My body is ready.

Reggie was sighted with Geoff Keighley, executive producer and host of the Game Awards, wearing a Samus t-shirt. A Metroid Prime 4 trailer drop is imminent. With that opportunity, here are a few things I’d like to see implemented in the game. While I’m sure Nintendo and the good people from Bandai Namco (rumoured to be the team behind Metroid Prime 4) will do a fantastic job bringing the series to a new generation, here are some of the things I really wish they manage to do in the final game.

ACTION : ADVENTURE RATIO

The Metroid Prime series is described as a First-Person Adventure game and I want it to stay that way. The series has maintained the ratio of action and adventure masterfully in its three games. Retro Studios made sure the game never felt like a pure shooter but also managed to somehow offer engaging enemy encounters, boss fights and shooting that feels tight and responsive. The best way to express what I want to stay the same is this; I don’t want Metroid Prime 4 to be a series of action set pieces focused on the shooting/killing aspect. I want the shooting to occur during exploration, surprising the player, overwhelming them and eventually, rewarding them for surviving using the responsive systems the developers have put in place.

THE FRAMERATE

All games in the Metroid Prime series so far have had a stable 60 FPS framerate. I really hope this is high on the list of goals for the developers. You could say it’s become as much a part of the series as Samus. Will I hate it if 60 FPS is not on the table? Of course not. But I’ve been spoiled by 3 games already, it’s hard to go back. Rumours of the game running on Unreal Engine 4 show me there is hope for buttery smooth Metroid Prime gameplay on Nintendo’s hybrid. Fingers crossed.

USE THOSE JOYCONS

Obviously I’m expecting the game to utilise HD-rumble in an interesting way, giving you the feeling that your hand is really inside the compartment controlling Samus’ arm cannon. What could change the game and add an additional level of depth and immersion is the use of motion controls in a smart way, like giving us the option for gyro-aiming and pulling shields off of enemies, much like Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on Wii. It wouldn’t hurt to figure out something cool for the IR camera to do, like performing a gesture to unlock doors or manipulate the displays in Samus’ ship.

GO WILD

All in all, I hope the team goes wild. Some people might dislike change but everyone will hate the game if it feels stale and unimaginative. I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised by the new additions to the Metroid Prime series because after 3 games, it’s time to shake things up a bit more. I only hope it won’t be as divisive as Other M.

What are some things you would like to see in Metroid Prime 4? Did you spot the secret message in the E3 reveal?

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