Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is reviewing very well overall, but with some notable caveats depending on what you want from a Metroid Prime game.

Overall reception and scores

Most major outlets are landing in the strong 8–9/10 range, praising it as a successful revival that largely lives up to the Prime name despite structural missteps. Critics generally agree it delivers classic Metroid atmosphere and exploration, but is less cohesive than the very best entries, so expectations should be “excellent but uneven” rather than “instant all‑time masterpiece.”

Atmosphere, visuals, and performance

Reviewers consistently highlight the atmosphere as one of the game’s biggest strengths, with haunting, detailed environments, strong environmental storytelling, and excellent audio design. Visually it is described as gorgeous on Switch 2 hardware and technically very solid, running at a stable framerate with sharp art direction even if raw fidelity is below some other modern shooters.

Exploration, level design, and structure

Inside individual “dungeons” or major areas, level design is widely praised as tight, moody, and puzzle-rich, often compared favorably with the best sections of previous Prime games. The bigger structural experiment—connecting those spaces through a large, more open overworld hub—gets mixed reactions, with some critics loving the sense of scale and others feeling it adds bloat and pacing issues.

Combat, abilities, and moment-to-moment play

Moment-to-moment gunplay, controls, and the visor system are generally considered refined and responsive, staying close to the classic Prime feel while modernizing UI and usability. New abilities (including more “psychic” or control-style powers) are seen as fun in puzzles but sometimes fussy or tedious in combat, and some reviewers think the game leans too much into action setpieces compared with quiet exploration.

Story, companions, and pacing issues

The introduction of talkative NPC companions and more overt narrative guidance divides reviewers: some find the characters charming and helpful, while long- time fans sometimes feel they undercut the series’ trademark isolation. Several reviews also criticize the overall pacing and ending, saying the buildup and structure make the finale feel oddly slight or incomplete, even after high points in the dungeons and bosses.

Quick pros/cons table

Aspect| What reviewers like| Common complaints / risks
---|---|---
Atmosphere| Haunting, immersive environments and sound.13| Occasional chatter breaks the solitude.37
Visuals/tech| Gorgeous art, stable performance on Switch 2.16| Not the most cutting‑edge graphics overall.1
Level design| Excellent, focused “dungeon” areas.12| Overworld can feel like padding or disjointed.15
Exploration feel| Strong sense of discovery and scanning lore.13| More linear and modular than Prime 1’s web.23
Combat/abilities| Responsive controls, fun upgrades and bosses.35| Some new powers are clunky in combat.13
Story/companions| Bigger narrative moments, some likable NPCs.23| Ending underwhelms; too many hints and interruptions.27

If you say what you care about most (pure isolation, story, difficulty, etc.), a more tailored “buy or wait” recommendation is possible.