Metroid Prime 4’s Soundtrack Costs $30 Extra
▼ Summary
– Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been released, ending an 18-year gap since the previous main series entry.
– A new feature is the Vi-O-La vehicle, which has an optional radio function for custom ambient music.
– This Vi-O-La Radio feature is unlocked by purchasing a $30 Samus Aran Amiibo or by finishing the game.
– Other Amiibo figures unlock cosmetic skins and extended cutscenes, which can also be earned through gameplay.
– The inclusion of the music option behind a paywall has been noted as a potential point of contention for some players.
The release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond marks a significant moment for fans, arriving nearly two decades after the last mainline entry. This long-awaited sequel introduces new gameplay elements, including Samus Aran’s exploration vehicle, the Vi-O-La. However, accessing a specific audio feature for this vehicle has sparked discussion, as it requires a separate purchase beyond the game itself.
Players have found that using the Samus Aran Amiibo figurine activates the Vi-O-La Radio. This feature allows customization of the background music heard while traversing the expansive Sol Valley desert region with the new vehicle. By default, these scenes have their own atmospheric soundtrack designed to reflect the environment’s lore. The radio option simply lets players select tracks from other parts of the game to listen to during these journeys. Completing the main story will also grant access to two bonus tracks for the radio.
The standard ambient score for Sol Valley is hardly lacking, effectively setting a tone that hints at the planet’s ancient past. For many, the existing music provides a perfectly suitable experience. The situation has led some in the community to question why a cosmetic audio option is locked behind an additional paywall, feeling it could have been integrated into the core game without an extra cost.
It is worth noting that the Amiibo functionality extends beyond just music. The dedicated Vi-O-La Amiibo unlocks various cosmetic skins for the vehicle itself. Meanwhile, the Sylux Amiibo provides access to extended cinematic scenes after the credits roll, though these same cutscenes can be unlocked in-game by achieving a 100% scan completion rate.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is available now for the Nintendo Switch family of systems.
(Source: GameSpot)
