Metroid Dread is a direct sequel to Metroid Fusion. That game launched in 2002 for the Game Boy Advance and is considered the last 2D entry in the series prior to this new game. That’s not exactly true as Metroid: Other M on the Wii was a mixture of 2D and 3D. There was also Metroid: Samus Returns in 2017 for the 3DS which was a remake but still a good 2D adventure.
Whatever the case may be fans have been looking forward to a new 2D Metroid game for quite some time. Is Metroid Dread a good distraction for Nintendo fans who are waiting for Metroid Prime 4 on Switch? The answer to that is mixed even though the numbers are overwhelmingly positive on Metacritic.
10 Best: Looks Sharp
Metroid Dread is one sharp-looking Switch title. For gamers that are lucky enough to find an OLED Switch out there, the game looks even better in handheld mode. OLED screens naturally help darker colors look better.
So seeing vibrant colors in Metroid Dread juxtaposed next to the darker ones really makes the game pop. It may be in 2D but the details in the backgrounds are also nicely done. Samus’ suit redesign also fits in nicely with the series.
9 Worst: The Load Times
The biggest thing holding the game back that the OLED Switch, unfortunately, can’t fix is the load times. The load-in from the start screen is the longest time players will have to wait on. Dying or moving in-between areas is not fast either but they are better by comparison.
Many issues players might have with Metroid Dread could stem back to this one problem. It’s the one thing that continues to show the Switch’s age as compared to the newer consoles which have lightning-fast speeds.
8 Best: Boss Battles
Boss battles have always been a treat in the Metroid games. Nintendo, and the other developers that have worked on the series, know how to show scale as compared to Samus’ size.
Kraid is a great example of this in Metroid Dread but there are new bosses to highlight as well. They’re cool to look at and are nicely balanced in terms of challenge. Figuring out the boss patterns is half the fun of this game and others in the series.
7 Worst: EMMI Sections
New to this series are the EMMI robots. These things cannot be killed in normal ways and are kind of boss battles in their own right. Certain sections of the map are protected by these killer robots who can capture Samus in a single hit.
Players can counter getting captured but the window of opportunity is incredibly slim and unforgiving. The EMMI sections clash with the rest of the game’s inviting sense of exploration and are not fun but instead frustrating.
6 Best: Diving Deeper Into Chozo Lore
The series has been all over the place in terms of the timeline. Metroid Fusion has been the further entry in the series since 2002 which means fans have been waiting almost two decades to get answers.
Thankfully Metroid Dread will not disappoint because not only is the parasitic virus from that game addressed, but the greater lore is also explored. The Chozo race, the Metroid species’ origins, and Samus’ part in all of this finally come to a satisfying conclusion.
5 Worst: Samus’ Silence
The answers are nice but the downside is that the way the story is presented is disjointed. Samus doesn’t talk which is a big problem. She has spoken before too which makes this even odder. It’s hard to sympathize with a character that acts as a silent robot.
Samus recaps the events in first-person from Metroid Fusion in the opening to this game. Even that section isn’t voiced but everything else in the game is except for her. This is one example of how the game can feel cheap at times or perhaps uneven in its storytelling capabilities.
4 Best: The Map’s Data
The map has always been a friend to players in this series. Each new entry sees the map get better and better and Metroid Dread is currently at its peak. Players can zoom in to get a better sense of the areas.
Doorways are labeled so that it is easier for players to remember which locations are locked and how. It’s great to see where EMMI robots are located. There are even waypoints players can fixate on the map which helps to track down items. It’s a much-improved system from the days of the original.
3 Worst: Still Easy To Get Lost
The map feature is great to help players get less lost, but the feeling is still going to happen. The problem with this game, and other entries in the series, is that the areas are perhaps too open. There is an inviting sense of exploration with many paths to choose from.
It’s sometimes hard for players to tell if they are missing something in an area like a hidden wall, or if they have to backtrack somewhere else because they lack a certain ability. It’s the strength and curse of the series and Metroidvanias overall.
2 Best: New Powers
Samus has many returning abilities in the game such as her iconic blaster and missiles. There are plenty of new powers as well such as countering. This was first introduced in Metroid: Samus Returns which the developers, Mercury Steam, also made.
Metroid Dread can feel like a sequel to that game along with Metroid Fusion. Some other power highlights include a way for Samus to stick to walls as well as an invisibility cloak to better hide from EMMI robots.
1 Worst: Save Points And Recharge Stations
Save points are thankfully plentiful in this game even if the checkpoint system can be uneven. The weird part about these save areas is that they don’t recharge health or weapons. That is done at separate stations which are sometimes far away from save points.
It doesn’t make sense to separate the two other than to seemingly frustrate players. It would be great if save locations could also act as fast travel points.
Metroid Dread was released on October 8, 2021, and is available on Switch.