Metroid Dread [NSW]

[Stakers]

I finished this last night and general reflections are that this was one of the best 2d Metroids I’ve played. The highlights being the boss design, difficulty and character control. I think those are the elements which improve on Super Metroid. (Super Metroid wall jumping unggh)
I think some of the new mechanics were under utilised, parrying was relegated to bosses and a handful of enemy types whereas it felt like it would be integral new toolset at the start and I must have used the cloak less than a dozen times.
Fab last boss but I’m not sure I’ll run this game multiple times like I’ve done with Super over the years

[Dogg Thang]

Gets a bit heavy on the boss fights as it goes on. But also keeps getting prettier. Some lovely location design.

[ItsThere]

So what I was all uppity about at first but then really loved was how it subverted my expectations.

I went in thinking I knew what items I'd get roughly when throughout the playthrough and that didn't happen. It did not play out the way I thought it would and it was all the better for it.

At the final boss but doing a nice bit of overpowered collecting before I finish him. Some nice puzzles for some of the later items too. A real success I think.

[Dogg Thang]

I feel like I'm at the last part of the game now so going to search around for pickups I've missed. It's at this point in the game where I realise I should have been using the map markers.

There are a bunch of pickups hidden behind speed boost blocks that I can't figure out at all. My brain is telling me that they aren't possible to get but they must be so there has to be some pretty clever speed maneuvers to grab them. One drove me bananas yesterday. I thought I got it figured out but then just couldn't do it so now I'm not sure if it's that I just can't quite get the timing right or if my method can't work at all.

[Dogg Thang]

I finished this with a 90% item rate so didn’t find everything. Overall, I thought it was superb but definitely had boss fatigue at the end. It lost a lot of goodwill when it chucked in yet another of those spear bosses right at the end. The game knew I could beat them because I had done it many times before so it was just a needless chore by that stage. I don’t enjoy boss battles generally. I haven’t for years. So I just found them really getting in the way towards the end.

But outside of boss battles, the game was superb. Absolutely gorgeous locations and lots to find and explore. The abilities were good and generally handed out at a good pace, although a few were guilty of essentially just being keys because they weren’t used for much else. The control was excellent considering just how many abilities there are. There were a few times when my fingers just plain forgot how to play, which was weird. But when my fingers knew what they were doing, the control is so smooth and feels really good. Overall, it’s excellent.

[hudson]

Hey, if you finished this game and want bit more of the same try 2014's Strider (PS, Xbox, PC). Super Metroid is probably my most played game ever, but Dread really reminds me of Strider. Probably due to the graphics. Both are really excellent.

[kryss]

Dread demo on the eShop now.

[dataDave]

I’m really getting into this now that I’ve unlocked most of the map and broken through a lot of the linearity. I’m really looking forward to hard mode.

Some excellent bosses.

[dataDave]

Despite being far from a perfect Metroid game (unlike most of the others) this still has GOTY tattooed across the bellend.

I had the living room all to myself last night and played from 8pm through to 3am. It’s so long since that happened last.

[Golgo]

Finished this last night. Loved it. The initial story felt like a big yawn, more of the same yadda about sinister forces wishing to weaponise Metroids, but it had a really satisfying and surprising twist at the end. Environments were rich, lush and diverse. Terrific bosses, although strangely

->Open Spoiler<-

the last boss got easier as he progressed through his four phases.

Still, very fun. The improvements to Samus' controls were excellent, and it was a pleasure to fling her around the place, and the little animation touches made her feel physically situated in the space more fully than in any previous 2D Metroid. They also managed to give her a bit of cool sass and swagger, which was quite a feat when she's entirely trussed up in the battle suit -

->Open Spoiler<-

the way she casually shoots Kraid point blank in the mouth when he's trying to intimidate her is hilarious.

No real downsides, really, apart from some minor presentational stuff like the naff/juddery transition animations between zones (sitting in train carriages, elevators, etc.), and the rather dull menu screens. Everything else - presentation-wise - was swish and sparkling. I probably felt, though, that it got a bit too busy in the latter third: an almost feverish pace of upgrades and combat. Still, great job by Mercury Steam and I'd like to think they had earned the right to have another crack at Castlevania, if it could ever be made to happen.

[thinkitty]

Brilliant game. Exploring the world is a joy and the gameplay, despite offering nothing new over past installments, is very rewarding. I loved the boss design and challenge they provided but I found the EMMI sections tedious and often frustrating.

Keep meaning to attempt a Dread Mode (one hit = game over) run but that will have to wait a bit longer now that Elden Ring is here.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Second free update (Boss Rush Mode) has now dropped.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/04/metroid-dreads-second-free-update-is-now-available-here-are-the-full-patch-notes