Metroid Dread takes it away with an outstanding sense of progression as you're again stuck on a new planet to explore through every nook and cranny. The area maps are logically tied together with enough open space to navigate and branch out through seperate routes more and also less optimally, while the main path is apparent enough with very little handholding.
Samus is speedy and nimble, a pure joy to navigate around with just like it was in Samus Returns for the 3DS.

Level design and fluidity aside, the environments of planet ZDR weren't really anything beyond the series usual attire, and some sub bosses were recycled just a little too much on the final stretch. The OST was certainly there and added the needed ambience and intensity, but compared to the rest of the series iconic pieces these compositions are my least favourites, still alright, just not very memorable.

Beyond it all, Dread's killer variations of enemy designs and bossfights is another force to be reckoned with and the narrative dropped my jaw to the floor a good couple of times with some of its directions, I really love how grand of a narrative leap Dread took tying in to the preceding games.

In the end apart from being a bit bland with its environmental tropes, Dread is simply amazing to play, it is both intuitive and challenging, beautiful in seamless motion, ultimately a structural masterpiece with great replayability.