Pre-Release Metroid Prime 4: Pre-Release Discussion Thread

[Aurc]

Yes, I do view the plots of:

"The relationship between Samus and Adam is explored in a linear action game in which the game player is told where to go by Adam. This game takes place in a spaceship that Samus' employer is using to breed bioweapons. Specifically Metroids, Ridley clones, Nightmare, and a giant evolved Metroid."

As very similar

(Super Metroid is also a remake of Metroid 1 on hardware that could actually handle the vision of the game. This was fairly common in the early days after 1985. Super Castlevania IV is essentially a remake of Castlevania 1)

I think that summary makes Fusion and Other M out to be more similar than they actually are, omitting a great deal of their differences. Like, Samus nearly dies at the start of Fusion, and Metroid DNA saves her, permanently altering her genetic makeup. It's discovered that the Metroids were the main predators for an even worse alien species that can mimic any organism. The X Parasites are the main antagonistic force in the story, with the SA-X in particular being a prominent factor.

I think the similarities are ultimately insignificant. Metroid breeding is such a miniscule part of Fusion, only used for a big reveal in like the last 15 minutes of the game. 95% of it is about the X Parasites, and whatever new panic-inducing crisis they're creating aboard the station that Samus has to stop. Other M is more preoccupied with its horrendous plot points like baby Ridley, that malevolent android Mother Brain lady, and "The Deleter" (whatever in god's name that was all about). Nothing so nonsensical was any aspect of Fusion's plot, thankfully.

I dunno. As a superfan of Fusion, and a colossal Other M hater, the games couldn't be more different to me, for the most part. I'd have loved it if Other M actually did manage to capture all of what I loved about Fusion, instead of taking a couple of its plot points, but doing them worse, almost tainting the game purely by association.

 

[Zeal543]

On the point of sylux (or any character in metroid for that matter), I don't care how interesting they are or not, as long as they facilitate fun gameplay (either their boss fight or in how they fuck with the environment for you to play around) then I'm happy. Justice for U-Mos/luminoth though, wanna see those guys again.

 

[Aurc]

On the point of sylux (or any character in metroid for that matter), I don't care how interesting they are or not, as long as they facilitate fun gameplay (either their boss fight or in how they fuck with the environment for you to play around)

I'm actually kinda surprised everyone keeps talking about Sylux in a negative sense. To me, there's like... nothing there. The character is undefined enough to practically be a blank slate. They could do whatever they want with him / her / them, which is intriguing.

 

[ILikeFeet]

I'm actually kinda surprised everyone keeps talking about Sylux in a negative sense. To me, there's like... nothing there. The character is undefined enough to practically be a blank slate. They could do whatever they want with him / her / them, which is intriguing.

given how a segment of the metroid fanbase wants metroid to stay lonely and with fewest characters as possible, trying to add or build up a character is met with resistance, I find

 

[Aurc]

I wish Metroid had a "Hyrule Historia" kind of book that included an official timeline with all the games and explained in detail Samus's past and everything she went through... but we'll never get that.

I need that. We need that. #MetroidLoreBible

I'd honestly just take a properly localized and colorized compendium of all the Metroid manga they never released outside of Japan. There's the main one detailing Samus's backstory, then Samus & Joey, Episode of Aether, etc.

 

[SmolSam]

I'm actually kinda surprised everyone keeps talking about Sylux in a negative sense. To me, there's like... nothing there. The character is undefined enough to practically be a blank slate. They could do whatever they want with him / her / them, which is intriguing.

The only problem I have with Sylux is that he looks boring. He gives off "generic FPS enemy" vibes. I hope he has a better design in MP4

 

[lattjeful]

yeah, and I don't think we'll see anything new until the remasters of 2 and 3 are out

God I hope not. I genuinely don't want the remasters to be out before MP4. Franchise fatigue is a very real thing, and I'd rather not people grow tired of Metroid Prime by the time the actually new game comes out.

 

[AngryAlchemist]

I think people need to stop expecting/hoping for good plots out of metroid games (and zelda as well for that matter), the best you can get is some decent lore and worldbuilding with the prime games. Nintendo's classic games aren't built for that, only xenoblade (and maybe FE I don't play that series) have stories worth a crap (mother 3 was pretty good too).

Not disagreeing with the point you're trying to make but i'd word it differently, I'd argue it's because Metroid's stories are so minimalist yet still maintain an overarching narrative that make them good. It's that minimalism that makes the stories less flawed and allows the environmental storytelling and gameplay room to breath to communicate the plot points of the games. In that sense I'd argue we've already gotten "good" Metroid plots, even if they aren't astoundingly written or whatever. The more I experience a video games story, the less I trust video game writers, generally speaking.

 

[Aurc]

given how a segment of the metroid fanbase wants metroid to stay lonely and with fewest characters as possible, trying to add or build up a character is met with resistance, I find

It's weird for me, 'cuz I do love Metroid's isolation (it's an integral aspect of the series!), but my first 2D game was Fusion, and my first 3D game was Corruption, and I love both, even with them being a couple of the only games featuring characters other than Samus. I think some fans are maybe hoping for a game as lonely as Prime 1, but I'd want the interactions and worldbuilding of Prime 4 to lean closer to 2 and 3. Probably an unpopular preference, but I guess we'll see what happens.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

given how a segment of the metroid fanbase wants metroid to stay lonely and with fewest characters as possible, trying to add or build up a character is met with resistance, I find

While there's part of that, come on, Sylux just comes off "OC don't steal!"

His design is very generic, his plan looks incredibly generic (the plot of four prior Metroid games), and Tanabe has been trying to build him up for 17 real life years with no real interest from anyone. 2/3 of Sylux's appearances being from Hunters and Federation Force probably doesn't help.

 

[Aurc]

The only problem I have with Sylux is that he looks boring. He gives off "generic FPS enemy" vibes. I hope he has a better design in MP4

Oh yeah, absolutely. He currently looks like a Jim Bob from the DS era, which is precisely what he is, lol. There's no way they don't give him a redesign. Even at the end of Corruption, they didn't just 1:1 lift his ship from Hunters. It looks noticeably redesigned and improved, even just for that brief scene.

 

[MrBones]

I'm actually kinda surprised everyone keeps talking about Sylux in a negative sense. To me, there's like... nothing there. The character is undefined enough to practically be a blank slate. They could do whatever they want with him / her / them, which is intriguing.

Agreed completely. It's just funny to see this minor character from a C-tier spinoff game become a major player in a mainline game 15 years later. It's nice continuity as a hardcore fan, and yeah since he's a nothing character the devs can do basically anything they want with him.

 

[Zeal543]

The only problem I have with Sylux is that he looks boring. He gives off "generic FPS enemy" vibes. I hope he has a better design in MP4

It wouldn't make sense for him to look super outlandish considering his armor is stolen GF tech. His stuff could be modified by the time prime 4 takes place though.

 

[Aurc]

Agreed completely. It's just funny to see this minor character from a C-tier spinoff game become a major player in a mainline game 15 years later. It's nice continuity as a hardcore fan, and yeah since he's a nothing character the devs can do basically anything they want with him.

Sylux will be implemented well. He'll become an actual character. We'll all like him in Prime 4 #TrustTheProcess

 

[AngryAlchemist]

It's weird for me, 'cuz I do love Metroid's isolation (it's an integral aspect of the series!), but my first 2D game was Fusion, and my first 3D game was Corruption, and I love both, even with them being a couple of the only games featuring characters other than Samus. I think some fans are maybe hoping for a game as lonely as Prime 1, but I'd want the interactions and worldbuilding of Prime 4 to lean closer to 2 and 3. Probably an unpopular preference, but I guess we'll see what happens.

I'm at the point personally where I'm kind of over the story not expanding, just because I've been a fan for a while now and these games take so long to come out that I want them to have some kind of importance to the story. It's weird saying that because I do think the two good games we have that tried to expand the story, Fusion and Dread, have a lot of flaws that I don't really like. Like Samus' monologues, ADAMs conversations, the AI coincidence, the fact that Fusion's ending is kind of a lazy recreation of Super, and I don't find Ravenbeak quite as captivating as some people personally (though I do love having a villain that is an archnemesis, and there's a lot of cool plot beats like him deceiving you over the course of Dread). But I think it's worth taking risks and bringing forward more cool concepts. Haven't played Corruption yet. I also wonder if at times trying to not connect the stories too much hinders them. Like I LOVE the story of Prime 2 and the Luminoth, but after a while I got tired of reading their logs since every one is the same "War is bad, we are hurt, I am dead now", it sells the themes of the games but its so limited, and that's largely a result of the Luminoth not having much to do in the universe. I know Prime 2 tries to fit the space pirates in but really they felt kind of forced from what I remember.

Also yeah, Sylux looks like a MegaBlocks.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Also, Sylux would be more interesting if they were a woman like Samus.

There are really few iconic female villains in gaming history or Nintendo's history.

(They would still not be very interesting if their plan was just to build a Metroid army, lol)

 

[Zeal543]

Also, Sylux would be more interesting if they were a woman like Samus.

There are really few iconic female villains in gaming history or Nintendo's history.

(They would still not be very interesting if their plan was just to build a Metroid army, lol)

I don't think so, doing the same "twist" as samus again would come off as goofy. Sylux has been referred to with male pronouns recently anyway.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

I don't think so, doing the same "twist" as samus again would come off as goofy. Sylux has been referred to with male pronouns recently anyway.

Not as a twist, just reveal her as a woman right away and pretend that the other games never happened if Tanabe is so attached to the name of "Sylux."

 

[Aurc]

I don't think so, doing the same "twist" as samus again would come off as goofy. Sylux has been referred to with male pronouns recently anyway.

I mostly default to the use of male pronouns for Sylux because yeah, he's apparently been referred to by male pronouns officially before, but wasn't that by Tanabe? How does Japanese handle referring to gender? I don't think it's similar to English.

In any case, they could still change it. Samus was referred to by male pronouns for an entire game manual.

 

[MrBones]

Sylux will be implemented well. He'll become an actual character. We'll all like him in Prime 4 #TrustTheProcess

#TrustTheProcess

 

[Zeal543]

I mostly default to the use of male pronouns for Sylux because yeah, he's apparently been referred to by male pronouns officially before, but wasn't that by Tanabe? How does Japanese handle referring to gender? I don't think it's similar to English.

In any case, they could still change it. Samus was referred to by male pronouns for an entire game manual.

yes I think it was tanabe, and you're right on the NEStroid point

 

[Dark Cloud]

God I hope not. I genuinely don't want the remasters to be out before MP4. Franchise fatigue is a very real thing, and I'd rather not people grow tired of Metroid Prime by the time the actually new game comes out.

Seriously, I want them to show the game. Are we gonna go another direct or two of them announcing Metroid Prime 2 + 3 and still not show Prime 4??

 

[ILikeFeet]

Seriously, I want them to show the game. Are we gonna go another direct or two of them announcing Metroid Prime 2 + 3 and still not show Prime 4??

no prime 4 until Drake, I bet

 

[Zeal543]

Oh hey the Level 4 Tools Engineer position Retro tweeted about in January 2022 is no longer on their job listing.

God I hope not. I genuinely don't want the remasters to be out before MP4. Franchise fatigue is a very real thing, and I'd rather not people grow tired of Metroid Prime by the time the actually new game comes out.

agreed, prime 1 remaster is fine but prime 2+3 should come out after prime 4

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

If Metroid 6 comes out in late 2025 (reasonable) and Prime 4 launches 2026 or later (unfortunately possible though hopefully unlikely), Nintendo would have announced and released five Metroid games in between the announcement and release of Prime 4 (Samus Returns, Metroid Dread, MPR, Metroid Prime 2+3, Metroid 6)

 

[Zeal543]

If Metroid 6 comes out in late 2025 (reasonable) and Prime 4 launches 2026 or later (unfortunately possible though hopefully unlikely), Nintendo would have announced and released five Metroid games in between the announcement and release of Prime 4 (Samus Returns, Metroid Dread, MPR, Metroid Prime 2+3, Metroid 6)

Contracted workers didn't get renewed, no way prime 4 is coming out in 2026 lol

 

[Phendrift]

I'm actually kinda surprised everyone keeps talking about Sylux in a negative sense. To me, there's like... nothing there. The character is undefined enough to practically be a blank slate. They could do whatever they want with him / her / them, which is intriguing.

Agreed completely. It's just funny to see this minor character from a C-tier spinoff game become a major player in a mainline game 15 years later. It's nice continuity as a hardcore fan, and yeah since he's a nothing character the devs can do basically anything they want with him.

I’m on this page too.

Its a complete blank slate, with the added “oh neat that they’ve been teasing this for 15 years” aspect. Even his established design, I don’t see that skating by Retro’s art team unscacthed. I’m pretty much assuming he’ll have a massive redesign. Just not something I’m worried about for some reason.

 

[MrBones]

If Metroid 6 comes out in late 2025 (reasonable) and Prime 4 launches 2026 or later (unfortunately possible though hopefully unlikely), Nintendo would have announced and released five Metroid games in between the announcement and release of Prime 4 (Samus Returns, Metroid Dread, MPR, Metroid Prime 2+3, Metroid 6)

Prime 4 is almost certainly next year. 2024 is already over 5 years in the making for Retro.

Put another way,
#TrustTheProcess

 

[MrBones]

I’m on this page too.

Its a complete blank slate, with the added “oh neat that they’ve been teasing this for 15 years” aspect. Even his established design, I don’t see that skating by Retro’s art team unscacthed. I’m pretty much assuming he’ll have a massive redesign. Just not something I’m worried about for some reason.

They could do a good job with Sylux's design just by making it grittier. Get rid of the flat colors, make them less saturated, and add more detail.

 

[Zeal543]

They could do a good job with Sylux's design just by making it grittier. Get rid of the flat colors, make them less saturated, and add more detail.

I don't think they should desaturate the colors; Sylux's coloration is deliberately made to contrast Samus's

 

[Dark Cloud]

If Metroid 6 comes out in late 2025 (reasonable) and Prime 4 launches 2026 or later (unfortunately possible though hopefully unlikely), Nintendo would have announced and released five Metroid games in between the announcement and release of Prime 4 (Samus Returns, Metroid Dread, MPR, Metroid Prime 2+3, Metroid 6)

Lol at 2026. You’re the only one who would come up with that.

 

[Aurc]

Prime 4 is almost certainly next year. 2024 is already over 5 years in the making for Retro.

Put another way,
#TrustTheProcess

 

[SmolSam]

this concept art of the MP2 marines is cool af. This should have been Sylux's design

 

[Aurc]

@SmolSam, your avatar is adorable btw. Where's that depiction of Samus from? A comic strip, right? I remember having seen it before, but I don't think it was colorized.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Contracted workers didn't get renewed, no way prime 4 is coming out in 2026 lol

The small amount of job postings Retro has right now gives some "it's finally happening" vibes. The first time in several years that anything has looked close.

But 7-8 year dev cycles are unfortunately common so I still wouldn't say it's impossible as we have had no official updates on Prime 4 in 4.5 years other than "it's still happening" (Fable Reboot was leaked back in 2017 and the game's earliest possible release date is 2025 as an example).

 

[ILikeFeet]

this concept art of the MP2 marines is cool af. This should have been Sylux's design

considering Sylux stole federation tech, they can build off of this. and have the big reveal of what kind of alien he is when Samus fights him and blows off parts of his armor

 

[SmolSam]

@SmolSam, your avatar is adorable btw. Where's that depiction of Samus from? A comic strip, right? I remember having seen it before, but I don't think it was colorized.

yeah, it's from the Super Metroid Manga: https://metroid.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Metroid_(manga)

I don't remember where I found it colored, but here it is in full resolution if anyone wants it

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

yeah, it's from the Super Metroid Manga: https://metroid.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Metroid_(manga)

I don't remember where I found it colored, but here it is in full resolution if anyone wants it

I have this design on a shirt I got from redbubble. I love it.

 

[SammyJ9]

Solution to Sylux: He’s still in the game, but they literally just kill him off in the tutorial level so they can move on to something totally new and different for the actual game. Pull a Bond/Blofeld.

I don’t actually want this but part of me would find it hilarious.

 

[Zeal543]

Solution to Sylux: He’s still in the game, but they literally just kill him off in the tutorial level so they can move on to something totally new and different for the actual game. Pull a Bond/Blofeld.

I don’t actually want this but part of me would find it hilarious.

I think it'd be hilarious if they keep teasing him in 100% endings but never having him in game

 

[SmolSam]

Plot twist: Sylux is actually another evil clone of Samus

 

[space_dragon]

Sylux's identity is obvious.

 

[Linkstrikesback]

considering Sylux stole federation tech, they can build off of this. and have the big reveal of what kind of alien he is when Samus fights him and blows off parts of his armor

I'm not sure they can really do a reveal like that and have it have any impact really. It's not like the Metroid universe has any real notable humanoid species other than human, chozo and space pirate. Unless he turns out to be like, Adam malkovich, there aren't even any other existing human characters who it could be revealed as, unless it really is another Samus clone like suggested above. And dread just did the whole evil chozo thing already

 

[Aurc]

When we finally get that Prime 4 trailer with an evil monologue narration from Sylux (and hopefully a cool redesign), we're all gonna do the Beyond Fried Chicken point at him finally having the role they've been teasing for him since 2007. Monumental Glup Shitto moment for the collective Metroid fandom.

 

[AllEchse]

I'm not sure they can really do a reveal like that and have it have any impact really. It's not like the Metroid universe has any real notable humanoid species other than human, chozo and space pirate. Unless he turns out to be like, Adam malkovich, there aren't even any other existing human characters who it could be revealed as, unless it really is another Samus clone like suggested above. And dread just did the whole evil chozo thing already

Yeah if they want to turn Sylux identity into some big deal Prime 4 will have to do the setup legwork itself.

Problem is if they introduce some new characters or alien species its gonna be super suspiscious, either they would have to keep that reveal for the next game or they need to do a really really good setup.

I wonder if that would even be worth it though. keeping it a mystery could even strengthen the character.

 

[ILikeFeet]

I'm not sure they can really do a reveal like that and have it have any impact really. It's not like the Metroid universe has any real notable humanoid species other than human, chozo and space pirate. Unless he turns out to be like, Adam malkovich, there aren't even any other existing human characters who it could be revealed as, unless it really is another Samus clone like suggested above. And dread just did the whole evil chozo thing already

I'm not saying Sylux's identity is a big reveal, just have a monstrous alien form under the armor for a phase 2 boss fight

 

[Dark Cloud]

2 more months until we see the first footage. I hope

 

[Maxrunner]

2 more months until we see the first footage. I hope

?

 

[Metroid]

?

Speculation about the September Direct

 

[Maxrunner]

Speculation about the September Direct

Oh, I hope there's that GX remake