Release Date: October 8, 2021
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Mercury Steam and Nintendo Entertainment
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Action-adventure
Rating: T
Price: $60
Overall Score: 9.25/10
Gameplay: 10/10
Pacing: 8/10
Design: 10/10
Story: 9/10
Summary
After the events of Metroid Fusion, the Galactic Federation receives a video transmission from the planet ZDR. It shows the once thought extinct X-parasite. The federation sends in the Extraplanetary Multiform Mobile Identifiers, or E.M.M.I, to eliminate the threat, but all of them are lost. Their only hope is sending in the best bounty hunter in the galaxy, Samus Aran, to stop the X-parasites from escaping the planet.
Feel of the Game
The general feel of the game is very polished with basically everything feeling like it is in my control. For example, every time I made a mistake it was very clear that I was at fault and this makes the game feel very responsive.
I also did not feel that lost most of the time because it was clear that when I got a new ability I had to go back to an area that I couldn’t access before.
The main bosses were excellent because they provided an amazing gameplay loop [a cycle of actions that you repeat over and over within a game] and fun opportunities to figure out each of their gimmicks and how to properly exploit them.
My favorite boss was definitely either the final boss or Experiment Z-57 as they were both pretty challenging and they tested all the skills I got beforehand, especially the final boss: he had three phases that all tested me in a different way. The Experiment Z-57 boss fight was challenging but his gameplay loop was less diverse and provided less of an experience than the final boss, but it was a very fun boss to fight overall.
The pace of the game was below average as I had to constantly go back and forth between the areas but I do not think it takes away from the overall experience because the game had a backtracking feature so players can find out where to go next .
All the areas and all the pathways can make the game very overwhelming at times, but I also feel that they enhance the experience, at least for someone who has a background in Metroid and metroidvanias. The fact that it makes the player feel overwhelmed at parts really enhances the exploratory nature of a Metroidvania because it makes you want to overcome the feeling.
The only real issue that the whole Metroid series faces, in my opinion, is that the games are too short. The amount of time it takes to beat Metroid Dread is only around four to eight hours depending on how much exploring you do and that can take away from the worth you are getting from a AAA title that is full price.
Overall I would give the game a 9.25/10 because I feel like it is an extremely good game that anyone could enjoy and what holds it back from being a 10/10 is the length and pace of the game.
