Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Beyond Space, the Legend Returns!
by Simon Larocca·November 15, 2024
Squadra that wins is not changed.
It is one of the fundamental rules in every sector, sporting and otherwise: even in the
world of video games, replacing one development team with another has not always paid off, as they grapple with the new iteration of this or that saga.
Nintendo had no doubts
when it had to choose those who would take care of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond after the first
completely inadequate tests with Bandai
Namco, and of course that choice fell on Retro Studios, once again.
The Prime saga has its roots in the distant 2003, an almost astronomical era if we consider the changes that have taken place since then, from the changing generations of players and technologies, the grand arrival of social media that decreed the rise into the ether of icons already legendary in the industry, to the dangerously accelerating spread of information, leaks and the almost compulsive desire of the average user for previews.
Del return of Samus Aran,
the hunter of space pirates and alien creatures (especially those classified
as lethal threats in the universe she moves in), the feeling had been in the air
for many years already: with the controversial Other
M on Wii and more recently with
the magnificent, at least in my opinion, Dread
that became hugely popular on the Nintendo Switch,
Nintendo had never really left us orphaned of Samus and her legendary
arm-mounted cannon, however the old-school fans, myself included,
were eagerly waiting for a new chapter in the Prime saga.
It’s a saga that, with its distinctive features
and a fresh gameplay, at the time of the GameCube fantastically reshaped
the three-dimensional gaming experience within a first-person shooter, incidentally another novelty in the series, which had canonically been side-scrolling from 1986 until then.
The fourth chapter was announced
many years ago now, but only recently it seems there has been a decisive
acceleration: it will be released in 2025 according to
the first previews released, still far too few to get a
clear idea of what we’re going to play, but I’ve actually formed an idea myself and
the premises seem rather promising of greatness!
The first official images
released by the Big N show Samus dealing with the usual space pirates,
sturdy enemies because they keep coming back to block her path for forty years,
but not only them: the alien creatures, whose concept reminded me much more
than the past of H.R. Giger’s work (does Alien mean anything to you? Otherwise go and
study), are impressive in terms of detail and ferocity, but what struck me
most is the care given to the interiors and the purely
science-fiction settings.
As with all the Prime games, this game is also set
chronologically between the first two iconic founding titles of the series, Metroid and
Metroid II, but calling it a spin-off would be reductive.
Technically speaking, new forms of interaction are expected between the sensors of Samus's visor and the surrounding environment, a hi-tech visor that will of course not be limited to scanning the levels for enemies and interactive objects, but also much more, according to what Retro Studios promises.
Prime Beyond presents itself as the
classic love letter to a genre that will never
die, nevertheless the need to freshen up continuously emerges,
to shed its skin and abandon its dusty garments in order to rise, renewed and
properly polished.
If Retro Studios manages to bring back the glories
of Prime for the public, while still introducing meaningful innovations and portraying Samus in a
remarkable way, then perhaps the only piece of an extraordinary puzzle that was never
properly completed will finally be in place, and we will be facing the masterpiece we
need—and damn if we deserve it! A fan’s word.
Simon Larocca
Mi chiamo Simon Larocca, e sono un videogiocatore, collezionista e amante della cultura pop in tutte le sue forme. Vado al cinema ogni volta che posso, leggo da quando porto gli occhiali, quindi da sempre, e ho la passione per lo storytelling in tutte le sue forme, così dirompente da farla diventare una professione. Ma come direbbe Doc di Ritorno al Futuro, non ci sarebbe presente se non si guardasse al passato con rispetto e ammirazione, ed è il Simon bambino di più di trent’anni fa, anno più anno meno.
Simon Larocca
Mi chiamo Simon Larocca, e sono un videogiocatore, collezionista e amante della cultura pop in tutte le sue forme. Vado al cinema ogni volta che posso, leggo da quando porto gli occhiali, quindi da sempre, e ho la passione per lo storytelling in tutte le sue forme, così dirompente da farla diventare una professione. Ma come direbbe Doc di Ritorno al Futuro, non ci sarebbe presente se non si guardasse al passato con rispetto e ammirazione, ed è il Simon bambino di più di trent’anni fa, anno più anno meno.
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