Nineteen years of absence is a very long time, and some young players potentially interested in this new episode may have never touched a Metroid in their lives. Fortunately, Nintendo and the MercurySteam studio are fully aware of this problem and offer us a fairly didactic introductory cinematic, which recalls in a few minutes the nature and existence of Metroids, Chozo, Parasites X and the role of Samus Aran. In all of this. If our heroine resumes service today, it is simply because the Galactic Federation has received a video transmission proving the presence of an X living in the wild on the planet ZDR. Seven EMMI robots are sent on site to investigate, but no further communication with them is possible. So there is only one hope and one solution left: send Samus to the rescue! The first local encounter, hostile and non-playable, results in a "physical amnesia" which deprives our heroine of a good part of her armor and her equipment. A screenplay trick was needed to justify a new start.
Because this Metroid Dread is obviously a Metroidvania (the Metroid series has nevertheless co-invented the genre…), and it is therefore essential to distill the different gadgets and powers to the player throughout the adventure, so that he can unceasingly unlock new paths. Shuttles or elevators between the different main areas, teleportation portals and other shortcuts to find by destroying walls are part of the game, but do not avoid the many round trips inherent in the genre. This labyrinthine aspect of the levels is both a strength and a weakness. A strength because fans of the series specifically expect this type of level design, and a weakness because newcomers used to being taken in hand risk getting lost regularly and complaining about the lack of an objective indicator.
PRIME TIME
On the other hand, the gameplay will reconcile everyone because the movements and the action are very fluid. Slips, jumps, collisions with the edges, and other rebounds on the walls are carried out easily and offer very good feelings. The riposte strike, in the form of QTEs to be placed at the right time, is particularly pleasing and useful, since it allows you to block the attacks of certain creatures, kill them in one hit, and collect a large bonus in health and ammunition. . As for the powers to unlock over the course of the adventure, they constantly enrich the possibilities, whether it's the charged shot, the arachnomagnet allowing you to cling to magnetic walls and ceilings, the spectral camouflage conferring invisibility temporary, the wide radius consisting of three simultaneous and parallel shots, or the iconic morphing ball, which allows Samus to literally roll into a ball in order to pass through the narrowest spaces.
The only real downside in terms of gameplay comes from free aiming, which in theory allows you to precisely point to this or that place before shooting. Unfortunately, its sensitivity is far too high, which unnecessarily complicates the maneuver and forces you to do it several times. This excessive and non-modifiable adjustment is quite frustrating, especially during certain boss and mini-boss sequences, which precisely require you to quickly and precisely target weak points. These creatures are still interesting to kill, especially the seven EMMI robots mentioned above. They have the particularity of being initially invincible, which obliges Samus to run towards the exit or to infiltrate discreetly as soon as she enters an area controlled by one of her former allies. This small variation in gameplay and atmosphere changes the routine a bit. It is possible to defeat each robot once you find an omega cannon (single-use) in the scenery, but the maneuver remains relatively difficult since you have to aim for the same weak point for a long time before the killing machine doesn't come too close to us.
CONTEMPORARY OLD SCHOOL
More old-school than frankly innovative, Metroid Dread still displays its 2D gameplay in true 3D. This allows some more or less shimmering special effects, as well as various camera movements that allow a smooth transition with the cinematic scenes. The staging in particular and the narration in general remain all the same classic, even school. On the other hand, this episode has the merit of significantly enriching the Metroid universe. As for the graphics, obviously you should not expect miracles from the Switch. If the game remains pleasing to the eye, it's much more because of the artistic direction than pure technique. The pleasure of finding Samus moving in profile in metal corridors also plays in favor of the title, which seeks above all to please fans of the series. The nostalgia effect fulfills its role perfectly and multiplies the pleasure one feels in traveling the planet ZDR. Reunions are good!
