Metroid Dread

Metroid Dread is an achievement in every dimension we use to look at it. This exquisite work brings the Metroid formula up to our day, yet it doesn't compromise on what made Metroid such a colossal name in gaming. With brilliant level design, marvelous looking visuals, frantic and demanding combat, long lifespan and replay value, perfect performance on any screen, an overarching plot that binds everything together, and pretty much everything else that goes along, Metroid Dread is an instant classic and one of the finest pieces ever crafted for the Nintendo Switch.

Metroid Dread is a superb mix of action and exploration that brings Nintendo’s classic series into the modern era in a way that feels like a new beginning even as it positions itself as an end to a 35-year saga. Samus, her abilities, and the challenges she faces have changed and expanded over time, but the excitement and satisfaction her adventures provide continue to this day.

The game delivered on its promise in a very big way. As a long-time fan of the franchise, I couldn't be happier with Metroid Dread. It's the kind of game that frequently made me say to myself "just five more minutes" when it was already two o'clock in the morning. Super Metroid is considered by many to be one of the best video games ever made. Gamers will have to judge for themselves if Metroid Dread managed to surpass it, but there's no doubt in my mind that it deserves to be considered among the best games in the series. It has its challenging elements, and they might scare some players off. However, those that stick with the game will be rewarded with one of the year's best experiences.

Metroid Dread takes risks for the series, but it succeeds in doing so. The ending was completely grand, and the interpretations of the final scenes will leave me thinking about the game for a long time to come.

While the nineteen-year hiatus was a difficult one, Metroid Dread delivers what fans have waited for and more, building a familiar yet unique experience with brand new ideas to help push the genre forward.

Metroid Dread is a triumph.

Its playability matched with MercurySteam doing right by Samus Aran has turned me into even more of a fan of Metroid. Even beyond the context of my own affinity toward the character and world, Metroid Dread is some of the most fun I’ve had with a game in 2021. It’s a contender for game of the year.

Metroid Dread is definitely the game that explores the full potential of the 2D franchise with praise, doing justice to the producers' proposal to bring fear and exploration to players, valuing and ending the saga in an excellent way, besides leaving that desire and hope that Samus Aran reward us with more titles with this level of quality in the future. Essential not just for fans of Metroid, but for everyone that likes quality games released in 2021.

Over the years I’ve heard many people demand a sequel, in terms of gameplay, to one 2D Metroid or another. No matter what sequel you’ve wished for, Metroid Dread is it. It is simply Metroid, in the best way possible. Metroid Dread is the culmination of 2D Metroid in its entirety. It is a testament not only to what the genre has always been, but the potential of what it could become. It is a triumphant return of Samus Aran as the undisputed queen of the genre. Long may she reign.

A decades-in-the-making celebration of 2D Metroid that’s unafraid to take risks by stretching into horror, Metroid Dread lives up to both halves of its name and serves as a satisfying cap to a story started in 1986.

This is no Metroid Prime, and that’s a good thing. Rather, this is a reminder of what it means for a game to be of the Metroid half of a Metroidvania, and then some. That this IP exists in both the first-person genre-defining Metroid Prime series, and in its traditional 2D side-scrolling self is a testament to its flexibility and EMMI-like defiance of not being confined to a single shape...And in Metroid Dread, you’re not only getting arguably the best Metroid game to date, but maybe the best game of 2021.

Metroid Dread is an instant classic. Its seamless blend of exploration, combat, puzzle-solving, and light touches of story creates one of the most engaging experiences on Nintendo Switch.

Metroid Dread perfects the metroidvania formula that its predecessors established, while also elevating the series to new heights with highly rewarding combat, stunning 3D cutscenes and new stealth segments that provide greater variety to the gameplay. It won’t be for everyone due to its high difficulty and a lack of accessibility options, but this is nevertheless one of the best games in the Nintendo Switch library. If you’re a fan of Super Metroid, you’ll love it.

With a near-perfect balance of nods to the past and fresh ideas, Metroid Dread brings cinematic flair, fast-paced action and a surprising story to the side-scrolling classic. This is the comeback fans have been waiting for.

Metroid Dread is a triumphant return for both Samus Aran and developer MercurySteam. This is a super-slick, hugely entertaining and exquisitely designed entry in the Metroid franchise that plays better than anything we've seen from the series so far. With a bunch of fantastic new abilities, super tense and enjoyable stealth sections, plenty of great big boss fights and a story that fans will definitely enjoy, we can't really see how this one could have been any better. Best Metroid game ever? This could be the one.

Probably the game that I have enjoyed the most in this 2021 and one of my favorites from the wide catalog of the Nintendo Switch. MercurySteam did it and Samus is back better than ever.

Overall though, Metroid Dread is excellent. MercurySteam has more than proven themselves to be a worthy steward of the 2D Metroid games. They understand the genre and what fans are looking for from Nintendo’s bounty hunter extraordinaire. Metroid Dread is simply a must-play title for newcomers and fans alike.

Metroid Dread is a masterpiece. There's hardly another word for it. The artstyle? Phenomenal. Soundtrack and audio design? Phenomenal. Gameplay? You guessed it: phenomenal. What are you waiting for? Go and get it!

Metroid Dread is the title fans have been waiting for, for nineteen years. The wait wasn’t easy, but what’s here could rival even Super Metroid in terms of atmosphere and gameplay. Even now, I am thinking about going back to try and perfect my run and see how fast I can get that hundred percent clear. Through its versatility in combat, excellent enemy and level design, and engaging story, this experience sets the bar for the action genre and is brilliantly dreadful.

For as fantastic as Dread looks and generally runs, there are infrequent but quite noticeable instances when the framerate drops. It's also mildly annoying how long the transitions are from one area to another. While these are criticisms worth noting, they almost feel petty when compared to the staggering amount of things that the game crushes. Honestly, it's a relief that Metroid is finally getting the kind of care it so justly deserves. Metroid Dread is the very definition of a must-play title.

For 15 years I have been waiting for this game, and to see it out and also be as good as I hoped it would be is simply incredible. The gameplay is sublime, the map design is great, the bosses are fun and the E.M.M.I are threatening. All these come together to create what possible is: The Nintendo Switch's 2021 game of the year.

Metroid Dread is an amazing return for Samus with fantastic controls, excellent sound design and a wonderful overall aesthetic. Even as someone who’s not normally fond of Metroidvania-style games, the intensity of Metroid Dread held my attention to the point where I felt heartbroken the first time my Switch let me know the batteries were about to die.

Metroid Dread is the sequel that everyone has been waiting for. A great game that can be hard and complex, but at its core, it's a true evolution of the classic Metroid formula. A must have for every Nintendo Switch user.

This final 13-16 hour instalment is an exquisite showcase of 2D Metroid in its prime. Newcomers and die-hard fans of the series can revel in a Nintendo Switch game that not only provides one of the most deadly and thrilling experiences on Nintendo’s latest handheld to date, but one that’s such a joy to play thanks to control refinements and HD graphics. Metroid Dread is an explosive and emotional end to a beloved story that cannot be missed, and we’re already itching to see where the next mission takes us. Just as long as it doesn’t include the dreaded E.M.M.I.

Another must-have Switch exclusive, and a modern reminder why the mother of the Metroidvania sub-genre still demands attention.

Metroid Dread convincingly shows that Samus Aran is, after so many years, still at the (or very near to) the top of the genre it helped define. MercurySteam's creation is exhilarating, well balanced and beautiful to look at; even the somewhat atypical E.M.M.I. sections are competently integrated with the rest of the game.

Metroid Dread is one of the games of the year. The waiting time after Fusion was worth it, and this sequel lives up to it. The title has great pacing, cool design, and plenty of mechanics that modernize Samus. This game serves to highlight two things: Samus Returns, and MercurySteam.

Although we have yet to even see Prime 4, I have no trepidations saying that if the series sticks to 2D in the future, this is the mold—the perfect mix of classic and modern mechanics and pacing. You owe yourself the opportunity to play this game. Dread is a powerful reminder of the importance and quality of one of Nintendo’s greatest franchises.

An excellent return for Samus Aran and the Metroid series. The novelties don't work perfectly, but they are interesting nonetheless.

Metroid Dread is the comeback we have been dreaming about for years. There is some room for improvement, but overall it’s an incredibly solid game and a must-buy for any Metroid (or metroidvania) fan.

Metroid Dread is a truly exceptional return to the spotlight for the franchise and Samus Aran.

After almost 20 years we finally have a sequel to the 2D series of Metroid games! Considering that, Dread does a great job of combining the new modern combat with the old elements of research and advancement, and it doesn't hurt that we have some of the best boss fights in the series. A true gem and a must have for all Switch gamers.

There’s little to complain about when it comes to Metroid’s glorious comeback. The game could be longer and introduce a few more innovations, but in every other aspect, it is a long-awaited return to the roots of the beloved franchise. And we love it!

Even with Samus Returns under their belt, I'll admit to being slightly worried that MercurySteam wouldn't be able to live up to the standards set by Sakamoto's original Metroid crew at Nintendo R&D1. With Dread, my worries proved to be unfounded! This is a magnificent new benchmark for the franchise! [Issue #56 – November/December 2021, p. 66]

Upon investigating a mysterious transmission on Planet ZDR, Samus faces a mysterious foe that traps her in this dangerous world. The remote planet has been overrun by vicious alien lifeforms and murderous robots called E.M.M.I. Hunt or be hunted as you make your way through a labyrinth of enemies in Samus’ most intense side-scrolling adventure yet.

While it may not win over every fan of classic 2D Metroid, MercurySteam’s approach keeps Dread from feeling like a rehash of what we’ve grown accustomed to. The map design and pacing have never been better, and Dread’s stellar combat justifies MercurySteam’s action-heavy overhaul to the series. Ultimately, Dread was worth waiting two decades for. If this is the way forward for Samus — and, with additional accessibility options, I sincerely hope it is — Metroid has a bright future ahead.

Metroid Dread takes everything that's good about the franchise and makes it greater. It's a punishing and often nerve-wracking experience that offers huge rewards for persistence and an inquisitive mind. If you only play one game on Nintendo Switch this year, make sure it's Metroid Dread.

So far, Metroid Dread is a serious contender for my personal game of the year. It takes all the things that I loved about previous entries and streamlines them into a much more playable game. It’s the most accessible Metroid title to date, and it’s sure to win many new fans for Nintendo.

Plot beats provide a frame for the action, not a psychological character study. Rather, what lingers in the mind are the tight controls, the inspired boss fights and the fantastic layout of the environments. Metroid Dread deftly alternates between making the player feel powerful and powerless.

MercurySteam, after being "baptized in battle" with Metroid: Samus Returns, delivers a superb game with Metroid Dread, a captivating, fresh take on the Metroid franchise, that is also true to the vision of the old games. Either you are a fan of Samus Aran or not, this is a "metroidvania" you should not miss out.

Overall, Metroid Dread brings a narrative close to a decades long story with excellent level design and combat. It also looks great as well. So until Samus Aran is needed once again to save the Galactic Federation, I am happy to just savour the joy of another successfully completed mission.

It takes a lot of risks in service of creating its specific feel, but as long as you’re okay with having conventions challenged within a conventional framework, this should be an easy pick-up.

I won't be surprised if Metroid Dread gets crowned Game of the Year. If that happens, I'll be happy. Dread is a furiously frustrating, extremely challenging, and superbly satisfying game, and probably the best Metroid ever.

Strong gameplay, visuals and audio propel Metroid Dread to be the best 2D game in the series, though dated map design and lack of accessibility bring the experience down a bit.

Metroid Dread is nerve wrecking, intense and immensely satisfying.

Metroid finally returns with a new sequel, and it’s exactly what we expect from the series. It’s a fine return to form for Samus with a huge world to explore but definitely doesn’t reinvent the wheel.

Metroid Dread stands as a phenomenal achievement. From project dormancy to becoming a sci-fi spectacle, MercurySteam has delivered a Game of the Year contender that’s quite capable of unleashing a Charge Blast to keep away the competition. A game like this deserves to be celebrated, and I can only hope that it has continued to lay the groundwork for more adventures with the intergalactic bounty hunter to come.

The first all-new 2D Metroid in 19 years was well worth the wait. Its movement, combat, and environments are all top-notch, and the pacing will keep you hooked all the way through the end. The story is a wild ride that expands on interesting ideas from Fusion and Samus Returns in meaningful ways. There are a few technical hiccups, frustrating level design choices, and repeated mini-bosses, but my enthusiasm was never swayed thanks to a steady stream of exciting and memorable moments that kept my hands glued to the controller until the credits rolled. Dread is a stellar sequel to Fusion and a triumphant return that easily ranks among the best in the 2D series.

Metroid Dread is yet another fantastic return to form for Samus. ZDR is an absolute blast to explore with secrets everywhere and satisfying bosses to fight. However, the game is held back by some strange design decisions, areas that blend together, and controls that are far too complicated.

We’ve seen Metroidvania games like Hollow Knight nail the formula in recent years, but Metroid Dread proves there’s nothing better than the franchise that started it all.

Metroid Dread is a fantastic return to form for the 2D Metroid titles. Building upon the lessons of Samus Returns, it captures the feel of Metroid nearly perfectly. It's incredibly fun to play, balances the story and gameplay in the way a Metroid game should, and in general, it's just excellent. Its few flaws stood out more in retrospect than while I was playing the game. It's easily one of the best 2D Metroid titles, and it's a fantastic way to close out the ongoing storyline.

Metroid Prime 4 may still be years away, but make no mistake that MercurySteam and Nintendo’s latest incarnation of Metroid has made the strain of such a wait not just more bearable, but potentially no longer existent. Sure to please longtime fans and general Switch owners/newcomers alike, Metroid Dread more than delivers on a climax two decades in the making.

In very much a Metroidvania move, backtracking back to the start of the review with the question, "Is the new adventure worth the wait?" The answer is a resounding yes. Nintendo and MercurySteam have pulled off a sequel that is classic, essential Metroid with a sprinkling of the new; controls, visual direction and a terrifying new threat that sends a space-aged shiver through the spine. Metroid Dread is the evolution to how side-scrolling Metroid should feel and the conclusion to something truly special. A thrilling chapter for players who have been looking up to the stars for decades, and a compelling tale for adventurers new to the series!

Anyway, all these negatives really only stand out if you place Dread in the pantheon of previous Metroid classics and then compare very closely. Because what I mainly want to communicate is that those Spaniards have done the impossible: creating a really good, classic Metroid! And that in a world in which the term metroidvania hardly raises any question marks. With production values of 2021, wow! So make a few more, MercurySteam; I promise I will never doubt you again. And… please don't take twenty years, okay?

Metroid Dread is a must-own for any Metroidvania fan. Featuring some of the best 2D combat I’ve ever played and a world dying to be explored, I couldn’t put it down until I reached the thrilling conclusion. Its difficulty and atmosphere help it live up to its namesake but never chased me away. There are minor issues, but nothing that stops this from being one of 2021’s best.

Samus Aran's triumphant return to a genre that she herself helped to name proves once again that there are no styles worthy of being caged in the past. The risk taken by MercurySteam results in one of the best games ever in the series, a chapter with its own personality that puts the bounty hunter alongside Link and Mario, making it one of the console's must-have titles. From the memorable bosses, to the harrowing encounters with the E.M.M.I. all painted by an artistic direction that takes the most from Nintendo Switch, making Metroid Dread one of the best of 2021.

Nintendo teams up again with MercurySteam to bring us the first unreleased adventure of Samus Aran in side scrolling (remakes aside) since the premiere of Metroid Fusion in 2002. The pressure was not little, but Metroid Dread is up to the task. For the control, which lets us handle the bounty hunter in her most agile and precise version; by the design, which branches and extends to offer hours of exploration without taking us by the hand; and for the selection of bosses, who take advantage of the best combat of the saga in its 2D aspect. The robots E.M.M.I. They may test the patience of some players, but they create situations of genuine tension and development doses them enough. So fans of Metroidvania are in luck: Metroid Dread lives up to the saga that popularized this genre in the first place. Now we only have to ask that we don't have to wait another 19 years for the next one.

Metroid Dread surpasses all our expectations and has everything we could have ask for: exploration, impressive action sequences, great atmosphere, tension and the best Samus incarnation. If we look at it as a metroidvania it doesn't reach the same level of greatness as some of the finest examples of the genre... But it comes close.

Metroid Dread combines the old, trusted Metroid formula with enough fresh ideas to revive the 35-year-old series. Never before has Samus been so fluidly controlled and the action so spectacular. The EMMI is an exciting break from standard exploration, but every part of Metroid is equally well thought out. However, optional upgrades hardly add anything in most cases and it doesn't want to be as free as Super Metroid. They are minor missteps for a game that puts Metroid back on the map.

Metroid Dread sharpens everything that makes Metroid enjoyable, while more fully realizing its horror ambitions.

It took a bit longer than expected, but Metroid Dread simply is Metroid at its finest: with a smartly crafted level design that explains why this legendary saga became a reference point, this new Samus’ adventure embodies all the features Metroid fans love.

Metroid Dread for the Nintendo Switch is a worthy holder of the title "Metroid 5." Its sprawling world begs you to explore every inch of it, and while it keeps Samus Returns' control elements, they feel much better on the Switch. This is a proper Metroid 5, and that's more than enough to make it an Editors’ Choice pick for Switch games.

Metroid Dread is pure love for the franchise. It takes the elements of the classic 2D games and unites them with the evolving essence of Metroid Fusion, introducing many others that work perfectly. It doesn't give off such a magical aura and there are things to improve, but it establishes itself as one of the best games on the console.

One of the best Metroid games ever made and a thrilling restatement of everything that makes the series, and the genre it inspired, great.

Metroid Dread is exceptional in every way, placing itself as one of the best episodes in a series that already has no shortage of nuggets! By mixing the phases of action and infiltration, the game developed by Mercury Studios constantly keeps the player in suspense. But beyond its structure and its exploration aspect, it is the fluidity of the gameplay that stuck us to the ceiling, with a Samus more agile and twirling than ever and a difficulty that forces us to juggle these many capacities in many situations. Whether you are a newbie or a fan of the series, Metroid Dread is a must-have for any Nintendo Switch owner.

A surprise sequel after nearly 20 years, Metroid Dread brings back the legendary exploration and progression and merges it with excellent modern combat and some of the best boss fights ever.

We never felt so powerful in a Metroid game, but at the same time the E.M.M.I. robots keep the tension high. This is a great conclusion and an explosive return, and hopefully not the last time we see Nintendo's most famous bounty hunter in a 2D adventure.

After 19 years, Nintendo finally delivers an official sequel to Metroid Fusion that concludes Samus Aran's lifelong battle with a race of deadly alien organisms.

I am, on the whole, delighted to report that Metroid Dread is every bit as good as the fans had hoped it would be, delivering a stunning conclusion that lays the groundwork for a very exciting future. It's a masterfully executed, explosive action game that delivers on every level, and looks and feels exactly how a Metroid game should in 2021. There are eye-popping vistas, moments of sheer terror, and some of the most memorable - and challenging - boss battles in the series' 35-year history.

Metroid Dread is the return of Samus we waited for almost twenty years. The closing chapter of Samus' adventure is intended to kickstart the era of the Switch OLED and it does it with a bang. The game looks delicious and plays seamlessly smooth. The game has some minor flaws but feels nearly perfect as you search the depths of ZDR and need to flee the E.M.M.I. to save your life. This is simply a must-buy for everyone that owns a Switch.

In so many ways it is a return to what makes Metroid such a fantastic series of games. The EMMI chase segments are a welcome addition and add a new twist to its classic gameplay. The boss fights are more epic than ever, and the story is such a sweet payoff for fans that have invested literal decades in the overall series’ lore. There are a number of reasons they named the first half of an entire genre of games after this franchise and so many of them are on display here.

Metroid Dread has been decades in the making, and if that’s because it wasn’t possible on less powerful handhelds, it’s been well and truly worth the wait.

Metroid Dread suffers from some minor grievances, but overall it is a remarkable achievement in not just resurrecting a dormant and beloved series, proving its authority in the genre it inhabits, or exhibiting the kind of airtight design we’d expect from a title of this calibre. It is a remarkable achievement because it is one of those few rare games that sets itself an atmospheric goal and launches it towards and through the stratosphere. This, here, is one of 2021’s very best games - we’re always in for a treat when Samus returns.

Metroid Dread sees the galaxy's best bounty hunter return in fine form. It takes the terror of being hunted from Metroid Fusion, the more modern direction of Samus Returns, and the freedom to add to the series' decades of lore to create something that's nigh on essential for Metroid fans.

Metroid Dread is a perfect mixture of 'things'. It is obviously a Metroidvania, but it can be enjoyed both by the connoisseurs of the genre as well as those that are complete newbies to it, it can even be considered a proper place to start exploring the genre. Even I, someone who is not particularly a fan of the Metroidvania concept, have been delighted by what Metroid Dread has to offer, and it has provided me with a ton of joy and has also surprised me more than any other game in a long time.

Metroid Dread is a wonderful, modern take on a classic game from childhood. It looks as beautiful as any of today’s games, but has a feel of the games of old. The scary tone of the game and its intense foes give you a challenge worthy of the series.

A continuation of Samus’ story from Metroid Fusion, Metroid Dread excels as a hybrid of both classic and modern Metroid gameplay. The exploration and combat are top-notch, with satisfying boss fights complete with stunning graphics and mid-action cutscenes. It’s only a few nitpicks that prevent Dread from being a masterpiece, but that still means that it’s a must-have for Metroid fans. The future holds a lot of promise for Samus Aran.

Metroid Dread is the final chapter of the journey started by Samus Aran on NES long ago. Developer MecurySteam has managed to create a game loyal to the series but full of new elements added to renew the gameplay. Being chased by E.M.M.I. is one of the most terrifying experiences you could ever feel in a videogame. It’s just a brilliant addiction. Exploring ZDR planet is a marvelous adventure: as you progress through the game, you will collect new powers and story elements. Metroid Dread feels like old and new at the same time: will please both fans of the series and new players. This game plays gorgeously on the new Switch OLED screen and is a must-have for every metroidvania addict.

With Metroid Dread, Mercury Steam brings the series back to its roots by delivering a strong, dense and cleverly designed 2D episode. Thanks to its tough but balanced curve, Samus keeps getting stronger and more able to decipher many puzzles and fight interesting bosses, only to appear vulnerable when escaping the new EMMI robots. The adventure sure is classic, but all the elements here are pushed to their limits, for the better. What a ride.

Metroid Dread is nearly the perfect return for Samus, and only some difficulty spikes rain on the parade. This is a tight, responsive 2D Metroid experience that constantly impresses and surprises in equal measure and is the perfect way to launch the new Switch model.

Metroid Dread follows in the footsteps of the previous games very well. Some of the "retro" design does not necessarily fit the habits of today's players, but for the huge fans of the Metroid series, this is a masterpiece not to be missed.

Metroid Dread is one of the best Metroidvania games out there with its awesome collection of abilities and its action-packed E.M.M.I. areas. It may not provide as much challenge as old-school fans would expect but it's still an undeniably incredible adventure.

Metroid Dread proves that the Metroid franchise is still ready to innovate the genre it helped build with exciting new ideas. While it hasn't taken on all the lessons from newcomers that have filled in since its absence, it doesn't feel like an outsider looking in.

Metroid games have always had trace elements of sci-fi horror in them, and Metroid Dread is no different. Rather than inject the series with new levels of fear and tension, Dread seeks to highlight the latent spookiness already present. To that end, it works! That familiar sense of powerlessness and fear is given new life in this game. Suddenly your initial state of weakness has greater narrative weight. Furthermore, the lateral expansion of your move set feels like a natural conclusion. Every victory is one you clawed and fought for with all your might. Each new stage is filled with fresh dangers to keep you moving with an abundance of caution and care. Even the complex controls and the punishing boss fights are in service to this vision. Metroid Dread takes small, but significant, steps to expand and innovate upon the established series formula. Metroid and Metroidvania fans alike won't want to miss this entry.

Well-designed metroidvania elements, prominent storyline and dynamic action – Metroid Dread delivers on almost every front. [Issue#255, p.28]

Taking up the torch of a series interrupted nineteen years ago is never an easy task, but the MercurySteam studio is doing it with honors! The developers have chosen the path of security while perfectly respecting the spirit of the previous episodes, to the detriment of true modernity.

Metroid Dread is the pinnacle and full maturity of the series that began in 1986. Metroid Dread is a collection of handcraft mechanics from previous installments, offering the definitive 2D Metroid experience.

Metroid Dread is not only an excellent game and return of a beloved franchise, it’s emblematic of everything that defined the genre in the first place in a way that many modern Metroidvanias simply aren’t. Its exploration, upgrading, and re-exploration are never spoonfed to you and feel constantly like great accomplishments with great difficulty scaling and thrilling new mechanics and atmosphere.

With Metroid Dread, Mercury Steam brings a satisfying conclusion to 35 years of history. It's a particularly solid metroidvania, which will make you thrill at every revelation and sweat at every boss fight, while distilling a level-design mastered like never before. However, its main and only innovation, embodied by the E.M.M.I., prevents the title from reaching the pantheon of the genre, which is already full of quality titles: more frustrating than stressful, the mechanics and areas related to the robots of the galactic federation are far from convincing us.

25 years after the start of the 2D saga, Samus is in perfect shape and has tied us to the Switch for many hours.

Metroid Dread feels like a celebration of 2D Metroid. It manages to stay true to the original games, whilst also introducing some new elements that keeps things feeling fresh. The game is held back by some questionable level design, the E.M.M.I feeling repetitive and a definite knowledge barrier for series newcomers.

An intoxicating power climb, top-notch level design and a fear-inducing hook make this an incredibly compelling and long overdue side-scrolling Metroid sequel. It struggles with sticking too closely to the roots of its decades-old predecessors and could definitely learn a thing or two from contemporary Metroidvanias, but it's a blast all the same.

Metroid Dread doesn't take a lot of big swings, but it rarely bats a foul ball.

Metroid Dread is a dignified sequel to a sacred games series. The almost invincible E.M.M.I. can be annoying, but other than that, you get a fully-fleshed metroidvania that combines new mechanics with traditional Metroid gameplay in the best sense.

Although not without some frustrating moments, Metroid Dread is a great experience, offering up an engrossing journey full of engaging exploration and challenging combat that is proof alone that 2D Metroid is worthy of a renaissance.

A commendable return to form for a legendary brand. Metroid Dread does everything well but never truly excels.

A perfect organism? Not quite, but in its finest stretches Dread has a momentum that can mesmerise for hours at a time. It's hard to look away from the screen - even when, in moments that reach towards full horror, you might want to. [Issue#365, p.98]

19 years. That's how long fans had to wait for a real sequel to the 2D adventures of intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran. And as it turns out: it’s worth the wait. Dread is excellent, hardcore and a beautiful love letter to the genre. The terrifying Extraplanetary Multiform Mobile Identifiers (E.M.M.I's) are refreshing and make the title chillingly true. The somewhat retro visual flair pops, but mostly on the new (and more expensive) OLED Switch.

Metroid Dread offers the same old "Metroidvania" concept as before, but also adds completely new exciting and surprising features. The "just one more try" feeling is also constant and does not let go of us until we have really managed to unlock everything.

If you are somehow infected with the Metroid series, you do not need these lines to play this game. No, even if you're playing for the first time, Metroid Dread can be a good choice to see what kind of dynamism the series has.

Samus Aran's latest 2D mission boasts consistently high thrills in exploration and combat to provide a worthy sequel to a highly-regarded game that came out 19 years ago. Metroid Dread doesn't quite deliver on the "dread" promised in the title, with atmosphere lacking and the initially-tense EMMI encounters becoming predictable, but nonetheless we had a tremendous amount of fun and hope we don't face another 19-year wait for the next original entry.

Where the studio succeeds—and where Metroid Dread elevates from noble and flawed effort to inspired riff—is in its embrace of the unreachable.

Metroid Dread is hard, but it's hard in a really good way. The kind of way that makes you sometimes want to toss your controller, but doubles your resolve while doing so. It's smooth, quick, and makes Samus feel fast and powerful as much as it possibly can without turning into an action platformer.

Metroid Dread is an excellent return to the Samus saga with an interesting story and solid mechanics, although it does have a few problems with its new villains.

The game perfects the 2D trappings of Metroid’s mechanics and hands players so much freedom when it comes to exploration.

Metroid Dread isn't a groundbreaking genre piece, and it's not trying to be one. New game lead by Yoshio Sakamoto is aimed at those players, who can appreciate fine-tuned and deep gameplay.

Metroid has officially returned to its pedestal of greatness among Nintendo's finest. Powerfully efficient in its details and ruthless in its effort to make the player writhe in agony. While not the greatest heights the franchise has ever seen, it's more than polished enough to be a respected and beloved addition to the franchise. While it marks the end of the original timeline, the future is vast and endless, and Dread marks the potential for a markedly improved vision of the genre. While the Switch has more than enough must-buys already, this is yet another. Just be warned that it takes no prisoners.

It’s terrific stuff, though it may prove a little strenuous for newcomers at times. Metroid has always been one of Nintendo’s more ‘hardcore’ pursuits and Dread looks to make a virtue of this in a challenging and often esoteric adventure. But whether you are new or a Metroid old-hand, there is no doubting the craft here. A welcome return for one of gaming’s most stylish heroes.

Metroid Dread is a slick and intense platform-adventure, and the most exciting Switch game Nintendo has produced in quite some time.

Metroid Dread doesn't break the mold, but it's a solid Metroidvania that will please fans new and old alike.

It's a cliché, but Metroid Dread won't be a game for everyone. If you like a game that doesn't hold your hand at all, is brutally difficult, requires precision from every movement and busts your back, you'll love Samus' latest mission. If not, your experience will vary depending on how much you can put up with the genre’s pitfalls and what might be considered obtuse design decisions. Metroid Dread almost broke me several times, but it might just be what you're after. It took a while, but Samus is back, and hopefully not going away for so long this time.

Metroid Dread is likely to give those that have been counting down the days to its release exactly what they want: a thrilling experience in line with what they loved about past games. There are original ideas here - but they’re better considered as evolutions of what came before rather than anything groundbreaking. There’s stumbles here and there with the difficulty and progression signposting, but all of that feels very Metroid. Dread is no Super Metroid, but that game is a stone-cold all-timer. Putting that game aside, Dread is up to the series standard, and is well worth a look.

More than anything else, Metroid Dread feels like going back to a place of comfort after a long time away. Though the gameplay is refined and new features have been added to the mix, Dread sticks closely to the formula of its predecessors. In the end, for longtime fans like myself, that's probably for the best. There's nothing to dread here. We're home again.

Metroid Dread is an experience that is at times deeply enjoyable and yet imperfect at the same time. MercurySteam certainly did not lack the courage to take risks, proposing new ideas, exceptional dynamism and surprising horror veins: elements that fit coherently within a winning formula, tested over the last thirty-five years. A few too many smudges - probably the result of a production not up to the height of Nintendo's heavyweights - however, end up making the whole thing miss: with some extra ideas, less repetition and a little more character in artistic terms, the result could have been be different and even more rounded. However, it is always fascinating to find Samus on our screens, in a franchise that deserves more than it usually gets (starting with the Big N).

“Dread” might not be the next big leap forward for the “Metroid” franchise or side-scrolling gaming as a whole, but at the same time, it’s hard to imagine that existing fans (or just about anyone else who likes the game genre that “Metroid” helped pioneer) won’t get a huge kick out of the series’ long-overdue return. The last few years have led to a minor renaissance for side-scrolling action games and though “Metroid” might not be the uncontested gold standard for the genre anymore, “Dread” confirms that the aging franchise is still among the best in the business.

In a lot of ways, Metroid Dread is exactly the game that people who’ve been waiting 20-odd years for a new 2D Metroid could want: authentic and mostly true to its roots, but with enough new ideas thrown into the fold that it doesn’t just feel like a retread. Given the pedestal that Metroid gets put on, that’s an impressive achievement in itself. But it’s also uneven in that aim, sometimes clinging too closely to the past, and other times losing sight of what made the older games the classics that they are. Ultimately, what you get out of Metroid Dread will depend on what you expect from Metroid in the first place, but if you want an accomplished exploration platformer and can put up with a bit of frustration and narrative bloat along the way, you’re in good hands here.

I simply don’t think this stands as tall as Super Metroid, Zero Mission, Prime, Fusion, or even Samus Returns. But to a Metroid fan it is worth playing and realize that these are problems I found with the game; other people haven’t had the same issues. However, to anyone who has never played a Metroid game before, I don’t think this is the place to start. I think it feels too different from the rest of the series (neither a good or bad thing) and the moments in the story that hit really well only do so because of everything that has happened before in previous titles.

A bit fastidious sometimes, often original, Metroid Dread is kinda stuck between two worlds. Handling the game is counter-intuitive, but there's some great new additions and you'll find a well balanced difficulty. The game brings a new slice of mythology that has been expected forever now.

Metroid Dread is a good Metroid-style game, but does little more.

Frustrating boss battles and cumbersome controls distract from an otherwise fun and isolating adventure.

I left Metroid Dread feeling quite conflicted about it. On the one hand, I do think it is fundamentally well designed, and the main gameplay element - the robot stalkers - are woven into the Metroid formula beautifully. On the other hand, that Metroid formula is getting long in the tooth and Dread doesn't do nearly enough to revitalise it. Dread is fine. It's not just nearly memorable enough for a game that fans have been waiting so many years for now.

Perhaps I am asking too much. We don’t pry for depth from Mario as he rescues his princess, or ask what motivates Tom Nook in his real estate empire. Like pretty much all Nintendo’s games, with their long legacies and perfect jumps, this feel good to play, and that should be enough: but I don’t come to a Nintendo title for enough. I left Dread feeling that perhaps the real legacy of 2D Metroid will be the games it inspires, rather than the games themselves.