The discourse comes for us all this week, with the release of Metroid Prime 4.

It's weirdly fascinating how this series is able to generate bile over seemingly the most insignificant things. If I wanted to assemble a hall of fame of bad takes, there's going to be at least two Metroid takes on display.

I've always thought I should just ignore this kind of behavior, but I'm just not able. I know who I am, and I fear I'm never going to be the person I'd like to be. I think this stuff is normally pretty funny.

The Federation Force reaction was genuinely disquieting - but I suppose in a very weird way it is an echo of the reactions to Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze not being Metroid. I do wonder if the loud demands of the Metroid fanbase reflect their realization that the series just isn't as important to Nintendo as it is to them - and they get themselves high-strung waiting for the next shoe to drop.

This does not excuse outlets, which should know better. James calls out one outlet by name this week for posting a Metroid Prime 4 headline that is designed to read as an accusation against the game's publisher and uses two - false - facts to make the case. While this outlet is the gossip rag of the industry, they are not alone in this practice. This engagement farming is a race to the bottom triggered, in no small part, by the algorithms that decide what we see. Outrage results in reactions which pleases the algorithms designed to keep us tethered like Prometheus.

For the purposes of this pained analogy, our liver is critical thinking and the bird is Google AdSense.

Let's try to do better, for this game that is a nearly two-decade late sequel, and for ourselves.

Because RFN won't.

This week, we devote the entire first segment to Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Everyone but James is playing, but they're all very early. None of us know what lies Beyond. Perhaps it is always best we do not; knowledge is an immense burden.

After a break, Greg has an update on Kirby Air Riders. Guillaume spent his non-Metroid time with Absolum, a beat'em up with roguelike elements. Also we talk about Ninja Gaiden 2, because pain is a lifestyle. Lastly, Jon gives his take on the exact same Black Friday SD Express sale that James availed himself of a week prior.

Reminder, get your comments on our RetroActive Soulcalibur II in quickly. We're talking it in less than two weeks. Send comments here or post them in the Discord.

• (00:06:04) New Business - Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
• (01:05:32) Kirby Air Riders.
• (01:18:03) Ninja Gaiden 2 on NSO.
• (01:20:36) Absolum.
• (01:53:13) Black Friday deal on a Switch 2 memory card.

This episode was edited by Guillaume Veillette. The "Men of Leisure" theme song was produced exclusively for Radio Free Nintendo by Perry Burkum. Hear more at Perry's SoundCloud. The Radio Free Nintendo logo was produced by Connor Strickland. See what he's up to at his website.

This episode's ending music is "The Journey for Revenge Ends" from Octopath Traveler 2. It was requested by A.G. All rights reserved by Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.