The Metroid games are a series action-adventure sci-fi video games created by the almighty video game company Nintendo. Much like Kirby, I have experience playing bits and pieces of Metroid games here and there, but I have never sat down to beat one of them all through in full session. Metroid Dread is a sequel to a game I have yet to play called Metroid Fusion which was released almost 20 years ago before Dread hit the market in 2021. “Metroid Dread” was considered a possible sequel that has been teased by Nintendo many times and was once attempted to be created on the Nintendo DS. Fans have been eager to see what was in store for their favorite bounty hunter. Gaming company “MercurySteam" had some big shoes to fill to make a game for both old fans and newcomers. Needless to say, they knocked it out of the park and gave a gaming experience worth all the praise and awards it has received over time.
After the events of Metroid Fusion, The Galactic Federation sends Samus to planet ZDR to investigate a recent virus called the X. The X has the power to mimic any creature it affects. They originally sent EMMIs (Extraplanetary Multiform Mobile Identifiers) to find X but have been reported missing after their arrival. Samus soon discovers that the EMMIs have been taken over by a creature known as Raven Beak. Raven Beak appears before Samus and strips her of her powers. Now Samus will have to make her way through ZDR and gain her lost abilities if she ever hopes to save the universe as she knows it. The story is very complex, with many bits and pieces of information thrown the players' way, but it surprisingly always feels manageable and easy to follow. It takes place right after the events of Metroid Fusion, but for newcomers like myself, it's straightforward to jump right into the experience without knowing much about the Metroid franchise.
The story’s tone is a mix of horrific sci-fi and action-adventure, and it rolls with that tone throughout the entire game. There will be many moments of darkness and plot twists, especially toward the end. There isn’t much in the name of character growth or emotional reactions from Samus, but that's okay because the journey is just as much about Samus’s journey as it is about the player’s journey in completing the mission. This story is excellent for beginners to the Metriod franchise and for seasoned players looking for more stories to be told in the Metriod universe.
The gameplay is silky smooth and incredibly satisfying. Samus controls so well, and there was never a moment when the controls felt unfair (except if you count trying to dodge the EMMIs.) All the power-ups and new abilities the player acquires will help a great deal in figuring out how to get out of tricky situations. You can find these upgrades when you come across Chozo Statues on any given level’s map. You’ll most likely end up using a specific ability more than once in one playthrough, which is excellent because these powers help to complete the mission more successfully. Collectibles can be found if you dare to explore areas of the map using newfound abilities. One of the game's significant highlights is the boss battles. The EMMIs are short bosses that you’ll often encounter in this game. At first, you’ll need to escape from the EMMIs using stealth techniques. If you get caught, you’ll only have a short time to melee-attack your way out of death, but the response time to push the buttons at the right time is highly exact, so it's best not to be in contact with them. The Omega blaster is the only way to defeat the EMMIs, and doing so will give Samus either an upgraded suit or a new ability. Other bosses also will get in the way of Samus’s mission, and each has a specific pattern that will require many tries to defeat the boss successfully. I had to endure trial and error many times to get past these threats. Still, once I figured out the patterns, it was incredibly satisfying to finally put an end to a boss's villainy. Make no mistake, this game is challenging even in rookie mood, but the gameplay encourages you to keep going despite the multiple Game Overs destined to be encountered. No matter how much you try and try again, this is excellent gameplay at its finest and maybe some of the tightest and most expertly crafted gameplay I’ve seen from the Nintendo Switch so far.
The graphics are great and very well executed. The game's visuals are like a classic 2D Metroid game but done with 3D graphics. This game never loses sight of the franchise's roots and creates an experience that many die-hard fans will go gaga over and for new players like me who have never picked up a Metroid game before. The planet ZDR has many different areas that beg for exploration. The maps are laid out in a way that is easy to understand, especially if you want to backtrack to a specific area of ZDR and find a hidden collectible. These locations follow the Metriodvannia style that most everyone associates with being a staple of most Metriod games. Each location on the ZDR map does blend together but not in a boring way. You’ll likely be roaming through underground caverns, lush jungles, and futuristic abandoned mechanical factories. The area with the EMMIs is especially haunting with its toned-down grays and whites, making for an uncertain and terrifying environment. The game’s graphics brings everything that worked visually in previous installments while also giving the visuals an upgrade in modern 3D graphics to breathe new life into the Metroid franchise.
The music is somber and epic at the same time. Many familiar tunes from past Metroid titles return, especially the melody that plays when Samus finds a new powerup. The music can also be very terrifying when the EMMIs hunt you down. Even during the boss fights, the music knows how to amp up the mood to make the player feel like they are standing their ground to defeat many of the game's bosses.This game did a great job in creating an excellent soundtrack to an already incredible game.
Metroid Dread will go down in my mental notes as the first ever Metroid game that I loved and have beaten all the way through until the end. Nintendo Switch Exclusives have never disappointed me, and Metroid Dread is among the best the Nintendo company has ever made. Its tight gameplay, engaging epic storyline, and top-of-the-line graphics are unforgettable. Whether you are a new player or an old seasoned player, this is a great game to challenge your skills regardless of the difficulty setting you up with. Any complaints I have with this game only boil down to nitpicks. Metriod’s future is looking very bright, and this game has encouraged me to finish up the other games in the franchise. This is not only an outstanding Nintendo Switch game but also one of the best that can stand among some of the other greats in the legendary system.
(Final Grade: A)