Avoid This Common Mistake with Metroid Prime 4

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Metroid Prime 4 is a fun game that rewards players, but it can also be confusing at times. Usually, that’s a good thing because it keeps the game interesting and lets you figure things out on your own, especially when tutorials are minimal.

However, near the end of the game, there’s an important thing everyone should know. Make sure you pay attention before you reach the final stages.

Note: The following contains vague hints about the game’s mechanics at the end, but no specific story details will be revealed.

Don’t Get Stuck In Limbo at the End

Be absolutely sure you want to keep playing before you push forward.

Near the conclusion of Metroid Prime 4, you’ll need to build a piece of equipment to access the final area. You’ll work with some non-player characters (NPCs), and afterward, the game will ask if you’re ready to move on, giving you a “yes or no” choice.

Unlike many games where the “point of no return” only locks you out of exploring the map until after the boss fight, this game’s situation is different. When the game shows you this point of no return, listen carefully. Do all the things you want to do first — because once you progress, you might not be able to go back.

After you finish the game, there’s a message that appears:

Saving now will mark this save as MISSION COMPLETE. If you start a new game in this save slot, your collected items and scan data will reset. Do you want to save?

If you reload your autosave after finishing, it will take you back to the final area where you can only fight the last boss again. You won’t be able to return to the main hub or continue exploring elsewhere.

Hopefully, There Will Be a Fix

I personally enjoyed replaying the game on the newly unlocked hard mode, but many fans find this system frustrating. It’s a bit annoying not being able to just jump back to the central hub and continue exploring, especially since it contradicts the idea of fully completing the game.

It would be great if a future update or patch made it possible to revisit the main areas after finishing, giving players more options for how they want to replay or explore.

For now, make sure you’re certain about entering the endgame phase in Metroid Prime 4. Otherwise, you’ll have to go through extra steps to get back to where you were.