The original Metroid Prime trilogy 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 of Prime also went in an unexpected direction. After three mainline entries, the Prime trilogy came in and told a completely separate story set between the first and second Metroid games. It was an interesting jump for the canon, and it brings into question what approach Metroid Prime 4 might 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 the Metroid timeline, it would make the most sense for Metroid Prime 4 to take place after the recently released Metroid Dread. Thinking purely of the franchise’s canon, each of the Metroid games that have released already tie into each other pretty cohesively. If Prime 4 took place after Metroid 2 for example, it could create some issues for how Samus gets to where she is during the events of Super Metroid. While it can sometimes be interesting to fill in the gaps like the Prime trilogy did, at this point it wouldn’t be all that necessary for Prime 4.
Prime 4 would also have a unique opportunity if it were to follow Samus’ story after the events of Dread. Instead of keeping the Prime games somewhat separate from the 2D adventures, Prime 4 could act as a direct sequel to Metroid Dread. As the Prime series 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 main Metroid and Prime games 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 to Dread or not, keeping Prime 4 in the front of the Metroid timeline could ensure that the game’s story doesn’t retread a lot of the same beats that the original trilogy had. The Metroid Prime trilogy’s story had 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. If Prime 4 took place after Dread, 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 of fans are concerned over the development of Metroid Prime 4, the existence of Metroid Dread could be an encouraging sign. When Prime 4’s development was rebooted, Dread could have recently started some kind of development or been in an early production phase. This could’ve served as motivation for Prime 4 to take place after Dread, which also means it would’ve had to wait for Dread to 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 hopefully Metroid Dread will serve as a prelude to Metroid Prime 4’s finished product.
Metroid Prime 4 is currently in development for the Nintendo Switch.
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