Everything we know about Metroid Dread

Metroid may not have the widespread popularity of Zelda or Mario, but our enthusiasm for Nintendo’s sci-fi action platformer rivals those blockbusters. Nintendo announced Dread just a few months ago, during the company’s E3 2021 direct presentation. Now that we’re less than a month away from its release on October 8, here’s a quick overview of everything you need to know before playing Metroid Dread.

Who is the developer?

Metroid Dread is being made at MercurySteam, a studio Nintendo previously worked with on 2017’s Metroid: Samus Returns. Prior to that, MercurySteam developed Clive Barker’s Jericho, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. The studio It has a strong track record with a few exceptions, so we expect Metroid Dread to live up to expectations.

Is this a direct sequel?

Nintendo has announced Dread as a direct sequel to the 2002 title Metroid Fusion, initially released for the Game Boy Advance, making Dread the fifth official entry in the 2D Metroid series. Nintendo also said that this title concludes the main story focusing on Samus’ interactions with a parasitic race of creatures called the Metroid.

Do I need to play the rest of the series before playing Dread?

Metroid has never been a series with a lot of history, and we’re sure Nintendo will update gamers on any crucial details they need to know while playing this game, but you probably don’t need to play previous Metroid games to enjoy Dread. That said, many of the previous Metroid games are still enjoyed today (especially Super Metroid), so those titles are worth going back and checking out if you missed them the first time.

How long has this game been in development?

The name Metroid Dread first appeared shortly after the release of Metroid Fusion in 2002. Series producer Yoshio Sakamoto has said that he tried to develop Dread for the Nintendo DS handheld at least twice. After MercurySteam released Metroid: Samus Returns in 2017, Nintendo revived the Dread name and gave the project the green light for the Switch.

What is the narrative setup?

Bounty hunter Samus Aran is back. In Metroid Fusion, Samus explored a space station teeming with hostile shapeshifting organisms called X Parasites. After Samus dealt with that potential catastrophe, the Galactic Federation received evidence suggesting that the X Parasites survived the destruction and are now infecting the remote planet ZDR. In response, the Federation sent a team of robots to investigate the world. But when those units disappear shortly after they arrive, Samus Aran is tapped to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Thanks to the events of Metroid Fusion, Samus has immunity against X Parasites. Unfortunately, the X parasites are not the only threat in ZDR, and Samus soon encounters a member of the ancient alien race, named Chozo, who attacks Samus and steals his abilities. When Samus awakens from this attack, she discovers that she is far below ZDR’s surface and must fight her way back as she fights the Federation robot team now chasing her.

What do we know about Planet ZDR?

Not much is known about Planet ZDR. This remote alien world has a purple atmosphere and is home to a large fang-toothed monster known as the Corpious. The Corpious has no legs and crawls on the ground with two muscular arms. The beast can also turn invisible and attack enemies with a long scorpion-like tail.

The deep underground caverns of ZDR, an area labeled Artaria, are filled with rocky outcrops and underground waterfalls. Cataris is another zone within the planet ZDR, and this area is an industrial station used to transport thermoelectric energy from the surrounding magma reservoirs. The extreme heat in this area can damage Samus’s gear until she gets a Power Suit.

Will Adam Malkovich return?

Longtime fans may remember Commander Adam Malkovich, a “celebrated military genius” who served in the Galactic Federation Army. When Samus was younger, he served under Malkovich, as detailed in Metroid: Other M. Samus also reflected on Adam a couple of times during his Metroid Fusion adventure and even named an AI computer after him. Adam’s AI version returns in Dread, but he won’t give Samus orders. Instead, this AI functions as the game’s story master, making it more of a means of displaying story details to the player.

What are EMMIs?

The Galactic Federation’s Extraplanetary Multiform Mobile Identifiers are high-tech operations robots created for “research applications.” However, these EMMIs are also powerful tools of destruction. The EMMIs were designed to be DNA extraction machines, and now they are chasing Samus around the planet ZDR, probably because Samus has some Metroid DNA.

EMMIs are not easily destroyed. In fact, Samus can only dismantle them if he temporarily upgrades his arm cannon at set locations on Planet ZDR. As a result, Samus must sneak out of these machines. This is not an easy feat because EMMIs can hear Samus’s footsteps and pursue her relentlessly if they learn of her presence. When an EMMI grabs Samus, players have a small window to perform a melee counter, giving Samus a chance to escape. If players miss this counter, the EMMI instantly impales it, resulting in a Game Over.

The Galactic Federation sent seven EMMIs to Planet ZDR, and each one is a different color. EMMIs have different abilities. For example, green EMMI can crawl through narrow passages, yellow can run at high speeds, and blue can freeze and break objects.

What skills does Samus gain?

Metroid has always been a series focused on exploration. As Samus explores the depths of the planet ZDR, she gradually discovers new weapons and abilities that give her access to new areas. This loop has always been at the heart of Metroid, and that won’t change with Dread.

Samus retains access to many of her basic abilities, such as her arm cannon, missiles, grapple, and the transform ball that allows her to access areas out of her range. In Metroid: Samus Returns, MercurySteam introduced a melee counter that allows Samus to stop enemy attacks, exposing them to brutal counterattacks. This technique returns for Dread. However, Samus also has some new moves, like a slide that allows him to quickly slide through small spaces without transforming into his transformation ball.

During Samus’s adventure, he also gains access to powerful new technologies and weapons. A Ghost Cloak ability makes Samus temporarily invisible. However, this power consumes a resource called Aeion, which was also introduced in Samus Returns. Unlike the last game, Aeion now slowly replenishes itself over time. Another Aeion ability called Flash Shift allows Samus to run across the screen.

Not all powers require Aeion. For example, the Spider Claw helps Samus scale walls and ceilings marked with a blue magnetic surface. This is similar to the Spider Ball from previous Metroid titles; however, it does not require Samus to enter her transformation ball form. Meanwhile, a weapon upgrade called Storm Missile allows Samus to pin and fire a barrage of missiles at multiple targets. Samus can set up to five targets using her free aim, firing three missiles at each target.

Will longtime enemies Kraid and Ridley return?

The giant three-eyed reptile known as Kraid is reported to return, but the alien appears chained to a wall this time. We haven’t heard if Ridley will appear, but this is a Metroid game, so our Magic 8-Ball says “Most likely”.

I like to spend money, is there a special edition?

Nintendo is producing a special edition Metroid Dread, which comes in a steel box and includes five art cards and a 190-page art book covering all five entries in the 2D Metroid series. This package retails for $ 89.99.

When is Metroid Dread released?

You will be able to purchase Metroid Dread for Nintendo Switch starting October 8.