Metroid Dread Review: Is It Worth It?

This is our game review of Metroid Dread for the Nintendo Switch. Read on to see our rating for the game and our full review of Metroid Dread, as well as find out if Metroid Dread is worth buying! Remember to share your thoughts on Metroid Dread as well in the comments section!

Metroid Dread Review Score and Rating

Who Should Play Metroid Dread?

• Fans of the classic 2D Metroid Games
• People who enjoy playing Metroidvania games
• New players looking to get into the Metroid franchise
• Speedrunners and Completionists

Do You Like Metroid Dread?

Tell us more in detail how you feel and what you thought of the game down below!

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Metroid Dread Review

A Classic Metroid Game in the Modern Day

Though released more than a decade after the most recent 2D Metroid game, Metroid Dread has a similar feel to the classic games, which is great for fans of the franchise. Metroid Dread also serves as a great introduction to the series and is enjoyable for new players.

Is Metroid Dread a Sequel?

The combat mechanics are incredibly fast-paced that play much better on the more modern Nintendo Switch than in previous platforms. Despite the many buttons used to control Samus, controls are very comfortable and do not hinder game experience.

Explore the Stunning Planet ZDR

One of the best things about Metroid Dread is the freedom to explore the entire map of planet ZDR. Though the game has an intended story progression, you never feel as if you are locked into a certain path. There is always more than one way to face a hurdle, and ingenuity is highly encouraged.

All Maps and Locations Guide

The HD graphics of Metroid Dread bring the new planet to life and make exploring all the more enjoyable. Each creature and backdrop is expertly designed, as well as Samus and her different suits and power-ups.

Challenging Bosses and Enemies

Metroid Dread is great for players who enjoy the usual style of Nintendo games, but with an added challenge. The many bosses you encounter throughout your journey do not go down lightly, and you will often find yourself on the Game Over screen several times throughout your first playthrough.

However, when you finally overcome a difficult boss or enemy, the satisfaction is extremely rewarding and makes it worth the repeated grind. This is also true for all the EMMI you encounter on your journey, as each EMMI will have you thinking of new ways to dodge and sneak past the area.

List of Bosses

Great for Speedrunners and Completionists

The freedom of Metroid Dread, along with the ability to skip through entire sections of the map, makes it ideal for speedruns. Speedrunners will be delighted to know that there are several strats to quickly breeze through the game, and more are being developed as speedrunners continue to break records.

Speedrun Guide

The many collectible items scattered around the map and the complex puzzles you have to solve to get those items make gameplay incredibly satisfying for completionists. There are also several navigational features in the game that make backtracking and item collecting a breeze.

You also get several rewards for beating the game within certain time limits and collecting all items in each area. These rewards add to the replayability of Metroid Dread.

All Ending Rewards and Chozo Archives

Too Difficult for Some Players

Even though we have just praised Metroid Dread for bringing us a challenge, some players may find the game too difficult to even finish. It gets frustrating when you have to repeat a single boss just to proceed with the next stage of the story.

This is made worse by the fact that there is only one difficulty mode during your first playthrough, and you cannot choose an easier difficulty if you are having a hard time. However, when players finally defeat a boss, the experience is incredibly satisfying and rewarding even though it requires some patience.

Performance Issues, Bugs, and Soft Locks

For the most part, Metroid Dread runs smoothly on the Nintendo Switch. It is rare for there to be any hiccups or FPS drops, though you may notice these occasionally during area transitions.

A few days after release, a game-breaking bug was discovered that crashed the game right before the end. However, that issue has since been patched and will no longer affect future playthroughs of Metroid Dread.

Players have also discovered a few softlocks in the game, but these are rare and easy to avoid. For the most part, it is unlikely that any player will be softlocked in Metroid Dread, and you will only need to come up with new solutions to escape certain areas of the map.

What To Do When Stuck In An Area

Is Metroid Dread Worth It?

Yes, It Is Worth It!

Metroid Dread is great for fans of the franchise and for new players. It is an epic conclusion to a story several decades in the making and is an amazing addition to the Metroid franchise. The game is worth every penny and is likely one of the best games to come out this year.

Is Metroid Dread the Last Metroid Game?

Try the Metroid Dread Demo for Free

A demo for Metroid Dread was released on October 28, 2021, which allows you to experience the first few sections of Metroid Dread for free! Before you purchase the game, you can try out the demo by downloading it on the Nintendo Eshop.

Demo Guide and How to Download

About Metroid Dread

Metroid Dread Related Guides

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