Metroid Dread Reviews
Intense combat and a series of challenging boss fights require a high level of play, but the thrill of victory is incredibly sweet
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.
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 seems like the perfect mix to me.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Metroid Dread exceeds all our expectations and has everything we could dream of: exploration, spectacular action, great atmosphere, tension and the "most Samus" Samus ever seen. If we analyze it as metroidvania it does not reach the excellence of the exponents of the genre... But it stays close.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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.
Metroid Dread is a sci-fi blast of brilliance that fans and newcomers alike will more than likely enjoy.
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.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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 meets - and arguably surpasses - its lofty expectations, with demanding gameplay, clever level design and an ambitious story.
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.
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.
This new episode still tends to rally new players to its cause. Fans will appreciate the few revelations around Samus Aran and on the universe of the game, neophytes meanwhile, will be delighted to make their weapons on this masterful opus. Metroid Dread is a real success both in terms of its level design, gameplay and atmosphere. I can only recommend this game despite the potential difficulty that may put off some players. An adventure that we will not get enough of doing and redoing while waiting for a sequel.
Review in French | Read full review
Metroid Dread sharpens everything that makes Metroid enjoyable, while more fully realizing its horror ambitions.
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 though 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 are here pushed to their limits, for the better. What a ride.
Review in French | Read full review
Metroid Dread for the Nintendo Switch is a worthy holder of the title "Metroid 5," with a massive, gorgeous planet to explore and conquer.
Each EMMI zone is a carefully crafted parkour course where your movement skills are put to the test. Run, wall jump, and slide to maneuver through the obstacles, carefully avoiding the EMMI's line of sight. I worried that these sections would be too slow-paced for my liking, but that was almost never the case. I felt rewarded for staying in motion as much as possible, quickly reacting to my surroundings and using them to my advantage. The Phantom Cloak also exists as a stealthy option, but I found that I didn't have to rely on it excessively. However, when cornered, it came in handy, and it made for some intense moments. You can also counter the EMMI's one-hit KO during the kill animation, but it's an extremely narrow window. The timing is tough, but with enough practice, I was hitting it around half the time.
Like meeting an old friend that you haven’t seen in a while, Metroid Dread marks a great return to the franchise’s classic form. From the series’ trademark tension and corridor-based exploration to its hectic 2D action, Metroid Dread checks a lot of the boxes for old-school fans while also introducing its tried and true formula to a new generation of gamers. Here’s hoping this reunion with classic Samus won’t be the last.
Playing as Samus has never felt better, with the bounty hunter’s quick and nimble movement perfectly paired with a blend of action, speedy traversal and stealth.
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.
Review in Polish | Read full review