Metroid Prime 4 Reminds Me Of Another Sci-Fi Shooter, Which Isn’t A Good Thing

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Fans of the Metroid series have been discussing whether a motorcycle will be featured in *Metroid Prime 4: Beyond*. The newest trailer, shown during the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, confirmed the game’s release date and revealed a large, 3D overworld similar to *The Legend of Zelda*, which players will explore using Samus’s vehicle, the Vi-O-La.

I’ve been seeing a lot of complaints online about that desert area – people are saying it looks a bit rough and there’s not much to see. But honestly, I think it’s too early to judge. We haven’t really gotten a good look at how it’s *supposed* to work in the full game yet. Still, as the release date for *Beyond* gets closer, there’s definitely a lot of worry and debate happening amongst fans like me.

Seeing Samus speed across the desert and then get off her bike to enter a classic Metroid Prime-style hallway reminded me of a disappointing game from 2019. I really hope Retro Studios does a much better job with *Metroid Prime 4*.

Gears 5 Used Empty, Open Overworlds To Connect Missions

Does anyone remember *Gears 5*? It was a decent game, but I really didn’t like the big, open areas they added to the single-player story. I’m talking about places like the icy Kadar Valley and the red desert of Vasgar – they just felt out of place.

Players take on the roles of Kait Diaz and Del Walker, and can explore large open areas using a sail-powered skiff – either solo or with a friend in co-op. They’ll travel to various locations to discover collectibles, complete optional side quests, and begin story missions that follow the classic, action-packed *Gears of War* campaign style.

Ultimately, those sections of the game were limited in what they offered, and the open areas often felt empty. The hub worlds seemed intended to give players more agency and choice in how the story unfolded, rather than just watching cutscenes of Kait and Del travel between points, but the game didn’t quite succeed in making those areas engaging.

Open-world areas like Hyrule Field in *The Legend of Zelda* (starting with *Ocarina of Time*) and the recent *God of War* games usually work well. However, *Gears 5* felt quite empty, and I’m worried *Metroid Prime 4* might have a similar problem with feeling uninteresting and lacking detail.

Metroid Prime 4 Having A Dull Overworld Would Be Damaging

The new trailer showed off a lot of classic Metroid Prime gameplay – lots of exploring, fighting, and scanning, just like fans expect. Even if the desert area seems like a simple way to travel between different parts of the planet Viewros, the core gameplay still looks really good.

If a significant portion of *Metroid Prime 4* turns out to be disappointing, it would be a problem for the game. Nintendo is known for delivering highly polished and refined experiences, and a major flaw in one area could negatively impact the overall enjoyment, even if the rest of the game is excellent.

The game isn’t out for several months, and we still have a lot to learn about it, so all the current discussion and guesses might end up seeming silly later on. However, after waiting so long for *Metroid Prime 4: Beyond* and building up such high hopes, it’s understandable why people are cautious but optimistic.

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2025-09-16 23:11