Sylux, as a character, is technically the final boss of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, but the game doesn’t make that abundantly clear initially. So when this boss battle started at Volt Forge, I had no clue at first that this was not a legitimate battle against a character who was introduced long ago in Metroid Prime Hunters.

It definitely gave me some flashbacks to the Nintendo DS classic and its online multiplayer mode. Most Metroid bosses are usually far larger than Samus Aran, so the fights tend to feel very different. Ironically, they are often harder in battles against enemies closer to your size.

This first fake Sylux boss battle is all about a clash of Morph Balls, so to speak. I found it interesting and challenging in its own way. It’s a shame Samus doesn’t have the final Morph Ball upgrade yet, because she could have mini-nuked her way to victory here.

Once the battle was won, Samus realized the truth. Sylux had programmed a robot to look like him, and honestly, it did a pretty convincing job because this was not an easy fight. The robot’s base form doesn’t look particularly special either.

The best part of the battle was getting the Energy Tank after the robotic shell was destroyed. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has a lot of hidden Energy Tanks, and they are not especially easy to find, particularly early in the game.