Metroid Dread review: one of the best games in the series

I haven’t been lost in a Metroid game since 1994.

I mean truly lost, wandering the halls wondering where to go next. All Metroid games released from Super metroid has provided help, either through benchmarks or simply by offering a more linear experience. But unleashing multiple huge areas without even a wink in the direction of the next leg of the journey? It hasn’t happened since the days of Ace of Base.

But there I was, many hours later Dead metroid, completely stumped as to where it should go.

And I was loving every minute.

Metroid Dread is a direct sequel to Metroid Fusion, a game that is almost two decades old. In that time, Nintendo has explored the events that took place right after the original. Metroid – with the Metroid Prime series – or have remade older games with updated mechanics, such as with Mission zero and Samus returns. But to see a continuation of the story later Metroid Fusion? We have had to wait an astonishing 19 years.

Just having finished taking down the nefarious X Parasite with a massive explosion, she does it long ago, Samus Aran is sent to the planet ZDR, where a new evil awaits her. The mission quickly goes awry and he is knocked unconscious deep in the planet’s core, with all the hard-won upgrades lost.

This is actually a fun departure from the traditional Metroid structure, which usually starts at the surface and burrows down. On AfraidIt will start in underground areas that are scientifically unfounded, with labs and metal walls, but as it gets closer to the surface, the built environment gives way to the natural surroundings of ZDR. Deep oceans and lush swamps soon become the norm.

Playing with the traditional Metroid formula is at the heart of Metroid Dread. Afraid was created by MercurySteam, the same team behind Samus returns (the remake of Metroid 2: Return of Samus). While keeping the 2D perspective of the original, that game introduced wild deviations from the source material, adding a melee counter and Samus’ ability to aim 360 degrees, opening up new combat and puzzle possibilities.

Both additions return in Metroid Dread, and because the game runs at a mostly stable speed of 60 frames per second, these actions are smooth and accurate. But it’s not just the combat that makes the Nintendo Switch better. Just moving through this world as Samus feels amazing. I can’t think of a 2D game that feels better to control.

Early in Afraid, Samus lacks her proprietary Morph Ball technique. Instead, you can make a slide, accessing small crevices when you approach them at high speed, like Indiana Jones sliding right under a hatch. The fluidity of these slides, coupled with the grace with which it spins in the air before grabbing onto a nearby ledge, make even simple exploration excursions that much more satisfying. Nintendo has had a long history of making moving through their game worlds feel amazing, and for the Metroid series, Afraid It is the pinnacle.

In addition to feeling good, moving around this world quickly becomes a necessary survival mechanic. There are seven “EMMI” robots that populate the various areas of ZDR and, in contrast to most of Samus’s enemies, vastly outnumber her. Getting within one’s close combat range means almost certain death, even later in the game, when Samus is fully powered up.

This may concern those who enjoy the contemplative nature of Metroid games, which have traditionally allowed exploration without the stress of a killer robot coming out of a vent. But these sequences are interesting apart from Afraid, rather than the core of the game. For one thing: these robots are locked into specific areas called EMMI Zones, which make up a small percentage of the overall map, so you don’t have to worry about looking over your shoulder most of the time. In addition, you will eventually be able to kill these robots, freeing up these areas to explore at your leisure.

The EMMI sequences are exciting; they feel less like stealthy stealth missions and more like frenzied tag games, as you grab onto ceilings or dive under walls to break the line of sight of these metal assassins. It’s another risky change to the Metroid format, but one that pays off in variety and pacing, contrasting the feeling that Samus is this unkillable superhuman.

Let me reiterate that: Samus is definitely not an unkillable superhuman. Even veteran Metroid players will die more times in Metroid Dread than in any other installment of the franchise. This is a Lasted play. It is easily one of the most difficult first-hand Nintendo games ever made.

Metroid Dread has about half a dozen major boss fights and twice as many minibosses. The latter are tough but manageable, often featuring returning enemies with slightly modified mechanics. But does the main boss fight? Good God, they don’t waste time. These multiphase battles require near-perfection, with a miss-timed jump or rocket leading to an instant reset. In one of the mid-game fights, I counted no fewer than seven different attack patterns, one of which could best be described as Flappy Bird and Metroid. Shit gets wild.

These boss fights are expertly tuned and never feel unfair. With patience, they are defeated. But they are also much, much more difficult than the rest of Metroid Dread, in the same way that Dark Souls bosses can serve as huge difficulty peaks compared to other games. Unlike some recent Nintendo titles, Metroid Dread will not offer you a helping hand. There is no Funky Kong or Super Guide mode to help you get through these boss encounters.

Even outside of boss fights Metroid Dread doesn’t offer much help. While much of the game is something of a reinvention, the exploration bits are incredibly true to the roots of the series. Aside from some (usually unhelpful) guidance from your AI buddy, you’re left alone to figure out where to go next.

I am sure some people will find the lack of guidance in Metroid Dread frustrating. But it was enormously rewarding for me to run through corridors and abysses, and finally discover the precise place to use the latest upgrade I obtained, granting me access to a path never seen before. It feels a lot more earned than just following a waypoint.

And yet, although he does not make things explicit, AfraidThe map gives you more than enough tools to find your way through this world on your own. The specificity of the map allows you to scroll and see which rooms you have explored (or half explored) and search for them. If you’ve just gotten the Charge Beam, for example, you can highlight every Charge Beam door you’ve already seen, almost like you’re taking diligent notes all this time! It’s a great way to analyze the places you can now explore, without resorting to hard-hitting landmarks. And it’s another way Metroid Dread reinvents classic Metroid principles for the modern age.

Along with the mechanics of modern design, Metroid Dread strives for modern visuals, a difficult order for aging Switch hardware. It’s a 2D game, but the world is fully rendered in 3D and looks great when played in handheld mode. In the newly launched OLED model of Switch, it shines especially, thanks to its high-contrast shadows and colorful environments. On an original Switch or a Switch Lite, it lacks some of that Wow factor, but it’s still one of the coolest 2.5D games ever made.

As I mentioned earlier, the game generally runs at 60fps. However, there are some clear drops in performance in some areas with heightened effects. These frame drops rarely affect gameplay, but they can be disappointing to watch in smooth gameplay.

It’s also unfortunate: the game’s visuals degrade quite noticeably when played in docked mode. Specifically, it seems Metroid Dread it continues to run natively at around 720p in docked mode. Try zooming in on a 720p image on a 1080p or 4K screen and you’ll start to see why that’s a problem. When played on a TV, the game looks more blurry and discolored, a far cry from the crisp 720p images in handheld mode.

Is it a deciding factor? No. Metroid Dread it is still very playable in docked mode. It’s just disappointing that you can’t fully appreciate the in-game footage on a huge TV screen.

Seeing these performance issues in a Nintendo-owned game is rare, perhaps indicating that Afraid It was designed to run on more powerful hardware that was reportedly originally slated to arrive this year. If we ever see a 4K-capable Switch, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Metroid Dread patched to bear it. But that is purely speculative. For now, it appears that the Switch hardware can handle Afraid fine in handheld mode, but docked mode is a bit out of reach.

Apart from those problems, I am captivated by Metroid Dread In ways I haven’t felt since 1994 Super metroid. I remember what it feels like to be alone, with no help to guide me, as I scour an unforgiving planet in search of some advantage over those who persecute me. It’s scary and overwhelming, until it finally clicks and I find that Chozo statue with the next missing puzzle piece clutched in its claws.

Afraid reimagines the Metroid format with confidence and care, and trusts that the player will make jumps along the way. As he continued his interwoven path of epic boss fights, satisfying upgrades, and otherworldly environments, all he could think of was that this is the Metroid game you’ve been waiting for. It easily stands out astride the best entries in the series, and I look forward to a follow-up in the year 2040.

Metroid Dread It will be released on October 8 on Nintendo Switch. The game was reviewed using a pre-launch download code provided by Nintendo. Vox Media has affiliate associations. These do not influence editorial content, although Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased through affiliate links. You can find Additional information on Polygon’s ethics policy here.