Metroid Dread

Metroid Dread
Developer	MercurySteam, Nintendo EPD
Publisher	Nintendo
System	Nintendo Switch
Release Date	October 8, 2021
Genre	Action/Adventure

Metroid Dread is an adventure game that was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2021. It acts as the sixth core installment of the 2-D Metroid series, following Metroid Fusion, and it is also intended to serve as the conclusion to the saga of those games. It is the first game to be developed to the Nintendo Switch and is the second Metroid game developed in conjunction with MercurySteam following the 3DS remake Metroid: Samus Returns. It brings over several features from Samus Returns, such as counters and Aeion abilities.

Development

The game was first conceived in the 2000s as a direct follow-up to Metroid Fusion that would be released on the Nintendo DS. The series producer, Yoshio Sakamoto, wanted to make a game in which Samus was pursued by a type of 'dread' on an unknown planet, based on the tension of the SA-X sequences from Metroid Fusion. There were two attempts to develop the game, around 2005 and 2008, but Sakamoto was ultimately not pleased with the efforts, and it was believed that the DS's technical limitations prevented them from making the type of antagonist that Sakamoto imagined. The name of Metroid Dread was leaked through a 2005 list of Nintendo's internal software due to be announced soon. There was also a tease of the title within Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, although that game's producer claimed that the apparent reference was just a coincidence. Over a decade later, it was ultimately decided to develop the game for the Nintendo Switch, as it was felt that the system's capabilities could produce the dread-inspiring antagonist that Sakamoto envisioned. Nintendo was impressed with MercurySteam's work on Metroid: Samus Returns, and so they were brought on to work on Dread.

Story

Mysterious footage has surfaced of the X Parasite on the remote planet ZDR. The X was believed to have been destroyed with SR388 in Fusion, so the Federation immediately investigated this. They initially sent a group of EMMI robots, but after they went offline, Samus was sent instead. Upon arriving at a planet, Samus is attacked by a mysterious Chozo warrior and wakes up without most of her weapons and abilities, isolated deep within the planet. Samus begins making her way through the planet to make her way back to her ship. She faces many obstacles in her way, from antagonistic Chozo to the seven EMMI robots that have been reprogrammed to hunt for her.

Gameplay

This game follows the 2-D gameplay style of previous Metroid games. Some features are brought over from MercurySteam's previous game, Samus Returns. This includes Samus's abilities to perform counters against attacking enemies and to adjust Samus's aim. Aeion Abilities are also brought back, with some changes. Rather than collecting replenishable energy, the Aeion meter recharges automatically when moving. Most of the abilities have also been changed and are necessary to progress through the story, while in the previous game their main purpose was to make the game easier. This game also had Teleport Stations that connect regions of ZDR for quicker travel between areas.

One unique part of gameplay comes in the form of EMMI encounters. Most parts of ZDR have an EMMI Zone, which is the entire area in which an EMMI is active. EMMIs are powerful robots that hunt Samus down. When an EMMI spots Samus, all exits to an EMMI Zone close down until Samus has managed to evade the robot. If an EMMI catches Samus, it will cause a game over almost instantly. It is possible to avert the game over by countering the EMMI's attack, but it is the most difficult counter in the game that requires split-second timing. If successfully countered, the EMMI will briefly be stunned, allowing Samus a chance to escape. For each EMMI Zone, Samus must make her way to the zone's Central Unit in order to draw upon its energy to temporarily gain an Omega Blaster, which is the only thing that can destroy an EMMI.

The game is also compatible with amiibo. Special amiibos of Samus and EMMI were made for the game, and scanning them respectively grants a permanent Energy Tank and Missile Tank+, respectively. Upon repeat scans of those amiibo, their energy/missiles will be restocked once per day. Other Metroid-related amiibo will also grant daily energy or missile refills.