Much to the delight of Metroid Prime fans, the release of the fourth installment of the series is fast approaching. On December 4, 2025, it will be available on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, and gameplay previews are available to show what they should expect.
From what's been revealed, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond stays true to the series' nature, continuing the tradition of introducing a vast world full of mystery, hidden dangers, power-ups, and artifacts that make players want to explore it all. It doesn't deviate much from the formula longtime fans are used to, which is great, but there's one thing it could have done to make things a little better: add a certain mechanic to its combat.
When it comes to mechanics, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond sticks to the usual first-person shooter-esque style that rewards more defensive play by shooting from safe distances. And while there is nothing wrong with this, it usually just means backpedaling or running around a lot to get out of range of an enemy's attack.
While there is a dodge mechanic now, it doesn't change the fact that you'll almost always have to back off when enemies get too close, as there's no way to deal with them without getting hurt if you choose to face them. This can make combat tedious for those who prefer a more aggressive approach.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond had an opportunity to deviate from that, and the one way it could have done it is if it had added the Melee Counter mechanic. This was introduced in Metroid: Samus Returns and refined in Metroid Dread, and it would have made the fourth Prime game's combat much more fun and exciting.
It is essentially a parry for Samus that prevents her from taking any damage from an enemy attack when timed right. Successfully utilizing it also stuns and damages the countered aggressors, either killing them or giving players a window of opportunity to continue the attack or escape.
The mechanic is a high-risk, high-reward option, but it would have allowed players to engage enemies in close-quarters combat. It would have also added more depth to fights, as mastering it means being able to go all out and completely disregard safety, but a failure could result in immediate death. Providing more freedom for how players engage enemies, allowing them to choose whether to go extremely aggressive or defensive, makes for more memorable experiences.
It is rather unfortunate that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond did not incorporate the Melee Counter, as it would have certainly done the game a lot of good. But while the fourth installment in the Prime series doesn't have it, there's at least hope that the next one will, assuming Nintendo gets around to creating it. As it is now, we can only contemplate what could have been, which is rather disappointing given the wasted potential.
For more like this, stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com, the best website for gaming features and opinions.