Nintendo has always taken a unique approach to storytelling with some of its major franchises. With perhaps its biggest property,Super Mario, each mainline game seems to exist in its own world, with little connection between any entry and no real cohesive canon.The Legend of Zeldaon the other hand, is known for having one canon story that can branch off depending on the game, making for several video essays that have tried to clear up any confusion.Metroidis perhaps the most linear, with only some mix-ups in the canon timeline, andMetroid Prime 4has the chance to bring some consistency to the franchise.
The originalMetroid Primetrilogy was a big deviation for the franchise. The most obvious change was the fact that it took a 3D first-person shooter perspective rather than a 2D platformer approach, but the narrative ofPrimealso went in an unexpected direction. After three mainline entries, thePrimetrilogy came in and told a completely separate story set between the first and secondMetroidgames. It was an interesting jump for the canon, and it brings into question what approachMetroid Prime 4might take. With the direction the franchise is going in, however,Prime 4’s placement on the canon timeline really only has one option.
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Metroid Prime 4 Should Take Place After Dread
When looking at theMetroidtimeline, it would make the most sense forMetroid Prime 4to take place after the recently releasedMetroid Dread. Thinking purely of the franchise’s canon, each of theMetroidgames that have released already tie into each other pretty cohesively. IfPrime 4took place afterMetroid 2for example, it could create some issues for how Samus gets to where she is during the events ofSuper Metroid. While it can sometimes be interesting to fill in the gaps like thePrimetrilogy did, at this point it wouldn’t be all that necessary forPrime 4.
Prime 4would also have a unique opportunity if it were to followSamus' story after the events ofDread. Instead of keeping thePrimegames somewhat separate from the 2D adventures,Prime 4could act as a direct sequel toMetroid Dread. As thePrimeseries is often more cinematic, it could provide a deeper look at what Samus is up to after the destruction of planet ZDR. It would be an ambitious way to make the mainMetroidandPrimegames into a cohesive unit, and it could bring the franchise’s storytelling to a whole new level.
Giving Metroid Prime A Fresh Start
Whether it’s a direct sequel toDreador not, keepingPrime 4in the front of theMetroidtimeline could ensure that the game’s story doesn’t retread a lot of the same beats that the original trilogy had.TheMetroid Primetrilogy’s storyhad a rather definitive end, with Samus defeating her Dark Samus doppelganger and destroying the source of the Phazon energy that served as the series' main extraterrestrial antagonist. IfPrime 4took place afterDread, it would give the narrative a chance to really try something fresh that grabs the attention of franchise veterans and newcomers alike.
While a lot offans are concerned over the development ofMetroid Prime 4, the existence ofMetroid Dreadcould be an encouraging sign. WhenPrime 4’s development was rebooted,Dreadcould have recently started some kind of development or been in an early production phase. This could’ve served as motivation forPrime 4to take place afterDread, which also means it would’ve had to wait forDreadto at least wrap up its story development. It’s still concerning that Nintendo hasn’t given any solid information on the game in some time, but hopefullyMetroid Dreadwill serve as a prelude toMetroid Prime 4’s finished product.
Metroid Prime 4is currently in development for the Nintendo Switch.
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