Metroid Dread is an award-winning action-adventure game developed by MecurySteam and NintendoEPD for the Nintendo Switch. In this game, the player plays as Samus Aran, an intergalactic bounty hunter, as she explores Planet ZDR upon receiving a mysterious transmission from a source on the planet.
Based on a 2D side-scrolling platformer gameplay, this game features a large interconnected world map that the player can explore. However, many areas of the map are made inaccessible due to locked doors or obstacles which can be passed once the player unlocks certain abilities or upgrades which are acquired throughout the game by defeating challenging bosses or reaching certain locations in the game. At times, the player will be required to retrace their steps to previous locations in order to progress in the game.
Lens 9: Elemental Tetrad
Mechanics
In this game, the Samus is able to move laterally with the ability to jump, crouch and slide. Her primary weapon is her arm cannon which can be aimed freely. Samus’s health and her missiles are the 2 main resources that the player has to maintain, which can be restored by reaching checkpoints or killing enemies. As Samus explores Planet ZDR, she will gain upgrades and additional abilities for her Power Suit, which can be used to interact with the environment to unlock new or hidden areas. These new abilities also help Samus to fight/fend off tougher enemies which usually requires a strategy. One such enemy would be the E.M.M.I., short for Extraplanetary Multiform Mobile Identifier, a very powerful enemy which cannot be destroyed by Samus’s normal weapons. As such, Samus can rely on her Phantom Cloak ability to make her invisible to avoid detection by them.
Story
The X Parasites are alien parasitic organisms capable of absorbing the DNAs of their hosts and replicate their forms. While living in their hosts, they could even access their memories, making them extremely dangerous. As a result, their native planet SR388 was destroyed and they are believed to be extinct. Soon after, the Galactic Federation receives a video transmission from an unknown source on Planet ZDR showing a living X Parasite that survived the destruction of SR388, which poses a threat to the entire galaxy. Samus being the only one immune to these parasites, sets out to Planet ZDR to find out if they truly still exist.
Aesthetics
Every major area on Planet ZDR has a different environment, distinct from one another yet connected by a strong sci-fi horror theme. The dark and moody aesthetics of the game, together with the grim background music and sounds, formulate a very hostile and inhospitable Planet ZDR, creating that “dread” for players. If there are moments of peace within the game, they are usually short-lived. The game also does well to quickly change the mood depending on the situation. For example, when the player encounters and gets chased by an E.M.M.I. The gloomy environment is filled with panic by blaring alarms and flashing red lights, and in that moment, the hunter becomes the hunted.
Technology
The game looks visually stunning with high levels of detail in the environment which can be seen throughout the game. Player movement is also extremely fast and fluid with Samus running over and sliding under obstacles with very precise feet and body placement. At the time of this review, the game is only playable on the Nintendo Switch, using button and joystick inputs.
Lens 6: Curiosity
Metroid Dread rewards those who are curious. There are many hidden secrets within the game, such as additional items and shortcuts. Without breaking down hidden walls or performing a series of precise manoeuvres, the player would not be able to access them. While playing this game, I found myself constantly pushing myself to figure out exactly where these secrets may be hiding and which are the actions that I have to perform to get to them.
Lens 79: Freedom
At the beginning, the game might seem linear, giving the player only one path to progress. However, once the player attains more abilities, many paths will be opened. There is no single correct path. The in-game map does not provide guidance on where to go, giving the player the freedom to create their own path. There are even areas that the player can skip entirely and still finish the game. This freedom makes each play-through a unique experience, motivating the player to play this game many times, creating new paths on every attempt.
Lens 34 & 38: Skill & Challenge
This game is challenging. Without any guiding markers in such a huge world, it is easy to see why players who are new to the Metroidvania genre lose their way while trying to progress in the game. To make things worse, even the boss fights are gruelling too. I can’t even begin to count the number of times that I have died to the bosses in the game. Admittedly, a great amount of skill is needed to play this game. However, practice makes perfect. Each time the player challenges a boss and dies, he or she will understand more on how to avoid dying by studying the boss’s moves. And for those who are having problems with navigating the map, the game introduces markers which the player can use to mark out important locations within the game.
Conclusion
Metroid Dread may be a challenging game, especially for newcomers. However, it is a game that brings out our instinctive need to explore. And by encouraging practice and persistence, the player will be able to acquire the skills needed to complete the game and even possibly other games within the Metroidvania genre.