Metroid Dread

Metroid Dread is a fast paced, 2D side scrolling action platformer and puzzle game that stays true to its franchise. Honouring its well built roots by delivering the tried and true mechanics of old, while refining and even building upon the renowned fan favourite gameplay that went on to inspire an entire genre of games. Discover new abilities and experience the urgency with a much faster movement speed along with a diverse moveset and an entirely new threat designed to bring “dread” to each encounter, filling the player with fear as they traverse an alien planet, alone. This is without a doubt, Nintendo's finest game of 2021 and here's why.

Developers: Nintendo, Mercury Steam, Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development

Publishers: Nintendo, Nintendo of Europe GmbH

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Written by: Gabriel Sewell

Metroid is one of those series that shouldn't even need an introduction at this point but for those of you unfamiliar to the franchise, the games can be split into two distinct styles; 2D and 3D. Although, the formula is mostly shared between the two with a heavy focus on; action, exploration, environmental progression based puzzle solving, and strong world building. Not only does Dread honour these traditions it even adds to the formula with more abilities for Samus to unlock, and new enemy types, specifically the EMMI’ which stalk you throughout the game in specific areas but we’ll get to that later.

Samus Aran, the galaxy's finest bounty hunter, sets out on yet another mission of cataclysmic scale after being sent a video of what was thought to be an extinct species known as the; X parasite. Being the only one immune to the X parasite due to her newly innate Metroid DNA, she finds herself alone and without most of her memory on an alien planet known as ZDR. After an unfortunate battle with a mysterious hostile upon landing, she awakens deep underground and must now find her way back to the surface while regaining her memory and therefore use of her abilities. Now that’s just scratching the surface on what is narratively on offer throughout the game, I really enjoyed how story focused and rewarding it was to progress in hopes of learning more throughout the various pre-rendered cut-scenes, that premise alone should be enough to peak your interest and satisfy long time fans of the franchise.

I think most people at this point are very familiar with how metroidvanias play, that being said Metroid Dread does an amazing job at showing why it’s still the queen of the genre it helped create. The speed at which Samus runs and the fluidity of her moveset paired with incredibly responsive controls culminates to a speedrunners wet dream. There’s a surprising amount of choice in terms of how you want to take down an enemy, Samus is geared with a beam, a missile and a melee/counter attack, all of which will be upgraded as you progress. You can expect most of the series' traditional abilities like the morph ball while introducing some new almost “game changing” power ups and enemies, while also offering some much needed quality of life features that help keep the series feeling fresh and relevant.

I’m sure you're probably wondering; why is it even called dread? Where is that creepy robot from the adverts? Well don’t worry, I’ll get to that now. I’m sure most people will be glad to know that the developers handled the aspect of being stalked in a video game with such grace. I, like many others, was initially afraid it would detract from the classic Metroid experience rather than enrich it, fear not because the EMMI’ only patrol specific areas within a map and the game gives an insane amount of visual queues to alert the player of their presence. So you’ll still have plenty of freedom to explore at your own pace while still getting a healthy dose of adrenaline when entering an EMMI zone.

Metroid Dread offers some of the most challenging moments of the entire series, from increasingly agile enemies, to formidable bosses that really test your reflexes and finger endurance as you learn their movesets and battle patterns. I thoroughly enjoyed the satisfying rush of relief that washed over me after overcoming an intense fight, narrowly escaping death to find myself triumphant by the split of a hair. You’ll find returning to the bosses a lot easier once you’ve learnt their patterns so take note and don't feel discouraged upon death, it’s a part of the process. Also, remember to counter attack, it’s one of the games most powerful moves by far and well worth mastering early on.

Upon landing on ZDR you’ll soon realise that the world feels so alive, with absolutely gorgeous backdrops that offer unique details as you explore the various biomes and experience the amazing level design of the interconnected world, with highly detailed set pieces scattered throughout. The graphical fidelity is very impressive for a system as weak as the Switch, it really builds upon the 2017 remake of Metroid 2: Samus returns. Running at a sturdy 60fps with only the occasional slow down in certain areas, and although the loading times can feel slightly sluggish,they’re nothing overly noticeable. I really hope we get more in this style moving forward or even a port of the previously mentioned title that was exclusive to the 3DS, a now discontinued console.

What could be more iconic than Samus herself? The incredible soundtracks that accompany each title, from the eerie atmospheric soundscapes to the widely nostalgic melodies we’ve all grown fond of. The incredibly prolific and recurring melodies of past games have been remixed and built upon to encapsulate the franchise's bold step into the past, returning to the roots of the franchise while adding something new to cater to fans old and new. It’s safe to say the soundtrack really compliments the overall setting and nature of the game.

Conclusion

Metroid Dread invoked the greatest sense of admiration I had for the series, revisiting the franchise’ basis and rediscovering what exactly makes them so special, while still creating something new and distinct. Not only is it easily accessible to new players, but also an incredible new instalment to the franchise and a remarkable step forward that’ll be sure to please long time fans.

3/3

Masterpiece

Pros

Amazing game-play

Engaging story

Challenging boss fights

Cons

Short but re-playable

Author: Gabriel Sewell