Screenshots
About This Game
Metroid Dread NSP ROM is an action-adventure game where players take on the role of Samus Aran, a bounty hunter tasked with investigating the origins of a mysterious transmission on the planet ZDR.
The Metroidvania genre is, to say the least, strange: virtually ignored by major publishers, while highly regarded, if not over-exploited, by independent developers. Furthermore, the two games that helped create and give the genre its name are so obscure that most casual gamers have probably never played them. Despite the success of the Netflix series, there hasn’t been a new Castlevania game in seven years, and, aside from Federation Force, there hasn’t been a new Metroid game in over a decade. The 2017 remake, Metroid: Samus Returns, added enough elements to Metroid 2 to make it a stand-alone game. If you still think it’s mediocre, you should know that Metroid Dread is a true masterpiece: a new game in the Metroid saga that promises to conclude the five-part series that began with the first game in 1986.
A Classic Metroidvania-style Adventure
We’ve already tested the Switch OLED, but only with older games. Metroid Dread launches on the same day, which at first glance seems like a coincidence for a series that isn’t among Nintendo’s most popular titles. However, following the price drop of the original Switch model, the OLED version now costs £50 more, making it a more exclusive purchase aimed at a more select audience. In this context, Metroid Dread is a great choice for the console’s launch.
The gameplay is 2D, but don’t be fooled: the graphics are by no means bad or boring. The first encounter with the warrior in silver armor is stunning on the Switch’s new OLED screen. Aside from the numerous 3D animated sequences, the attention to detail is excellent and flawlessly executed, despite the console’s modest resolution. The use of light and shadow is notable, while in the background, (mostly) harmless machines and aliens go about their daily activities.
The game is visually stunning, but another surprising aspect is the complete lack of instructions from the start. The controls are explained, but the first real challenge involves not only wall-jumping but also shooting seemingly unimportant elements of the scenery, with no visual cues to their importance. None of these elements are explained. You have to discover them yourself – an unexpected return to Metroid’s roots. And while the game isn’t overly difficult, it remains challenging in terms of puzzles, platforming and combat.
An Enjoyable Combat System
While games like Breath of the Wild revolutionized The Legend of Zelda series, Metroid Dread takes the opposite approach, staying true to the Metroidvania style established by its predecessors—which isn’t a criticism considering the legacy of Super Metroid. The game features a non-linear maze to explore, with unlockable bonuses that open up new areas as you progress. Popular abilities like the Morph Ball return, while new power-ups like the Phantom Cape complement the emphasis on stealth. During my two-hour playthrough, I only unlocked a handful of abilities, but each one was a joy to use and contributed to a very satisfying progression.
Mechanically, the game uses nearly every button on the Switch, and that becomes apparent after a few hours of play. In terms of gameplay and presentation, Metroid Dread is nearly flawless. The level design, the most important aspect of any Metroidvania game, is superb. The incredibly complex maps are filled with subtle and surprisingly memorable cues. What proves once again that the game is not overly simplistic is that its linear structure is remarkable, and revisiting previously explored areas is not overwhelming.
