Metroid Dread (Switch)

[MSR1701]

I am really loving Metroid Dread so far. I actually kind of enjoy the addition of stealth. I'm still wondering what the story is going to unfold into.

I actually don't have a problem with the counter move for killing creatures. I don't love it, but it's not terrible to me.

I didn't have any real issue with it in the Metroid 2 remake either ("Samus Returns"). Overall, I think "Zero Mission" was a much better remake of the original Metroid than "Samus Returns" was a remake of Metroid 2, but I still thought it was amazing in its recreation and reimagining of the environs and gameplay of that Gameboy game.

Of the two remakes, I would say Samus Returns is the better overall remake, mostly due to Chozodia in Zero Mission feeling very tacked on (and this is after the irritations I have with Samus Returns Diggernaught sequences). Amusingly, both have Ridley for their final battles...

Now for Randomizer, Zero Mission is pretty good, though now Fusion has one...

[Matchstick]

I MADE IT!!

Managed to finish the final boss last night after four or five tries. What a relief it is to be done, at last!

That being said, I had a great time with Dread, and I'm looking forward to playing it again once its secrets have been throughly exposed, and speedrunners have established a roadmap to beat the game in a few hours. Back in the day, I had an issue of Nintendo Power with a complete guide to beating Super Metroid in under three hours. I studied it carefully, mapped out my own route, and used it to help improve my own future playtimes.

I still have that issue, and still use it. What I wouldn't give for a similar printed guide for Dread...

Now that I'm done, all I can say is that I'm am so happy that I managed not to spoil any of the endgame events for myself. I was surprised how the story progressed (though my Wife totally called a few things before they actually happed on screen) and thought the conclusion was fitting, if not a little over-the-top.

I was much more satisfied with how the game played out and ended than I ever thought I would be, and am also thrilled that there was no cheesy cliffhanger ending. The game ends. It's all wrapped up. No stupid "Dark Samus fist" ending or anything like that. Gooooood.

So, what next? Honestly, I hope this is one game that eventually gets some [free] DLC. I'm disappointed that there's no "Zero Suit Mode" or any sort of New Game Plus. I mean, the **ORIGINAL** Metroid had **BOTH** of those things - why is it so hard for Nintendo to incorporate them into the later Metroid titles? Don't they know that people like to restart games all powered-up from the beginning, and kick butt from the get-go??

One last thought - this game begs for toys. Seriously. What I wouldn't give for figures of Samus in her various suits along with the major villain from the game. If we get something relatively affordable from the McFarlane or Figma lines, well... let's just say that they'll have my money. Several times over.

[Herschie]

I've only had the chance to play this for about 45 minutes but so far it's shaping up to be an absolute epic game! I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts.

Ugh. Wrongo! I just picked this up after not playing for a week and couldn't figure out where to go. Even moreso I couldn't bring myself to care! Honestly this just isn't a very fun game. I quickly opened the N64 app to play some Zelda.

So once again my Switch is basically a portable retro gaming machine. With Breath of the Wild.

[strat]

Good points:

Wonderful map design. Samus moves fast enough you can always get to the desired location in a few minutes. The intricate layout never feels overbearing, yet there's so much ground to cover. I even enjoyed getting lost a few times. Mercury Steam learned a lot from "Samus Returns" and created an authentic follow-up to "Metroid Fusion".

The gear set was mostly ace. This has the best usage of the grappling beam in all the Metroid games. While most of the upgrades are familiar, there's a few additional surprises.

The EMMI sections make good use of her current skillset and once you find the Omega Cannon, they're like a puzzle where you have to find a clear shot. It's also interesting how they become filled with regular enemies and are more open to explore (though I wish there was more to do in some of them).

Some environment changes I'm not gonna spoil.

While Metroid isn't exactly a game you play for the story, you get to learn more about the Chozo and their relation to Samus, which I appreciated.

Bosses are impressive in design, although a few of them are too easy once you get the pattern down. Even the repeated boss fights escalate in difficulty, which I like to see.

Meh points:

It felt anticlimatic to get some of the upgrades. You want the Gravity Suit so bad and then all the underwater sections might as well not exist. The Screw Attack makes combat almost a snoozefest (something Metroid Prime 2 and 3 were good about avoiding). Even "Samus Returns" has an enemy that penalizes you for mindlessly using it. The Stealth Suit got little usage (the EMMI has to be pretty far off screen already to have any use) but the Flash Shift was more useful.

The final boss made me think how the more things change, the more they stay the same. Apart from his frenetic attack speed, his pattern is so predictable it's like the numbskull wants Samus to kill him.

Loading sequences when going to new areas. I know it's a big ask, but if there's any game where load times should be eliminated, this is it.

The controls should've been customizable. I often fumbled with the correct shoulder button to hold down. There wasn't exactly anything wrong with making the missiles and Grappling Beam selectable instead of using two buttons just to fire them.

On the whole, this is a very good game that shows how tough it is to follow up on the classics. I basically think Zelda and Metroid peaked on SNES - you can add loads of new ideas and complexity, but you'll never outdo them in sheer elegance.

[newmodelarmy]

Just picked this up a few days ago (after I finished RE8) and can't put it down. Great game. A lot of this feels like retread territory but nonetheless I am enjoying it. My only minor gripe is that I wish there were more save points but that is minor. Hopefully the VGC picks this up soon and puts together a review, would love to hear his thoughts.

[newmodelarmy]

Well...I made it to the final boss, is nearly impossible to beat (for me). A fun 10 hour adventure with a nice twist at the end.I would probably put it in the B+/A- category myself.

[Matchstick]

Well...I made it to the final boss... I would probably put it in the B+/A- category myself.

Nice going, NMA! Glad you made it through. It can be a pretty tough game, that's for sure.

Myself, I just started my second go-round a few nights ago. I tried my hand at some of the "sequence breaks," and had a pretty good time getting the grapple beam and bombs early. It's nice to play a game where circumstances like this are actually a part of a game, not just a product of glitches.

I can already tell that the grapple beam, in particular, is going to make the game go by much faster. It really spices things up on a second playthrough, making it almost as exciting as the first.

I would give the game a solid B or a B+, myself. Did I already say that in an earlier post? Regardless, it's a good, solid, well-made game, and a real treat for some Metroid "old timers" such as myself

[MSR1701]

Just watched a vid on getting Space Jump early using normal game mechanics (wall-jump into morph, bomb blocks from below), very impressive.

Watched a run on The First Step that failed in several areas I had figured out, but showed several interesting steps in a few fights (such as the final boss).

https://youtu.be/LXa6fbHq4hY

Need to replay after I finish KOTOR...

[VideoGameCritic]

Just started playing this and not impressed. Got stuck going around in circles. Now I can't beat the white EMMI despite thinking that I know what to do. The aiming is just so touchy. Don't care for the control scheme.

[Matchstick]

Just started playing this and not impressed.

Too bad! But it's kind of nice to hear a dissenting opinion about this one, especially when the game has already been heaped with praise by so many others. From what I can tell from the other responses in this thread, though, we've all had our issues with the game, but most of us seem like we settled in after a while and came away with a good impression overall.

I'll reference one of my earlier posts, with some of my first impressions:

...I'd give Dread a B as a game, itself. Well-made, great animations and gameplay, challenging bosses, and lots of secrets to find. But as far as me being able to play it, it gets an F. With the "May Cause Nausea," "May Cause Pain," and "ET Award for Extreme Disappointment." There's a good game buried in here, but I'll be damned if I'm ever able to play it without noticeable personal discomfort.

I will say that, at first, I wasn't a fan of the free-aim button. I've never played a Metroid game with that sort of mechanic (I didn't have a 3DS, and missed out on Samus Returns) and thought it was redundant and unnecessary. Once I got used to it, though, I was sold, and now can't imagine playing the game without it.

I also didn't know I could shoot those red blister-looking things in the walls to open up shortcuts and different paths. Took me a little bit to understand how that worked, and to recognize them when I saw them scattered across the world.

There's also the adjustment period of just getting used to the overall speed and flow of the game. It is quick, and as you said, a bit touchy. But as I got used to it, I came to appreciate the controls more and more. Snappy, with no lag, and some of the most responsive feeling I've had in a video game in quite some time. But it does take some getting used to at first.

I hope you can stick with it, Critic! But it is a shame that the game is giving you so much trouble right out of the gate. Maybe it will "click" with you, but if it doesn't, there's no shame in putting it down and walking away. Nobody wants to pay full price for a brand new game, only to come away feeling disappointed or unimpressed. But it does happen.

(Myself, I've never liked the God of War series, despite all the praise and high scores the games have gotten. And I wasn't terribly impressed with Breath of the Wild, which seems like sacrilege given the acclaim that game has received. Different strokes for different folks.)

Hopefully your experiences get a bit better, but if not, I'll brace myself for a poor review.