Metroid Dread (2021)

First Metroid game I've fully completed, I've played some of the others but only a bit. This game is great, but can defiantly feel the age on it when compared to newer more modern Metroidvanias. The game is still great, music is awesome and the back tracking wasn't bad, felt like they handled that part really well. I like the feeling of progression and only really got lost twice when i couldn't find what wall to blow up.

I live the bosses in this game, glad they recently implemented a boss rush. The speed booster puzzles were fun but there are some that I couldn't figure out because the rules of the speed booster weren't fully explained, but that's more of a nitpick.

Great game and my biggest complaint would be that they need better button mapping there's so many things Samus can do and get that could just be dumbed down to a simple button press or just self activate when you aim. It is fun how many upgrades you get but it can get anoying when your trying to do a simple action that your rarely use (like the grapple hook) and I need to press multiple buttons ( I played on the joycons so that made it worse since there small controllers).

I recommend Dread it's an awesome game and I hope the next Metroid catches up with the rest of the metroidvania games.

Metroid Dread has all my favorite aspects of the series: A large, varied world of puzzles and platforming, bosses that are satisfying to defeat, awesome upgrades (Samus has never looked cooler) and just the right amount of lore... building up to my favorite narrative conclusion to a Metroid chapter since Super Metroid.

Like Metroid Fusion, Metroid Dread distinguishes itself from its predecessors through subtle shifts in pacing and tone. But unlike Fusion, Dread's choices don't come at the expense of past elements: If you've enjoyed a 2-D Metroid game to this point, chances are you'll find elements of it here. That's a tough balance to strike, but Mercury Steam did so beautifully.

All that said, some aspects of the game keep it from dethroning my all-time faves in the series:

• EMMI encounters start as fun subversions of series expectations, but quickly become a chore. I eventually just started looking up videos of these beforehand, not because I couldn't figure them out but because I just wanted them over with.
• Something about the gating in this world feels oddly paced to me: I didn't feel a sense that the world was open to aimless exploration until quite late in my playthrough.
• While the shinespark puzzles are satisfying to pull off, I feel they make up too large a percentage of in-game secrets. I know people out there love these things, but I find it difficult to accept its anachronistic and poorly-explained controls.

Minor complaints aside, I think this is a worthy and wonderful conclusion to the original series arc! Metroid Prime 4 has a tough act to follow.

There's not much to say about this. It was definitely a Metroid game and it's was the classic formula. I think I actually cared a bit more about the plot in this one than in any previous game, but overall, if you like Metroid games, you'll like this one.

I can't speak on if it will convert non-fans, but I enjoyed my time playing through this.

There is a slight difficulty spike on the final boss, but all things are able to be overcome. If you find yourself getting frustrated, I'd suggest looking up a move guide and/or reaching out to someone to get help. The game is overall good and the difficult bosses shouldn't get you down.

~David.