I've not been in the mood to write nor do my usual "reviews" for games recently, but Metroid Prime 4 released last week and I beat the game not too long ago. I just have to give my thoughts on one of my most anticipated sequels. And it's, hmmm, a tad bit disappointing I'm afraid. It's not all bad though, so full thoughts below. There also will be spoilers.
How long has it been now? 7 or 8 years since Prime 4 was announced? I was just a fledgling Metroid fan when it happened, and I remember I was so excited. As years kept stretching on I could not keep the excitement up, until we actually saw the game in action. Then as we crept closer to release certain controversies started to crop up. First was the bike and the desert, then the talkative NPC's. At the end of the day I wanted to give this game a fair shake. It can't be all that bad?
I'll start with the positives. For one, even on Switch 1 the game looks gorgeous. The art direction and the music are just amazing, everything I'd expect from a Prime game. The first few hours with the intro sequence, Fury Green and then going to Volt Forge to get Viola were amazing. I loved fighting the enemies and the bosses, the combat felt even better this time around and the game offered a fine challenge in some parts.
Talking about bosses, they're 100% the best part about this game. I just adored the boss fights. With the exception of this big crab boss, it was kinda monotonous. And the sand fish you fight on your bike.... But overall they were great fun and I even managed to die a couple times. I swear I have no idea how to dodge some boss attacks. Even as I strafe around the boss and jump around, some attacks always hit without exception.
Even though I didn't like how the games world was structured, I can't deny that I enjoyed all the different areas of the game. I already mentioned the first two areas, but the fire area and especially Ice Belt. Good lord I loved the Ice Belt. Slowly exploring this abandoned frozen research facility as you uncover the truth and what was going on, then you turn on the generator and the whole place wakes up. It was all peak, and made me care about the Lamorn and the Grievers a lot more. The only area I didn't care for were the Mines. It's just linear, and you have a companion with you almost 90% of the time. And they all have a dumb "self sacrifice moment", but actually no because they're okay after all. And then the games ending happens, lol.
Now it's time for the gripes. The games two big contentions were the desert and the NPC's. The desert wasn't all that bad, I guess. It was. Unnecessary? It was lifeless, boring, but didn't bother me too much. The fetch quest at the end of the game didn't take long at all either, but I did collect the "green crystals" diligently. Yes, they're called that in game. The Lamorn were real creative. But when I think about it, why was it even there? To give reason for the bike? To haphazardly imitate Breath of the Wild?
The NPC's honestly didn't bother me much either. Only Mr. Reddit who kept calling me up and giving me directions got on my nerves. And maaaybe the lady who was a big fan of Samus, but I found myself chuckling at her antics more than getting annoyed by them. The rest? Pretty neat. And I even grew to like them a little as I visited them later on, and saw them interact. The big robot was my fave. But even with this I would have preferred if they weren't there. Metroid is all about isolation and the exploration of an alien planet. I don't need chatty companions with me, no matter how charming they might be.
One big gimmick this game had was the bike, Viola. And I think I kinda liked it. A lot. I just wish it had more use, y'know? You use it to travel between towers in the Volt Forge, then drive around an empty desert with all these cool abilities, but barely anything to use them on. You also use the bike in a couple boss fights, but the one in the desert is atrocious and boring. I preferred the lava snake.
I think my biggest problems with this game were the story and the world design. In its core, Metroid Prime 4 is not a metroidvania. I can't fucking believe I'm typing that, but it's true. It's more designed like a 3D Zelda game with an open hub that connects the five areas. The areas are also painfully linear and have a greater focus on combat sequences than exploration and puzzle solving, which I wasn't a fan of. They try to make it more Metroid by making you backtrack for useless shit like data chips, why couldn't they just be regular upgrades? Also you need to backtrack into previous areas as you get new upgrades. Sometimes for collectibles, and sometimes other upgrades. It's just not good world design. I wish they had just removed the desert and connected the five areas in interesting ways.
If the game didn't have the desert and the pointless backtracking it would be a really short game. A lot of things in this game are designed to waste your time and bump up that play time. Without those things the game would probably be like 4 hours long. Rest you spend riding your bike through an empty desert, ramming into green rocks and watching loading screens. All the while some guy keeps calling you and reminding you to what to do, and worst thing yet, straight up tell you where you have to go. Fuck you McKenzie.
Now the story. What happens in the beginning with Sylux might just as well never happened. The whole game focuses on Viewros and the fate of the Lamorn and how Samus is the "chosen one" who has to preserve their memory. Sylux is just there. An afterthought. He shows up at the start, then shows up as a boss fight a couple times (but oops, it's not ACTUALLY him, but a robot mimicking him), is shown briefly in a cut scene and then he's the final boss. Admittedly a really fucking good final boss. But the way how he talks, and yells Samus' name in rage just falls flat. Who the hell are you, man? What's even your point? You lost? You get to know his backstory in a 100% completion run, and his motivation is just stupid. He is just a wasted potential and the only reason he's even here is because Prime 3 teased him at the end. Oh, and all your companions sacrifice themselves again and they stay stranded on Viewros with Sylux. Yippee.
Not sure if I have anything else to say. I did enjoy some parts of Prime 4 a lot, but then hated or was indifferent about the rest. Ultimately Prime 4 is just a disappointing game. Damn. Both of my most anticipated sequels just ended up falling flat. The only reason this doesn't hurt as much as Dragons Dogma 2, is because we did get Metroid Dread in the meanwhile. That game was awesome.