Nintendo Just Won E3 2021 With This Reveal
It’s official: Nintendo’s showcase at E3 2021 has blown everyone else out of the water. Not only did it confirm that Metroid Prime 4 is still in development, but it also revealed the first new 2D Metroid game in about 19 years. Metroid Dread appears to be a survival horror game–and it looks absolutely stunning. In the reveal trailer, Samus is shown stalking her way through a silent and seemingly abandoned spaceship, only for a robot called E.M.M.I. clinging to the ceiling to reveal itself. E.M.M.I. moves quickly, has a creepy design, and is completely immune to her blaster. That’s not a great look on any foe, much less one as efficient as E.M.M.I. It looks like E.M.M.I. units will be scattered throughout the game, searching for Samus by sound. They will be completely immune to Samus’ weapons, at least in the beginning, meaning that players will be forced to run, hide, and use the new Phantom Cloak stealth upgrade to evade detection.
Judging by the peeks we’ve gotten of Metroid Dread’s actual gameplay, it will be a fast-moving platforming with rapid combat. The trailer shows Samus constantly in motion, struggling to stay ahead of her foes. Metroid has always been a franchise with a lot of sci-fi/horror trappings, so we’re very excited to see it fully embrace the horror genre, at least in terms of mechanics. While Metroid Dread does have some very eerie-looking environments for Samus to race through, the overall tone still appears to be lighter than most true survival horror titles. Despite this, it’s easy to see why Metroid Dread has the word ‘dread’ in the title. Samus will be alone on an alien planet, trying to find her way to the surface while she’s pursued by a relentless threat. It’s a new approach to the Metroid formula, but Nintendo assures us that the game will still use a lot of classic Metroidvania exploration and combat mechanics.
Apparently, this game will be the final chapter of the story arc focusing on Samus’ relationship with the bioengineered lifeform known as Metroids. We aren’t sure where the series will go afterward, but there’s a whole galaxy out there to explore, so maybe the real question is what the franchise will be called after the Metroids exit stage left. Reportedly, the idea of Metroid Dread first came up about 15 years ago, but the developers gave up because they felt the technology limitations of the time would keep them from fully realizing the concept. We’re just glad this game got a second chance at life.
Metroid Dread will be available for Nintendo Switch on October 8th, 2021.
What are your thoughts on a survival horror Metroid game? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter and Facebook.