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Metroid Dread is finally real
conchobhar
What's Shenmue?
It also creates a checkpoint before boss fights and after using an elevator. Samus Returns was the same, actually.
Samus Returns also had the same issue where the "Settings" menu had a """Controls""" option where all you could do was stare at the game's absolutely perfectly-crafted, penned-by-the-will-of-heaven, writ-in-stone control scheme. Absolutely baffling that they didn't, like, fix that.
Anyhow, I've played the first hour-and-a-half of this, finally getting the Spider Magnet. The tensions inherent in the game's design goals are already readily apparent. On one hand, this game is meant to be a sequel to Fusion narratively and Samus Returns mechanically, but on the other hand the game is acutely aware that for a large portion of its audience this may very well be their first Metroid game --- so as a result of these disjoint goals we get a game that is on one hand very lore heavy, technically demanding, and high-concept (or rather, has a lot of design conceits), while on the other hand is rather exposition-heavy, has a lot of tutorializing, and has done a lot of railroading in the first area (probably in the service of demonstrating the game in miniature). I would not want to be the designer worrying about balancing these needs.
The EMMI Zones are another area where ideas are colliding in weird directions (in terms of lore). On one hand they're literally called "EMMI Zones" and Adam's dialogue implies they were literally designed to function within them which creates a dizzyingly non-sensical set of implications, while on the other hand their visual motifs and such imply that they are little-Tourians, which creates the exact opposite set of implications (much more sensical ones, really). Very baffling. I'd like to be the fly on the Zoom call for when they were trying to hammer out these ideas.
Anyhow, maybe I'll change my mind later on, but so far the game owns in spite of those contradictions. All I wanted was a game better than Samus Returns, and they made a game better than Samus Returns.
My favorite small part of this so far is when I decided to run through the first super-cooled room the game shows you and was rewarded with a minor item for it. It's a simple thing, but I always appreciate it (Fusion does a similar thing at one point).
Anyhow, I've played the first hour-and-a-half of this, finally getting the Spider Magnet. The tensions inherent in the game's design goals are already readily apparent. On one hand, this game is meant to be a sequel to Fusion narratively and Samus Returns mechanically, but on the other hand the game is acutely aware that for a large portion of its audience this may very well be their first Metroid game --- so as a result of these disjoint goals we get a game that is on one hand very lore heavy, technically demanding, and high-concept (or rather, has a lot of design conceits), while on the other hand is rather exposition-heavy, has a lot of tutorializing, and has done a lot of railroading in the first area (probably in the service of demonstrating the game in miniature). I would not want to be the designer worrying about balancing these needs.
The EMMI Zones are another area where ideas are colliding in weird directions (in terms of lore). On one hand they're literally called "EMMI Zones" and Adam's dialogue implies they were literally designed to function within them which creates a dizzyingly non-sensical set of implications, while on the other hand their visual motifs and such imply that they are little-Tourians, which creates the exact opposite set of implications (much more sensical ones, really). Very baffling. I'd like to be the fly on the Zoom call for when they were trying to hammer out these ideas.
Anyhow, maybe I'll change my mind later on, but so far the game owns in spite of those contradictions. All I wanted was a game better than Samus Returns, and they made a game better than Samus Returns.
My favorite small part of this so far is when I decided to run through the first super-cooled room the game shows you and was rewarded with a minor item for it. It's a simple thing, but I always appreciate it (Fusion does a similar thing at one point).
Fyonn
did their best!
I want to temper my complaints about EMMIs a bit: if the rest of this game were only as good as Samus Returns, I would not care that EMMIs are such an abrupt interruption. This game is miles better than Mercury Steam's previous work, and again, if the EMMIs were excised this would be my second favorite Metroid. (Super's my favorite, obviously, it's impossible to overcome that many years of familiarity.)
Edit: I'm chipping away at some shinespark puzzles and this game kicks ass.
Edit: I'm chipping away at some shinespark puzzles and this game kicks ass.
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I've played a few hours now. I've beaten the yellow EMMI. I like the whole game a lot. Fixes all the problems with Samus Returns and gives you powers in an interesting order vs. typical Metroids. Good stuff! I also like the sneak/hide/escape segments, both because you have to hightail it at first and because you permanently clear those zones eventually, so each one is a test of what you've found so far. They make each new area more dangerous for a while, and then once you've gotten the point, they don't anymore.
Regulus
Sir Knightbot
While I'm mostly enjoying the game, I'd like to echo the sentiment that the EMMI sections are kind of intrusive and not all that fun. I don't think they really accomplish the tension (dread?) that they set out to with them. Setting them in sterile, neutral delineated areas means that it's never surprising to see one, and their instant kill attacks are simultaneously too deadly and too inconsequential enough to provide much tension. As it stands, I feel nothing when going through EMMI zones beyond minor annoyance when they do something unpredictable that gets me killed. I won't go into details here, but some of the abilities the later ones get are dumb.
Were I to make changes:
It was a Speed Booster puzzle that initially made me post that, haha.
Part of the problem is that there isn't actually any analog movement. Outside of aiming, Samus' controls are digital. Since, in my experience, the analog aiming is not that useful unless you're actually using the aim button (which locks you in place), I think they could have worked out a control scheme that let you use the Dpad for movement and one of the sticks for precision aiming.
The fact that there are no options at all is almost funny, really -- Super Metroid has a pretty unusual default control scheme for an SNES game (X to shoot? A to jump?) and it's pretty common for players to remap it with a more traditional layout. I would love to take advantage of something like that for Dread. It commits the same mistake that the Mega Man X games do, too, by placing the dash button on the face across from your charge 'n shoot button. It would be great to move it to one of the shoulders.
In spite of all this, Samus is very fun to play. She's so nimble. Super Metroid and even the GBA games feel kind of clumsy by comparison, and it really goes well with the more tightly designed boss fights (which have also been pretty great so far). And when the area allows for it, even fleeing an EMMI can be pretty exciting.
Were I to make changes:
I'd probably give them patrol zones that were not visually distinct from the surrounding area, then have them show up in those zones only occasionally -- something less scripted than the SA-X encounters but with a similar focus. The zones themselves would mostly be laid out like obstacle courses that are conducive to frantically running away.
I would also prefer if their quick time event offered more chances for success with a less demanding counter window. Maybe they could strike multiple times, doing actual numerical damage? Imagine them bashing Samus' power armor over and over again, kind of like this:
And each time you have a chance to counter it, but your health is being drained with every impact. When (if) you do manage to escape, you're worse off than you were, but at least you're not dead... yet. This would help increase tension if the encounter drags on, because you're less likely to survive subsequent close encounters.
I would also prefer if their quick time event offered more chances for success with a less demanding counter window. Maybe they could strike multiple times, doing actual numerical damage? Imagine them bashing Samus' power armor over and over again, kind of like this:
And each time you have a chance to counter it, but your health is being drained with every impact. When (if) you do manage to escape, you're worse off than you were, but at least you're not dead... yet. This would help increase tension if the encounter drags on, because you're less likely to survive subsequent close encounters.
It was a Speed Booster puzzle that initially made me post that, haha.
Part of the problem is that there isn't actually any analog movement. Outside of aiming, Samus' controls are digital. Since, in my experience, the analog aiming is not that useful unless you're actually using the aim button (which locks you in place), I think they could have worked out a control scheme that let you use the Dpad for movement and one of the sticks for precision aiming.
The fact that there are no options at all is almost funny, really -- Super Metroid has a pretty unusual default control scheme for an SNES game (X to shoot? A to jump?) and it's pretty common for players to remap it with a more traditional layout. I would love to take advantage of something like that for Dread. It commits the same mistake that the Mega Man X games do, too, by placing the dash button on the face across from your charge 'n shoot button. It would be great to move it to one of the shoulders.
In spite of all this, Samus is very fun to play. She's so nimble. Super Metroid and even the GBA games feel kind of clumsy by comparison, and it really goes well with the more tightly designed boss fights (which have also been pretty great so far). And when the area allows for it, even fleeing an EMMI can be pretty exciting.
Sarge
hardcore retro gamin'
Impressions after about an hour - this sure is some Metroid all right. Movement is speedy, but I am still getting used to the controls. I won't say they're bad, but there is a lot going on here, and a few I probably would have mapped differently. I'm definitely getting there, though.
Grah! I was on my fifth or sixth attempt at killing the blue EMMI when I died and accidentally quit instead of continuing. Have to do all the sneaking and brain-killing again.
zonetrope
(he/him)
I'm about two hours in and having a great time. I can definitely see the E.M.M.I.s being a sticking point, but for me they add an element of "oh god oh god oh god" that I'm not used to with Metroid, and it's a rush.
I do wish that stealth were a more viable option in these encounters, though. Maybe I haven't quite learned the rules to their movement yet, but even when I use my stealth abilities, they always seem to zero right in on where I'm standing.
I do wish that stealth were a more viable option in these encounters, though. Maybe I haven't quite learned the rules to their movement yet, but even when I use my stealth abilities, they always seem to zero right in on where I'm standing.
The trick I've found is to stand under a ledge they might climb up or somewhere that there's two paths they could take. It's not a sure thing, though. Sometimes they take the one toward you.
I'm currently at the final boss. I dont have as much time to play this as I want or I'd probably have beat it by now!
I just wanna pop in and say I absolutely love the EMMI sections. They aren't all that punishing but they are real intense. The music when you're spotted is aces. It's a rush for sure. Usually games about avoiding a killing machine or monster dont also let you do flips and wall kicks and shit, and I think that is what makes this awesome.
Also just gotta say Samus looks really bad ass.
I just wanna pop in and say I absolutely love the EMMI sections. They aren't all that punishing but they are real intense. The music when you're spotted is aces. It's a rush for sure. Usually games about avoiding a killing machine or monster dont also let you do flips and wall kicks and shit, and I think that is what makes this awesome.
Also just gotta say Samus looks really bad ass.
4-So
Spicy
Finished this just a few minutes ago. It's a great game that I will not be playing again.
The exploratory elements of the game are just as good here as they've ever been, if not better, and Samus is a joy to control. I absolutely despise the EMMI sections and the difficulty of the boss battles. I could do nothing but laugh when the game informed me hard mode had been unlocked.
The exploratory elements of the game are just as good here as they've ever been, if not better, and Samus is a joy to control. I absolutely despise the EMMI sections and the difficulty of the boss battles. I could do nothing but laugh when the game informed me hard mode had been unlocked.
I started. In first area. Fought my first mother brain, and nuked the Emmi there.
I don't like the Emmi sections. It's mostly irritating. I think an easier escape counter would really help, but I hate all these instant death stalker monster things in games.
Graphics so far look like shadow complex. Not to say bad, but not exciting?
I don't like the Emmi sections. It's mostly irritating. I think an easier escape counter would really help, but I hate all these instant death stalker monster things in games.
Graphics so far look like shadow complex. Not to say bad, but not exciting?
I found the twin Chozo bots annoying, and the power plant boss is a bit too close to the Samus Returns excavator in terms of precision required. The rest of the bosses have been fun imo.
4-So
Spicy
I tried to go back and 100% the items but there's a precision required for some of the "puzzles" that I can't do, either for want of reflexes, puzzle-solving ability, patience, or all three. So I'm officially done with the game. It was lovely; would be lovelier still if they patched in an easy mode. Super Metroid continues to be the high water mark but this was better than, say, Fusion or the last two Prime games. (I did not play Other M.)
Credits rolling; loved every minute of it. Setting aside recency bias, I would still rank it near the top of the whole dang series.
That ultra-precision stuff started in... Zero Mission, I think? I do not have the patience! Those missile tanks can stay where they are. I appreciate that they both include challenges like that but also make them entirely unnecessary to achieve if you don't want to bother.
I'm having a great time so far. The game expects a lot of you right out of the gate, but also teaches the basics in a nonintrusive way.
However, I was disappointed after obtaining my latest upgrade: It's a bummer to see the name "Wide Beam" is apparently sticking around. It had the perfectly catchy, perfectly sci-fi name of Spazer, but somehow it's been decided that this placeholder name is the one we're going with since Fusion.
I mean, I guess it's more indicative of what the beam does than "Spazer," but spelling out its function is achieved by the upgrade descriptions on the pause screen, or by firing the beam and seeing that it's wider with your eyes. It wasn't deemed necessary to rename Wave the "Pass through Surfaces Beam," so I don't see why Spazer had to go!
However, I was disappointed after obtaining my latest upgrade: It's a bummer to see the name "Wide Beam" is apparently sticking around. It had the perfectly catchy, perfectly sci-fi name of Spazer, but somehow it's been decided that this placeholder name is the one we're going with since Fusion.
I mean, I guess it's more indicative of what the beam does than "Spazer," but spelling out its function is achieved by the upgrade descriptions on the pause screen, or by firing the beam and seeing that it's wider with your eyes. It wasn't deemed necessary to rename Wave the "Pass through Surfaces Beam," so I don't see why Spazer had to go!
That’s my assumption.
Could use “Space Laser”, just as charming and descriptive, and less problematic
Could use “Space Laser”, just as charming and descriptive, and less problematic
I just took it as a cute continuity nod towards Fusion.
Also, I've played enough Fusion rando recently to the point where I have nothing but positive associations with the Wide Beam name. That beam is so busted compared to the Spazer in SM (I love it).
Also, I've played enough Fusion rando recently to the point where I have nothing but positive associations with the Wide Beam name. That beam is so busted compared to the Spazer in SM (I love it).
