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Metroid Dread |OT| Prime Hour

GinSama

Member
Start playing…, this is some amazing game alright…. The first Emmi comes easy, I mean I didn’t saw any spoilers videos so i don’t understand why is so easy.

then it comes the second emmi…. Ohhh damn it looks like I’m running away from an terminator lol

The gameplay is so smooth , they did something really impressive here .
 

Cutty Flam

Banned
Question for seasoned Metroid players. Halfway through the game a surprising cutscene
Is that Chozo that got killed in front of Samus an ally from previous Metroid games? Or is there no way to be sure? Samus even took the time to speak with this character
 

Aldric

Member
Question for seasoned Metroid players. Halfway through the game a surprising cutscene
Is that Chozo that got killed in front of Samus an ally from previous Metroid games? Or is there no way to be sure? Samus even took the time to speak with this character
It's a new character that never appeared in any of the previous games.
 

scalman

Member
im doing allready over 9 hrs and im sure im not close to end yet so i guess i just explored a lot ...great game. some hard stuff sure... but im not old school metroid fan here... but im loving this one, and i will try those old games too now on emulator. thats how i played most castlevania games anyway.
 

Porcile

Member
Not really getting the lack the exploration comments that keep cropping up. After getting the speedboost I decided to stray from the path and ended up getting some upgrades and then much to my surprise, the scan pulse earlier than the game intended thanks to bomb jumps. Use some initiative people. The game isn't going to tell you "YOU CAN EXPLORE NOW!!"
 

Aldric

Member
Not really getting the lack the exploration comments that keep cropping up. After getting the speedboost I decided to stray from the path and ended up getting some upgrades and then much to my surprise, the scan pulse earlier than the game intended thanks to bomb jumps. Use some initiative people. The game isn't going to tell you "YOU CAN EXPLORE NOW!!"
Yeah exactly, I've seen some people say this was as linear as Fusion and I'm baffled, it lets you experiment far more than Fusion and grab items in the "wrong" order, it just requires creativity and skills. Early Gravity Suit is particularly neat.
 

Jsisto

Member
Yeah exactly, I've seen some people say this was as linear as Fusion and I'm baffled, it lets you experiment far more than Fusion and grab items in the "wrong" order, it just requires creativity and skills. Early Gravity Suit is particularly neat.
Someone mentioned it before, but this bears repeating. There seems to be some kind of misconception/nostalgia goggles that Metroid is supposed to be some kind of open world game That you can play however you want. Some games have been more linear than others, but Metroid has always been a series that’s generally pushes you to do things in a certain order, while rewarding players who think outside the box a little bit to change up the flow slightly. This isn’t some Breath of the Wild style world of possibilities and I wouldn’t want it to be. The genre needs a strong overall structure or there would be nothing special or exciting about sequence breaks. In terms of freedom, Dread stands with the best in the series as far as I’m concerned.
 

Aldric

Member
Someone mentioned it before, but this bears repeating. There seems to be some kind of misconception/nostalgia goggles that Metroid is supposed to be some kind of open world game That you can play however you want. Some games have been more linear than others, but Metroid has always been a series that’s generally pushes you to do things in a certain order, while rewarding players who think outside the box a little bit to change up the flow slightly. This isn’t some Breath of the Wild style world of possibilities and I wouldn’t want it to be. The genre needs a strong overall structure or there would be nothing special or exciting about sequence breaks. In terms of freedom, Dread stands with the best in the series as far as I’m concerned.
That's a very good point. I think some people might have expected the game to be more open ended like a Hollow Knight or a Ori but what's interesting with Metroid is that it's always been somewhat restrictive and let's say hostile in its nature, and this manifests itself well in the level design. Notice how there's almost no large single rooms with the exception of the entrances to certain zones and even there it's an enclosed tunnel. It's always cramped, winding and claustrophobic. Metroid is an oppressive labyrinth the player can pry open with cleverness and skills, but it's never been inviting.
 
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Xellos

Member
I'm near the end of the game and it's been a fun time. Controls and boss fights are top notch and I love the EMMI encounters. If I have one complaint it's the map. It's good enough, but it goes a bit overboard with the different locks/doors and there aren't enough memorable landmarks. Super Metroid did a better job giving most rooms something unique. To be fair Dread's map is much larger than Super's. Looking forward to playing a 2nd time and going for sequence breaks.
 

SteadyEvo

Member
I am lost after acquiring
Invisibility

Metroid and Zelda puzzle puzzles make me feel stupid
 

Punished Miku

Gold Member
I am lost after acquiring
Invisibility

Metroid and Zelda puzzle puzzles make me feel stupid
Find a sensor lock door on the map. Any door sensor lock door that shuts when you walk up to it. Hover over it on the map and press Y. Check all those to start.
 
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CGiRanger

Banned
Just beated it and I may think I like this better than Super.

Gameplay is tight, the EMMI sections and the bosses are all amazing and the world design is great too.

Only think lacking is the soundtrack.
I think the ambient soundtrack works well for certain areas, especially for places like the EMMI Zones. But yeah, it'd be nice if they added some more memorable tracks here and there.

Do we know who the composer is?
 

Buggy Loop

Member
The more I play this game the better I feel it is.

It's incredibly deep and the gameplay is just on another level.

Seeing all those sequence break videos, that to me seem designed in, makes the whole game design shine even more so. There’s the funnel that I would guess most players and first runners will stumble in like I did, and then there’s the off-road way and you realize nothing about this map or items is linear, at all.

I fought all bosses except last one, and I’m off to collect items, but there’s no doubt in my mind, this is my GOTY. SMT5 would have to be an atomic bomb of a surprise to top it.
 
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tommib

Member
I think the ambient soundtrack works well for certain areas, especially for places like the EMMI Zones. But yeah, it'd be nice if they added some more memorable tracks here and there.

Do we know who the composer is?
Which is bizarre because Yamamoto composed Super Metroid.

Another thing I dislike about the music is that it sounds like really basic MIDI instruments. Yes, of course Metroid music needs to sound hyper electronic but put some lushness into it. Again, compare it to the amazing vangelis-like tracks of Returnal and this just pales. Hoping they’re saving higher quality music for Prime 4 since Dread is supposed to be a smaller-scale project.
 

CGiRanger

Banned
Which is bizarre because Yamamoto composed Super Metroid.

Another thing I dislike about the music is that it sounds like really basic MIDI instruments. Yes, of course Metroid music needs to sound hyper electronic but put some lushness into it. Again, compare it to the amazing vangelis-like tracks of Returnal and this just pales. Hoping they’re saving higher quality music for Prime 4 since Dread is supposed to be a smaller-scale project.
Yamamoto has pretty much been the Metroid composer from Super Metroid to doing the Prime Trilogy. But both Samus Returns and now Dread, in which he is credited in as Music Director, seem much different. I wonder if as director he's taking a hands-off approach and mainly letting the other composers do it. Even so, he'd be the one shaping the direction of the music and of course would be choosing for it to be more ambient than melodic.

I do think a lot of Nintendo's older composers are more used to using strong-sounding MIDI instruments. Either that or perhaps not updating their MIDI libraries (which I Could totally see them doing)
 
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Fredrik

Member
Haven’t finished it yet but it feels like things are starting to wrap up now. And this is messing with my head… I’m reaching the weird ”How do I enjoy other games after this?” state of mind here. Everything third person behind the character feels like it controls like shit now, slow movement, bad camera and you can’t see what’s happening around the character, janky action. Sigh. A 2D gameplay revival for AAA games needs to happen.
 
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Dr Bass

Member
Haven’t finished it yet but it feels like things are starting to wrap up now. And this is messing with my head… I’m reaching the weird ”How do I enjoy other games after this?” state of mind here. Everything third person behind the character feels like it controls like shit now, slow movement, bad camera and you can’t see what’s happening around the character, janky action. Sigh. A 2D gameplay revival for AAA games needs to happen.
I agree. I stated earlier, Nintendo games always remind me of why I like games in the first place. Nintendo always focuses on what matters the most in games and, IMO, it shows in games like MD.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
This game is unbelievably good!

Samus has always been a badass, but MercurySteam really hit the nail on the head when it came to perfecting her in Metroid Dread
I think Nintendo is also very very good at managing collaborations when they put themselves into it. Not to take praise away from MS, but I think Nintendo was quite hands on like they were with Retro (more than the autonomy they gave the devs on Samus Returns and Other M I think). It looks and feels so polished.
 
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Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
Haven’t finished it yet but it feels like things are starting to wrap up now. And this is messing with my head… I’m reaching the weird ”How do I enjoy other games after this?” state of mind here. Everything third person behind the character feels like it controls like shit now, slow movement, bad camera and you can’t see what’s happening around the character, janky action. Sigh. A 2D gameplay revival for AAA games needs to happen.
Sometimes restrictions (say a side scrolling camera in Metroid, no vertical aiming in DOOM classic) can be a spring of opportunities. Plus, you get densely pack the environment with details (geometry, lighting, great texturing) rivalling the best 2D hand drawn ones.
 
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Fredrik

Member
Sometimes restrictions (say a side scrolling camera in Metroid, no vertical Simon in DOOM classic) can be a spring of opportunities. Plus, you get densely pack the environment with details (geometry, lighting, great texturing) rivalling the best 2D hand drawn ones.
Yeah and the gameplay simply gets better, imo. Imagine a big budget AAA side-scrolling game made with Unreal Engine 5, with physics and destruction and all that next gen RT jazz etc. 🤤
 

carlosrox

Banned
I'm at 6:08:55 with 17% items so far.

I played for like 30 mins earlier just running around, backtracking, searching for hidden stuff, getting more familiar with the map (so far) and had a fucking blast just doing that.

I can't tell you how much of a joy it is just running around this world shooting shit. It is so damn fun and smooth.

 
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Bragr

Banned
The reviews are a lot more impressive than the 89 on Meta, it has extremely few reviews under 80, games like Last of Us 2 have a lot more hesitant reviews, but Metroid Dread is liked across the board. Easy Allies just gave it a 95.

I also see that most people that play it really love it, including people I thought were gonna dislike it.
 

Punished Miku

Gold Member
i just got the speed boost…is there a higher level speed boost I’m missing to do this?
Nope. Just the 1. After charging it (run and hit down) you have about 3-4 seconds to do whatever you want. Run, jump, turn into a ball. Then hit jump and any direction to boost.

While speed boosting (when running to charge it up before hitting down) you can run, jump, wall jump, slide. But you can't run off a ledge.

Its honestly very weird but it is fun. Im finishing up 100% and I did have to look up how to do 2 of the speed ones so far. Just literally didn't know how it worked until I watched it on YouTube.
 
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DeceptiveAlarm

Gold Member
Nope. Just the 1. After charging it (run and hit down) you have about 3-4 seconds to do whatever you want. Run, jump, turn into a ball. Then hit jump and any direction to boost.

While speed boosting (when running to charge it up before hitting down) you can run, jump, wall jump, slide. But you can't run off a ledge.

Its honestly very weird but it is fun. Im finishing up 100% and I did have to look up how to do 2 of the speed ones so far. Just literally didn't know how it worked until I watched it on YouTube.
I'm not with my switch at the moment. Last night I felt like I lost my speed booster charge when I jumped. I couldn't get some of the blocks I felt I should of been able to. I just watched a video this morning and I see people doing it. Idk what I was doing wrong.
 

Punished Miku

Gold Member
I'm not with my switch at the moment. Last night I felt like I lost my speed booster charge when I jumped. I couldn't get some of the blocks I felt I should of been able to. I just watched a video this morning and I see people doing it. Idk what I was doing wrong.
Hold forward. I had to go to a large room and just practice running around and jumping. I'd suggest a railroad transport purple room for practice. Practice wall jumping with speed boost, shinespark then turn into a ball, sliding etc.
 
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JCK75

Member
Finally getting my floors fixed after major water damage, living in a hotel for the week and it was the time I intended to get dread and play the hell out of it.. but I did something dumb as I was packing stuff up I packed up my switch and could not find it before I had to get out... we have my sons switch lite so I may go buy it physical so I can play it on his.
 

Rran

Member
The game is great so far, particularly the combat. But the environments are also quite a bit better than in Samus Returns. MercurySteam may not be mid-90s Nintendo, but they're growing on me.

I have to level a complaint at the Speed Booster though--why does it require pressing the absolute worst button on the controller to activate!? I hate clicking sticks!
 

kunonabi

Member
The game is great so far, particularly the combat. But the environments are also quite a bit better than in Samus Returns. MercurySteam may not be mid-90s Nintendo, but they're growing on me.

I have to level a complaint at the Speed Booster though--why does it require pressing the absolute worst button on the controller to activate!? I hate clicking sticks!
Oh God it's an L3/R3 input? Ugh.
 

IKSTUGA

Member
The game is great so far, particularly the combat. But the environments are also quite a bit better than in Samus Returns. MercurySteam may not be mid-90s Nintendo, but they're growing on me.

I have to level a complaint at the Speed Booster though--why does it require pressing the absolute worst button on the controller to activate!? I hate clicking sticks!
Almost all console shooters have sprint mapped to left stick click, so it didn't really bother me :messenger_grinning:
 
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Rran

Member
Oh God it's an L3/R3 input? Ugh.
Yeah, the stick you use to move, no less. I've played through Super, Fusion, and ZM dozens of times together and while the Speed Booster has always been slightly unnatural, I much prefer it being automatic or tied to a held down shoulder button (what I set it to in Super) than what they've done here...

Almost all console shooters have sprint mapped to left stick click, so it didn't really bother me :messenger_grinning:
That's true. But I gotta say, I find that decision completely baffling. Clicking in the stick and moving while having it held in just felt awful to me in RE2.
 
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