Successor
Metroid Prime 4 isn’t just a great return — it’s one of the best Switch-era games ever created. Retro Studios has delivered a powerful, atmospheric, emotionally rich sci-fi adventure that honors the past while boldly evolving the franchise.
Samus is back. And she’s never been better.