Compare Metroid Prime 4: Beyond vs Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake

Reviewers valued the difficulty options, markers, and other quality-of-life settings for making the old games easier to approach without fully erasing their classic feel.

One reviewer criticized the automated battle behavior, saying the AI made poor choices rather than feeling genuinely wise.

Aiming earned praise when using Switch 2 mouse-style controls, though some reviewers found that setup awkward in normal couch play.

Animation quality was praised in both battle and enemy presentation, with reviewers noting smooth movement and lively spell or monster animations.

Art direction was one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly calling the environments, lighting, and visual identity gorgeous or striking.

The HD-2D art direction was strongly praised for respecting old JRPG roots while making the worlds feel striking and modern.

Atmosphere drew broad praise, especially in the Prime-style facilities where reviewers felt loneliness, dread, and alien mood were strongest.

Bosses were widely praised as memorable, cinematic, puzzle-like, and challenging, though a few reviews found them too weak-point-driven or uneven.

Bosses earned strong praise when they forced strategy and felt rewarding, though a few reviewers disliked specific frustrating fights.

The Federation cast landed unevenly: some reviewers grew attached, while others felt characterization stayed broad or underdeveloped.

Reviewers especially praised Dragon Quest II's party members for gaining stronger arcs, personalities, and interpersonal chemistry.

The added Princess of Cannock and more useful party members were repeatedly praised as natural, valuable additions to Dragon Quest II.

Checkpointing drew criticism when boss retries or long optional stretches sent players farther back than expected.

Combat was generally seen as satisfying and polished, but some reviewers criticized repeated waves, limited enemy interplay, or mixed encounter pacing.

Combat was widely seen as engaging and more strategic, though several reviewers noted Dragon Quest I's solo fights could become frustrating or unfair.

Companion behavior was a repeat complaint when allies caused game overs, needed reviving, or disrupted the usual solo Metroid flow.

Reviewers appreciated the expanded worlds, new mechanics, and added content, especially in Dragon Quest II.

Controls were a major positive overall, with tight movement, responsive shooting, strong gyro support, and multiple schemes; mouse ergonomics were more divisive.

The core Prime loop still worked for supportive reviewers, but some felt it was familiar rather than transformative.

Dialogue was a common weak spot, with several reviewers calling the chatter irritating, clichéd, or out of place for Metroid.

Difficulty was mixed: bosses and set pieces could be satisfyingly challenging, but spikes and hand-cramping moments frustrated some players.

Difficulty split reviewers: many liked the tougher, more meaningful challenge, but several criticized RNG spikes, grinding walls, or frustrating solo encounters.

Vi-O-La itself often controlled well and could be fun, but its role was tied to the more divisive desert hub.

One review found the companion relationships strengthened the closing moments, though emotional delivery was not a universal focus.

Multiple reviewers described unusually strong emotional payoffs, including poignant scenes and endings that made them stop, reflect, or cry.

Enemy variety was criticized where repeated bugs, bots, or lightly modified foes made combat feel less dynamic.

Environmental detail was praised for making Viewros feel rich, alien, and visually meaningful.

Environmental detail stood out through lighting, interiors, water, clouds, towns, and dungeons that made the world feel richer.

Exploration was strongest in the dungeon-like zones and weakest when the desert hub or heavy guidance interrupted discovery.

Exploration was generally praised for rewarding secrets, treasure, and open-ended discovery, though one underwater segment was called slow and awkward.

Facial work earned praise in one review as an unexpectedly strong visual element for Nintendo.

Reviewers split on franchise faithfulness: many felt the fundamentals remained Prime, while others felt the hub, companions, or linearity diluted Metroid.

One preview emphasized the games' JRPG legacy as a reason to experience them, supporting their faithfulness to Dragon Quest history.

One reviewer highlighted sharing the remakes with children as a positive next-generation experience, supporting family appeal.

The lack of fast travel frustrated one reviewer who otherwise accepted revisiting environments as part of Metroid.

Fast travel convenience was one of the few quality-of-life choices criticized for reducing tension and undermining dungeon-exit magic.

Frame rate was consistently praised across Switch 2 coverage, including smooth 60fps and 120fps options.

Frame rate impressions were very positive on Switch 2 and handheld play, with reviewers citing stable 60 FPS or no drops.

Overall enjoyment ranged from enthusiastic recommendations to sharp disappointment, with most positive reactions tied to classic Prime sections.

Fun factor was very high overall, with several reviewers saying the remakes were hard to stop playing or simply a great time.

Moment-to-moment mechanics were often praised, but psychic powers, open-zone structure, and companion sections made the package uneven.

Reviewers praised Sigils, Scrolls, and other new mechanics for adding meaningful choices while keeping the classic JRPG foundation intact.

Graphics were one of the strongest consensus positives, frequently described as gorgeous, stunning, or among Nintendo's best-looking work.

Graphics received near-universal praise, with reviewers repeatedly calling the HD-2D presentation brilliant, gorgeous, stunning, or full of life.

The green-crystal requirement was one of the most repeated pain points, often described as filler, tedious, or poorly paced.

Grinding remained a concern for some reviewers, but others felt difficulty modes and balancing made the grind less draining than older versions.

Handheld and docked play were generally viable, though Switch 1 presentation was less crisp and some preferred a full controller setup.

Steam Deck play was praised as an ideal way to experience the remakes, helped by performance and save support.

One review found scan-log clarity weakened by indistinct highlighting, making completion tracking more of a hassle than it needed to be.

Immersion was strong when the game leaned into alien solitude, but hints, companions, and roadblocks could break that feeling.

Reviewers praised the presentation, music, and environments for making the adventure feel rich, magical, and immersive.

Innovation was viewed as conservative: some refinements worked, but many reviewers felt the game did not push the genre forward.

The main facilities drew praise for set-piece design and atmosphere, while linearity and the connective hub lowered scores for some critics.

Dungeon design drew criticism from one reviewer for feeling visually varied but structurally uninspired and light on distinctive traits.

Load screens were rarely a major complaint, and one review praised the minimal loading between areas.

Load times were praised in preview coverage as quick, matching the strong Switch 2 performance profile.

Lore through scanning and Lamorn history was a clear positive for reviewers who valued environmental storytelling.

Navigation was approachable and sometimes praised, but aggressive guidance and logbook tracking issues split opinion.

Navigation tools were praised for streamlining play, though objective markers could make some classic item hunts feel too rudimentary.

Narrative reception was mixed-to-negative: Lamorn lore intrigued some reviewers, but the ending, Sylux, and character use often disappointed.

The expanded narrative was repeatedly praised for making the Erdrick trilogy feel richer, more cohesive, and less like a bare-bones relic.

Sol Valley was the most consistent criticism, described by many reviewers as empty, barren, padded, or less interesting than the dungeons.

Pacing suffered whenever desert traversal, crystal collection, or upgrade trips slowed the stronger dungeon rhythm.

Pacing was one of the more mixed areas: some found the flow excellent, while others felt added content created bloat or uneven late-game stretches.

Technical performance was a standout strength, with reviewers praising stable modes, HDR, and smooth operation on Switch 2.

Performance optimization received praise from reviewers who reported smooth play and no major performance issues.

Switch 2 options, HDR, and mouse controls were notable, but mouse comfort and Switch 1 compromises made this mixed.

Platform-specific support drew criticism from one reviewer because the Switch version lacked a paid upgrade path to Switch 2.

Polish was mostly solid, but one review noted rough spots and visible Switch 1 roots.

Polish was praised where reviewers found the remake approachable, refined, and modernized.

Progression was praised when upgrades opened new routes and improved movement, though some disliked overly linear or lock-and-key usage.

Scrolls and character growth were praised for adding light customization and clearer progression without becoming overly complicated.

Samus's silence hurt protagonist appeal for some reviewers when cutscenes and direct questions made her seem oddly passive.

Protagonist appeal was mixed: the lone hero concept intrigued some reviewers, but silent protagonists felt bland to others beside voiced side characters.

Puzzles were generally satisfying and boss-like, though psychic mechanics were sometimes called familiar or clunky.

Remake quality was the clearest strength: reviewers repeatedly called these definitive, transformative, or thoughtful updates to foundational JRPGs.

Reviewer evidence supports replay value across the listed reviews.

Save design and autosaving drew criticism when point-of-no-return or optional cleanup setbacks undermined late-game play.

Autosave and expanded save options were repeatedly praised for reducing frustration and supporting portable play.

Side characters were divisive: some reviewers warmed to them, while others found them annoying, tropey, or poorly matched to Metroid.

Side characters were praised for compensating for silent protagonists and making the expanded story feel more emotionally alive.

Sound design was praised for supporting atmosphere, alien spaces, and the Prime identity.

The soundtrack was a strong positive, often described as excellent, memorable, atmospheric, or among the best parts of the game.

The orchestral soundtrack was widely praised, though one reviewer found repeated tracks tiring over long play sessions.

Guidance split reviewers; some appreciated direction, but many disliked hand-holding, repeated hints, or tutorialization.

Upgrades were fun and familiar for some, but others felt certain powers were underused or too lock-and-key.

Interface changes, shortcut assignments, and UI overhaul were praised for making these old games easier to play.

Value was mixed, with some reviewers satisfied and others warning about price, length, or waiting for a sale.

Value was generally positive because two expanded remakes come in one package, though one reviewer wished the price were lower.

Only Vi-O-La drew meaningful opinion, and the reviewer who scored it saw future potential for the bike.

Visual effects and spectacular sights were praised as part of the game's high-end presentation.

Visual effects were praised for making attacks and spells feel spectacular while preserving the nostalgic tone.

Voice acting was mixed: some reviewers liked the performances, while others found the comedic or companion delivery uneven.

Voice acting was usually praised for adding emotion and personality, with one reviewer finding the quality uneven but improved.

World-building was a strength in reviews that praised scanning, Lamorn history, and the way environments explained Viewros.

World-building was strengthened by expanded towns, lore links, and details that made Alefgard and the trilogy feel more alive.

Mini Medals and hidden interactables were praised for encouraging players to inspect the world more carefully.

Writing was among the weaker elements, criticized for clichés, awkward jokes, and underdeveloped storytelling.

Writing and localization were praised for adding character, humor, and series-appropriate flavor to the remakes.