How Metroid Dread evolved the series

We have all gotten the chance to properly play Metroid Dread since it has been out for a while, so what better opportunity than now to dissect what makes this game amazing, and in which areas it may have come short, since we have gotten the release hype out of the way.
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Music List:
Emmi Zone - Metroid Dread
Emmi Search - Metroid Dread
Layer Cake - Persona 5
Darkmoon Caverns - Diddy Kong Racing
Radio World - Megaman Starforce 3
Mechonis Field - Xenoblade Chronicles
Dessert - Bomberman Hero
Exponential Entropy - Final Fantasy XIV
Global Network - MMBN 4
Wave World - Megaman Starforce 2
Nakano Field - SMT: IMAGINE
Depth - MMBN 5 (DS version)
Talk - SMT: Nocturne
Thantos 1 - Bomberman Second Attack
Club Strong - Megaman Starforce 3
Cyber In - Megaman Starforce 3
Shinjuku Babel - SMT: IMAGINE
Internet World - MMBN 2
Seek a Cord - MMBN 5 (DS Version)
Digital Strider - MMBN 6
Zip - Bomberman Hero
Waxa - Megaman Starfocre 3
Network Space - MMBN 5 (DS Version)
Bombs Away - Bomberman Generations
Boss Mix - Bomberman Generations
Karma - TEKKEN 6
In the Room - MMBN 5 (DS Version)
Feather - FZero GX
Have I mentioned how much I like Elma from Xenoblade?

[@TheOrpheon]

Support Recollection!: www.kickstarter.com/projects/1288509158/recollection-0 Recollection is one of many passion projects I have been working on, to offer you guys original content. A lot of time and energy has been placed into the narrative, characters, and art style to create something that can be fun to watch and satisfying to see all the way through. I would appreciate with spreading the word on social media to reach more people. My dream has always been to entertain people, a luxury you have already given me by watching my videos, and I hope I can continue to do with the original stories I hope to bring to life. Thanks for the support Albert

[@Kat-Kobold]

If there is a Metroid 6, I think it should open with "The last metroid is in captivity" and Samus in a federation prison

[@thebeluvdtrex]

Samus was cured at the end.

[@DerGeileGangster]

​​@@thebeluvdtrexbut was she tho? She absorbed an X that was part quiet robe, an entity known for controlling metroid. I got the feeling she still IS metroid, but gained the ability to control her metroid dna, so she wont absorb where she does not have to and even keep her mind in check, not being a mindless animal bent on absorbing others. But just a feeling. If she is still a metroid, the title would make sense for future titles not featuring other metroids besides her.

[@hexospikez741]

I feel that the idea of Samus being on the run, or being wanted by the federation for her DNA should just go away, at least for now, if im being honest. As cool as the idea would be for a series finale or something like that, its clear that the faction of the federation she fucked with in Fusion went rogue beforehand, and when she told the federation about it after, they understood, hence why she has a bounty from them at all in Dread. If anything, I feel maybe that could work with a game that is set in between Fusion and Dread, kinda like what Other M does. Who knows? Maybe Samus did get punished accordingly, and had to struggle against troops until she proved the faction was rogue. Maybe characters, such as Anthony, could come back. I can see a lot of potential for a great interquel here. ...but until something like that happens, it just kinda sounds like people were bummed that the mistranslation led to false hype, and hoped that THIS is what will cause the federation to hunt samus down instead. Again, i understand, but dammit, theres no backbone to it at the moment. Maybe some day.

[@shadewolf0075]

@@hexospikez741 well the thing is that Fusion actually outright tells us that the federation knew of a rouge faction and that is part of why Samus was sent in at least in the Japanese version of the game. The federation was never the being set up as the new bad guys but whoever was in charge of the English localization really messed up in conveying that

[@hexospikez741]

And thats why i wrote all of that. It clearly was a translation issue, and i wish people could easily change their mind about it. I only heard of the mistranslation being a thing, so i never knew that they told us outright though. Thanks for telling me!

[@pawarl.o.s.881]

The scene where she drops into Kraid's lair is my favorite in the game. How she has her guard up until she sees Kraid, relaxing and just charging up a shot because she has no reason to fear him.

[@HasegawaRayven]

"Oh. It's *you*"

[@GoeTeeks]

I'm realizing now that might have been another correction to her reaction towards Ridley in Other M. In this case, it's not an over correction.

[@gabiwolf1439]

Kraid HOW DID HE SURVIVED Im convinced its just one if kraid's species

[@tehpunisher4568]

I am personally partial to when her Metroid powers were awoken and absorbed the first chozo soldier with it. That cutscene where she firmly grasps the soldier while it's flailing about and her raising it's arm and squeezing firmly genuinely did it for me. But my absolute favorite was when she spoke chozo to make the vow to the Chozo that she will succeed with her mission

[@supersonicgamerguru]

@@gabiwolf1439 when you beat him in super he just sinks down instead of exploding into nothing like ridley and phantoon or getting visibly injured like draygon.

[@dargossss]

I read Samus on this game as if she was holding back her rage through the whole story. At every reveal of the story she was getting a bit closer to the edge. When Quiet Robe was killed, was the closest she was to exploding, but she had to hold it because she had to defend against the killer. She went over the edge, at the last second, when there was nothing else she could do, and then the Metroid DNA took over. I feel it was a fantastic payoff.

[@Zephyr_Weiss]

And since she absorbed the X that has Quiet Robe's dna and memories, she will have more control over herself.

[@WatcherMovie008]

@@Zephyr_Weiss Absorbing the X-Parasite that became Quiet Robe only suppressed the Mawkin DNA in her, which forced her Metroid DNA to go back to sleep. Samus was still in control of herself even in her Metroid form, it was just that she could no longer control her ability to absorb raw energy, as Adam exclaimed, "Stop! If you touch the control panel now, you will only just absorb the ship's power and prevent us from escaping the planet."

[@Zephyr_Weiss]

@@WatcherMovie008 sucks that she lost some abilities after transforming.

[@HasegawaRayven]

@@WatcherMovie008 Quiet Robe was of the Thoha, whose unique quality among the Chozo was their ability to control Metroids. Samus' Mawkin DNA had nothing to do with her Metroid side, other than maybe making it more aggressive, as Mawkin were the Military Wing (heh) of the Chozo. Samus absorbing the Quiet Robe / Thoha-X gave her more Control over her Metroid powers/instincts, allowing her to rein them back in and regain full control of herself.

[@krisdeew5953]

@@Zephyr_Weiss well we don’t know if she lost the omega beam, she most likely lost the ability to just absorb energy from enemies with her power suit though.

[@krissjames7276]

Dread was not only an amazing game, but extremely cool in terms of the Metroid lore - we might take Raven Beak for granted now, but prior to Dread's reveal, the idea of encountering a living Chozo, let alone a Chozo being the main villain of a mainline Metroid game, would just have been crazy hype.

[@danb7601]

well, wish i didnt read this XDD

[@jaredmislan5186]

@@danb7601 why are you here then if you haven't played the game 🤦‍♂️

[@danb7601]

@@jaredmislan5186 Cause i'm an idiot

[@jaredmislan5186]

@@danb7601 fair

[@flerken4233]

@@danb7601 Don't worry, the Chozo shows up in the opening cutscene and fights Samus, with Adam confirming it's a Chozo soon after. You haven't been spoiled for too much.

[@Scyclo]

So something about dread that I feel in terms of samus' personality: 1: she has been through hell and back come dread. She has been all over the galaxy dealing with space pirates, metroids, X parasites, and bounty hunters. She has been through the literal nightmare that was Fusion, nearly dying on so many occasions. She dealt with phazon and a literal phazon based clone of herself, attempting to take over the galaxy. She has been through some bounty hunters she considers friends dying because they were corrupted by said clone. She has been through ridley returning 4-5 times now. She is quite obviously someone who is just completely and utterly desensitized from everything around her. 2: this game was essentially the only thing samus had left, anger, rage, hatred. All bottling it up because she just couldn't get a break from one event to the next happening one after another. The pacing of the game, especially near the end is, in my opinion, amazingly paced. The end of the game is rushed because by that point she is so pissed off that she is gunning it to raven beak to end everything once and for all. However she wasn't able to release her rage until the final moment where raven beak had her on the ropes, he berated her and insulted her and enough was enough, she let her rage out. I find this game to be amazing showing her current state of being after all the shit that happened to her. And at the end she finally returned to normal and stabilized her emotions.

[@rootbourne4454]

Yeah I really like that, it seems like she really is a shell of a person in this game. The only emotion she has left is rage.

[@SuperPhoenixDark]

@Scyclo Keep in mind that the Metroid Prime games are not considered to be canon, however, it does make sense that that amount of trauma would finally make her snap. Especially with the tragedy that was Other M lol

[@elijahfoltz3755]

@@SuperPhoenixDark Hate to break it to you, but ALL the Prime games are canon (minus Pinball, because... well, you know). While on the surface it's not very obvious, the Prime games take place between Metroid 1 and 2 (or Zero Mission and Samus Returns if you prefer). My only question is where Prime 4 will take place in the timeline. Will it follow Corruption and Federation Force, or will it take us completely by surprise and follow Dread?

[@SuperPhoenixDark]

@@elijahfoltz3755 In the sense of the mainline games, the Prime games are not truly canon. Proof of that is in the image unlocks in Dread

[@elijahfoltz3755]

@@SuperPhoenixDark The Chozo Archives don't prove or disprove anything. Mainline or not, they're still canon. Don't take my word for it, though. Take it from the producer, Kensuke Tanabe. He confirmed in an interview back in 2015 prior to the release of Metroid Prime: Federation Force that he and Yoshio Sakamoto, the producer of the mainline Metroid games, discussed where the Prime games fall in the timeline, and they found the best place would be--as I said--between Metroid 1 and 2. Essentially, Word of God says that Samus doesn't exterminate the last Metroids on SR388 until she destroys Dark Samus and Phazon (and is also saved from Space Pirate brainwashing by the Federation Force). Besides, if the Prime games aren't canon... *then how do you explain Proteus Ridley?*

[@dextra_24703]

I feel like Dread Mode should be like an incredibly more dangerous mode through allowing the Emmi to do the thing the SA-X is told to us, which is moving around the map.

[@seijiren5115]

That will break the game design

[@A_cracker14]

while that would break the game, if it were to be functional, the dread devs are a bit lazy with the updates so that prob wouldnt happen

[@ElZamo92]

I think the way Samus reacted to all of this is perfectly in line with the story. The main plot point is that her awakened Metroid DNA has made her become more aggressive (IE, angy), and she finds herself fighting it for most of the game, until she breaks in the last second and let’s go.

[@Dojibu]

In terms of emotion, I will never forget the rock to the helmet after defeating Thardus. Completely caught both Samus and myself off guard. Definitely shows more of the sci-fi horror elements that metroid was originally intended to be.

[@speinz9430]

I played this game immediately when I got it I got all the way to the final boss, and then put it down and never picked it back up again. I really need to play this again.

[@knightninja933]

Same but more play less finished the game too quick

[@SackMan039]

I went full completionist mode in Dread. 100% run, sub 4 hour Normal and Hard modes, and a quick run of the boss rush. Think it MIGHT be too early still, but it really is one of my favorite Metroids. MS knocked it our of the park

[@xSpyroTheDragon]

I did the same but put it down because its simply not as great as its prequels. Not worth replaying at least for me. thats not really "evolving" for me. Step back rather. Only Cutscenes and gameplay maybe were superior but well thats because the technology evolved. I replayed every metroid game at least twice but Dread will be forever the only one never replayed.

[@speinz9430]

@@xSpyroTheDragon why is it not as good?

[@deserted4ever]

For me same thing happened with samus returns and I’m having a hard time trying to replay it because of how tedious the mid-game is (I’m looking at you, gammas) and probably the largest amount of unnecessary/unfun backtracking compared to the other games/am2r also why did they force Ridley in for no goddamn reason and lock so many items behind the baby Metroid crystals?? It completely ruins the perfect ending the original Metroid 2 had

[@theakiwar9118]

I seriously have a dread addiction. I have waited for this game for almost my entire life. I don’t know how many playthroughs I had but I have 160 hours currently. Played through it so sooo many times already, in what 9 months? Fusion is my favorite alongside Super, however I don’t know where to put dread. Need a couple more years for that. But it definitely has potential to topple Super and perhaps even Fusion in my book. My only criticism is that the ending felt a bit rushed, that we don’t see Samus helmetless at the end and that the Music in some areas could be better (Burenia 1/2, Corpius 1/2, Artaria 1-4, Ferenia are all bangers though). Otherwise it’s an almost perfect game in my book. Definitely a 92-95/100 My only wish for Mercury Steam is to fix their work environment before starting the next Metroid

[@fluffynator6222]

I'd say an average playthrough is somewhere between 3 and 5 hours sooo... 32 playthroughs plus/minus 7?

[@theakiwar9118]

@@fluffynator6222 About 2,5 hours if I use glitches (ingame 1:50), but I do many casual or experimentation runs, and also like to do 0% and 100% runs aswell. With 100% ingame needing 3:20

[@jase276]

I'm actually surprised they didn't include a zero suit Samus option. Would've been the perfect opportunity to include that in the one-hit death run update they did. It was already done before.

[@theakiwar9118]

@@jase276 I am surprised aswell seeing that they already have a high res Zero Suit for the death animation

[@afxboc]

I thought the ending was fine, but I agree with the rest. Though tbh I don't think music has been that much better in the 2D series (except for Super Metroid)... like, Fusion or Zero Mission have good music, but I don't think they're significantly above Dread. I feel like the Prime games offer better soundtracks overall than the 2D series. I also think the game "needed" 1 or 2 extra main bosses. And multiple costumes once you beat the game would have been really nice. Like, I'm not even asking for completely new suits, but it would be cool to be able to use her Dread signature suit all the time, or the Metroid suit we get to see at the end. If beyond that we had her Prime suit design, her Fusion design, and so on, that would be amazing. But yeah, an amazing game, and to be honest, it's probably my favorite 2D Metroid. I just hope we won't have to wait a lot for Metroid 6, but what Sakamoto said about the series and it's future gave me hope. With some luck, I think we'll get Metroid 6 for the next console.

[@Vvonter]

I feel that in the end Mercurysteam cut of all the fat and leave a game tightly paced. Yeah the final area is very short, and more or less half of the story is squeezed in there. But I suppose I accept it more, considering how a lot of storytellers fixate on some dramatic twists like how DIsney makes surprise villains. Or how the grey morals are just short hand commentary that muddles a bit a simpler story. Dread does Keep It Simple and I think making one eager for more may be better than having too much content as to end up exhausted even if it was a satisfying experience.

[@Wiimeiser]

All I'd really add is a little extra section where you need to make use of most of your abilities. A final exam stage, basically.

[@Scyclo]

I find the end to be well paced, it's rushed on purpose. By the end of the game sh has so much rage and anger bottled up and she just wants to get the fuck off this planet. At this point she would be gunning it towards her ship, and in turn raven beak because she has had it with this world. The rush is her rushing to put an end to this, to get her vengeance on raven beak for beating her to a pulp and just over all berating her and insulting her skill. Which is why she flipped her shit during her fight with raven beak. Everything she has learned about this chozo had been negative. He would not hesitate to kill his people should they fall out of line. He would not hesitate to sacrifice people he should of protected because they were either dead weight or just tools for him. As someone who grew up with the chozo and considered them family, she was in the right to get pissed at this tyrant.

[@Vvonter]

@@Wiimeiser Only Castlevania: Order of Ecclessia had that sort of thing.

[@esteban-zamora]

The other area that you planned on making should definitely start with a J, since all the other areas are in alphabetical order: Artaria Burenia Cataris Dairon Elun Ferenia The G one Hanubia Itorash J, The one you may make

[@dpfrd_]

The G one is Ghavoran lol

[@MidanMagistrate]

Junizia, the old Thoha temple located on ZDR, which was left to crumble and rot after the Mawkin's betrayal.

[@strengthcolossal5538]

*J*ojo

[@meta9492]

cant wait for the jesus area above cataris

[@countlazuli8753]

I always thought a Mawkin Prison would fit their personality.

[@megalodoff]

I think a good way to build upon the Chozo Soldiers attack patterns with the Elite version would've been to give it a spear throw type of attack, where it launches the spear and uses a type of grapple beam to rip it back into its hand

[@FoxySpartan117]

When they mutate that would've been the perfect opportunity. To add to that what if when they mutate they snapped the spear in half and used both ends in each hand. New wild diving multi-stab attack.

[@Toxoplasmosis679]

You mean like hornet does in Hollow Knight? Because I was thinking a similar thing.

[@gourry47]

I kinda hope the next game gives Samus one of those chozo staff/spear things. After reading the zero mission prequel manga I realized after playing dread the chozo have their own martial arts which is something I want to see expanded upon. I can totally see Samus learning her lesson from the events of zero mission by packing more than just a stun gun for worst case scenarios

[@jase276]

Finally, someone else who also read that manga. It was wild seeing another Chozo in the Dread trailers after having read the manga

[@FoxySpartan117]

Samus with a collapsible staff power suit turned off. Yessss please!

[@johnleonard9102]

I would love to play a game where Zero Suit Samus is fleshed out.

[@BaronSterling]

I'm so sad all of the marketing uses her default blue suit from this game, because Dread's Varia suit is GORGEOUS.

[@ducklett01god]

Especially in the high temperature environments where the white changes color

[@BlastMagicianYGO]

I mean, all the armors looks great, IMO

[@bionicleanime]

Dread is an absolute success. It is the best selling game in the series now and things look bright for Metroid in the future.

[@pawarl.o.s.881]

I love how they gave Raven Beak the Beam Burst and Lightning Shield from Samus Returns when they didn't give them to Samus.

[@BradTheDead]

Me too. Cool and unexpected callback.

[@JakoBpyroTech]

I love how Samus is a Metroid in every sense of the word now, even more than before. Tempting idea: take Dread's engine and fluid movement, and recreate Super Metroid with it. Thoughts?

[@Zebocute]

that would be the coolest thing ever.

[@dondiego1141]

Fusion, with less direction, and not only one SA-X because they said it multiplied.

[@RyanBlazeheart]

@@dondiego1141 Theory: you're fighting a different SA-X each time

[@dondiego1141]

@@RyanBlazeheart oh yes ! A bit of diversity

[@lloydaran]

Absolutely not. Leave the masterpiece be and don't even think of bringing that plastic-looking feeling of that plastered, horrible white lighting. Don't taint it with that crap. The only good things about Dread visuals are the smooth and clean animations, the rest is awful and ridiculously outclassed by the likes of Ori.

[@mesiagamer5217]

Honestly it's funny and cool how the mainline Metroid games start off as a horror type experience before becoming a power fantasy. Also Samus did get extremely emotional during Metroid fusion in the end showing that she had more than just a bad ass before Other M kind of shot that idea in the foot.

[@seijiren5115]

It's not that power fantasy imo, still scifi fantasy

[@meta9492]

To be fair other m’s shit localisation is mostly to blame for its issues

[@Stout936]

@@meta9492 the story retroactively takes the piss out of Metroid Fusion by essentially ripping all of its plot points, setting them before Fusion, and making them worse. Bad localization is its own problem, but Other M reads like a series prequel that got turned into an interquel mid development. It also doesn't help that the gameplay is hugely held back by it's lack of analog movement. Team Ninja could have made something cool if Sakamoto wasn't so bent on the Wiimote-only control scheme

[@WatcherMovie008]

Other M had interesting concept but it really failed in it execution, which ended up butchering Samus' personality. Other M tried to take that vulnerable personality we saw in Fusion and from the manga and try to show that deep inside that stoic and cold bounty hunter is still a girl who hasn't been able to let go of the traumas she suffered growing up. It was an interesting topic that could of been explored deeply and properly but Team Ninja really goofed up the story bad. Also, Metroid never really started off as a horror sci-fi. If you played Metroid or Metroid II, it played more like a sci-fi action platformer. It only due to the power of the SNES and Super Metroid that the developers started expanding on the sci-fi horror elements that Metroid would end up being known for.

[@Stout936]

@@WatcherMovie008 the story wasnt Team Ninja's fault. That was all Sakamoto. Team Ninja wanted a more robust control scheme aa well, but were forced into the crappy one we got by Sakamoto. Sakamoto is a lot like George Lucas: he's capable of writing cool things, but complete creative control results in him making garbage. The man needs oversight to do a good job

[@Axecon1]

I would love a mode where the EMMIs are not restricted to their zones and could chase you endlessly (minus a small handful of safe rooms). Increase their randomness/targeting nature, and maybe even allow multiple to target you at once. After the first few playthroughs, the EMMIs were like Guardians in BOTW, comical obstacles and easily defeatable once you know what you are doing.

[@lenajohnson6179]

no thanks. Endlessly chasing invincible enemies aren't fun. The concept gets old real fast and becomes more and more just frustrating instead of frightening... I mean just imagine if the 'speed boost' Emmi NEVER stopped chasing you? You can't outrun it... so it's bound to be game over screen after game over screen until a miracle cuts you off from him.

[@wrenfloof]

The idea is cool but seems really weird to execute. Maybe have it in a way where you have like a radar on it and have several established safe zones. Maybe the normal emmi zones would be safe in certain spots. Save stations could be safe zones too.

[@5h0ckblock]

Maybe as it's own separate mode/minigame but definitely not for the main game. Having multiple Chase you would be unfair, especially when they start shooting through walls while you're underwater.

[@michaelluck5577]

Chasing enemies aren't for multiple playthroughs , Sa X, the dahaka from Prince Of Persia, the emmi, they at least made a good choice to keep then dynamic so they are a threat to multiple playthroughs but sometimes you want thus cinematic setpiece like the sa x or dahaka where you just perfected the singular route to look as badass as possible, so i dunno

[@alexanderkentopp3070]

Have you played Alien Isolation? That game with the Unpredictable Alien or Bay's Overhaul mod is exactly what you're looking for on that!

[@x-celsius5905]

Dread is my favorite Metroid game in the series, hands down. The story, the graphics, the play style, controls, items, areas, everything just stands out to me. I cannot love this game enough!!!! Fun fact: before the game came out, I literally wrote down a butt-ton of questions I had about the lore and the stuff in the game, and after I played it went back and wrote the answers in. I just couldn't wait for the game to come out, and now it did and it's amazing!!!!

[@NobleRooster]

This was one of the first games I went back and 100%'d in such a long time - it was just so much fun and you truly felt like a badass once you had all the ability upgrades. The shinespark puzzles to get all the tanks was such a good time figuring out too. Solid gameplay, cool characters and story, I just flat out had such a great time with this game and you really summed it up well with your gushing moment haha

[@ghostl3]

I really like how the "fight" (if you can call it that) with the red emmi plays out. Samus instantly destroys something we've been taught Is basically indestructible without the help of the omega blaster in 2 seconds. It's really scary and really cool

[@ghostl3]

I may be misremembering how this encounter goes I haven't played dread in a second

[@Chuckle_srink]

No that's literally what happens, Samus murks the power bomb Emmi no omega blaster.

[@alejandrolopezmacip272]

Seen metroid dread it's like a father watching his son pick up the university title. We have been growing up with the saga and how we came from years without notice of Samus to have a Master piece in our time, no need to look back in time to seek a glorius age because we are living a secon Golden age of metroid and i feel so proud to be part of this

[@joel9104]

I'd barely heard of metroid before and then I heard everyone going insane over it and decided to get it the following christmas and had one of the best experiences ever. The game is so fucking difficult and I love it so much for it. Now I'm playing Metroid II on the switch via the game boy collection on switch online

[@MrPooleish]

Samus' only emotional reactions are "casual badass" and "blind murderous rage".

[@BurntFossil]

I don't like how Samus had no real reaction to seeing a real life Chozo in such a long time, she acted like it was a normal occurrence meeting one.

[@yoursonisold8743]

She met the last one what... 15 years ago? It's not that shocking, because to her they aren't mysterious or extinct.

[@KingsBard]

I mean, we don't see her face when she sees Quiet Robe, she could totally be surprised.

[@hariman7727]

My read on Samus is she's just all business, and holds her emotion in during missions, letting them out once she's clear of a planet and traveling between the stars. It's all just another mission to complete, and it's only when Raven Beak REALLY pisses her off that she finally snaps. She's seen so much pain and suffering and is so dedicated to the mission that she's just COLD, for the most part. Also, I LOVE that the X come back for how well they're utilized in the story, with them basically devouring a planet in minutes. This game is fantastic.

[@VEN0M415]

I agree with the ending could have been so much more, I saw so much space on the map for the next level (that I though was coming) but it never came which was a shame. Imo after crashing ravenbeaks ship it should have been a race through his facility which he contained a device to blow up the planet, the now X-Ravenbeak is attempting to disarm it but you have to fight him again. But I would have made quiet robe appear after the crash to calm down samus (and her suit) and give her the final suit upgrade that focuses the metroid power and gives back all your abilities from before. Also chozo warriors all should have had unique quirks like using guns or a shield only or throwing items in the room etc. Heck make them an addition to a boss fight with X-Ravenbeak but because of your advanced metroid armor you can take them on easily. So much potential that I wish happened, but still great none the less.

[@DarkSoulsSauron]

i really like the implications behind the Metroid Suit. it textually engages with the broader implications of the series. Samus has annihilated entire species, she's wiped out multiple planets, she is a genuinely terrifying killer, and her role as a mercenary means that she's ultimately beholden to no one in the galaxy. she's holding a giant sword of Damocles over the entire universe, and the metroid suit brings that subtext to the level of the text itself. as for the ending, I think that particular plot beat is crucial in why i also like the ending. the way Quiet Robe-X was *allowed* into Adam implies to me that they made some sort of deal. The consequences of unleashing the Metroid Suit onto the universe implies to me that Quiet Robe's consciousness was absorbed by the X and they made a deal: absorb the ultimate warrior DNA away from the ultimate hunter in exchange for letting her keep her humanity. It's a scenario that ultimately empowers the X because now THEY have a chance to potentially absorb the strengths of their only predators, and I don't think the X are gone. I think Adam was also part of this moral calculus, and may have been the one to convince Quiet-Robe X to simply take her powers rather than try and ambush her or sabotage her escape, which would be within its capabilities. lastly, i never mistook Samus's stoicism for being non-emotive. She seems TIRED to me in Dread. She's done all this again and again and she's OVER IT. like, look at her body language vs Kraid and Corpious. her posture is very controlled, and there's a hostility in there that conveys the monsters are inconveniencing her more than threatening her. And as for the death of Quiet Robe, making glasses or visors go opaque is a very common animation trope to convey inner turmoil or someone suppressing anger or dispair. I always felt depriving Samus of her face for that cutscene was a deliberate choice to display just how much she needed to compartmentalize/suppress to function while still in hostile territory. obv, this is my interpretation after multiple playthrus, but it's food for thought

[@ducklett01god]

My tired I think the better word is jaded

[@amanofnoreputation2164]

One thing that's interested me is that even though Samus' badassery is frequently praised in this game, when Samus' origins with the Chozo and the genetic engineering she was subjected to, the Samus shown there has the short haircut she had in parts of Other M, implying that this new Samus isn't an apology for the old one and they are the same person.

[@TheOrpheon]

I thought the same thing after the fact. I like that they aren’t completely omitting Dread’s shortcomings but trying best to rectify them

[@thecollectorsvault9384]

I’ve been waiting for more of your longer, in-depth discussion videos!

[@TheOrpheon]

I hope the wait was worth it

[@kikopower]

I haven't played Dread yet but I didn't know it was directly tied to Fusion. That game was my first played Metroid game out of the entire series and... It scared me to my core. Imagine an 8 year old playing and encounter the SA-X... Nightmare fuel. Now I really want to play Metroid Dread...

[@rooscochran1003]

The EMMI are definitely that nightmare fuel.

[@ESO_PRIME]

Did you play it yet!?!? I’m about to go back for another whole replay!🤣

[@the13gaming13]

40 MINUTES!!! HOLY SHIT, HELL YEAHHHH

[@TheOrpheon]

Hope it was entertaining

[@the13gaming13]

@@TheOrpheon oh yeah

[@mickhoward3954]

Bird magic... I feel you brother.

[@DrDeez-do9zo]

Metroid dread is one of the first games I ever really took the time to 100%, mainly because it was just fun to navigate the world and get stronger.

[@magetsalive5162]

I'd just like to share some "new item" appreciation with Spin Boost, as it provides a nice midgrade between the basic jump and the Space Jump. Level design can be a bit more complicated without immediately having to throw Space Jump at the player, and is somewhat more interesting than High Jump Boots... if only because Metroid now has a double jump of sorts.

[@GoeTeeks]

My only complaint about the Spin Jump is it is completely replaced by the Space Jump. High jump boots would allow for higher and faster jumping with Space Jumps (like they do in Super Metroid), which would give picking them up more weight if you manage to get Space Jump early. There is no reason to pick up Spin Jump if you get Space Jump early other than for completion.

[@randywilliams6248]

They took the idea of "you know some people refer to Samus as a Metroid because of the game title.... what if she was actually a Metroid?! Brilliant!"

[@Stuntmachine14]

Love the video, Orpheon!

[@Toxoplasmosis679]

I loved how no matter how powerful you got, each boss was the hardest one yet

[@ViltrumiteIsRite99]

Yesss. just beat Z-57(?), and they will all kick you good. Oddly enough, once I got the storm middle, the double Chozo Warrior was EASIER than the two separate encounters. I finished it quicker and less painfully.. HBY?

[@Toxoplasmosis679]

@@ViltrumiteIsRite99 yeah I definitely feel the same way, but it still wasn’t easy for me.

[@jamiepogue6024]

I really only had one negative with Dread and that was that the map was just a little too complicated. I played the game 4 times and was still checking the map every 5 seconds to make sure I was planning a good route. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to instinctively run this game like I did Super or Fusion. That being said, it’s probably my 3rd favorite Metroid after Super and Prime. That and that they kind of gloss over the Federation stuff from Fusion…but I’m sure they can revisit that if they want. Just explain it was some small sect of the Federation that had been jailed and taken care of…but still has its hands in some things.

[@truegamer_007]

It's a problem with the English localisation. The Japanese original in fusion explains it all properly.

[@lordphill807]

@@truegamer_007 Says a lot when a localization flaw is more interesting than the official explanation.

[@Yokai_Yuri]

It's not that bad. It is a little bit confusing of course, but at the same time being lost and wander around is what Metroid games should be all about. In Super Metroid many people forgot that big pool of lava in that o room that lead to Ridley's lair. Once you got the gravity suit you'd be wandering about for a little bit of time. Dread did the exploration thing almost flawless.

[@VaderTheWhite]

I've beaten it 20 something times and I have gotten my 100% time under 4 hours and I still check the map

[@GBDupree]

@@lordphill807 Yeah, and there's more where that came from. The series has had a long history of Localization issues. Like the infamous "Varia/Barrier" mistranslation from the original. Or some extra details about Phantoon missing from the English manual of Super. To almost the entirety of Other M being plagued with mistranslations and even some bizarre changes that don't seem to have anything to do with what the original script says. Check out "the Other M that never was" to see more about that, that video also mentions some of the other games like fusion or the Phantoon thing I mentioned as well!

[@the_godbodor7026]

I’m sort of a newcomer to the Metroid series with Dread being my first real Metroid game, but I had played a bit of some of the previous ones like Fusion, but I loved this game. I’d say the difficulty is at about just the right level, the E.M.M.I. are extremely cool and are pretty fun to sneak past, the upgrades are amazing, the bosses are TOP NOTCH and then the sequence breaking capabilities are really cool, especially since the devs encouraged it with the whole secret KO method for Kraid with the Morph Bombs. I think it’s a safe assumption that Metroid is going to be a revived series where we don’t got to wait forever for a new game.

[@Applemangh]

Dread is absolutely top tier Metroid. The fact that meaningful sequence breaking is back, but we still get a very narrative driven experience like with Fusion, gives this game a "best of both worlds" feel.

[@goofusmaximus1482]

For most of the game, Metroid Dread has many "one way doors" which restrict you to a handful of rooms and won't enable you to backtrack much. Once you pass these "doors" your only way forward is acquiring the next major power up to open up the places you can explore. It's not until the end when the entire world is blown wide open.

[@vyor8837]

One of the bigger issues with the game tbh

[@mapplehitoritheartist9114]

we need a DLC for Metroid where you use the Meetroid Suit at a risk. like the corruption in prime 3

[@Galactusperson]

Metroid is a franchise that I believe needs more attention. Metroid Dread brought back the ominous feel from the early Metroid games. Seeing living Chozo was an unbelievable experience as they basically started the whole Metroid story. And the Chozo are an inspiration for an alien species in a science fiction book that I'm writing.

[@thefizzwizz1662]

The little freak out at the end was very ‘Somecallmejohnny’esq and I loved it lmao

[@tylerhicks6766]

And the use of the song from FFXIV at 9:12 with him singing “Forward and Back” lol

[@lyanlyan8946]

i'd never played a metroid game before, and for real, it was really good , hard but fair , and the coherence and detail of the environement where exceptionnal.

[@SacredFireGaming]

Duuude that intro made me laugh way more than it shouldve lol

[@LosHuxleys]

Metroid Dread is a freaking masterpiece.

[@ImDemonAlchemist]

The Flash Shift is goddamn perfection. Not a surprise that I'd feel that way though given how much I love the Air Dash in the Mega Man X series.

[@Darkkfated]

Oh my god... "Watermelon Deviljho Suit" Why am I still laughing???

[@TheOrpheon]

I also like to call it Pickle Samus, made a meme video about it on Twitter

[@BradTheDead]

Absolutely loved this review. I share the enthusiasm for this game- it's incredible. I played the absolute hell out of it, but now this video is making me want to go back.

[@TheOrpheon]

Glad to hear you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching

[@jusquanorthwind1016]

I feel the horror you realize upon the exit of Elun holds so much weight that its definitely up there as one of my favorite parts, because it shows the sheer magnitude of the threat the X pose as much or more than even Fusion showed. After that moment not a singular living entity ISN'T an X until Raven Beak, meaning the X spread at such a rate they completely overrun the WHOLE ENTIRE PLANET in a matter of moments. That's quite a step above completely infesting a space station, even one as big as the BSL Station. It also puts into perspective how well Raven Beak apparently did at containing them, as he's the sole survivor but the X are all in one zone until we go there. And its just one of the hypes out of this game. With all its not so good parts, it still definitely lived up the the hype!

[@Ninjatrigg]

Incredible. This takes some serious patience.

[@justondement4458]

I truly love Dread. The way they had her talk only once in the game is how she should have been handled in Other M. Not that I don't want to hear her talk, but she's always been a silent protagonist. If she must talk, I'd rather it be in important moments where it leaves a longer lasting effect

[@SamusKitsune]

Also your taste is so good. Your tier list is so on point

[@SamusKitsune]

Though I personally would have Prime Hunters up higher because of the multi-player

[@Bowcaster26]

Another Prime 2 enjoyer? Excellent. I played this solidly for about a month to 100% it and even did a run with no energy tanks etc but I need to give it another bash

[@lanluhylrean1122]

when referencing the blank spot, you'd basically have to explore that area before facing Raven beak as a result, otherwise, it renders the point the planet blew itself up as worthless.

[@ImDemonAlchemist]

I get what you're saying about the Red E.M.M.I., but for me, watching Samus immediately own the most powerful E.M.M.I. was a really satisfying moment and I think emphasizes the power of her Metroid abilities really well.

[@corel7966]

nice review! i think my only complaints for dread is really the lack of earworms in the music and the more sterile level themes. a lot of the world design in dread is all metallic and lab like, and i would've liked a little more alien variety honestly, but that's really just a personal preference. (i really loved lower burenia and ghavoan in this sense) not saying they don't have their place, but you know, i would've loved to see a emmi unit prowling around a more darker, natural environment to really up the tension. another nitpick is that i'm a little sad that it doesn't let you use power bombs early in the game even though you can go out of your way to pick one up. that would've REALLY blown the door open on the sequence breaking, and i think it would even put it on the level of super metroid in terms of sequence breaking but it's not a huge deal at the end of the day. i absolutely loved everything else about the game. real 20/10. so glad dread is real.

[@frezy9388]

Great video man ! I remember hearing Samus talk back to Quiet robe, and oh boy, i was immediatly hyped ! Too bad we didn't have an other scene where Samus shown more emotion.

[@SolarBrain4128]

What about when she let out that primal rage yell when she was draining Raven Beak? That felt like her letting out all her pent-up frustration and anger.

[@kingghidorable931]

Watermelon deviljho suit? Never thought of it that way

[@Mediamatix]

18:10 "What do you do when there is an evil you cannot defeat by just means? Do you stain your hands with evil to destroy evil? Or do you remain steadfastly just and righteous even if it means surrendering to evil?" - Lelouch Vi Britannia

[@zombie8hunters]

Man, I absolutely love this game.. grew up with fusion and zero mission, this is definitely a step into the future of what this series could become!! This is definitely the hardest in the series, even on rookie.. nice touch❤❤❤

[@richardkirkland6805]

I love how she just pulled the SA-X out to distract the E.M.M.I. in the opening bit, and it's good to hear Starfox 64 lines!

[@HPRshredder]

Just wanted to say damn, nice thumbnail dude

[@Ryne749]

One of the only games to make me cry. What a wonder to finally have it after 2 decades

[@GoldLight73]

An absolutely stellar experience, despite the internal panic I felt each time I went into an EMMI zone lol. I do hope we get to see the Metroid Suit return in some capacity some day.

[@arthuralexander1449]

31:56 man this music that plays here is so nostalgic to me, i love bomberman hero

[@spotartstation6477]

Please make a “what dlc could be” video that sounds so cool!

[@hyrapower]

I can imagine Samus walking around with a sharpie drawing eyebrows on her mask to convey emotions. I am now VERY angry o\ /o

[@TheSovietSnake]

I've seen a lot of people in the comments say Samus is perfectly expressive and while I agree, I don't think it was her bottling up her emotions the whole time. I just got the sense she was just tired of all the stuff she'd been through. at the start of the game, she'd already wiped out all metroids a few times, x parasites once, destroyed several planets, lost just about everyone that she had been close to in her life, and has now discovered that the parasitic species that scarred her beyond recognition in the past has possibly returned to do more harm. I feel like throughout the story she gives off a whole "sick of this shit" vibe that makes her seem overly serious, from her reaction to seeing kraid again to her depressed but angry and tired attitude to seeing quiet robe's corpse to how she simply stared at the release of the x parasites on zdr. on top of ALL that, she finds out that she's suddenly becoming the one thing that has terrorized the better part of her adult life for YEARS and now her sperms doner chozo daddy wants to use her to take a stab at yet another galactic conquest. you can see the tired and weary mask slip into anger through her eyes in those two cutscenes where she's really starting to discover her new ability and it's really interesting getting to watch as she ponders about that too. idk, I don't think she has a rage boner but instead is just fed up and tired of constantly being in a cycle of loss and destruction

[@AkaiAzul]

Metroid 6 possibilities: remaining Mawkin Chozo who escaped ZDR get in touch with the Federation and share Raven Beak's plan. The rogue Federation force share Samus's DNA and they begin to make Metroid Samus clones who of course, can't be controlled and go out of control. Possible plot twist: innocent kid clone Samus ends up adopting.

[@PhazonEnder]

Dread is a great game, I just really have a hard time believing that Sakamoto intended to make Dread after finishing Fusion. If that's true it really calls Other M's existence into question.

[@Shireikai]

All I wanna say is: 1. Good video 2. You are not slick, I heard that Battle Network 4 music in there... Excellent taste

[@theakiwar9118]

I have waited for this for a long time!

[@ProudlyIdiotic]

Nice

[@I_SuperHiro_I]

I know this place like the back of my hand Ridley!!! I bought 3 copies. 2 Special Edition (1 I opened and 1 sealed) and 1 sealed standard copy. I want Moar!

[@The1Immortal]

I would say that I liked the last area because of how fast it was. It felt like you didn't know what was happening as her powers kept increasing and maybe some sort of panic.

[@losisansgaming2628]

This is my second favorite metroid after super. And it has my favorite suit design. 9:00 Also dammit this is like the 3rd time somone I watch has used that song in a metroid review.

[@XalitharDaskel]

In my honest opinion about her expressiveness and her responses to what was going on. Her cold demeanor and lack of clear body language I think is something handled very well. Something happened to her when she first ran into Raven Beak, it was like any other encounter to her, but when she was on the ropes the first time, she suddenly had this inexplicable surge of adrenaline like she had never once experienced before blacking out, which left her to not only question what happened, but what was going on with her, and for each and every instance of combat, I can only imagine she was starting to be concerned about what she was experiencing as she fought her way up through Planet ZDR, that what she was experiencing was something to be CONCERNED about, that she was beginning to associate her anger to be something abnormal and did what she could to keep her anger in check, worrying that letting her control over her emotions flag could cause her to suddenly snap. It probably explains why she is behaving the way she is, she's trying her best to put a lid on her emotions, because any time she experiences intense fear or anger, she does things she doesn't normally do, and is putting her efforts on keeping them in check while she focuses on her mission, but there are those moments that are clear that such emotions slip out, like when she immediately points her Arm Cannon right at Quiet Robe as he approaches her, her adrenaline is running wild as she had once again experienced intense anger as she suddenly recalled her fight with Raven Beak the first time, and when she suddenly got ambushed by another EMMI, escalating her emotional state that she reacted the way she did to Quiet Robe approaching her! And there's the part of when she saw that the bulkhead was open and seeing the X Parasites getting out through that. I can imagine the mix of confusion and the fear that she was having, she was in awe at what was going on at that moment. She couldn't help but stare at the fact that this wasn't right. So to be frank, Samus' expressiveness was well handled.

[@kuronyra1709]

27:11 ... Was that a freaking MS- 6 Zaku II activation sound effect I just heard?!

[@TheOrpheon]

Freedom for Spacenoids

[@PYGMYSMASHER30]

I feel like you’ve misunderstood Samus’ characteristic stoic like personality for lack of personality. Her little reaction to events gives us glimpses at her hardened past and how she has learned from mistakes done from overreacting. In Fusion she learned the truth behind the BSL station and although we got a reaction from her, she didn’t react to it appropriately and she knows that. Her actions almost got her killed in that game and had it not been for Adam disobeying orders and the SA-X essentially saving her, she wouldn’t have made it out. At that point no matter how strong she was, she wasn’t immortal and she knows that. In Dread we see her reconnect with the Chozo but that doesn’t mean she’s been missing them for ages or she should be excited with a joyful glee that they’re still alive. For all we know, she thought they still were. But even so, she has a mission ahead of her and her discipline and fortitude has the only goal in mind at the forefront of it, that being to escape ZDR, later destroy the EMMI and after the conversation with Quiet Robe, to kill Ravenbeak. Her mental fortitude is tested throughout every game in the series, Other M tried to show us what it was like when it broke, Dread shows us what it’s like at her strongest.

[@TheOrpheon]

I didnt say she lacked personality but that her stoicism comes as monotone and even said in the video that her feelings were justified (message on video) its more that you can keep her stoicism while also showing hints of other emotions like in Prime 2-3, since her reaction to a lot of Dread’s story is just the same from an animation standpoint. As shown she reacts the same way to Drogyga’s demise as Quiet Robe’s death, one should evoke a small bit of an emotional response. The Samus we have come to know through the series would have shown something more, even a kneel of respect to something like a fallen Chozo. Im not asking for exaggerated emotions, but hints through body language, especially considering this could be a traumatic adventure for her on a personal level.

[@PYGMYSMASHER30]

@@TheOrpheon my only guess is that they really wanted to avoid any comparison to Other M about that, even in the reward art of Other M Samus is shown cold and vengeful towards Ridley

[@darthkahn45]

I have to know What is it about Fusion that you love so much? I've never been so bored playing a 2D Metroid game in my life. It played like something made by someone who has no idea why the series was so popular.

[@dcbandit]

I 100% Dread the first time, but I'm planning to replay it with a concentration on the skips. I really want to do that instakill on Kraid

[@GBDupree]

I did that too, it was really fun, but playing out of order can get pretty difficult! I think there are some videos out there that are tutorials on how to sequence break the entire game with the simplest ones. That way you have a route made for you and can focus on the practice of the tricks in a full run, I did that but I added some other harder tricks into it and rerouted a bit for that.

[@KaloyanKasabov]

Technically, we could still get a game with a corrupt branch of the federation. And there are the theories with the ships at the end the game that the X still exist. We could get a halo 3-esk finale to the X saga and maybe do something with Samus being full on Metroid. It could become a massive 3-way conflict

[@TheOrpheon]

I discussed a counter argument to these story points in my theory videos I mentioned here in case you want to hear the other side of the argument, since the norm is mostly regarding what you said. Just a suggestion for fun

[@rolotomassi3696]

The controls in this game feel soooooo right. Like favorite pair of jeans right.

[@KaijinZSurohm]

Agree to disagree. This game was alright, but it disappointed me in critical moments. The exploration and the gameplay mechanics were great. They did a good job at keeping progress moving while keeping the gameplay smooth. It was easy to feel like you were a speedrunner with what they had on hand. The bosses were all entirely too tanky. The Experiment was a good example of a boss that sorely needed his HP cut in half. Not to mention the Final Boss was an odd choice for such an extreme difficulty spike. They did not give the player a lot of time to adjust to what to expect by the game expecting you to remember moves you have not used since effectively the beginning of the game, so you did not have a lot of feel for specific dodges or counters. I really did not like how they kept forcing the melee counter on you for each boss phase, effectively making combat turn into a glorified QTE. I was not a fan of the melee counter in Metroid 2 Remake, and I'm glad they pulled back massively in this game on it, but it still felt forced. Outside of that, they dropped the ball hard on replay value unlockable rewards. I enjoyed my time with this game, and 90% of it is legit good. It just when it failed, it failed hard, and it killed my interest in picking the game back up after a single play through.

[@zegop5736]

I’ve been of the opinion that the red emmi is meant to be cathartic the final emmi the things that have been chasing you the entire game one of the reasons why the game is even called dread and you beat the last one like it’s nothing really hits home how powerful the Metroid dna inside her is and it’s the first time you can breath a sigh of relief that there’s no more emmis to deal with one of the few moments where the game lets you relax for a moment sure gameplay wise it’s lacking but story and tone wise I believe it fits plus an emmi where if it sees you it just nukes the screen would be a nightmare to deal with

[@roygomez4875]

The red EMMI should have stayed like the rest. Have its own zone and chase sequence, except when it captures you and you try and counter it, you end up killing it instead of getting the game over sequence

[@H47Ronin]

Ahhhhhh, Battle Network music. Thanx😁👍

[@dukemustdie4822]

A little late to this but I would love a video talking about her new suit in dread and possibly how she got it. Since this is continuing off fusion. The SA-X that had the Varia suit was on the BSL station, which was destroyed, does that mean her old suit was destroyed as well? I know the suit we use in dread is a complete new design and most likely not the one from fusion even tho they use similar color schemes, it confuses me where exactly Samus got this suit and if it is pure Chozo technology or if it’s just something the federation came up with like the fusion suit

[@nihilvox]

Cobbling together what I've seen and heard - The "zero suit" wasn't infested by X, and is the basic layer of the power suit. So, the Federation hacked off basically everything, and what of the zero suit was leftover "regrew" into the fusion suit through some sort of bird magic.

[@dukemustdie4822]

@@nihilvox ye that’s what I heard too

[@teacherfromthejungles6671]

Sorry but this game was so linear. I felt like I'm back in the 90s playing it. After spending hundreds of hours in Hollow Knight and Ori, coming here felt like the dev team lived under the rock all these years.

[@mrwhy3499]

I think that the next game should focus on the Galactic Federation It could be like Captain America and the Winter Soldier when Shield hunted Cap. The Federation could target Samus for her DNA since she is the only person who has it. They could also hire other bounty hunters to catch or kill her. I think that would be very cool.

[@class7469]

Mechonis field too? You have excellent taste in game music

[@LoveStruckChrista]

Speaking of dread mode, it was very fun despite the difficulty, (doesn’t help that I did a couple sequence breaks like the early gravity suit) but it was fun

[@OtherMomo]

I wish the metroid armor in new game plus worked like devil may cry's Hell & Hell mode: you die in one hit, but so does everything else

[@bladerunnervii4835]

Emulation allows you to begin the game wearing the Metroid suit. Its rad.

[@Nodegama]

Samus awakening her Metroid DNA. that frenzied rage moment gave me Doom-Slayer vibes. literally forsaking her humanity to gain the Power she needed. What does that mean for her character though? Does she even classify as Human anymore at this point? That mysterious powerUP she got from the Quiet Robe X was able to restore her body to her previous state. What was the deal with that? So many questions. So much to theorize and discuss.

[@TheOrpheon]

Check out my previous video, I share some thoughts on the subject but may do a follow up later