Reviews for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond are rolling in, and so far, the game is the lowest-rated in the series. The news may sting a bit for some fans in light of the wait for the title, which went so quiet for so long that it became something of a meme within the gaming community. While Metroid Prime 4: Beyond may be the most anticipated in the franchise, it seems many critics don’t believe it’s the best.
Some fans have gotten their Metroid Prime 4 copies early, but everyone not lucky enough to be near a store that put the game on shelves prematurely can play it on December 4. The hype for that release date is undeniable, with Metroid fans having waited for the day since 2017, back before the original Switch and when E3 was still running. Times have changed since then, but many still hold the Metroid Prime series in high regard, so the newest entry has a lot to live up to. If early scores are anything to go by, Metroid Prime 4 may not have cleared the bar as well as some had hoped.
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All Mainline Metroid Prime Games by Metacritic Score
|
Game |
Metacritic Average Score |
|---|---|
|
Metroid Prime |
97 |
|
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes |
92 |
|
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption |
90 |
|
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond |
81 |
At the time of writing, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is sitting at an 81 on Metacritic, based on 64 reviews, making it the lowest-rated mainline Metroid Prime game. While an 81 is still a favorable number, it does represent the biggest drop in average critic reviews the series has seen to date, being nine points shy of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. There is still time for more reviews to come in and improve the newest game’s overall rating, but falling so short after an 18-year gap between Metroid Prime 4 and the third game is not what fans likely wanted to see.
Metroid Prime Remastered holds a 94 on Metacritic, placing it just shy of the original but higher than the rest of the franchise.
With its current score, Metroid Prime 4 continues a trend for the mainline Metroid Prime games, which have decreased in average ratings with each subsequent release. Unsurprisingly, the beloved first game in the series holds the highest score. Additionally, some fans argue that 2023’s Metroid Prime Remastered is the best Metroid Prime game.
Looking beyond the main games, Metroid Prime 4 does rank above some previous entries. While Metroid Prime Hunters sits above it at an 85, Metroid Prime Pinball and Metroid Prime: Federation Force scored lower, earning a 79 and a 64 average critic score, respectively. It’s also worth noting that user reviews aren’t available yet, although so far, these might follow the same overall trend as Metroid Prime‘s critic reviews. Many of those who got to preview the game found Metroid Prime 4‘s sidekick annoying, which has worried some fans, but it’s impossible to say how most people will feel about the title until they can play it for themselves.
Fans will be able to make their own judgments about the game before long. Beyond that, it’s rumored that Metroid Prime 5 will begin development soon, though it’s way too early to make any sort of prediction about that game or how critics and players will receive it. Hopefully, the wait for the next one won’t be quite as long as the gap between the third and fourth games, but for now, Metroid fans have Metroid Prime 4 to look forward to, even if it hasn’t been reviewed as well as previous entries.
- Released
-
December 4, 2025
- ESRB
-
Teen / Animated Blood, Violence
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
