Metroid Dread review: Metroid? Check. Dread? CHECK.
Title: Metroid Dread
Developer: Nintendo EPD, MercurySteam
Publishers: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Release Date: October 8, 2021
I’ll be frank…if you read through all my ramblings on the internet when it comes to gaming, you’d find there was one genre I desperately want to get into but never can…”Metroidvania”. So before you go into this, I want to warn you ahead of time these types of games are normally not my jam. But worry not if you have high hopes for this game, as a guy who can’t stand this genre, Metroid Dread is fantastic.
Metroid Dread takes place after the events of 2002’s excellent Metroid Fusion. If you don’t recall, Samus crashed the large research station with all of its various life forms into the planet SR388, destroying the research station, the planet and the entire X species. Or so we thought. After receiving a mysterious transmission that shows one of the gooey X-virus species floating around the surface of Planet ZDR, Samus heads off to investigate.
Upon arrival, Samus has her ass laid out by some giant thing and wakes up in what is quite possibly the best damn suit Samus has ever worn.
From there, she enters the newest series of caverns ran by a civilization of people whose idea of security was to prevent you from going through a door unless you shoot it with the correct gun — which is insane but it’s a staple of the series so I respect it.
If you played Metroid Fusion, you’ll also remember the creepiest thing ever to exist in the series, SA-X. The SA-X was a particular cluster of the X Virus that decided to replicate Samus, in her armor, at full strength. Bombs, missiles, screw attack, all of it. The only thing she changed was her damned creepy thousand-yard stare which, luckily, the game’s opening flashback reminds you of.
While it might seem comforting that the SA-X is notably absent as you start your journey, it’s less fun to realize that, instead, you’ll be having a date with E.M.M.I. Seven E.M.M.I.s to be exact.
An E.M.M.I. is a robot originally designed for research and science that have absorbed certain aspects of power stolen from Samus while she was unconscious. Neigh impossible to defeat unless you have particular energy coursing through you, these four-legged creatures with the mobility of an octopus will not only kill you immediately in one hit, but do so by giving you one brief moment of escape. You need to channel Evo Moment 37 to counter before it runs a spike through your face, neck or chest, killing you instantly.
I’m assuming this is where the “dread” comes into play because while exploring Metroid‘s labyrinthian stages are usually a bit of a slow-moving affair, these things will rend physics itself to get to you through doors and sometimes walls. I found myself holding my breath for a moment when I cloaked Samus just in time and an E.M.M.I. was scanning my immediate area, trying to figure out where I went.
Outside the robotic hounds, the rest of the game is standard Metroid business. Find certain beams and abilities, travel to new areas, backtrack, reveal more information, gasp a bit at a twist, and press on. But it also features the counter system that many newer Metroid games have, which makes battling a lot more fun. Now instead of just mashing the trigger, you can wait until a glint appears on an enemy and physically hit them at the right moment before blasting them with a move that takes them out in one hit. If you’re lucky you can also do devastating attacks on bosses like I did here with the first boss.
In addition to control enhancements and a slew of quality of life improvements, this game is fantastic in sound design and graphics. Unlike most Metroidvanias that set the tone by making everything dark and gloomy, the OG goes in and shows you how every situation can be ruined. Bright, medically lit corridors, glowing lava pits, rocky caverns, all of these can echo with the sound of your swearing as you get chased about.
Doesn’t hurt that everything does to the save rooms are gorgeous in comparison to the previous games.
The sound design is great, too, with perfectly toned music and background sound effects that really seal the deal. You’ll see skittering creatures moving about in the background, hoses hissing, machines occasionally stuttering, the distant sound of an E.M.M.I. opening the door in the same area as you and, oh god, I need to run again.
My only complaint is that the map is somewhat of a nightmare to read. Trying to figure out a path gets a little clunky when your map is covered in overlapping icons. But beyond that, Metroid Dread is a fantastic return for Samus.
Metroid Dread (Nintendo Switch) Score: 9.5
Metroid Dread is an amazing return for Samus with fantastic controls, excellent sound design and a wonderful overall aesthetic. Even as someone who’s not normally fond of Metroidvania-style games, the intensity of Metroid Dread held my attention to the point where I felt heartbroken the first time my Switch let me know the batteries were about to die.
A copy of this game was provided to App Trigger for the purpose of this review. All scores are ranked out of 10, with .5 increments. Click here to learn more about our Review Policy.