Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Credits Reveal Major Devs Like Next Level Games
▼ Summary
– Retro Studios, the original developer of the series, successfully led the development of *Metroid Prime 4: Beyond* for the Switch 2, demonstrating its continued high quality.
– Multiple external studios, including Next Level Games and Virtuos, contributed their talents to the game’s development, as listed in the credits.
– Next Level Games, a Nintendo-owned studio, had prior series experience and specific developers from the studio were credited for their work on the project.
– Key personnel changes include Erin Yvette providing Samus’s voice and Krystle Martin performing motion capture, replacing Jennifer Hale from the original trilogy.
– The game received a 9/10 review score for successfully replicating the original’s sense of discovery while innovating in new directions.
The development of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond represents a massive collaborative effort, bringing together some of the industry’s most talented studios under the leadership of Retro Studios. While Retro’s guiding hand was expected, the full scope of external support revealed in the game’s credits highlights the extensive resources dedicated to perfecting this long-awaited sequel. The involvement of major partners like Next Level Games underscores Nintendo’s commitment to delivering a premium experience for the Switch 2.
Retro Studios, the original creator of the Prime series, resumed control of the project in 2019. Despite changes in personnel over the years, the studio has proven it retains the expertise needed to craft a worthy successor. The final product demonstrates their ability to blend classic exploration with innovative new gameplay mechanics.
However, Retro did not work in isolation. A lengthy list of supporting studios contributed their specialized skills. Next Level Games, a first-party Nintendo studio since 2021, brought valuable experience from its work on Metroid Prime: Federation Force. Specific developers from Next Level credited for their work include Matt McTavish, Cavin Yen, Mark Blanchin, and Christopher Rice.
The full roster of credited teams is extensive:
Retro Studios Next Level Games Virtuos Territory Studio Waterproof Keywords Studios Liquid Development Volta AMC Studio GameSim Smoking Gun Interactive Forge Studios Red Hot CG Original Force Devoted Studios Room 8 Studio Next Gen Dreams Mock Science Cup of Tea Formosa Interactive House of Moves
This assembly of talent handled various aspects of production, from art and animation to programming and quality assurance. On the narrative side, longtime series producer Kensuke Tanabe once again provided the text for the in-game scan logs. A notable change comes with the portrayal of Samus Aran. The character is now voiced by Erin Yvette, with Krystle Martin performing the motion capture. This marks a shift from the original trilogy, where Jennifer Hale provided the voiceover.
The final result of this large-scale collaboration has been met with critical acclaim. Reviews praise the game for successfully recapturing the sense of wonder from the classic GameCube titles while also introducing fresh ideas that propel the franchise forward. The project stands as a testament to coordinated development, merging Retro’s creative vision with the specialized skills of numerous partner studios.
(Source: Nintendo Life)
