Latest news with #MetroidPrime4
Metro
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Metroid Prime 4 advert on London tube confuses everyone with 'out now' sticker
An advert for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond claims it has already been released, fuelling hope for a surprise announcement. The Nintendo Switch 2 launch line-up might be lacking in first party titles, but the roadmap for the rest of the year could still make up for it. Donkey Kong Bananza is set to launch next month, while Kirby Air Riders, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond are all slated for 2025. However, the latter, which is a cross-gen release with the original Switch, still doesn't have a release date. For anyone anticipating Samus Aran's next gallivant through space, a new poster on the London Underground might just give you a jump scare. At the Oxford Circus station, an advert for Metroid Prime 4 is emblazoned with an 'out now' sticker – despite the fact it most definitely isn't. This has prompted wild speculation of an imminent shadow drop, and while we all like to dream, this is much more likely to just be an unfortunate mistake than a secret hint. The advert is part of a string of Switch 2 adverts across the tube station, alongside Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. The latter has the correct release date of July 17, while Mario Kart World has the same 'out now' sticker in the exact same position as on Metroid Prime 4's poster, suggesting it could be a copy and paste error. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Even if a shadow drop is unlikely, the poster does imply the game will be released over the summer (and that those not mentioned, such as Hyrule Warriors, are later in the year). The only other game advertised is Super Mario Party Jamboree TV, which is set to be released on July 27, so there's a chance Metroid could land in August. More Trending Metroid Prime 4 is set to launch on the original Switch as well as the Switch 2, but this advert doesn't make any mention of that fact. The upgraded Switch 2 edition will have mouse controls, HDR support, 4K resolution when docked, and run up to 120fps. It's unclear when Nintendo could announce the game's release date, but considering it recently just unveiled a Splatoon spin-off out of the blue, via its Nintendo Today! app, it could happen at any moment. Earlier this week, Nintendo dedicated an entire Direct presentation to Donkey Kong Bananza, where it revealed a young Pauline, new costumes, and a mode inspired by Mario Paint. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Games Inbox: What is the hardest video of modern times? MORE: NetEase game Blood Message may have the best video game graphics ever MORE: You can buy one of the best games ever for the price of an ice lolly
Digital Trends
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Possessor(s) has all the makings of a strong Metroidvania already
By the time 2025 ends, we may be looking at a major year for the Metroidvania genre. Hollow Knight: Silksong is slated to hit sometime this year, as is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Both could stand to shake a well-trodden genre up in exciting ways. While those are the biggest games on the horizon, there's another Metroidvania that should be on your radar to: Possessor(s), the latest game from Hyper Light Drifter studio Heart Machine. It promises to infuse a familiar action-adventure format with the developer's signature style. Ahead of its release later this year, I played the first 45 minutes of Possessor(s) to get a sense of how Heart Machine is tackling the Metroidvania genre. There aren't any major overhauls here yet, as the slice I played had some familiar ideas that brought me back to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Instead, it more feels like it's collecting as many good ideas as possible, executing them well, and tossing them all in a mysterious world that I'm eager to explore deeper. That may be all it needs to stand out. Possessor(s) opens with an explosion. A bomb goes off in a mega city and Luca, the adventure's hero, is left crawling out of the rubble. I mean that literally, as her legs have been blasted off. I drag her bloody torso across the floor until I meet a demon who offers to fix me if I help them on their own journey. It's a deal with the devil that the legless Luca doesn't have much of a choice. Soon enough, she's back up and running, exploring the ruins of the city and trying to learn about the corporation that may be to blame. Recommended Videos I've only gotten teases into the story so far, which combines technology and demons, but it has a strong pull. The 2D environments are littered with abandoned machinery, corporate advertising, and an occasionally computer terminal filled with emails. It looks as though there's a strong anticapitalist undertone brewing under a supernatural horror story. That tonal pairing gives Possessor(s) a unique darkness that I want to dig into more. That tone hangs over what's an otherwise straightforward side-scroller so far, though that's not a knock against it. Within my first 30 minutes, I accumulate a whole bunch of abilities that build out what Luca can do. First, I get a melee weapon that I can use to perform basic slashing combos. Later, I'm able to add a perk onto those, which gives me a bit of a movement speed increase. Luca can equip up to three secondary special attacks too, which take advantage of the setting. The one I found let me use a discarded computer mouse like a bludgeoning yo-yo. Fights are all a bit basic at first, but the complexity starts to build gradually. I eventually get a grapple that lets me swing off of specified points in the environment. It takes me a few minutes to realize that I can shoot that at enemies too and yank them towards me. I unlock a parry at the end of my demo too, letting me knock projectiles back at enemies. None of this is particularly new, of course, but it all goes to good use in some tough fights. The climax of my demo had me fighting a berserk corporate worker who thoroughly thrashed me. I had to act carefully, dashing and slashing to avoid its sentient briefcase that wanted to take a bite out of me. Combat very much feels like it's cut from Hollow Knight's cape, but the movement feels more in line with Prince of Persia. It's a movement heavy platformer that has me wall jumping up decaying structures, swinging off of abandoned cranes, and air dashing through security walls. That makes for some reliable Metroidvania exploration that has me chaining movements together to find secret keys, weapon perks, and upgrade currency. There's still room to smooth the feel of it out here, as I found myself getting stuck to the side of walls a little too easily. It's a little stiff at present. If all of that sounds a little par for the course, it is. This doesn't so much feel like Heart Machine trying to upend the genre so much as put its stamp on it. The biggest place that it stands out is in art direction, as it all unfolds in a dark and moody 2D world that still somehow feels colorful. There's a minimalistic art style being used here that allows neon color splashes to stand out among a sea of rubble. It's the same kind of style that I loved in Hyper Light Drifter and it adapts to a side-scroller quite well so far. Hopefully that will be enough to help it stand out amongst other genre giants looking to launch later this year. It'll be a fight for attention, but Possessor(s) is making all the right moves. Possessor(s) launches later this year for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Metro
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Games Inbox: Are you getting a Nintendo Switch 2 next week?
The Friday letters worries about what Elden Ring Nightreign means for The Duskbloods, as one reader fears for the future of Codemasters. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ The big decision If this is shown on Thursday we'll be exactly a week away from the Nintendo Switch 2 launch and I still haven't decided whether I want it or not. Ignoring the problem of whether you can find one or not I'm still not decided. It's a lot of money and I'm not really interested in anything this year but Mario Kart and Metroid Prime 4. Admittedly, they probably will be two amazing games but it's always difficult with a new console, knowing when to pull the trigger and trying to be strong enough to resist the fear of missing out. My gut feeling is that I'll cave in within the next couple of days, but I guess I'll see. I do wish Nintendo would reveal more about Metroid Prime 4 though, as I feel we haven't heard much about it yet. If we had more info/footage I'd feel a bit more confident about spending all that money for a day one purchase. Spooner Bad omen I'm not surprised to see the mostly negative reviews for Elden Ring Nightreign, from the more reliable sources, and I agree that it must've started out as DLC. I can't be too angry, because it's at least not too expensive, but it does harm FromSoftware's reputation and seems to overall be a waste of time. More than that though, it makes me worry about The Duskbloods. I'm sure that's a bigger budget affair but some of the problems with Nightreign, like needing a super skilled and committed team to play with, are not things that can be fixed with more budget, they're just fundamentally bad ideas brought on by From's dedication to difficult games. That's fine when you're only wasting your own time, but I don't see how it's ever going to work in multiplayer if you're working in a team. I guess we'll see but I don't have a good feeling about it. Tacle Change of plans It's felt like EA has wanted to back out of making these Marvel games almost as soon as they got the licence. I bet the only reason they're carrying on with the Iron Man one is because it's further along, and the games industry is a big believer in the sunk cost fallacy. Although, to be fair, the Black Panther plot did sound pretty bad. T'Challa has been kidnapped by Skrulls and you have to play as a bunch of other people, including his son. But… why? Why couldn't they just do a normal story with you playing as him? It's not like the character has been removed from the comics, it's only the MCU where it's a problem. Or maybe that was a genius set-up and we'll just never know. If I was anyone at EA working on a licensed game though, I'd be polishing up my CV right about now, because the second the third Star Wars Jedi game is done they're going to jettison all those people into space too. So you can forget all your hopes about Battlefield 3. Hanson Email your comments to: gamecentral@ Disobeying orders I have received an email from GAME saying my Switch 2 order has been cancelled as payment 'was not able to complete successfully'. So initially I think, did I enter my details incorrectly? But no, I did enter the details correctly, so all a bit odd. I checked and it appears this is happening to other GAME pre-orders as well. GAME would not have been my first choice for pre-order, and I am aware of their HQ closing, but they were one of the few retailers with stock when I ordered. Silly me, yes. GAME's online help is useless, and I can't even get into my account with GAME to review the order, so assume it is now cancelled. Have any other GC readers had their pre-orders cancelled by GAME? Mawgan PS: Just an update – GAME have posted on their Facebook and Twitter feeds about the (what looks like) widespread cancellation of Switch 2 pre-orders. GC: Yep, unfortunately it's a pretty widespread problem. Second edition I am interested in getting Fantasy Life i and whilst it seems to be getting a good reception, I haven't seen any reviews from websites I trust. Will you guys be reviewing it? I find your reviews the most informative and always use them when weighing up a new gaming purchase. I am considering getting Fantast Life i as a Switch 2 launch title but was hoping to read your thoughts before committing. Separately, I can't believe it's only a week until the Switch 2 launch now. I got my pre-order in early from Amazon and I am very excited to play Mario Kart World, as well as the hopefully many other great Nintendo games to come over the next few years. Pigfish2 (PSN ID/NN ID) GC: Thank you. If we get a chance we'll try and look at the Switch 2 Edition, but it's not actually confirmed to be a launch title in the UK yet – even though we suspect it will be. Double launch I really think we have to be ultra conservative when it comes to expectations about Nintendo at Sumer Game Fest. In my opinion, the chances of them showing anything at a Geoff Keighley event when they'll probably have their own a week later is minuscule. The worst thing is that everyone is going to get worked up into imagining all these amazing new reveals and the 'secret Christmas game' and then blame Nintendo for not announcing it, even though they never promised anything. I agree that the most likely outcome will be nothing but a montage and a bit of on-stage banter. If we're really lucky we'll get a hint at a new game for next year but nothing else. They're not going to announce a big new game out of nowhere for this year because there's not the time to build up the hype for it and, most importantly, they'll still be pushing Mario Kart World by the time it gets to Christmas. June is a weird time to launch a console for a reason. Very few people are spending money on consoles at that time of the year so really this autumn is going to be the second launch of the Switch 2 and there's no need to complicate that with another big game, when most non-gamers will barely, if it all, be aware the console exists until they start thinking about presents for the year. Casper Physical treasureJust a quick message to say Metro Redux 2033 is free on Xbox until May 30th. It is not currently free on PlayStation Store, unfortunately. Andrew J. PS: Just seen recently you can pre-order Another Crab's Treasure physical version on Amazon and iam8bit. I've been waiting to pick this up on physical for PlayStation 5, after GameCentral's good review of the game a while back. I'm in danger So it sounds like Codemasters is going to shut down by EA, just a few years after they outbid Take-Two for them, for a $1.2 billion. So… what was the point of that? I imagine the Codemasters' driving games are pretty consistent in sales – they're always high quality and the audience is always there – so what was EA expecting? What it probably means is that Codies has just been sacrificed to ensure EA's graphs keep pointing up (there was already talk about 'growth' in the story) after EA Sports FC 25 and Apex Legends didn't do so well. You don't need me to tell you how shortsighted and dumb this is but what happens next year when they also need to show growth? They keep doing it and they'll soon have no one left to make any of their games. They already publish far fewer than they used to, so if something big like EA Sports FC even just underperforms the whole company is in trouble, as we see. Ubisoft are already on the edge of the cliff, EA are going to be half the size they used to be if they keep this up… the truth is the triple-A video games business is dying and it's so far gone I don't think anything can help it now. Imagine a future where the only independent publisher is Take-Two, because they've got GTA, and everyone else is either owned by someone else or is basically an indie publisher. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad in itself but just look how far we've fallen! Focus Inbox also-ransMaybe I've missed something but why is it called Pokémon Legends: Z-A? Seems a pretty bad name to me, if no one knows what it means. Ansel GC: We don't think they've ever said exactly but it seems to be to do with tournament ranking (starting at Z and going up to A) and as a reference to the legendary pokémon Zygarde. Little heads up but Hasbro are releasing a line of figures based on Marvel characters from Marvel Vs. Capcom and they look dead on. No Capcom characters but you should be able to find plenty of them in the same scale. Gorf More Trending Email your comments to: gamecentral@ The small print New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers' letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader's Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don't forget to follow us on Twitter. MORE: Games Inbox: When will the new Tomb Raider be revealed? MORE: Games Inbox: What review score will Mario Kart Worlds get? MORE: Games Inbox: Are video games too expensive on console and PC?
Business Insider
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
When Is the Next Nintendo Direct?
It's been a little over a month since the last Nintendo (NTDOF) Direct, and gamers are starting to wonder when the next Direct will be. New rumors claim that Nintendo plans to release its next Direct around the same time as the Switch 2's launch, which is scheduled for June 5, 2025. Confident Investing Starts Here: According to these rumors, Nintendo plans to release the Direct the same week as the Switch 2's launch, or during the following week. If true, this would likely provide gamers and investors with more details about the company's upcoming games. While Nintendo revealed many details about Switch 2 games, such as the release dates for Mario Kart World Tour and Donkey Kong Bananza, others, like Metroid Prime 4, still don't have launch dates. A new direct could include this information while also showing new gameplay footage to build excitement for upcoming games during the Switch 2's release. Analysts Remain Bullish Ahead of the Switch 2's Release Three analysts updated their coverage of Nintendo stock last week as the company's new console launch is just around the corner. Four-star Benchmark Co. analyst Mike Hickey reiterated a Buy rating and increased his price target to $91.18 from $82.77, representing a potential 10.86% upside. Citi analysts Tokiya Baba maintained a Buy rating, but cut their NTDOF price target to $92.58 from $98.20, suggesting a 12.57% upside. J.P. Morgan analyst Junko Yamamura kept a Buy rating and raised her price target to $107.31 from $93.99, implying a 30.47% upside. Is NTDOF Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold? Turning to Wall Street, the analysts' consensus rating for Nintendo is Moderate Buy, based on seven Buy, one Hold, and one Sell rating over the last three months. With that comes an average NTDOF stock price target of $89.45, representing a potential 8.75% upside for the shares.
Metro
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Why I sold my Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order - Reader's Feature
A reader admits that he's already sold his Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order and explains why he decided to become a scalper, and why he doesn't regret it. I am a scalper. Not usually, and it's not my job or anything, but I have to admit that is technically what I am now. Which unfortunately means everyone hates me and I can't really argue that they're wrong. But I thought I'd tell you my story anyway and you can judge whether I'm a monster or not. I didn't get an invite to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2, because I wasn't on Nintendo Switch Online, but I tried my luck when they opened it up to everyone on the Nintendo website and I got lucky. I was very excited at first, especially when I realised just how lucky I'd been and that there probably wasn't going to be an easy way to pre-order again before launch. That's when the pre-order started seeming like it was burning a hole in my pocket. I started to think about how expensive it was and how much the games were, and the fact that there wasn't really anything I was all that interested in that was out this year, other than Metroid Prime 4 – which is also on Switch 1. I'm looking forward to playing Mario Kart World, for sure, but I began to question whether it was really worth paying over £400 for the privilege. I'm sure Donkey Kong Bananza is going to be good, but I can't say I went ape over it (sorry) and it's something I'd rather wait for reviews for. I'd say a price cut but we all know that's not going to happen. Then there was all the talk of hidden small print that seemed to make everything connected with the Switch 2 seem that little bit worse, every time something new came out. Combine that with the fact that we had to wait three weeks or so to get UK prices made me feel that Nintendo were not on top of things. What really put me off though was the line-up of games for the rest of the year. After Donkey Kong in July there is nothing that interests me. A Dynasty Warriors crossover and a Kirby game are absolutely bizarre things for Nintendo to put out in the first year of their new console. The Switch 1 is over eight years old at this point and that's the best they could manage to get ready in all that time? That and that ultra cheap looking basketball game that looks like some bargain basement indie title. I get that their first party teams are all cooking on other things, but they just seem like the absolutely least interesting choices possible. But mostly, I admit, I did it for the money. I was contemplating putting the pre-order on eBay, but I heard they were cracking down on scalpers. I mentioned it to a friend and, to my surprise, he said he'd give me £600 for the pre-order. Realising that I'd probably have difficulty selling it onliine I took him up on it, since because we're friend he knows I'm not going to scam him, and vice versa. So there we are. I was a Switch 2 owner for just under two days. I might regret selling up when we get to launch but I don't think so. My plan now is to wait to see what other games they announce. If there's a big Christmas game that they're keeping secret, which I doubt, then I might try to get one then. But more likely I'll be looking at next Christmas, when there's more games out. More Trending So far though, I regret nothing. By reader AkiraBone The reader's features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro. You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@ or use our Submit Stuff page and you won't need to send an email. MORE: Video game companies are lying to us about everything - Reader's Feature MORE: Xbox is crazy if it thinks it can compete with Nintendo Switch 2 – Reader's Feature MORE: Why I tried to beat Oblivion Remastered without ever using fast travel - Reader's Feature
