The Internet Can’t Decide If Metroid Prime 4 Is Ugly Or Not

The Internet Can't Decide: Is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Beautiful or Outdated?

After what felt like an eternity of silence, it finally happened. During a packed Nintendo Direct, the mythical, long-awaited gameplay trailer for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was revealed to the world. For over seven years, since its initial announcement in 2017 and a complete development reboot in 2019, fans have been starved for any news. The reveal was a moment of pure, unadulterated hype. We saw Samus Aran back in her iconic suit, exploring mysterious alien worlds, battling hostile creatures, and doing what she does best. The initial reaction was electric.

But this is the internet, and no celebration can last for long without a healthy dose of debate. Almost as quickly as the applause started, the conversation shifted. The graphics of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond became the new battleground. On one side, you have fans praising the game as a visual masterpiece and a technical marvel for the Nintendo Switch. On the other, a vocal group of critics are decrying it as looking dated, blurry, and "like a PS4 game." The internet, it seems, can't decide if Samus's latest adventure is ugly or not. So, let's dive deep into both sides of this heated argument, explore the context, and try to understand what's really going on with the visuals of one of gaming's most anticipated titles.

The Critics' Case: A Question of Technical Fidelity

Let's address the criticisms head-on. The arguments against Metroid Prime 4: Beyond's graphics are primarily technical. In an era dominated by the photorealistic powerhouses on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and with PC graphics constantly pushing the boundaries of realism, any new game is inevitably compared to the best-looking titles on the market. When you place a screenshot of Beyond next to something like Alan Wake 2 or God of War Ragnarök, the technical differences are immediately apparent.

The complaints largely center on a few key areas. Some viewers have pointed to what they perceive as low-resolution textures on certain environmental assets, like rock walls or metallic surfaces. When you pause the compressed YouTube trailer and zoom in, some surfaces can appear less sharp than what we've come to expect from modern AAA games. Another common point of contention is aliasing, more commonly known as "jaggies." These are the jagged, staircase-like lines that can appear on the edges of objects, a tell-tale sign that the hardware is struggling to produce a perfectly smooth image at a high resolution. While the trailer is remarkably clean for a Switch game, eagle-eyed viewers have spotted moments where the image isn't perfectly crisp.

The overall sentiment from this camp is that the game looks "dated." You'll see comments across social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit claiming it looks like a "late-era PS3 game" or an "early PS4 launch title." This comparison, while hyperbolic, is meant to highlight the gap between the game's visuals and the current-generation standard. For these critics, the visual presentation doesn't scream "next-gen" and feels like a step back from what other major developers are achieving. They argue that for a game that has been in development for so long, and for a franchise as revered as Metroid, the final product should look more impressive and push graphical boundaries.

The Defenders' Stance: Art Direction is King

On the other side of the aisle, a passionate legion of fans and observers are defending Metroid Prime 4: Beyond's visuals, arguing that the critics are missing the point entirely. Their defense is built on two core pillars: the supremacy of art direction over raw technical power, and the incredible achievement the game represents on its target hardware, the Nintendo Switch.

The Metroid Prime series has never been about photorealism. It has always been defined by its masterful art direction and its unparalleled sense of atmosphere. The series is known for its ability to make you feel truly alone on a hostile, alien world. This is achieved through clever environmental design, stunning lighting, and a distinct visual identity. The defenders argue that Beyond absolutely nails this. The trailer showcases breathtaking alien vistas, claustrophobic corridors humming with eerie energy, and imaginative creature designs. The lighting engine, in particular, seems to be doing some heavy lifting, with Samus's arm cannon illuminating dark spaces, beams reflecting off surfaces, and particles effects filling the air during combat. They argue that a cohesive, beautifully realized art style will always age better than a game that simply chases realism. A strong art direction creates a timeless look, while a technical showpiece can look dated in just a few years.

The second part of their argument is context. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is, as of now, a Nintendo Switch game. The Switch was released in 2017, and its hardware is based on mobile technology from that era. To expect it to compete on a technical level with the PS5 and Xbox Series X is, they argue, completely unrealistic and unfair. When judged as a Switch game, Beyond looks like one of the most technically impressive titles on the entire platform. It appears to be running at a smooth and stable framerate, which is crucial for a first-person shooter. The level of detail in Samus's suit, the complexity of the environments, and the quality of the visual effects are all pushing the aging hardware to its absolute limits. From this perspective, the game isn't dated; it's a technical miracle, a testament to the skill of Retro Studios in squeezing every last drop of power out of the Switch.

The Elephant in the Room: Is This a Switch 2 Game?

No discussion about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond's graphics can be complete without addressing the massive speculation surrounding its true platform. The game is slated for a 2025 release, a timeframe that places it squarely in the rumored launch window for Nintendo's next-generation console, colloquially known as the "Switch 2." This has led to a widespread and very plausible theory: Metroid Prime 4 is a cross-generation title, designed to be a launch showpiece for the new hardware while also being available on the original Switch.

This theory completely reframes the entire graphics debate. If the footage we saw was running on a Switch 2, it changes the context. For some, it might make the visuals seem less impressive, as it would be an early title for a more powerful machine. However, for most, it suggests that the game will look even better and run at a higher resolution and framerate on the new console. The trailer we saw could be a "worst-case scenario"—the version running on the weakest possible hardware. This would explain why it looks so incredible for a Switch game while perhaps not quite matching PS5 standards.

Nintendo has a history of major cross-generation releases. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess launched on both the GameCube and the Wii. More recently, and more relevantly, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a launch title for the Switch while also being the final major release for the Wii U. It makes perfect business sense for Nintendo to launch its new console with a massive, highly-anticipated title like Metroid Prime 4, while also catering to the enormous existing player base of over 140 million Switch owners. If this theory is true, then much of the debate is premature. We haven't seen the game in its final, best-looking form yet.

We've Been Here Before: Nintendo's History with Graphic Controversies

This kind of online debate is nothing new for Nintendo. The company has a long history of prioritizing innovative gameplay, performance, and strong art direction over chasing cutting-edge, realistic graphics. This philosophy has often led to initial backlash from a segment of the gaming community, only for the games to be hailed as timeless classics years later.

The most famous example is The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. When its cel-shaded, cartoonish art style was first revealed, it was met with widespread disappointment and even anger from fans who were expecting a more realistic follow-up to Ocarina of Time. The game was derisively nicknamed "Cel-da." Today, The Wind Waker's art style is celebrated as one of the most beautiful and timeless in all of gaming, having aged far more gracefully than many of the "realistic" games of its era.

More recently, both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom faced criticism for their technical performance and visual fidelity on the Switch. When Tears of the Kingdom was first shown, many dismissed its visuals as looking like "BOTW DLC," complaining that it wasn't a significant graphical leap forward. Yet, upon release, the game was praised for its incredible art style and the sheer scale and complexity of its world, which represented a monumental achievement for the hardware. Nintendo has proven time and again that its focus on art and gameplay can create experiences that resonate far more deeply and last far longer than those built solely on technical prowess.

Beyond the Pixels: The True Soul of Metroid Prime

Ultimately, the pixel-by-pixel analysis of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond might be missing what truly matters. What defines a Metroid Prime game? It's not the resolution of a rock texture or the number of polygons in a creature model. It's the feeling. It's the sense of profound isolation as you explore a vast, interconnected alien world. It's the chilling atmosphere, enhanced by a masterful and minimalist soundtrack. It's the joy of discovery, of scanning an ancient artifact to piece together the lore of a fallen civilization, or finding a new upgrade that opens up a previously inaccessible part of the map.

From everything shown in the trailer, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond understands this perfectly. We see all the classic elements. The iconic first-person visor view, complete with reflections of Samus's face and raindrops trickling down the screen. The smooth, fluid movement and combat. The essential scanning mechanic is front and center. The environments are varied, from lush alien jungles to sterile, high-tech facilities. The trailer doesn't just show off graphics; it shows off the Metroid Prime experience. It communicates a feeling, an atmosphere, and a gameplay loop that fans have been craving for nearly two decades. And in that regard, it succeeds brilliantly.

The Final Verdict (For Now)

So, is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond ugly? The answer seems to be a firm "no." While it may not be the most technically advanced game we'll see in 2025, calling it "ugly" is a massive oversimplification that ignores its stunning art direction, incredible atmosphere, and the context of the hardware it's running on. The criticisms, while technically valid in a vacuum, fail to appreciate the holistic visual package and the artistic intent behind it.

It's also crucial to remember that we are judging a game based on a heavily compressed YouTube video, which is never a true representation of how a game looks on a proper display. Furthermore, the "Switch 2" theory adds a huge variable that could make the entire debate moot. The discussion across platforms like those on Kotaku and other gaming forums shows just how passionate the community is for Samus's return. This online discourse, trying to decide if Metroid Prime 4 is ugly or not, will likely continue until launch day. But when the game is finally in our hands, the debate over texture quality and aliasing will fade into the background. What will matter is the experience of stepping back into Samus Aran's Power Suit and getting lost in another unforgettable adventure. And from what we've seen so far, that adventure looks very, very promising.

from Kotaku
-via DynaSage