First Metroid game I’ve ever played and I like it quite a bunch even despite how dumb I could be sometimes
I remember back in 2021 playing Metroid Dread for the first time. I hadn’t played much of Metroid up to that point, I’d only ever beaten Super Metroid, and I tried to play Fusion. Even with the little I had played of the series, I absolutely fell in love with it. When Metroid Dread was first announced I was ecstatic, I got it for Christmas that year, and I was tearing up during the opening cutscene. That was December of 2021, and now its June of 2024. I’ve now played far more of Metroid, Zero Mission, Fusion, Prime 1, and AM2R if you count it. For the longest time, I’ve been dying to replay Dread, and I finally got the motivation to, and I still absolutely adore it.
Immediately my favorite aspect of Metroid Dread are the bosses. I personally think that of the major 2D Metroids, Dread absolutely has the best array of bosses. I think that’s in part due to how long of a gap there’s been between Fusion and Dread. There’s been such a vast evolution of how games can function, between the time of the Gameboy Advance and that of the Switch. There are still patterns and such for boss encounters, but the kinds of attacks and all of the presentation for each boss is spectacular. I wouldn’t say that every single boss in Dread is of the same level of quality. There’s a decent number of miniboss-like encounters that are rather simple to deal with. And one of the major bosses in the game has always been one I don’t particularly enjoy (though it’s not terribly difficult). But aside from that small handful, I absolutely adore the bosses here. Even now upon this replay I still struggled a bit with the final boss, I think it took me about 4 tries (it took me a solid 10-20 on my first run though). I will definitely say this a lot as this goes on, but the final boss of Dread is one of my favorite bosses in all of Metroid, and my favorite final boss of the series.
As well, E.M.M.I zones are another amazing aspect of Dread. Building upon the idea of SA-X from Fusion, E.M.M.I zones are locations where E.M.M.I.s roam. Even at full capacity, Samus cannot hurt an E.M.M.I, and E.M.M.Is will almost instantly kill Samus if she gets caught by one. These sections of the game, even as you get more upgrades, are always terrifying. Even when you get a new movement upgrade that makes you think that E.M.M.Is are no longer a threat, the next one you see has something that can directly counter what you gained, or impede you in some unexpected way. What makes these areas as terrifying as they are is not just the E.M.M.I itself, but the entire presentation while an E.M.M.I is active. The environment is filled with drones of far off noises, as you can hear far off clicks and beeps of the E.M.M.I, moving through the environment. If its in the same room as you, you hear it beeping, and even on the mini-map you’ll see a large red dot wherever the E.M.M.I is. And if you make a noise near it, it can hear that, and it’ll start following every noise you make, and eventually catch you unless you hide in time. And when an E.M.M.I sees you, all that quiet lingering dread is instantly replaced with terror as the music becomes intense, rapid, and aggressive, as you have to run away as fast as you can. Metroid Dread does an amazing thing with E.M.M.I zones, creating these areas that, no matter what, you are powerless in regardless of the upgrades you have. And creates these beasts that are nothing more than terrifying.
I also completely adore the story of Metroid Dread. I loved it when I first played it back in 2021, but now that I’ve played the other 2D Metroids, I adore it even more. It feels like the perfect evolution for both the world of Metroid, and of Samus’ character. Theres also so many subtle things that I’ve only been able to notice after having already beaten Dread and the other 2D Metroids. I don’t plan on saying anything about it here as I don’t want to spoil a game I adore, but the entire ending sequence (starting with the final boss) is one of my favorite story moments in all of Metroid.
When it came to replaying Metroid Dread, I had the impulse drive to try and 100% it, and I did. I’ve never 100%’d a Metroid before, but that’s mainly because I never tried to. So why not make my first attempt at one be my favorite of the series? For the first general try of a 100% run, it took me 16 hours overall, according to the endgame timer, and I don’t know how well that really stacks up. Honestly it wasn’t terrible, though I definitely struggled at a good number of areas. I tried my best to get things as I was going through the game, instead of saving it all until the end, though there definitely was a point where I had to do that. The main thing I struggled with were all of the shinespark puzzles throughout the game. There always felt like such a small window of time to get to the location I need to shinespark at, and I still struggle to shinespark mid-air, though that didn’t seem necessary often. That being said, when I did solve the puzzle, it felt super good, and I was really proud of myself in getting it right. Dread is a pretty good game to try and 100% too, especially since it gives you a lot of highlights to where hidden items can be, so you barely need a guide for it I feel. I definitely think any future replay I have for Metroid Dread will likely be a 100% run, I just had too much fun.
Yet again, I still love Metroid Dread. I’m so glad it was able to exist in the first place, Metroid had been dormant for such a long time, the only 2D Metroid that existed in recent memory when Dread was first announced was a remake of Metroid 2. So for a new entry into 2D Metroid proper to not only exist but be of this high quality, I am so amazed. I do really hope moving forward, we’re able to get more 2D Metroids, or even just more Metroid as whole, Prime 4 is still an unknown existence, but the world, gameplay, and story of Metroid is still so unique to me, I cant help but hope for more.
Immediately my favorite aspect of Metroid Dread are the bosses. I personally think that of the major 2D Metroids, Dread absolutely has the best array of bosses. I think that’s in part due to how long of a gap there’s been between Fusion and Dread. There’s been such a vast evolution of how games can function, between the time of the Gameboy Advance and that of the Switch. There are still patterns and such for boss encounters, but the kinds of attacks and all of the presentation for each boss is spectacular. I wouldn’t say that every single boss in Dread is of the same level of quality. There’s a decent number of miniboss-like encounters that are rather simple to deal with. And one of the major bosses in the game has always been one I don’t particularly enjoy (though it’s not terribly difficult). But aside from that small handful, I absolutely adore the bosses here. Even now upon this replay I still struggled a bit with the final boss, I think it took me about 4 tries (it took me a solid 10-20 on my first run though). I will definitely say this a lot as this goes on, but the final boss of Dread is one of my favorite bosses in all of Metroid, and my favorite final boss of the series.
As well, E.M.M.I zones are another amazing aspect of Dread. Building upon the idea of SA-X from Fusion, E.M.M.I zones are locations where E.M.M.I.s roam. Even at full capacity, Samus cannot hurt an E.M.M.I, and E.M.M.Is will almost instantly kill Samus if she gets caught by one. These sections of the game, even as you get more upgrades, are always terrifying. Even when you get a new movement upgrade that makes you think that E.M.M.Is are no longer a threat, the next one you see has something that can directly counter what you gained, or impede you in some unexpected way. What makes these areas as terrifying as they are is not just the E.M.M.I itself, but the entire presentation while an E.M.M.I is active. The environment is filled with drones of far off noises, as you can hear far off clicks and beeps of the E.M.M.I, moving through the environment. If its in the same room as you, you hear it beeping, and even on the mini-map you’ll see a large red dot wherever the E.M.M.I is. And if you make a noise near it, it can hear that, and it’ll start following every noise you make, and eventually catch you unless you hide in time. And when an E.M.M.I sees you, all that quiet lingering dread is instantly replaced with terror as the music becomes intense, rapid, and aggressive, as you have to run away as fast as you can. Metroid Dread does an amazing thing with E.M.M.I zones, creating these areas that, no matter what, you are powerless in regardless of the upgrades you have. And creates these beasts that are nothing more than terrifying.
I also completely adore the story of Metroid Dread. I loved it when I first played it back in 2021, but now that I’ve played the other 2D Metroids, I adore it even more. It feels like the perfect evolution for both the world of Metroid, and of Samus’ character. Theres also so many subtle things that I’ve only been able to notice after having already beaten Dread and the other 2D Metroids. I don’t plan on saying anything about it here as I don’t want to spoil a game I adore, but the entire ending sequence (starting with the final boss) is one of my favorite story moments in all of Metroid.
When it came to replaying Metroid Dread, I had the impulse drive to try and 100% it, and I did. I’ve never 100%’d a Metroid before, but that’s mainly because I never tried to. So why not make my first attempt at one be my favorite of the series? For the first general try of a 100% run, it took me 16 hours overall, according to the endgame timer, and I don’t know how well that really stacks up. Honestly it wasn’t terrible, though I definitely struggled at a good number of areas. I tried my best to get things as I was going through the game, instead of saving it all until the end, though there definitely was a point where I had to do that. The main thing I struggled with were all of the shinespark puzzles throughout the game. There always felt like such a small window of time to get to the location I need to shinespark at, and I still struggle to shinespark mid-air, though that didn’t seem necessary often. That being said, when I did solve the puzzle, it felt super good, and I was really proud of myself in getting it right. Dread is a pretty good game to try and 100% too, especially since it gives you a lot of highlights to where hidden items can be, so you barely need a guide for it I feel. I definitely think any future replay I have for Metroid Dread will likely be a 100% run, I just had too much fun.
Yet again, I still love Metroid Dread. I’m so glad it was able to exist in the first place, Metroid had been dormant for such a long time, the only 2D Metroid that existed in recent memory when Dread was first announced was a remake of Metroid 2. So for a new entry into 2D Metroid proper to not only exist but be of this high quality, I am so amazed. I do really hope moving forward, we’re able to get more 2D Metroids, or even just more Metroid as whole, Prime 4 is still an unknown existence, but the world, gameplay, and story of Metroid is still so unique to me, I cant help but hope for more.
I thought the length of this game was perfect. Seven hours of getting one new upgrade at a time, slowly feeling more and more powerful and capable. It gave me enough time to master one tool before introducing another. Learning the boss fights was the highlight for me as it felt really satisfying to be able to take zero damage for a sustained period of time with a lot of crazy attacks coming my way. Loved the cinematic cutscenes more than any in a game I've played. The final boss fight was very challenging and a satisfying finale. My first 2d difficult game I've completed. Overall it wasn't quite as good as I was expecting. I didn't enjoy all the backtracking and solving the maze.
Metroid Dread es un metroidvania creado por el estudio español MercurySteam y que ha conseguido llevar a una saga histórica como Metroid de una forma muy cuidada. La jugabilidad de este juego es probablemente lo mejor de este juego, ya que la forma en la que se van consiguiendo habilidades es muy progresiva y natural y le aportan frescura al desplazamiento y el combate. Los enemigos y los jefes también son en su mayoría muy buenos, con diseños vistosos y animaciones trabajadas. Debo comentar que debido a la repetición constante de dos jefes en concreto estos se me han hecho repetitivos al final. Me ha sorprendido gratamente el nivel de dificultad en ciertos combates, ya que me he encontrado un desafío interesante de jugar. El diseño de mundo es lo que más me ha decepcionado del juego sin lugar a dudas, ya que viniendo de otros metroidvania me esperaba una estructura más abierta y me he encontrado con una linealidad subyacente que no te dejaba en ningún momento salirte del "camino principal". Pasando al apartado gráfico, el juego funciona muy bien en portátil (que es como lo he jugado), a 60 fps sólidos en la mayor parte del juego y una sorprendente calidad en las texturas al tratarse de la Switch; además de un más que correcto apartado artístico y sonoro. No pasa lo mismo con la banda sonora, que no toma protagonismo en ninguna ocasión y, exceptuando el tema principal de la saga, es muy olvidable. La historia tampoco es nada del otro mundo, y el contexto del mundo es interesante pero tampoco me ha llamado lo suficiente la atención como para indagar más en él. No puedo negar que venía con otras expectativas puestas en este Metroid Dread, por lo que me he llevado una ligera decepción al ver que no llega a cumplirlas. Aun así, es un juego muy disfrutable y recomendable para quienes quieran una corta (unas 11 horas) e intensa experiencia con una buena jugabilidad. 8,2/10
(06/2024)
(06/2024)
God, this game is so damn good. Great atmosphere, great level design and great boss fights. Samus controls so smoothly too. Trying to beat the game in less and less time during each playthrough is a great challenge.
Not words to describe it, just excellent
Hay momentos que uf y me he perdido porque el mapa es que no lo entiendo.
Pero bueno.
Pero bueno.
Only actually good Metroid game lmfao
One of my favorite metroid games. Picking this game up after waiting so long for a new game was amazing. The bosses, the level design, and the soundtrack are just so amazing and i pray to god it doesn’t take as long to get the next 2d metroid.
This review contains spoilers
Nintendo's design philosophy appears to be a pared down approach to the genres it dabbles in that trades complexity for technical refinement. Metroid Dread is no exception in this regard. The game feels fantastic to play, and it's one dopamine hit to the next for the duration of every play session, but once it's all said and done you look back on it and just think well that was a tad shallow weren't it?
Dread lacks a real sense of exploration and wonder. I felt like I was playing through a series of levels layered on top of each other, rather than mastering the nooks and crannies of a highly expansive map ala castlevania or blood stained. This I think works to the detriment of the overall experience because there's far less to revisit and discover once your first playthrough is done and dusted making it a short game with little sense of wonder.
All that said the game still does shine with its EMMI sections that pit you against invulnerable stalker enemies that are reminiscent of a survival horror baddie, and the final boss fight was a treat. The game is not totally without challenge and intrigue as a result.
Gameplay wise the parrying mechanic is endlessly satisfying to pull off, and as samus is upgraded you really are utterly submerged in a power fantasy. This is where the technical refinement shines. It just feels so smooth, so good to play and is scott the wozz voice FUN FUN FUN.
Nintendo is a baby's first company, and Metroid Dread is therefore a baby's first metroidvania, but it's a bloody good one and it's a solid starting point for anyone new to metroid or the genre at large. Seasoned players however will find the experience enjoyable but shallow, like a spoonful of sugar and just as sweet.
Dread lacks a real sense of exploration and wonder. I felt like I was playing through a series of levels layered on top of each other, rather than mastering the nooks and crannies of a highly expansive map ala castlevania or blood stained. This I think works to the detriment of the overall experience because there's far less to revisit and discover once your first playthrough is done and dusted making it a short game with little sense of wonder.
All that said the game still does shine with its EMMI sections that pit you against invulnerable stalker enemies that are reminiscent of a survival horror baddie, and the final boss fight was a treat. The game is not totally without challenge and intrigue as a result.
Gameplay wise the parrying mechanic is endlessly satisfying to pull off, and as samus is upgraded you really are utterly submerged in a power fantasy. This is where the technical refinement shines. It just feels so smooth, so good to play and is scott the wozz voice FUN FUN FUN.
Nintendo is a baby's first company, and Metroid Dread is therefore a baby's first metroidvania, but it's a bloody good one and it's a solid starting point for anyone new to metroid or the genre at large. Seasoned players however will find the experience enjoyable but shallow, like a spoonful of sugar and just as sweet.
Metroid Dread is a evolution of its genre and its series as Metroid Dread is a great place to be introduced to the Metroid Series. Metroid Dread provides a sense of fear but also discovery when exploring the map that is provided to the player. There is always something that is hidden as this game rewards you for finding all its hidden secrets as Metroid Dread may be a difficult game and may make you feel dread but Metroid Dread has a satisfactory feeling when beating a boss battle along with its fluid controls providing tight platforming and traversal making this one of the bet 2D Metroidvania's to exist.
This is simply the best 2D platform game ever made.
"Don’t worry… I’ll end this. Once and for all."
A welcome return to form, with some of the smoothest 2D action platforming one would dream of a new Metroid playing like. Dread mostly plays out like a greatest hits album for the Metroid series but given the gaps between Fusion & now it seems only fair to reintroduce veterans and recruits of the series here. I think from here on out I hope the next 2D game comes sooner rather then later and they take some new directions in the design, mechanics and settings going forward. To my surprise getting a true sequel to Fusion was unexpected and led to some incredibly satisfying payoffs to the previous games and the final moments go unreasonably hard. Still not a huge fan of 2.5D style games and parts of Dread look pretty rough at points in comparison to its legacy titles but this is probably the best use of the dimension I've played at this time. Here's hoping for a bright future for the series going forward and Prime 4 isn't just vaporware collecting dust inside Nintendo HQ at this time.
A welcome return to form, with some of the smoothest 2D action platforming one would dream of a new Metroid playing like. Dread mostly plays out like a greatest hits album for the Metroid series but given the gaps between Fusion & now it seems only fair to reintroduce veterans and recruits of the series here. I think from here on out I hope the next 2D game comes sooner rather then later and they take some new directions in the design, mechanics and settings going forward. To my surprise getting a true sequel to Fusion was unexpected and led to some incredibly satisfying payoffs to the previous games and the final moments go unreasonably hard. Still not a huge fan of 2.5D style games and parts of Dread look pretty rough at points in comparison to its legacy titles but this is probably the best use of the dimension I've played at this time. Here's hoping for a bright future for the series going forward and Prime 4 isn't just vaporware collecting dust inside Nintendo HQ at this time.
Excelente Regreso a la saga 2D
This was the first game I immediately replayed after finishing.
Graphically very nice, incredibly punishing in combat, unfriendly to a newbie to the genre.
I'm a lot more split on this game than I thought I would be. There's quite a few issues to unpack here, from obvious padding with the constant boss reuse (not the EMMIs, but the Chozo Warriors), to the much more prevalent very linear/hand-holdy progression structure. In multiple ways, the game feels like it's actively trying to disincentivize you from exploring and finding secrets, and in general, the pacing feels pretty off.
However, despite all that, this is also a game with the best movement/kit/controls in the series, well designed puzzles and levels, the EMMI zones are great, and the best combat/bosses in the series by far. The final boss is as amazing as everyone says he is. Play this game just for him.
The potential for my score to increase on replays is pretty high as well, considering the sequence breaks.
Overall I feel like MercurySteam both greatly improved on some of their concepts from Samus Returns and also did some things worse. Still a really fun time nonetheless.
However, despite all that, this is also a game with the best movement/kit/controls in the series, well designed puzzles and levels, the EMMI zones are great, and the best combat/bosses in the series by far. The final boss is as amazing as everyone says he is. Play this game just for him.
The potential for my score to increase on replays is pretty high as well, considering the sequence breaks.
Overall I feel like MercurySteam both greatly improved on some of their concepts from Samus Returns and also did some things worse. Still a really fun time nonetheless.
I started this straight after finishing PoP: The Lost Crown, and just... wow. I want more.
It's just very fun to play. Playing as Samus just felt so good, that I even tried performing actual speedrunning techniques just to try and push the limit on my control over the game.
A needed return for the series. The stealth parts are pretty lame though. Shame, because I hoped it was an upgrade to the Zero Suit segments in Metroid: Zero Mission which is my favorite part of that game.
Lol I forgot to review this. Apparently the hardest 2d Metroid? Only one I've played but I loved it a lot.
One of the most fun games I've ever played. Movement, Combat, Bosses, Level design, everything is flawless.
The story is also pretty good for how little it spends with cutscenes and dialogue, with an ending that finishes it all in a very satisfying way.
The story is also pretty good for how little it spends with cutscenes and dialogue, with an ending that finishes it all in a very satisfying way.
Everything about this game is incredible. The movement is some of the best in the series and some of the most fun abilities. The cutscenes and presentation of Samus' personality is one of my favorite uses of her character. The boss cutscenes are cinematic and so exhilarating to watch. Raven Beak is also one of the greatest Metroid villains ever.
A really polished, balanced and aesthetically gorgeous game. One of the best games I've probably played in the last 5 years. A really solid and complex gameplay combined with the highly intuitive mechanics the game proposes. Level design-wise this game is a masterpiece. Even with all its secondary, hidden paths with upgrades and the already complex metroidvania laberynthic structure the level offers, I was rarely lost in the game. Boss fights are extremely fair and cool to fight in. My only complain is that sometimes it felt like they dragged on for a little too long like the final boss. Other than that the game has very little flaws and is really enjoyable to play.
the best metroid game, and it's not close
gostei da sensação dos controles, mas às vezes os comandos eram muito convolutos
e gostei de alguns bosses também
mas no geral é ruim como metroidvania
e ruim como jogo principalmente por causa da quantidade absurda de loadings e cutscenes
e gostei de alguns bosses também
mas no geral é ruim como metroidvania
e ruim como jogo principalmente por causa da quantidade absurda de loadings e cutscenes
Holy peak. First Metroid game and I loved it.
Only cons I can think of: Chozo soldier fights get a little repetitive, sometimes the game blocks you from exploring too much, and the controls for certain abilities take some getting used to.
Beat on Normal, Hard, and Dread difficulties all with 100% item completion.
Only cons I can think of: Chozo soldier fights get a little repetitive, sometimes the game blocks you from exploring too much, and the controls for certain abilities take some getting used to.
Beat on Normal, Hard, and Dread difficulties all with 100% item completion.
Easily the most fun I've had getting around in a Metroid game
Pas aussi catégorique que la majorité des gens mais bon jeu nonobstant.
delicinha tá