Metroid Dread

Metroid Dread is an action-adventure video game released for the Nintendo Switch on October 8, 2021. It was developed by MercurySteam in collaboration with Nintendo EPD. It is the fifth main installment in the Metroid series, is the ninth game chronologically, and a direct sequel to Metroid Fusion (2002).

Plot
Samus Aran is called in to investigate the planet: ZDR. After the Galactic Federation lost communications with their E.M.M.I droids, Samus lands on the planet and is suddenly attacked and knocked out by an entity known as Raven Beak. Samus then finds herself deep within the caverns of ZDR. She soon finds the missing E.M.M.I droids, only to find out that they turned hostile and want her dead. Samus then explores the dangerous and vast catacombs of ZDR.

Why It's Anything But Dreaded

 * 1) It is an excellent return to form and the first 2D Metroid game in nearly 20 years after the release of Metroid Fusion (not counting remakes and re-releases).
 * 2) Awesome and interesting plot.
 * 3) This is arguably the darkest Metroid game as it has a noticeably bleaker feel from the previous Metroid games, as the E.M.M.I. are frightening machines that chase down Samus in their respective zones.
 * 4) The feel of a Metroid game is greatly replicated in this entry, with many instances of skipping and a few secrets you can access if you boundary-break enough.
 * 5) *There are also many subtle details, like how certain areas change the camera angle if you Shinespark upwards within them.
 * 6) Tight and solid controls that are responsive.
 * 7) The E.M.M.I. robots are terrifying since they're basically the SA-X up to eleven, but have much better pathfinding and traversal abilities, capable of walking on and climbing any surface, shrugging off basically any weapon, and chasing Samus relentlessly once they detect her; your only real choice is to run away. The encounters are also a lot more like Nemesis from Resident Evil 3 since they aren't scripted.
 * 8) * The E.M.M.I. will change up what route they take to reach you when you have the Omega Cannon, doing their best to avoid approaching you from the front. If you're standing in a narrow space, they will try to approach from above or below depending on spacing. And if given the opportunity to do so, they WILL sneak up behind you.
 * 9) Many fun new items and abilities.
 * 10) *The Seeker Missiles from the Metroid Prime Trilogy return. Now known as Storm Missiles.
 * 11) *The Spin Boost is a neat precursor to the Space Jump, functioning like a simple double jump.
 * 12) *The Cross Bomb allows you to cross 1 block-tall gaps you normally can't beforehand.
 * 13) *Aeion is improved upon from Samus Returns, being able to recharge automatically while not feeling too broken or nerfed.
 * 14) **The Flash Shift is an excellent mobility upgrade.
 * 15) **The Phantom Cloak is ideal for hiding from E.M.M.I.
 * 16) **The Pulse Radar is helpful for finding obscure secrets.
 * 17) Epic bosses.
 * 18) *Kraid finally returns as a boss after a long absence in the series, and his fight here is easily the best one.
 * 19) *Corpius is great at showing you the Melee Counter mechanic and how to properly fight the bosses, and an excellent first boss overall.
 * 20) *Experiment Z-57 is a tough and intimidating background-esque boss similar to the Diggernaut.
 * 21) *The Chozo Soldiers build up on the lore and feel cool to fight, even if they feel too easy after a while.
 * 22) *Raven Beak is one of the best battles in the entire franchise.
 * 23) Like in Metroid: Samus Returns, you have full 360 degree aiming, and you can even do so moving your joystick in upwards or downwards directions while running.
 * 24) Many badass moments that really bring Samus to life. The melee counters are also visually beyond excellent and bring Samus and the bosses to life even further.
 * 25) *This is shown further in cutscenes, like when Samus singlehandedly brings down Raven Beak and his flying fortress in anger, or outright shows she's sick of having to fight Kraid when she sees him by barely even reacting.
 * 26) For the first time in the series, we finally get to physically meet an actual Chozo, and we even learn more about them as a whole with the different tribes and how they control Metroids and how they used them over time before Samus Returns.
 * 27) Raven Beak is a well written villain. As he's so devastatingly strong and agile that he gives villains like Dark Samus or Ridley a run for their money. And he remains an active threat throughout when you learn that he reprogrammed the E.M.M.I. to extract Samus' Metroid DNA or when you wonder if he's been posing as ADAM all this time, with some subtle hints around as well.
 * 28) *The other Chozo, Quiet Robe, is a really interesting character with great depth, but he's sadly not around long enough to make such an impact, as he gets suddenly killed by a Robot Chozo Soldier in his cutscene.
 * 29) Fantastic looking visuals and backgrounds, being a huge step up from every past Metroid game.
 * 30) Great soundtrack.
 * 31) The ending has a neat twist where an X-infected Quiet Robe sacrifices himself to let Samus absorb his power so Samus can operate her ship without draining it's power.
 * 32) Unlocking all of the items per area rewards you with gallery artwork. If you wish to get all of the artwork unlocked in Hard Mode, you should beat the game first in under 4 hours and then get all of the missing items.
 * 33) Samus' Metroid DNA arc is fully realized within the game's plot, as there's multiple instances where she sucks the life force of enemies dry (or rather, she is about to) and she even transforms into a human Metroid in the end of Raven Beak's fight.
 * 34) *While you're on your way to your ship, her destroying the environment via the Hyper Beam also makes you wonder if she should even live with her immense power and killer instincts.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) The level design is absolutely terrible, the map is extremely confusing, and you can get lost in it really easily without looking up a walkthrough just to do anything in this game.
 * 2) The counters to the E.M.M.I. is extremely tight and are brutal.
 * 3) The ending admittingly feels rushed.
 * 4) *There's no payoff whatsoever after Samus escapes the exploding ZDR. It just cuts to the credits.
 * 5) Missed opportunity: Other M and Fusion had established a plot thread of a conspiracy within the Galactic Federation to exploit the Metroids and the X Parasites for their own ends. In particular, the ending for Fusion implied that Samus would face repercussions for destroying the Federation’s Metroid research lab on the BSL station and preventing them from capturing the SA-X. None of this is followed up on in this game as Samus is seemingly back on good terms with the Federation. Granted, part of this is due to Fusion having an overly-simplified English translation that failed to emphasize how factionalized the Federation Army is, thus meaning Samus is still held in high regard by the majority of the government, but the rogue faction going completely unmentioned here.
 * 6) Though not as bad as Samus Returns, the Amiibo functionality does have some gameplay-effecting elements, such as extra missiles or energy tanks, which can be considered pay to win.

Reception
Metroid Dread has received universal acclaim from critics and gamers alike. It was awarded the "Best Action Adventure Game" Award at the 2021 Game Awards. It was also nominated for Game of the Year but lost to It Takes Two. It was a commercial success as well, and the fastest selling Metroid game in Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Trivia

 * The game was first conceived for the Nintendo DS in the mid-2000s, but was canceled due to technical limitations.
 * Industry commentators expressed interest in a new 2D Metroid game, and listed the game in their "most wanted" lists.
 * After their work on Metroid: Samus Returns in 2017, the producer Yoshio Sakamoto appointed MercurySteam to develop the game.
 * This game was the first original side-scrolling Metroid game since Metroid Fusion. Nintendo announced the game at at E3 2021.