Summary
The long-awaitedMetroid Prime 4: Beyondwould do well to follow the example left by its predecessor,Metroid Dread, in order to maximize its impact. The continuation of thePrimegames will feature the return of the series’ titular aliens after their absence inMetroid Dread, alongside the mysterious bounty hunter Sylux. While little is known for certain about the game at this time,Metroid Dread’s own successful elements could easily have an effect on the new title.
Metroid Prime 4was originally announced in 2017 as under development at Bandai Namco Studios, only for development to then restart two years later with Retro Studios. As such, despite the secrecy which still surrounds the title, it is clear thatMetroid Prime 4has had more than its fair share of development issues. Meanwhile,Metroid Dreadcame out long beforePrime 4and was both announced and released in 2021, quickly becoming widely acclaimed as one of the best games of the year. Nevertheless,Metroid Prime 4appears well worth the wait, especially if it takesDread’s own successes into account.
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Metroid Dreadintroduced a new dimension to the franchise with a distinctive light horror atmosphere, constantly creating a tense unease highlighted by the title itself. TheE.M.M.I. Samus encounters are terrifying enemies, and strong enough to force her to prioritize stealth over combat for large portions of the game. When this is combined with the more visual body horror that can be invoked by the X Parasites, it is undeniable thatMetroid Dreadhas strong horror influences in its design. Moreover, given its success,the horror angle would presumably suitMetroid Prime 4just as well.
With the possible exception ofLuigi’s Mansion, Nintendo has not experimented much with horror as a genre. However, asDreadso perfectly demonstrates,the world ofMetroidis well suited to invoking horror, and it would be a shame for this evolution of the franchise to end with the same game that introduced it. With Sylux now in control of Metroids (or at least Mochtroids) as well as working with Space Pirates,Metroid Prime 4has plenty of avenues for continuing the theme of putting Samus on the back foot as she traverses a new forest world.
Sylux can be seen acquiring a Metroid by breaking into a Galactic Federation facility during a bonus ending scene forMetroid Prime: Federation Force, an event which clearly ties into the events ofMetroid Prime 4.
Of course, it is worth noting that the E.M.M.I. are not the firstMetroidenemies to invoke aspects of horror in their design. In fact, the robots were inspired by the similarly powerful SA-X ofMetroid Fusion, designed to be an unsettling mimic of Samus herself. From that perspective, the idea of aMetroidhorror game is not as new as it may first seem. But in any case, there are many ways in whichMetroid Prime 4could benefit from incorporating horror into its narrative and gameplay.
A Horror Element Would Elevate the Impact Of Metroid Prime 4
Although the forest planet glimpsed inMetroid Prime 4’s trailer is beautiful and looks to be quite peaceful, appearances can be deceptive. It seems inevitable that many deadly threats will be lurking out of sight between the trees, and so it would be easy for the game to create a constant threat of ambush from the shadows. Naturally, this alone would create a pervasive feeling of tension, particularly if alien creatures are first glimpsed as shadows that could be either hostile or benign. However, followingMetroid Dread’s example could make the forest an even more threatening location to traverse.
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If Samus once again finds herself hunted, this time through the trees of this unidentified planet,Metroid Prime 4could easily replicate the atmosphere created by the E.M.M.I. through similar use of Sylux and the Metroids. In fact, given that much of the game evidently plays from a first-person perspective, like the previousMetroid Primegames, such an atmosphere could even be stronger thanDread’s. As such, in addition to being a first-person shooter,Metroid Prime 4could even incorporate elements of survival horror into its gameplay.
Horror was a central element ofMetroid Dread, and it is clear that its inclusion would also serveMetroid Prime 4extremely well. There are countless ways in which Samus’ next adventure could create a darker and more threatening atmosphere, especially when building off of what has already been introduced to the franchise. Given the positive impact that the shift in genre has already had on the franchise, it would arguably be a waste for it to now simply be set aside byMetroid Prime 4: Beyond.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Metroid Prime 4 is the long-awaited sequel to 2007’s Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Initially developed by Bandai Namco, the original development studio, Retro Studios, returned to work on the title after Nintendo rebooted development in 2019. The game is still slated for release on the Nintendo Switch.
