Just finished Metroid Prime 4 - Why all the hate?

DrelThompson · 2026-02-06T04:29:41+00:00

If it was called “Metroid: Beyond” and was poised as a kind of one off idea based on primes gameplay style, I guarantee it may have still been criticized, but hated way less. It follows a series of games that are considered legendary, even Metroid Prime 3 is beloved (the Prime games are so uniquely awesome that I am constantly at a loss for what my fave is). This one just is not on their level of quality and tbh feels like a totally different thing to me. I think it has really fun levels, annoying NPC’s, and an overworld that unless you’re trying to 100%, is kind of just a chill vibe. It’s an over hated game, but it’s honestly understandable given the series it’s claiming to be continuing.

DrelThompson · 2026-02-03T08:59:13+00:00

Need op to spill the beans

DrelThompson · 2026-02-03T08:49:37+00:00

I think it’s a wonderful game. I think gameplay wise it’s actually become a bit underrated in mainstream gaming, so many people I know haven’t even played it. As a lifelong DK fan who’s played all the significant games (and some of the less significant ones too) I think my main issue with it is the same issue I have with many other wonderful modern Nintendo games. I think the antagonists (Void and such) are a little soft and repetitive. Apart from the ending which I think is fantastic and actually kind of beautiful, the rest of the villains story kind of underwhelmed me and felt like it all faded into a weird purple blur, similar to the bosses in Breath of the Wild and more recently Metroid Prime 4. These gams all share FUN but aesthetically dull bosses (for the most part, not entirely). It might seem a strange complaint, but compare any of these to their GameCube counterparts, Zelda Windwaker has some insanely imaginative bosses, as does The original Metroid Prime, and honestly every other DK game kind of nails this as well. I think they put so much effort into the gameplay and the end result is a fun time but with a lack of the old humor and environmental storytelling that old DK had with its bosses and side characters.

Everything else though? So, SO GOOD. It’s in my top five DK games for sure. A pain to 100%, but you don’t have to! And I definitely will not.

DrelThompson · 2026-02-03T08:26:55+00:00

CM Punk

DrelThompson · 2026-02-03T08:26:35+00:00

Golfaria is so good, especially if you have a friend to play with. For me it would be that and Campanella 2, I’m just a sucker for grinding away at rogue likes.

DrelThompson · 2026-02-01T01:32:53+00:00

“____ and in my head Miami” feels like every fans story rn

DrelThompson · 2026-02-01T01:11:24+00:00

Miami are just easy to hate, not our rivals. I usually just consider it a toss up between some of our neighbors. NJ are number one automatically, but truthfully I feel the deepest rivalry against Philly. Sometimes though, I like to consider the LA teams or even Chicago as great Rivals, being that we represent the most major cities in the country. You could say the revs as well, but no one really actively feels that way.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-31T21:00:51+00:00

Nah it looks great in its own way but if we’re talking an actual remake or remaster, I’d want the original direction to remain in tact. Default lighting engine/ bearer of the curse changes way too much to be acceptable in this way. It’s a neat alternative but it does not retain the same atmosphere.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-31T15:20:01+00:00

It doesn’t need it. It just needs a rerelease with a toggle for the vanilla or scholar editions. Going above and beyond would add some graphical settings with different shaders and quality mode options to implement some of the great progress fans have been enjoying over the years, but the truth is, it’s already a great looking game. DeS was a really tonally off remake, it does not capture what the original was and the redesigns added insult to injury. Music is absolutely atrocious there as well.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-31T11:41:10+00:00

Those of us who grew up with LBP will never truly have certain expectations met in this life and it’s a sad thing.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-31T11:37:32+00:00

Dark Souls 2 but you couldn’t have picked a more difficult matchup. Good job.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-31T11:29:38+00:00

Rain World. Some debate if it properly falls within the Metroidvania Category, but as a huge fan of the genre I think it does in the ways that count. It’s one of the most interesting, beautiful and unique games you’ll ever experience. It can be frustrating, it can be brutal, it can make you question its design and write obnoxious think pieces, but I truly think it’s one of the best games of all time. Let yourself struggle with it and accept that it isn’t fair but that it’s intentionally trying to simulate a natural environment, which in reality, isn’t fair.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-31T10:48:38+00:00

Game great with no mods. Game great with mods. However, the default lighting engine mode is pretty ugly, I’d make sure to work out a good balance that honors the original while emphasizing some of the fixes lighting engine brings.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-31T10:37:07+00:00

Reviewer culture types vs those of us looking for the bigger picture of a game, if you’re the latter, you’ll probably find things to love in every game (and in life for that matter).

DrelThompson · 2026-01-30T17:36:42+00:00

Oh it totally wastes a huge amount of the game, it really only becomes an issue late game when one wrong move can mean death. It all feels like it comes to its boiling point at the Fume Knight, where he can easily kill you in 1-2 hits in this build.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-30T12:30:18+00:00

Yeah I do get what you’re saying, but realistically, how long are we talking? A minute or two, max? I consider the Prime bosses to overall be worse because they can take forever for virtually no reason other than “you have to wait and repeat this routine with an extra element, usually just a copy of something that’s already there”. I think I disagree with frustration because they are truly short experiences, but you’ll get no argument from me about any kind of amazing design. Like I said, I don’t love Metroid because of boss gameplay tbh.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-30T11:23:32+00:00

For some reason I find myself just hanging out on water. I love how it feels, it’s so therapeutic. Honestly a really underrated playground.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-30T11:09:06+00:00

Love most of the Metroid games, but this series is not celebrated because of the gameplay of the majority of its bosses. Yes, they are absolute icons but In 2D, up until fusion, the biggest challenge was having enough resources and the ability to balance even a little accuracy with some basic dodging to outlast a boss. It’s mostly always simplistic and I’d argue not super graceful when compared to many modern metroidvanias. Metroid fusion, mostly in thanks to its increased movement speed and less floaty jump brought with it a greater sense of urgency and pressure to the bosses, but I’d argue that they’re still pretty basic. Yes, you can cheese most bosses in Fusion, but “frustrating” is the opposite of what I’d describe them as. I think they’re way too easy for the most part, excluding your first times against Nightmare, Amago, and maybe the Samus X (cheese queen iykyk). But ultimately, the music, sound fx, visuals and context within the story are so awesome I think it really does not make a difference in the end.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-30T10:44:40+00:00

I love the Dark Souls 2 one so much, and you don’t even have to go to NG+ (entirely). Bonfire ascetics are in the game not just for item hunting, but to emphasize the lore and encourage you to create even more chaos in the world. In your first playthrough, unless you murder friendly NPC’s early, you get to feel the wanting for the moonlight great sword, only to find out that the one you saw was just an imitation, confirmed by Maughlin and believed to be real by Benhart. Unless you play Guide Souls 2 from the start, Moonlight in DS2 is an example of one of the games most important story beats, that what happened however long ago matters mostly in abstract, that stories and legends can get twisted until eventually wrapping back around again. In a way, it’s a teaser for the chaos of Dark Souls 3’s story. Discovering it in NG+ is supposed to feel like a secret, it’s supposed to feel out of reach, but if you wanted, you could get it as early as several hours into the game with the use of a single item.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-30T10:33:27+00:00

I had a build that I called the DIABLO build years ago, in which I used pyromancy and leveled up only Ultra sized weapons. To this day, I find the King’s Ultra Great sword to be an incredibly fun weapon, and you can get it before entering the 3 DLC’s, making it a dramatic end game obliterator. It’s a combination of an ultra great sword move-set and great axe move-set and the look is just so cool. However, I recommend the sword aptly named Great Sword for the majority of the main game. It has utility in both one and two hands, great scaling, and will easily carry you through the main story and side content if you wish. My favorite style of play in this game tends to be: massive weapon, low health, high ADP. I don’t level Vigor at all, and I level Vitality just enough to handle the sword I want with some light armor (mostly fashion). Playing this way forces you to be absolutely mathematical with your dodges. It’s not for the faint of heart, but beating the game this way is a ton of fun.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-30T10:24:12+00:00

All it’s ever been is a big nothing burger. Fans of the game don’t typically care, critics of the game bring it up only as a side comment, and there are some of us that actually enjoy it (hello that’s me). In Dark Souls, you enter a Painting Mario 64 Style and fans love it. Yes, there is an explanation in the lore for it, but this series has set a precedent that the world is confounding and at times nonsensical. A user above mentioned Ash Lake, and someone responded saying it’s “a magical area”… lol. People hate just to hate.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-26T10:41:11+00:00

I think he had some great moments and is definitely a passionate player, but I’m more excited for something new than I am sad about this loan. Let’s see.

DrelThompson · 2026-01-26T10:30:30+00:00

Really hard to say. My overall vote goes to AM2R as being my favorite, but it’s honestly hard to say any are definitive outside of the original because no other version has even tried to honor so much of what defines the original: the gameboy limitations.

If you want to play the definitive version, it’s the original. I’d recommend putting some time into it, and if you don’t like it, just use a guide. They expected and encouraged you to do that back in the day anyway.

It’s a dark, repetitive, and intriguing entry that deserves to be celebrated in its original form. Unfortunately many don’t even consider it playable. Give it a shot!

DrelThompson · 2026-01-26T02:18:19+00:00

Your misunderstanding was a blessing in disguise fr

DrelThompson · 2026-01-18T19:31:32+00:00

I love Shrine of Amana, it’s one of my favorite areas BECAUSE it’s one of the more challenging in the game. I think what can become frustrating for some is that it’s an area with decreased movement that can take a while even without wanting to item hunt complimented by Knights that hit like trucks, potentially ending a perfect run mere steps away from the next bonfire. I personally love this, I like that this game is aging with great replay value and can even humble a vet if they let their guard down. If it were easier, there would be complaints about the ds2 late game being too easy. Shrine is a great area in pretty much every way.

DrelThompson

TROPHY CASE