Metroid
Dread

Metroid Dread (2021), the latest Metroid game, is a running, jumping, exploring and fighting game where you progress through levels, fight challenging bosses and uncover secrets. It returns the franchise to the 2D side-scrolling style of platforming, and features challenging puzzles that require both skill and perseverance to beat. You have a new stealth ability used to evade strong enemies. With unique and varied locales, difficult, skill-based fights and more, it combines elements of both the older and more modern Metroid games in a novel and interesting way.

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You play Samus as you investigate the source of a transmission of unknown origin on the mysterious planet known as ZDR. You encounter various enemies, as well as secrets that can help you fight against them, as you explore cavernous, labyrinthine rooms on your quest.

You run and jump across pits and obstacles, finding the route through the areas you explore. You slowly gain a large arsenal of weapons for fighting enemies, but some are too strong for you to beat on your first encounter, so you need to use the stealth ability, which reduces your noise and visibility, to make it through. Many secrets require outside-the-box thinking where you have to come back once you have unlocked the required ability later in the game.

The Metroid series of games is one of the most popular, long-lasting and influential platforming series out there, and this latest entry adds new abilities and ways to play while also retaining the classic elements that have made the previous games so unique and successful.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Metroid Dread 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 17 months ago.