Hands-on Vibes
I spent over an hour with the Switch 2 build of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and got past that familiar opening chunk everyone’s already seen. This wasn’t a quick demo — it was proper playtime from an early section where Samus, surprise, gets stripped of her usual toys so the plot can happen.
Psychic Stuff That Actually Works
The game leans into a psychic theme for some new moves, and shockingly, it mostly pays off. There are these glowing bits called Psychic Motes you yank toward you with a special glove and chuck into sockets to open doors. It’s handled through the scan visor, which doubles as the psychic visor because of course it does.
Movement, Aim and That Time-Slowing Trick
Some abilities let you shift objects from afar — a lighter, less clunky echo of the motion waggling from past Metroid entries. I also unlocked a charged projectile that you can steer mid-flight while time dribbles slower. It felt a tad sluggish to me, but still fun enough to tinker with.
Looks, Sound and That Lonely Mood
Graphically the game can be gorgeous — when the lighting hits, it hits. There were bits that didn’t quite pop in trailers, but the soundtrack and sound design really sell that classic, lonely Metroid atmosphere. If you loved the series’ haunting solitude, you’ll get your fix here.
The Guy Who Ruined My Chill
Halfway through the session I had to rescue a marine and immediately regretted it. Enter Mackenzie: fully voiced, painfully chatty, and oddly proud of lines like “Watch out, if you go that way I won’t be able to protect you.” He follows Samus around like a needy houseplant and kept getting himself into trouble, forcing me into babysitting missions where I escorted him to safety on repeat.
Samus Remains Samus — Thank the Stars
Small mercy: Samus doesn’t suddenly become a talkative sitcom lead. Her responses to Mackenzie are minimal — mostly nods — which kept her character intact. I tried shooting him with a missile just to be sure the game had limits to my patience; unsurprisingly, that didn’t solve anything.
Why a Chatterbox Companion Is a Big Deal
Metroid’s core appeal is isolation — the eerie, alone-against-a-hostile-planet vibe. Drop an endlessly yakking NPC into that mix and you dilute what makes the series special. If Mackenzie follows you for most of the adventure, I’ll be disappointed; if he carts off early (ideally offscreen, painfully and embarrassingly), I’ll sleep easier.
Overall Feel
Despite the babysitter subplot, the gameplay I tried was solid and often charming. The psychic mechanics are a welcome twist, the audio and visuals mostly pop, and the exploration still scratches that Metroid itch. I’m optimistic — cautiously crossing two fingers — that Prime 4 will land as a great entry, so long as the clown in tow doesn’t overstay his welcome.
