Metroid Dread Review

Platform – Nintendo Switch

Developed By – MercurySteam

Published By – Nintendo

Released – October 8, 2021

Genre – Action/Adventure

During Nintendo’s E3 press conference in June, MercurySteam announced a sequel to Metroid Fusion titled Metroid Dread. Fans have been waiting for a new 2D entry for the series for 19 years. 

The Dreadful Story

Metroid Dread is the last game in the timeline for the Metroid series. The game’s events take place right after the events of Metroid Fusion

The story begins when Samus arrives on a planet named ZDR after receiving a transmission claiming the notorious X-Parasites are loose on the planet. Once Samus arrives, she is challenged by a mysterious and hostile Chozo. The Chozo are a species of alien birds that inhabit many planets and are responsible for many of the events that occur in the story of the franchise. For example, the Chozo adopted Samus when she was a child and infused her with their DNA.

The mysterious Chozo knocks Samus into a sort of “physical amnesia” and she passes out. Upon waking up, she is lost in the depths of the planet, and her priority is to escape.

As Samus explores the planet, she will encounter a series of E.M.M.I. robots sent by the Galactic Federation to search for the X-Parasites. Because the Galactic Federation lost contact with the robots, the E.M.M.I. are now hostile towards Samus and try to capture her. 

To return to her ship and escape, Samus must explore the entire planet while narrowly avoiding the E.M.M.I. 

The Horrifying Adventure

Samus must explore many regions on the planet during her ascent to the surface. The player must use Samus’s abilities to defeat her foes while obtaining new abilities. Some of these abilities are new, while some iconic upgrades return. 

Samus retains multiple abilities, including her melee counter, her missiles, her power beam and the wall jump. However, Samus also has a new slide ability that allows her to quickly squeeze through small gaps. 

Throughout her journey, Samus obtains upgrades to her suit that allow her to perform abilities such as the spider magnet, which allows her to climb on neon blue walls and ceilings. To obtain these abilities, the player must defeat bosses, find Chozo statues that hold them or destroy one of the seven E.M.M.I. units.

To destroy the E.M.M.I. units, the player must navigate each E.M.M.I.’s dedicated section on the planet, which are spread between each major area. The player must reach the central unit of the area and destroy it to possess the Omega Beam. Once the player obtains the temporary beam, they will have a chance to destroy the E.M.M.I. However, if the player is spotted by the robots, they must evade capture by running away and hiding. If the player is caught, it’s game over.  

Graphically, Metroid Dread is impressive for the Nintendo Switch’s standards. The game runs at a smooth frame rate and has no issues on both docked and portable. The game’s lighting also gives off the feeling of dread as the player is exploring a whole new planet with no idea what’s around the corner. 

Metroid Dread also builds fear in its soundtrack. As players explore the E.M.M.I. regions, they hear only the constant beeping of the robots. Once they are caught, the music ramps up the sense of danger. The game’s soundtrack gives a feeling of dread when needed, and it is a memorable soundtrack players can enjoy while exploring the planet. 

Metroid Dread gives Metroid fansa new adventure to enjoy until Samus’ next adventure. Currently, Metroid Dread sits at $59.99 and is completely worth it for both veterans of the franchise and players looking for something new.