In 2005, there were rumors about a game called Metroid Dread. It would supposedly release for the Nintendo DS console and be a sequel to Metroid Fusion. The game would build on the horror elements of Fusion to create something truly special. Unfortunately, the technology wasn’t there to bring the vision to life so the game was shelved. Until summer 2021, when the game was a surprise announcement during Nintendo’s E3 showcase.
Metroid Dread has a lot to live up to. Despite producing some of the most iconic and influential games ever made, Metroid remains a niche series in Nintendo’s library. It had middling sales, having never achieved much success in Japan. The franchise frequently goes through droughts of content. Compared to Mario, Zelda, or Pokémon, the Metroid series doesn’t get much attention from Nintendo. Its been years since we’ve received a non-remake Metroid game, longer still since we’ve received chronological sequel. With all that in mind, I’m happy to say that Metroid Dread is a resounding success.
Much of Metroid Dread’s success lies in the gameplay. Never before has Samus Aran felt so fun to play as. The controls are buttery smooth and precise, allowing you to perform complicated platforming maneuvers with ease. Samus Aran is agile, bounding over small obstacles, sliding underneath them, and parrying her enemies without breaking stride. The new abilities serve to maintain Samus’ momentum as she go through the levels.
The movement system is further enhanced by the abilities that you acquire as you play the game. The Flash Shift allows you to dash forwards and backwards instantaneously, the grapple beam allows you to swing off certain surfaces, and the speed boost lets Samus move at supersonic speeds through levels. Once you become accustomed to the movement system, its hard not become addicted to it.
Aside from the aforementioned upgrades, Metroid Dread features an impressive selection of abilities; both old and new. As a long-time Metroid fan, I was pleased to see some of my favorite abilities return, such as the speed boost, and screw attack. I also loved brand-new abilities like the Storm Missile. This upgrade lets Samus charge up missiles, paint enemies with reticles, and unleash a barrage of homing missiles in their face. It’s incredibly satisfying to use.
Boss fights in Metroid Dread are some of the most challenging in the series; requiring pattern recognition and effective utilization of Samus’ suit upgrades. Some of the bosses near the end will absolutely stop you to pieces. However, once you figure out their patterns and which ability to use at the right moment, many of these bosses are defeated fairly easily. In my second playthrough on Hard Mode, I was able to defeat most bosses in one or two attempts.
Much of the discourse surrounding Metroid Dread has focused on its difficulty, with some reviewers likening it to Dark Souls. Personally, I find the discussion of its difficulty overblown. Metroid Dread is definitely one of the more challenging Metroid titles, but it doesn’t compare to the likes of Dark Souls, Nioh, or even Hollow Knight in difficulty. The game is generous with its checkpoints and will respawn you right outside a boss room.
Even the EMMI’s are not as difficult as would initially seem. EMMI’s are giant robots that patrol specific areas of the map. Once you enter an EMMI area, they will begin to track you down. . The EMMI sections are where Metroid Dread’s movement system shines. EMMI’s are intelligent and will track you relentlessly. These sections quickly become cat-and-mouse games where you run through unknown areas attempting to escape the robot. If they catch you, they will instantly kill you. Samus can fend them off if you press a button at the right time, but the timing is intentionally inconsistent and difficult to pull off. Even when you die, you will respawn right outside the EMMI area, so you hardly lose any progress.
The EMMI evoke a kind of robotic science-fiction horror similar to the Terminator. But they pale in comparison to the SA-X. Metroid Dread undercuts the threat of the EMMI by quickly showing us that we can kill them – we just need the right tool. The SA-X was an insurmountable threat that could never overcome until the very end of the game. The SA-X could (theoretically) appear anywhere at anytime, which created a sense of paranoia. The EMMI are confined to specific areas of the map. The EMMI evoked fear akin to being chased by a predator, rather than existential dread.
The game isn’t terribly welcoming to newcomers, though. Metroid Dread sticks to its Metroidvania roots, with vague hints and open-ended exploration. Metroid Dread will not hold your hand or guide you to the next part of the game. Progression in Metroid Dread is trying to explore as much of the map as possible until you hit the limits of where you can go, then finding an upgrade which allows you to access new areas. Then you continue to expand the boundaries of your map until you find another upgrade and so on. Metroid veterans won’t have too many problems figuring things out, but new players may struggle somewhat. I prefer games that trust the player to figure things out for themselves rather than games that hold your hand.
That said, I wish the map system was more fleshed out. The map highlights a bunch of different icons and allows you to place markers, so you can get your bearings easily. However, it will quickly become more and more cluttered as you progress. I would have preferred a more robust map system to filter for multiple icons at once or maybe a pathing system that will guide you to a room you’ve previously marked. A small change like that would make Metroid Dread more accommodating to new players, especially with the sprawling size of these levels.
As someone who is unapologetically biased towards pixel art, I was surprised at how gorgeous Metroid Dread looks. MercurySteam puts the hardware of the Nintendo Switch to good use; the muddy low-detail visuals of Samus Returns are instead crisp, detailed, and slick in Dread. The levels especially look stellar with animated backgrounds that draw you into the environments. For a 2D game, Metroid Dread frequently looks like a 3D one. This is especially noticeable during the cutscenes or when the camera zooms in for a 2.5D view.
One of the biggest challenges that Metroid Dread faced prior to release was the story. Metroid Dread is also titled Metroid 5 and had been touted as the long-awaited conclusion to the “Metroid Saga” that started with Metroid 1 in the 1980’s. It has been almost 20 years since we have had a chronological sequel to Metroid Fusion, which released in 2002. And I’m happy to say that Metroid Dread delivers. Not only is the story engaging and crammed full of lore, but it also wraps up the saga in a poignant way.
The characterization for Samus is also top-notch. Samus Aran is one of my favorite video game characters of all time and I was gutted to see her characterization trampled on during Metroid Other M. Metroid Dread represents a return to form for the bounty hunter.
Samus has always been an introspective character; one who says little and lets her actions do the talking. Its fitting that Samus would remain mostly silent in Metroid Dread. MercurySteam instead has her communicate solely through body language, which the developers did an amazing job animating. We see glimpses of the fearless, legendary bounty hunter, tinged with human moments of swagger, uncertainty, or anger.
Samus Aran is not some demure anime “waifu” in a body suit; she’s a warrior who has fought hundreds of monsters, aliens, and eldritch threats. Metroid Dread seems like a course correction from those misguided decisions and I’m glad that MercurySteam understood this. Metroid Dread gives me the Metroid experience I always imagined in my head when I played Fusion and Zero Mission in the early 2000’s.
To finish off this post, I wanted to tell a quick story. There is another Nintendo franchise called Fire Emblem. This franchise existed since 1990 and despite putting out some masterpieces it suffered from declining sales. Eventually, Nintendo told the development team that Fire Emblem 13 would be the last Fire Emblem game unless it could sell over 250,000 copies. Fire Emblem 13, now called Awakening, would go on to sell 242,000 copies in its opening week. Fire Emblem Awakening was a revitalization for the franchise, taking Fire Emblem from a C-list Nintendo property only known from Smash Bros. to a genuine A-lister. Fire Emblem Awakening’s success would lead to the release of Fire Emblem Fates, Shadows of Valentia, and Three Houses.
I want Metroid Dread to be the “Awakening” for the Metroid franchise. The game is already breaking sales records for the Metroid series. It’s even increased sales for older Metroid titles as fans try to either revisit or play them for the first time. I hope that Nintendo sees the success of Metroid Dread as an opportunity to capitalize on it.
The Metroid franchise still has so much to offer. Older games should be ported over to the Switch so old and new fans can experience them in a convenient way. I’d love to see MercurySteam make the next 2D Metroid game. I’m eager to see if Metroid Prime 4 lives up to the hype. I’d love to see a developer attempt a Metroid action game. Metroid Dread has me optimistic for the future.
Dar Al-Tadabur 