GOTY 2024 – Most Anticipated: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
I feel like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been at the top of my Most Anticipated list for years now, not just for GOTY 2024. It seems a lifetime ago it was announced simply as “Metroid Prime 4” back at E3 2017, meaning I’ve been waiting the entire console life of the Nintendo Switch for Samus Aran’s next true 3D outing. Since then we’ve had a change of hands from Bandai Namco to series veterans Retro Studios, and now finally a confirmed name in “Beyond” and release year, at least, from Nintendo. And it means, frankly, I’m giddy for 2025.
The Metroid Prime series holds a dear place in my heart. When Metroid Prime arrived on GameCube back in 2002, I was awestruck. Similar to how I felt with Ocarina of Time with Zelda, this was Samus arriving in 3D, and with a passion too as it managed to capture that same magic I’d felt with Super Metroid back on the SNES. Metroid Prime’s world of Tallon IV was wonderfully crafted, not just making it a fluid, and well-paced Metroidvania, but a world that felt full of life, character, and memory. Combat was fast, fluid, and satisfying, and borderline emotional as explosions would reveal Samus’ reflection in her helmet, her focused eyes staring at you from the visor. Coupled with a memorable soundtrack, and memorable moments, and this wasn’t just an opener to a new Metroid series, but an all-timer in the pantheon of gaming.
Sequels followed in Echoes on GameCube, and Corruption on Wii, which explored new ideas to bolster the experience Prime had established. Echoes focused more on a Light / Dark mechanic to provide heightened tension and strategic combat, whereas Corruption focussed more on the Wii controller mapping, as well as introducing more side characters and story to Samus’ adventures. It will be interesting to see what additions and new ideas are thrown into the mix with Beyond.
We know, courtesy of the most recent trailer, that the villain at least in some capacity, is Sylux, which some fans had already guessed from the special post-credit scene in Corruption, but given it will have been 18 years since that game in 2025, fans could be forgiven for a lack of continuity. Thankfully that’s not the case.
So that leaves us with what we don’t know about Beyond, and that’s quite a lot. The rest of the latest trailer, and the quite generic subtitle of “Beyond” don’t really help us in knowing what new directions will be explored, or new mechanics may be utilised to give Beyond its separate identity in the series. What could this mean for Samus’ arsenal for example? Are we likely to see more characters, similar to Corruption? Could this game even launch on the current Nintendo Switch, or perhaps even the mysterious, as yet unannounced hardware successor Nintendo clearly has up its sleeve?
No one really knows what the reality will look like when Metroid Prime 4: Beyond finally releases, and for me, that’s pretty exciting. Retro Studios has a high pedigree with this series, and I have high expectations for what they will produce. Nintendo clearly has faith in a sequel that will have had 8 years of growing hype, that they need to deliver on. But more than anything I just cannot wait for the moment I can jump into a new 3D adventure as Samus Aran again. The wait has been too long, and the anticipation is almost too much to bear. No pressure Retro and Nintendo, but I am Beyond ready for this, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is easily my Most Anticipted game in our 2024 GOTY Awards. Here’s to 2025, and all the Prime goodness it will bring.
