After eight years of development, fans expected an outstanding project from Metroid Prime 4. The game did not live up to these expectations, and there are several reasons for this.
The project was initially started by another team, and Retro Studios had to continue the work. This often leads to problems, as with Dead Island 2. Metroid Prime 4 faced difficulties: Nintendo was inspired by the success of The Legend of Zelda and became fascinated with the idea of open worlds. Retro Studios, in turn, decided to return to the classic Metroid formula, focusing on linear levels and secrets. This caused disagreements within the team.
In an interview with Famitsu, Nintendo representatives admitted that at the initial stage of development, many were expecting "Metroid in an open world." However, a key feature of the series—the gradual expansion of areas available for exploration—does not mesh well with the concept of an open world. Therefore, they decided to create a limited but freely explorable territory, connecting it with other locations. The idea with the motorbike appeared as a way to diversify the game and create the necessary rhythm.
Development dragged on, and players' attitudes toward open-world games changed. Despite this, the project continued in its original concept, as a reboot was impossible after the second start of work with Retro Studios. During this time, shooters and action games have evolved significantly, in particular, speeding up the pace of the game. Taking these changes into account would have made it difficult to create the necessary rhythm of the adventure, and therefore they were ignored. As a result, the project remained detached from modern trends.
