Today's Nintendo Direct had many surprises for fans, but perhaps nothing was as shocking as the surprise announcement of Metroid Dread, a brand new 2D Metroid game that's set to release later this year. The newly announced game wasn't the only reference to the series, however, as Metroid Prime 4 was name-dropped right before its reveal. There was no new information provided about Prime 4 and its development other than a statement saying that Nintendo is "working hard" on it, but the announcement of Metroid Dread will surely keep fans of the series satisfied for a while.
While there's still very little known about Metroid Prime 4, there are many clear distinctions separating it from Metroid Dread. While both were mentioned in the same breath, the two seem to be different in nearly every way barring, of course, title and genre. Here are the major differences between Metroid Dread and the upcoming Metroid Prime 4.
Extended Metroid Development Times
Officially announced during today's Nintendo Direct, Metroid Dread has been in development for a long time. Revealed in a brief interview with the game's producer, Sakamoto Yoshio, Metroid Dread has taken many different forms over the years and was even on the verge of being scrapped because of the technological limitations the team experienced.
Even though it may feel like it's been 15 years since Metroid Prime 4 was first officially announced, it's likely that it's been in development since at least 2017, the year it was revealed. This means that, while a four-year development cycle might seem long, it's still got quite some time before hitting the 15-year mark. Additionally, despite its announcement in 2017, Metroid Prime 4's development was rebooted in 2019, so the title has only technically had roughly two years of work done on it.
The Differences in Metroid Story and Canon
Nintendo rarely does direct sequels for its tentpole titles, what's more, the studio rarely keeps running continuity through multiple games. The one major exception for this is the Metroid franchise.
All of the games are a part of the larger timeline that's more directly related game-to-game than other Nintendo series with timelines such as The Legend of Zelda. The Metroid Prime series is directly related to the rest of the Metroid canon, but the four main games and two spin-offs stand on their own as a series and don't have much in terms of connective tissue to the rest of the timeline. It's likely that the events of Metroid Prime 4 will take place directly after Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and have little bearing on the events of Metroid Dread.
Metroid Dread, on the other hand, was stated to be a continuation of the story from Metroid, Metroid 2, Super Metroid, and Metroid Fusion. Yoshio said that the game is the final chapter in the story arc of Samus' relationship with the titular Metroids. Because the Prime series takes place between Metroid and Metroid 2, Prime 4's story will most likely be completely separate from Dread's and not intersect in any meaningful way.
Metroid Dread's Gameplay vs. Metroid Prime 4's
Perhaps the biggest difference between Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime 4 is how the two will play. Metroid Dread is a classic 2D Metroid game akin to the originals series. Players can expect environmental puzzles and hidden pathways opening new environments through acquired gear. 2D exploration will likely take the wheel for Metroid Dread in the same way as games like Metroid Fusion and Super Metroid. A new addition to the gameplay is the E.M.M.I. robots that are constantly pursuing Samus. They're dog-like creatures who have a similar role as the Xenomorphs in Alien: Isolation — to pursue the player and keep them on their toes.
There hasn't been any gameplay shown off for Metroid Prime 4, but the Prime series sets itself apart from the rest of the franchise because of its first-person perspective. Metroid Prime 4 will likely keep that tradition going by translating the classic 2D Metroid exploration into a 3D experience. Other Metroid Prime titles have been compared to Western first-person shooters, and while that description may be accurate in some regards, the series still has a heavy emphasis on exploration and puzzle-solving.
Both Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime 4 will likely share some of the Metroid series' classic abilities, such as rockets and the Morph Ball, but both will probably introduce new powers never before seen in the franchise. It's already been confirmed that Dread has new abilities like the Phantom Cloak that allows Samus to hide from the E.M.M.I. robots in plain sight, but it's still to be seen what abilities Metroid Prime 4 will include.
Metroid Dread's Tone
There are many sci-fi inspirations that the Metroid series clearly draws from. Despite citing influences like Ridley Scott's Alien and H.R. Giger's terrifying monster design, the games usually embrace the fantastical wonder elements of exploring alien worlds rather than existential horror ones.
Metroid Dread's tone is obvious from the title alone: it's a darker, more sci-fi horror-inspired entry than any previous games in the series. The constant threat of the E.M.M.I. will likely define the experience and cause plenty of blood-chilling moments. The Metroid Prime series definitely has its twisted moments, particularly in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, but the games rely more on wonder and exploration to help set their tone.
It's currently unclear how far Metroid Dread will lean into the horror elements of its premise, but if the title and the limited gameplay shown following the Direct are anything to judge it by, the game seems to embrace fear more than past entries. If Dread is received well, it might also influence the tone of Metroid Prime 4 depending on how far along in development the game actually is.
Metroid Dread launches on October 8, 2021 for the Nintendo Switch.