The long-awaited Metroid Prime 4 Beyond has received its official content rating from Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), offering the clearest breakdown yet of the game’s thematic intensity, combat systems, and new mechanics. The title has been classified as Advisory 16, indicating that it is suitable for players aged sixteen and above due to its depiction of violent action and sci-fi elements.
According to the IMDA summary, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond begins with Samus Aran being unexpectedly transported to the planet Viewros, where she acquires mysterious psychic abilities and gradually uncovers the secrets of an alien species known as the Lamorn. These new powers serve as a core element of the gameplay loop, enabling Samus to access areas, support other characters, and manipulate the environment in ways that differ from earlier entries in the series.
The classification report describes a hybrid structure that alternates between first-person and third-person perspectives. The protagonist is able to explore varied regions, interact with characters, collect items, and engage in combat using missiles, energy beams, bombs, elemental attacks, and psychic techniques. Samus can also shift into her familiar morph ball form to pass through tight areas or make use of a motorbike-style vehicle to navigate open-world environments, a feature that reflects the game’s larger sense of scale.
In discussing violent content, the IMDA notes that while combat can be fast-paced and intense, it avoids explicit gore. However, attacks may lead to creature appendages being severed or destroyed with “bodily fluids spurting and staining surrounding surfaces.” Battles are marked by bright visual effects, explosive impacts, and heavy sound cues. The rating board states that the Advisory 16 category allows “realistic but not excessively graphic violence with depiction of blood,” placing the game within the upper range of teen-focused classifications.
Environmental storytelling also plays a role. The rating summary mentions that some corpses can be encountered during exploration, supporting the broader narrative of Samus’s investigation into the threats posed by Viewros and the enigmatic Lamorn. Cinematics and transmission style sequences are used to advance the plot and provide additional context for her mission.
Developed by Retro Studios, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond continues the saga of Samus following an eventful confrontation with her recurring rival, Sylux. The game retains the franchise’s core identity through exploration-driven progression, interconnected zones, and puzzle solving, while introducing new systems designed to modernize the Prime formula.
Scheduled to launch on December 4, 2025, the title will be released as a cross-generation game on both the Nintendo Switch and the more powerful Nintendo Switch 2.
