I and other members of the press were able to play Metroid Prime 4: Beyond at early preview events last week, and I had a great time with the game. I think Nintendo has another excellent first-party title to close out 2025, judging by what I played.
But since the previews dropped yesterday, the discussion has been dominated not by Samus's new abilities or the game's gorgeous graphics on Switch 2, but by a new NPC named Myles Mackenzie. Take this IGN video, for example, where he's called "a potentially fatal flaw."
In the demo we all played, Samus saves Myles from a predicament, and he rewards her with the Missile upgrade. They then move together to the next area, while Myles yaps, and eventually, he helps her advance in the story while acting as a companion for a short while.
I agree that Myles could chill with the backseat gaming a little bit, and the fact that he ends up feeling like an escort mission will not thrill many. But as a nerdy engineer sidekick for at least one level in the game, I think the annoyance with his presence and overall demeanor is being very overblown. In my notes from the event, I mentioned Myles as "nerdy" and "annoying," but I think that's kind of what they were going for, so at worst, it's a bit clichéd.
I guess I'm in the minority here, but I found Myles' dumb commentary to be a funny foil to Samus's stoic and quiet demeanor. He's running his mouth and being awkward while she just peers out from behind her visor, silently judging him the same way we are as players. Could it get annoying if it's overdone? Absolutely. But I'm not ready to pull that trigger yet.
"Myles Mackenzie is an engineer with the Galactic Federation," his bio reads, spotted by Stephen Totilo. "His duties include the maintenance and repair of several vehicle types and programming software used for weapons development. He is known to be extremely talkative, even while alone. Although his restless energy and curiosity make him prone to danger, his excessive caution is enough to keep him from harm. He has a strong moral compass and work ethic, making him a reliable problem solver no matter the situation."
Many seem to agree that Metroid games are about being in solitude and figuring things out on your own. I concur, and I think that if Myles or other NPCs continue to pop off on voice comms in Samus's headset throughout the entire game, then it could become a problem. But we legitimately only played the first hour or so of the game, so I'm not willing to jump off the hype train yet.
Some in the comments of IGN's video are acting as though Metroid is ruined, and that this game is dead on arrival because of this one character. Seriously? We've waited this long for Metroid Prime 4 and it's over, just like that? Come on now.
Nintendo confirmed yesterday that the other areas in Metroid Prime 4 will have other NPCs akin to Myles. Is the main issue that Myles is annoying and overbearing during the game's early tutorial missions, or that he's just there in general? If disliking any and all NPCs and remaining in silence with the heroine who barely speaks is what you're after, then yeah, I guess you may be in for some disappointment.
My time with Metroid Prime 4 was marked with joy and discovery as I figured out Samus's Psychic powers, fought enemies, and took down two bosses in fights that were engaging and interesting. The game is gorgeous, and the Metroid discovery feeling was still there, despite what the current discourse may suggest.
It's disappointing to me that gamers are choosing instead to focus on this NPC, who may or may not end up as a throwaway character once Samus makes her way to the next area, and not everything else in the demo. But if this character in a 20-minute stretch is enough to make you cancel your pre-order, then that is your prerogative. Judging from my own experience, I'm still excited to play Metroid Prime 4 when it drops on Dec. 4.
The post A lot of people are overreacting to Metroid Prime 4’s nerdy NPC, and I don’t really understand the fuss appeared first on Destructoid.
