Announced in 2017, restarted at a different studio in 2019, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond finally arrived on 4 December 2025, eighteen years after Prime 3. Nothing else that month was as eagerly awaited. Reviews were more mixed than for our recent picks, but this is the game December will be remembered for.
Samus, stranded on Viewros
A relic accident strands Samus on the planet Viewros, where she has to uncover what happened to an extinct race called the Lamorn and find a way home. She picks up new psychic powers along the way, which let her steer shots, move machinery and open paths. The structure is new to the series. Five themed regions work much like Zelda dungeons, and they’re linked by a desert called Sol Valley that you cross on a motorbike named Vi-O-La.
Where it shines
When you’re inside the main regions, most critics loved it. IGN gave it 8/10. Its reviewer praised the lonely, atmospheric exploration, the boss fights and how smoothly Samus controls, and rated it one of the best-looking games Nintendo has ever published, running at 4K and 60fps on Switch 2. Nintendo Life went further, putting it among the best Metroid games ever made and singling out a soundtrack it rated the strongest since the original Prime.
Where it stumbles
The desert is where it loses critics. Eurogamer scored it 3/5, and Alex Donaldson enjoyed the dungeons at the time but found them forgettable afterwards. Donaldson also criticised an endgame that makes you drive laps collecting green crystals before the finale unlocks. IGN called that same errand padding. Both found the radio companion Myles too quick with hints, and Eurogamer found Samus’s silence among chatty marines jarring.
Critic scores and details last checked in September 2026.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Release date | 4 December 2025 |
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch |
| Developer | Retro Studios |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Critic score | 80 Top Critic Average on OpenCritic, 78% of critics recommend (as of Sep 2026) |
Verdict
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is two games stitched together. One of them is a beautiful, confident Prime sequel. The other is a dull desert that padded out the hours. The good parts outweigh the bad by a comfortable margin, especially on Switch 2, but anyone expecting the tightly connected world of the first Prime should lower their expectations a little.
Quick questions
How long is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond?
IGN puts it at roughly 15 hours. Chasing every expansion takes longer, and so does the endgame crystal hunt. IGN suggests smashing green crystals as you ride between regions, although Eurogamer’s reviewer did exactly that and still had a tedious mop-up before the finale.
Is it worth playing on the original Switch?
Yes, although it’s not quite as detailed as the port on Switch 2. Nintendo Life found it still runs at a steady 60fps on the older console. Textures and resolution seem to have taken quite a hit though, with some loading screens taking two or three times as long to load as on the Switch 2. If you’ll likely be upgrading anyway, though, the Switch 2 Edition is the one to get.
Do I need to play the earlier Prime games first?
No. According to Nintendo Life, the story stands alone. It introduces the Lamorn, a new ancient race, to the story and drops long-running plot lines like Phazon and Dark Samus while making Sylux the main villain. New players won’t miss any story points, and the core abilities will be recognisable to returning fans.
More Review of the Month: Previous pick: November 2025, Europa Universalis V | Next pick: January 2026, Cairn
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